Page 79 of Gluttony
She had to admit she liked spending time with him. She liked that he needed her. She liked that he made her laugh. And she especially liked that he came from a family that not only fought to keep the peace, but were dedicated to saving those less fortunate than them. Less fortunate and sometimes misguided. He represented everything she fought for while in the agency.
He was so much more than the movie star poster boy.
And he was hers.
Butterflies fluttered in her stomach and she smiled to herself.
She’d told him she’d be there when he got back from patrolling, but she hadn’t, however, mentioned that she would stay in the interim. Her to-do list was growing. She needed her own clothes, and her car was still at the hotel. The valet cost would be astronomical. Not to mention she wanted to speak with Max and the rest of the Nightingale Team. And her firearm was missing somewhere in the Cardinal City sewers. That last one was just going to have to stay there for the mean time. She wouldn’t be caught dead fishing around in those muddy waters on her own, maybe never.
Just thinking about everything she had to do made her head giddy.
Since she couldn’t find a phone at Tony’s place, she needed help to call a cab. Stopping near the front door, she lifted her face to the kitchen speaker like she’d seen Tony do, and awkwardly said, “Hi AIMI, it’s Bailey Haze.”
Nothing.
She tried again. “AIMI? Just wondering if you could call me a cab so I can leave?”
Immediately, AIMI answered. Funny that.
“Greetings Bailey Haze. I will arrange for a Cardinal City taxi to meet you downstairs. Where would you like to go?” AIMI’s voice was saccharine sweet with a touch of computerized inflection.
“Home. Please. The address is—”
“I know where you live. One moment please.”
She knew where Bailey lived? Freaky.
“Wait,” she said. “I think it’s best I head to the hotel to collect my car, first. Then I can drive it home. That makes more sense.”
“One moment please.”
A pause that lasted a few seconds, and then AIMI responded. “Your cab will be waiting for you outside the lobby in T-Minus five minutes and counting.”
“Thank you.”
No response. Right. Well, guess it was time to go then.
Bailey let herself out and took the elevator down to the lobby entrance where Gus manned his desk. That was a slight overstatement. He sat behind, engrossed in a book with the wordsTreasure Hunter Securityon the cover. He had no idea Bailey had arrived.
“Evening, Gus,” she greeted.
He jolted, as though he’d been caught stealing. He hid the book beneath the bench and smiled. “Miss Haze, I didn’t realize you were still in the building.”
Heat flushed her cheeks at the implications, but it was another thing she’d have to get used to. “I’ll be back later.”
“You need help with any bags?”
“I’m good thanks, Gus. Didn’t bring much with me. I’ll see you tonight.”
He touched the tip of his Aviator style hat in a salute. “Until then.”
From the corner of her eye, she saw him retrieving his book and getting right back to the story. Must be a good one.
The cab ride to the hotel was a short one. Bailey had no time to prepare herself for the very real possibility that she’d be accosted by paparazzi camped out since the previous day, and when she caught sight of the cluster of photographers parked where the public sidewalk met the valet driveway, she cringed.
“Great,” she mumbled. She tugged her baggy shirt to cover the yoga pants. She wore no makeup and no sunglasses. She didn’t even have a bra on. She felt naked. If they recognized her—she shook the thoughts away.Just get it done with.
After paying the cabbie, she got out and went straight to the valet.
