Page 44 of Secret Admirer
He'd live right across from his father’s place. Sure, Peter lived there now, but every morning he’d think of his father and have his morningcafethumbing his nose at the man’s memory.
He could taste it now.
And by his side would be the lovely Rebecca. She stopped fast in her tracks when they arrived at the hotel lobby. She stared directly in front of her and he turned his head to see what had bothered her.
Nadia. The sleek, dark-haired woman he'd known intimately. The fashion editor wore a blue dress that screamed designer. He nodded at her as she had obviously seen both of them and said, “Nadia.”
She stood in front of them at the check-out desk but turned to crisply shake hands. “Bart. Rebecca, right?”
Rebecca’s face was bright red, and she had spots on her cheeks when she nodded and said, “Yes, hi.”
Nadia smiled and then gently tapped his shoulder. “Nice to see you again. Bart, I was wondering if I could talk to you for a moment?”
Rebecca turned away. “I’ll go get myself some water. Be right back.”
His lovely girlfriend went toward the water jug and poured a stream into a paper cup.
Interesting how Americans drank everything from paper.
Nadia quickly said, “Bart, I normally wouldn’t care if I leave something behind, but if you find a gold locket in your luggage, can you please ship it to me? I’ll pay. My grandmother gave it to me and I haven't been able to find it. I’m wondering if it was mixed up in one of your bags.”
He glanced at Nadia. While he didn’t remember the locket, he remembered she always knew how to act in social situations. She never stomped for no reason--he'd had no passion for her once she’d gone. “I’ll have my staff look for a gold locket when they unpack today.”
She nodded coolly. “It has a heart on it, and my grandma’s initials NW on the back.”
With that description, it would be unique enough. “If I have it, I’ll send it right over.”
With that, they separated into different lines at the front desk. Before they parted, she said, “Thank you. And can we leave a note for the hotel staff as well?”
“Of course. Let’s check out together.” He suggested they use the same employee.
He could feel Rebecca's curious stare until he and Nadia parted. He joined her at the water stand and motioned toward the door. She didn’t hug him or kiss him. She finished her water, tossed the cup and asked, “What did Nadia want to talk to you about?”
She hadn’t moved so he offered his arm to guide her toward the valet. “Her necklace.”
“What?” She finally walked beside him.
Her red face was jealousy? Tension gathered at his shoulders. He patted her arm and said, “Her grandmother’s necklace. She asked if I find the gold locket to send it to her.”
Rebecca’s eyes narrowed and she glanced up at him. “Why would you have it?”
Most of his affairs never discussed the previous person--it wasn't done. Rebecca’s words of love earlier replayed in his mind causing the hair on his neck to stand alert. “She spent a week traveling with me, before I met you.”
Her face crumpled, and he swore he saw a tear in her eye. “Oh.”
“What’s going on? I told you about her already.” His mind raced and he couldn’t figure out what had caused Rebecca's reaction.
Nadia was the past and neither one of them had ever been possessive or tried to take more of the other’s time.
Rebecca’s voice cracked. “I thought, or assumed, it was a shorter time frame.”
They exited the Biltmore. He told the valet to have his driver bring the car forward. He said to Rebecca, “It doesn’t matter. If my staff finds the necklace, I’ll send it along. Are you ready?”
“Yes.” She clasped his hand.
The valet signaled for him, as he was next in line to leave. Bart handed over a tip and then turned to Rebecca, who was talking to Nadia. Nadia wiped her face like she'd been crying. As he approached to ask if everything was all right, Nadia slipped into her cab and took off.
The black town car pulled in front of them. “Were you just talking to Nadia while I ordered the car?”
