Page 60 of Set In Stone

“What’swrong?”

He held up a finger to silenceme.

“I’ll be right there,” Alexander told Hale. He hung up the phone and looked down at me. “It’s Hale’s mother. She fell and is being transferred to New York-Presbyterian Hospital. I’m going to meet him there. I’ll drop you off home along theway.”

I recalled Alexander telling me about Hale’s mother a few months back. She was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s and was living in a long-term care facility. Hale struggled with the situation, especially since his mother’s moments of clarity had recently become less and lessfrequent.

“I can come with you,” Ioffered.

Alexander seemed to contemplate something before he shook his head. The haunted look was back in hiseyes.

“No, angel. It’s not that I don’t want you there, but I have to stop at Justine’s place afterward. I probably should have mentioned it to you before now. I don’t expect her to be there. However, if she is, I need to have a conversation with her.Alone.”

I nodded my understanding and reached for hishand.

“As long as you know to call or text if you need anything. I can have Samuel drive me to meet you ifneeded.”

After tucking his manhood back into his pants, he kissed the top of my head and pulled meclose.

“The only thing I need is for you to be home waiting for me. I believe we started something that needs to befinished.”

He tried to come across as playful, but I wasn’t buying it. The shadows that I managed to chase away from him were now back. The only thing I could do was to do as heasked.

“I’ll be waiting,” Ipromised.

22

krystina

After Alexander dropped me off,I found Samuel waiting for me in the lobby. Alexander had called him on the drive back, so I knew he would be there to greet me and escort me up to the penthouse. However, as much as I was dying to shed my high heels for the day, I had a pit stop to makefirst.

“Samuel, do you know which apartment isVivian’s?”

“Yes,ma’am.”

I cringed, still hating the way he addressed me, but I didn’t bother to correct him this time. Some things were justingrained.

“I want to stop by there for a bit. Would you mind taking me there?” He hesitated. I couldn’t blame him after the way I ditched him earlier in the day. He needed assurance, so I added, “You can be with me the wholetime.”

Nodding, we walked over to the bank of elevators. Instead of entering the one that was exclusive for the penthouse, we stepped inside the lift that led to the apartment suites. When we reached Vivian’s floor, Samuel pointed down a longcorridor.

“This way,ma’am.”

As we passed the doors for the residences, I absently wondered which apartment was Hale’s. Samuel stopped about halfway down the hallway, in front of a door with gold numbers which read 4812. Surrounding the numbers was a decorative wreath made of faux twigs and spritzes offlowers.

“Is this herapartment?”

“It is,” he toldme.

“Thank you, Samuel,” I said and smiled my appreciation. I stepped in front of the door and rapped on it threetimes.

“Just a minute,” Vivian called from the other side of the door. I heard the sound of a security chain and the unlocking of a deadbolt before the door opened. “Why, Miss Cole! What a pleasantsurprise.”

She greeted me with a bright smile, making the lines around her eyes crinkle. I suspected that she was in her early sixties, but I couldn’t be sure. She didn’t have a ton of wrinkles, but a smooth face that was only marred by lines from years of smiling. Her dark hair was swept up into a bun, the streaks of gray prominent within the knot. She was wearing an apron, as usual, and appeared to be dressed comfortably underneath. It was later in the evening, and I worried that I would disturb her. However, her attire didn’t suggest that she was going to bed anytimesoon.

“Hello, Vivian. May I comein?”

“Of course, mydear!”

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