by Aubrey Parr
Caught up in his excitement, he yelled out, “YES!”
“Did you by chance get some good news?” Lauren asked between bites.
“As a matter of fact, I did.” He walked around the bar and leaned his body into Lauren. She fit perfectly in his chest. “Can I steal her away from you two for a while tomorrow night?”
Lauren’s face lit up with his words. “Really?”
“The bartender that called in tonight said she could cover me after 8:30 tomorrow. Her daughter is sick tonight, and the babysitter won’t watch sick kids. I feel bad for cursing her name now.” Zane nuzzled into the back of her head and breathed in the smell of her hair. Though he wasn’t sure of the combination of scents, he knew he’d remember the way her hair smelled for the rest of his life. It was going to haunt him.
“Mmm… I’d love that.” Lauren closed her eyes as she leaned back into him. This felt so right.
“Nic and I will catch the late show. We can grab an early dinner and have her back here by 8:30.” Kate loved seeing how content Lauren looked in his arms. It was exactly the way she was with Dominic. Kate had been so unsure of her feelings in the beginning. Nicole had tried to tell her, but she wouldn’t listen. Lauren looked like the type of girl who would take the plunge and trust her heart. It warmed Kate’s heart to see someone trust in theirs.
“Can I speak with you, please!?” The four friends heard Mr. Manager’s voice boom from the doorway.
Lauren slowly leaned forward. Zane whispered, “Shit!” and rolled his eyes while Nicole and Kate stifled laughter with their heads down. They didn’t think it was funny, but both women were smart enough to know Zane had done nothing wrong. They were his only guests, and he wasn’t groping anyone. His girlfriend, for lack of a better word, was momentarily leaning against him. That’s it. His biggest offense was that he wasn’t behind the bar. He could have easily been on his way to clean off a table. Both women knew that Rich was sweet on Lauren and most likely a tad bit jealous.
Zane took his time walking over to his manager. He was never going to let Rich think he could be managed through intimidation.
“Do you need a vocabulary lesson on what ‘serving our guests’ means? I think you might be taking it a bit far.” Rich stood with his arms crossed. He was trying to rationalize a way to write Zane up and get something in his personal file. He didn’t like the guy. He wasn’t sure why.
“No, no vocabulary lesson needed,” Zane answered.
“You know that you shouldn’t be interacting with your bar guests in that manner.” Rich tried to sound authoritative.
“Didn’t you ask me to let you know when she was here? Weren’t you planning on hitting on her yourself?” Zane voice began to raise, and it didn’t matter to him. “Didn’t you kiss her hand? She leaned back into me. What the fuck is the big deal?”
His manager’s face turned red with fury. Zane didn’t care. He was a good bartender. This was a good job, but this was New York; bars were everywhere!
“You watch how you speak to me!” Rich scolded, trying to keep his voice lowered. Deep down, he knew his case was rather flimsy.
“I will treat you with respect when you do the same. Man to man, I’m sorry that she’s not interested in you. But that has nothing to do with me or how I do my job.” Zane turned on his heel and walked behind the bar, making sure to send Lauren and her friends a quick smirk on his way past.
“Zane’s a badass!” Nicole joked.
Lauren watched Rich’s silent huff as he turned and left. She shouldn’t have cozied up to Zane in the middle of the lounge. It reminded her of their kiss in the back. She wanted to do that again. Her eyes practically rolled back in her head thinking about tomorrow night and being with Zane outside of this little lounge. She liked it here, but she wanted the know the off-duty Zane.
…
Rich stormed into his office off the main lobby. The door flew open and hit the wall; he slammed it back shut. His large oafish body flopped into the swivel chair. With the force of his body, the base of the chair practically bowed to support the weight. Who does this guy think he is? And that little tart, what does she see in him?
Could he fire Zane? Did he have probable cause? Probably not… But oh, how easily he could show that little blonde that she should have chosen him. Maybe he’d try to catch her outside of the lounge before she left. He turned to his computer and opened the software for managing the bar. It wasn’t the first time he’d opened tickets to track down a cute little thing’s hotel room. It was a habit of his now, to notice what drinks were in front of a beautiful woman and her party, the easier to find their tickets later. Little Blondie had a mixed drink. Most likely vodka, there was a lime in it. A glass of red was in front of the other blonde and the brunette had a martini, murky from olive juice. She’d make it easiest to track down with her dirty martini. As he opened checks, he figured the security cameras around the hotel could help him find the right opportunity to find her alone. There it was, charged to room 2105…
…
Zane knew Rich was going to be all over the security cameras now that he had seen a glimpse of the connection between Lauren and himself. Which was why he had chosen the particular spot he did to kiss her. Cameras were everywhere, but blind spots were everywhere as well. Coffee and silverware rolls were probably not high on the priority list for monitoring theft. Zane knew the cameras were by the meat cooler and liquor and wine rooms. There was one at the end of the bar as well, which was a risk earlier, but he knew Rich wouldn’t sit and watch people drinking at the bar on a Friday evening. Now that Zane had pissed him off, it might happen. Rich would be looking for reason to fire him. Pulling Lauren into the back again was all he could think about, but also not a smart move right now.
Watching from across the bar and planning a perfect evening for them was his current occupation. Lord, she was beautiful. When she smiled, something happened inside of him. His soul settled, felt at home. The feeling reminded him of walking into his grandparents’ house as a little boy. The smell of something delicious in the crock pot, mixed with the aroma of an apple pie fresh out of the oven. Zane closed his eyes and was transported back to their little front room in the Bronx. He had never felt safer in his life than he did there. This woman was making him feel the same way. How was that possible?
After their tab was closed, Lauren stood on the foot rail of her stool and leaned her elbows into the bar. Not wanting to get Zane into any trouble, she was still hoping she could steal a quick kiss goodnight.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” she told him.
“Will you come by in the afternoon sometime to say hello?” Zane flashed his crooked smile. He leaned forward and initiated the kiss. Lauren kept hold of his lips as long as she possibly could. Those lips would be in her dreams tonight.
“Of course, I will. I can’t wait for our date tomorrow night.”
“It’s all I’ll think about until then.” Giving her another quick kiss, he leaned away in case Rich was watching.
…
It felt like a high school sleepover in their enormous corner suite. All three ladies were in comfy clothes, with a spread of every dessert on the menu laid out on the huge coffee table in front of them. Lauren’s eyes widened, and her stomach growled as she loaded her plate with cheesecake, bread pudding, and a chocolate chip cookie. She would feel like complete shit later, but it would be worth it.
“Your brother is a doll!” Nicole said.
“I still can’t believe it had been so long.” Lauren smiled, thinking about Cam. “Maybe if either one of us had wanted to go back to Indiana for visits, we would have seen each other more.”
“We’ve both driven through Indiana, but never stopped,” Kate added. “Well, maybe Indianapolis?” She looked at Nicole to confirm.
“We went for a concert in college,” Nicole piped in, just before another bite of cheesecake made its way into her mouth.
“That’s right; cute town. Were you anywhere near Indianapolis?” Kat
e asked.
“Maybe an hour or so away. We’re from a tiny town called Seymour. It’s smack in between Indianapolis and Louisville, Kentucky. About an hour drive to both.” Lauren paused to take a breath. She wasn’t exactly sure why she disliked living in a small town so much. “It’s known as ‘the crossroads of America’, because the north/south and east/west railroads intersect in the downtown. My father worked for the railroad.”
“Do your parents come visit you?” Nicole asked.
“They came out when I first moved there. My mother thought even Indianapolis was too big for her. She hated Chicago. She swore she’d never go to New York. That scared her even more. My father never seemed to care much about where we lived. “
Nicole got the feeling that Lauren and her brother weren’t ever close with their father. Being raised by only her dad after her mother died, she couldn’t imagine not having a father-daughter relationship. Hopefully, Lauren was somewhat close to her mother.
Lauren’s mind was going a mile a minute when the ladies finally waved the white flag and went to bed. This morning, she walked in on her now ex-boyfriend with another woman. She was momentarily homeless and then met two angels on the El. She ended up in a New York City hotel suite (by way of private jet) and had since met an amazing man and shared the most erotic kiss of her life. She hugged her brother for the first time in ten years, and somehow he remembered how much she loved surprises. Here she lay, in awe of life today. Things really could change in the blink of an eye. With Nicole’s offer to stay at the Aqua Hotel, she could go home to Chicago and regroup. Maybe one of her friends needed a roommate. The thought of returning to Chicago and not seeing Zane made her stomach turn a little. Then again, maybe it was all the dessert? Still, now that she had met Zane and reunited with her brother, she didn’t like thinking about leaving.
CHAPTER SEVEN
On his way to brunch, Cameron thought about the conversation he had had with his partner the previous night. There were some unsolved assaults on women from a few years back. Brian had reminded him that an employee from Lauren’s hotel had been a suspect. No charges were ever filed; most likely they couldn’t get them to stick. What if Zane was the perp? Nothing about him set off any of Cam’s radar, but then again maybe that was why he had eluded the police for years. Once at the station, Cam would grab the files and do a little digging into the cold cases. He needed to be sure Lauren wasn’t in any danger.
What with Lauren’s fascination with Zane, the three women had barely checked out the rest of the hotel. All their time had been split between their suite and Zane’s little lounge. The hotel restaurant was trendy and known for its brunch menu. Natural woods of varying tones and industrial lighting gave it a very authentic feel. The furniture was casual, yet the dishes and glassware were formal. The contrast was great on the senses. While Lauren waited to catch sight of her brother again, she looked up at the impossibly high ceilings. The light wood on the floors and walls made the darker slats above her a statement in and of themselves. She sipped her mimosa while her nerves started to tense again. She and Cam had already had their reunion, why would she be nervous? Maybe it was still just too new for her.
Then she saw him. Dressed in his uniform, he was a complete opposite of the rowdy teenager she remembered. He fit right into the setting of the restaurant. After hugs were passed out, he asked for some coffee, and they perused the menu.
Cam couldn’t shake last night’s conversation with his partner. He noticed he was eyeing any male employee that walked into his line of sight. He wondered if the perpetrator was still working for the hotel. It would help to know why the hotel was connected to the assaults in the first place. He couldn’t wait to get his hands on those files.
Rich was walking in to check on the restaurant when his saw Blondie hugging a police officer. Rich didn’t like cops, but he especially didn’t like how this one had his arms around her. Was she intentionally trying to piss him off? He leaned against the server station, watching the cop sit down at the table and chat with the three women. He had only hugged Blondie. Why?
…
It felt weird to Zane, knowing that Lauren was in the restaurant and that he couldn’t be with her. Should he pass by and try to sneak a peek? She never once left his thoughts last night. In his dreams, they fulfilled his sex-at-work fantasies all over the lounge- from taking her in a back booth, to the counter behind the bar, and then in the cooler to revive their exhausted bodies. He woke and swore it was all real, the feel of her skin, the way she touched his body. The way she looked at him. If tonight was half as sexy as his dreams, he’d never let her go.
After finishing his prep work, his body frustrated from desire for her, he rolled his eyes and walked through the back. He’d walk past the kitchen and glance around the dining room and see if he could find her.
He saw Rich’s face first. There was fire in his eyes, as there had been during their confrontation last night, but this went deeper. Zane followed his gaze and saw Lauren with her friends and her brother, enjoying an innocent brunch together. The look in Rich’s eyes sent chills down the back of Zane’s neck. Rich’s interest in all his female guests was usually annoying but comical. This was different. In the four years Zane had worked at the hotel, and had the displeasure of working with Rich, he’d never seen that look on his face. What was going through that repulsive brain of his?
Not wanting to be seen, he ducked back into the kitchen and made his way to the bar. Zane didn’t like leaving Lauren there with the wild-eyed Rich watching her. He may not have if her brother wasn’t there. Trying to shake the sick feeling he had inside, he focused on readying his bar for the day.
…
Cameron told the girls all about living in the Prospect Heights area of Brooklyn. Lauren wanted to try and figure out a way to visit. It sounded amazing. Hearing that he was a short walk to the Brooklyn Public Library didn’t surprise her one bit. Books were a part of him. As a teen, once all his energy was sufficiently released with basketball or some other kind of sport, Cam could easily be found reading the most popular book series of the time. She always liked that. She wondered how she hadn’t thought about him every time she saw a library these days. That feeling had sort of faded away over the years.
When Cam mentioned Smorgasburg, the Brooklyn flea and food market, all three ladies agreed that they needed to stop by before going the airport on Sunday. The outdoor market sounded like the summer street fests of Chicago. To see one on a New York scale would be epic. They made plans to stop by Cam’s place for some coffee and then check out Smorgasburg for a few hours. Cam had to be on duty by noon, so he could accompany his sister and her friends for an hour or so. Then they’d be on their own to take in the atmosphere. With no luggage restrictions to worry about, who knew what they’d decide to take back to Chicago with them? That thought made Cam’s heart hurt. He didn’t want to think about Lauren being so far from him again.
…
It was a great day to visit Greenwich Village. (Nicole also wanted to make it to SoHo if they had time.) Lauren loved it. She was in awe of the Washington Square Arch at the entrance to the park; it reminded her of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. She figured the New York monument had to be based on it. Lauren had never been there, but always wanted to go. As the friends sat on the steps surrounding the large fountain nearby, Nicole and Kate told Lauren about their time in Paris two years before and why they had taken the trip.
The Stones and the Prices had gone through a horrible ordeal together. It had started when the four of them accidentally surprised a gang member trying to plant drugs in Dominic’s tattoo shop. The thug was going to bribe Dominic into forcing the Price family to play along with his drug smuggling plans in the port of Miami. During the commotion, Dominic was shot. Once everything was over and the trial was done, they traveled to the City of Love to celebrate. The trip sounded like something out of a fairy tale. Lauren had always wanted to see Paris, but now it was as though she needed to go.
&nb
sp; After taking in Greenwich Village, the three of them hopped in a cab to SoHo. Lauren pulled up some information about the area on her phone in the cab. As with Greenwich Village, she’d always heard the name, but knew nothing about the area. She was glad they saw the Village; she was sure she’d love SoHo, too. Her phone told her that “SoHo” stood for “South of Houston Street”, and, to the delight of her rumbling stomach, it had restaurants out of “a foodie’s dream.” The upscale boutiques she read about made her sigh. She enjoyed the atmosphere of New York far more than she thought she would so far, but she could do without the astronomical prices in the boutiques. She was excited to see Cam’s home of Prospect Heights the next day as well, especially after pulling up a few pictures. Through the pictures alone, she felt a connection of the area. She wondered if it was from knowing her brother lived there.
…
SoHo shopping was very similar to Fifth Avenue from the day before. At home, Lauren was used to walking past the pricier stores on Michigan Avenue and making her way to the off-the-rack type stores on State Street, where racks were packed full of last season’s items at a reduced price. The shops they visited now were much more open and minimalistic. Clothes weren’t shoved into every open space possible. They were instead showcased on simple displays throughout the stores.
As on Fifth Avenue, many shops brought out glasses of champagne or wine for guests to indulge in. It reminded Lauren of a cruise stop in St. Maarten. Though this time, she didn’t get the feeling that the alcohol was to help customers become slightly tipsy and looser with their wallets. And in St. Maarten, the jewelry stores weren’t just handing out glasses of wine. They handed out cans of beers by the six pack to boyfriends and husbands. As an onlooker, it had made her laugh to see husbands coming into the store, shaking their heads to their wives. Then leave, stumbling a bit, with a wide-smiling wife wearing a new piece of jewelry.
One shop featured bathing suits, giving the girls a new plan for the afternoon. They’d pick out some suits and head back to the hotel. After relaxing in the pool and hot tub, they’d have a nice afternoon movie fest in their room and then get ready for dinner. Lauren picked out a simple black bikini that wasn’t too revealing but fit her petite form perfectly. This time, Kate insisted on paying for her, along with a sheer cover up and a cute pair of sandals to match. Kate found a beautiful turquoise suit that look great with her hair, and Nicole’s was a gold material that blended perfectly with her tanned skin and blonde locks.