I sat with my back against the wall, letting the tears come. My life had shattered right in front of my eyes, leaving it as empty as the hall around me. How could I have done that? I’d let myself down with one flubbed line. Maybe Stephen was right in leaving me when he did. I would never amount to anything.
I bit down as a moan of despair tried to pass through my lips. I may have found a deserted hall in the hotel to cry in, but wailing like a banshee was probably a good way to be tossed out on my ear. Regardless of whom I was. And I couldn’t be banned from a place as beautiful as this on top of everything else. No way.
Taking a deep breath, I tried to calm the raging storm rising inside my soul. As I did, the lights around me popped, going out in small flurries of sparks.
Great. Now I was upset, frustrated, and all alone in the dark. How much did one girl have to suffer? I sniffled, pulling my knees tighter to my chest. Maybe I could stay here in the dark for the rest of my life. It would be better than facing everyone back home.
A beam of light disrupted my plan of hibernation, sweeping across the walls, landing on my gold sandals. A dark shape came around the corner of the hall, stopping. “Hello,” a feminine voice called out.
I pulled my knees tighter against me, trying to make myself as small as possible. I wanted to be invisible. I couldn’t let someone actually witness the unraveling of Maxie Duncan, not when my reputation already hung precariously in the balance. Closing my eyes, I held my breath, and thought invisible thoughts. Maybe that would be enough to get her to go away. It’s happened before.
“It’s no use. I can see you,” the voice said.
I opened my eyes and flinched. The beam of the flashlight assaulted my pupils, causing the world to turn into a hazy yellow blur. “Do you have to shine that right at me?”
“Oh. Sorry,” came the quick reply and the light was taken out of my eyes. I blinked several times, trying to get the phantom stain to leave. I felt pressure as the evil one with the light sat down next to me, her shoulder flush with mine.
“So, I take it you didn’t make the callback list.”
I looked over, still squinting in pain. Who was this person and why did they feel the need to rub it in. As my vision cleared, a smiling face took shape next to me. I frowned as I looked at her, taking in her long brown curls and her wide blue eyes. “You’re the desk clerk, aren’t you?”
She shook her head, leaning back against the wall. “No. I’m the manager of the Hotel DenMark. I was only watching the front desk for the clerk.” She smiled slightly. “I’m kinda nice like that.”
I sat up straighter. Great. Now I was going to be kicked out for crying in the halls. What a supremely superb day this was turning out to be. “I’m sorry,” I said softly, rising slightly from the floor. “I’ll leave now.”
She pulled me back down. “I wasn’t coming up here to kick you out. I was just coming to check on the lights,” she said, swinging the beam of light across the ceiling. “But since you are here…I figured you could use someone to talk to.”
I looked at her in surprise. I have never known a manager of any hotel to be as nice. And trust me, I’ve stayed in quite a few hotels in my time. I started to open my mouth, then stopped. I didn’t know what to say. How could you just pour your life story out to a stranger?
She watched me for a moment and then stood up, shining the light at her feet.
I rose, too, straightening out the hem of my dress while waiting for her next move. Maybe she had decided to kick me out after all.
Instead, she held out a hand to me. “Hi, I’m Evangeline Evans. Most people call me Van.”
I took her hand, giving it a small shake. “I’m Maxine Duncan. Most people call me Maxie.”
“Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Maxie,” she said sincerely. “What do you say we get out of this dark hallway and go get a cup of coffee?”
I nodded. It definitely sounded better than sitting here.
Six
Bell, Book, and Sandals Page 5