Page 47 of Up All Night
"Okay, dude.I'll see you later."
"Sure.Keep me posted."
"Yeah, you, too."
I walk back to the elevator, thinking that I'm an idiot, because the concierge can take care of my things for me, and they should, because then I get to see all facets of this hotel's service, which helps me to determine if they're a right fit for my business.And just as I stand there, wondering if I should grab a bite before heading back up, I turn around and see Axl.There's a bar at the center of the reception area.I watch him order a shot and then a beer chaser, and as the elevator door closes, he downs the shot and then guzzles the entire beer in almost the amount of time it takes for the door to close.
It turns out that there are two health and beauty stores downtown.One of them is a chain store, and within two and a half seconds setting foot in there, the girls are all over me.First, they recommend a facial cleanser, and then they have me cornered with the perfect shampoo for my thick, lustrous hair.Once I tell them who I'm looking for, and that I'm not here to buy anything, they drop me like a hot potato and explain to me that the owner is off in Cabo.So that's out.When I arrive at the second store, the young girl working behind the counter tells me that the owner is just out grabbing lunch, so I wait.Thankfully, she doesn't use her talons like the girls in the other store, and minutes later, a girl with a striking resemblance to Lark, arrives.
"This gentleman is here to see you, Liv."The girl with the nametag that reads 'Geena', says.
"Can I help you?"She asks.
I walk over to her."Hi.This is going to sound crazy.But, you don't know me.I'm a friend of your sister Lark's.I'm Stone."
Her face lights up."Holy shit."
"Ma'am?"
She takes my hand in hers."Come with me."She calls to her assistant."Geena, I'll be back in five."
Behind the counter is a door.She opens it and takes me into what I can only assume is a break room slash storage room slash we ran out of products so we're making them here room.It's a mess.There are containers stacked in every corner, all labeled with weird numbers, and the place smells odd, like a cross between a medicine cabinet and a health food store."Wow.She said you were hot, but wow."
My face heats."She said that?"
"Not in so many words."She says blankly.
"Um, have you spoken to her today?"
"Not yet.Why?"
I swallow and take a seat at the table by the refrigerator.She kindly moves some of the containers for me."This may not be my place to say, but it looks like she's taken off somewhere."
Her face scrunches."What do you mean?"
"Apparently she called in sick to work and then a couple of hours later, she asked to take all her vacation time, as of now.Her phone goes right to voicemail.You can see for yourself."
"That's impossible."She argues kindly."Lark would never do that.She's fine.I just spoke to her last night."She says, pulling her phone out of her purse, which is in one of the corners, on top of a box.I watch her try to call, and then I hear her leave a voice message, simply saying to give her a call."I'm sure she's fine.She'll call me back once she gets the message.Lark always calls me back."
"Can I leave you my number, so that you can call me if she does?"
"Sure.I can do that."
I give her my number, and she sends a test text, so that we've made the exchange."God, she is crazy about you, did you know that?"
My smile is shy."I should go.I don't want to keep you from your work."
"I'll call you when she calls.Or you call me if she calls.She'll call."Liv's nonchalance is a little unnerving.
Because Lark doesn't call either of us.
Chapter 12
Lark
Present Day
Iwakeupinthegirls' room.It's big enough for ten people, so they convinced me to abandon mine last night.My phone has been turned off, but charging all night, so I remove it from the charging dock, and I take it outside, onto the balcony.It pains me that I've been away from home on such bad terms.While it's only been a few days, and I'm in one of the most romantic places on earth, I still want to go home.I want to go home and have it be the way it was, before it was such a mess.My sister probably has the police out on a missing person's case, looking for me.I can't bring myself to talk to her.I can't bring myself to talk to Stone, either.I have no idea what to say.Simply because I haven't made a decision yet.
