Page 104 of Brassy Bigwig

My head hurts even more by the time I hang up the phone. I walk to the kitchen and grab an ice pack from the freezer. Taking it back to bed with me, I put it over my eyes and fall back to sleep.

* * *

The next time I wake up, it’s due to the telephone ringing throughout the penthouse. It’s not a regular landline telephone. It’s only there for the security staff to ring us when guests are here to visit or if we have a package waiting that can’t fit in our mailbox. Otherwise I would just ignore it.

I glance at the time on my phone when I open my eyes.

12:33 P.M.

That’s sure to be Shelby.

Slowly crawling out from under the covers, I notice my head feels a lot better than it did earlier when I went back to sleep. There is still a mild ache, but that extra sleep was exactly what I needed.

I pad out into the hallway, crossing over to the kitchen where the phone is.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Ms. Gainesworth, this is Clint from the desk downstairs. I have a Ms. Wyatt here to see you.”

“Thank you, Clint. Please send her up.”

“You also just received a package. Would you like me to have her bring it to you?”

My stomach drops. I can’t deal with another bomb like the last one Blake sent us.

“Please,” I tell him reluctantly.

“Thank you, ma’am.”

I hang up the phone and walk to the front door. Opening it, I lean against the door jamb to wait for Shelby to get here. A couple minutes later, I watch the elevator door open, and Shelby walks off with a bag of delicious smelling food in one hand and a manilla envelope in the other.

“Are you feeling better?” she asks. “I brought you your favorite soup.”

She holds up a bag from the Chinese restaurant that makes the best hot and sour soup I’ve ever tasted. It’s my ultimate comfort food.

“Thank you, you didn’t have to do that.”

“I know,” Shelby turns and flashes me a bright smile.

“You’re the best, ever. And yes, I was feeling better until I heard another package was delivered.”

“Yeah, and judging by the looks of it, I don’t think we’re going to like what’s inside.”

“Ugh. Don’t tell me that.”

Shelby walks through the doorway and into the penthouse as I close and lock the door behind her.

“Why don’t you put the soup in the kitchen. I’m going to shower real quick, and then I’ll eat.”

“What about this?” She holds the package up.

“I can’t even think about that right now. I’ll deal with it when I get out.”

“Okay, I’m going to find some shitty daytime talk show to watch while I’m waiting.”

I leave Shelby in the hallway as I reenter the bedroom and head straight for the shower. I’m in and out in a few minutes, and I feel even better than I did when I got out of bed.

“Okay, I’m back, and I’m starving,” I tell her as I walk into the kitchen and grab the food. There is only one container in the bag.

---