Page 53 of Purchase Power
Chapter 15
The first thing Lucy noticed after she and Noah returned to the limo was that they were not going back the way they had come. They were driving increasingly closer to the city core, which was a traffic clusterfuck on agoodday. Absolutely no reason to go that way, unless…
Noah had another destination in mind.
“Where are we going?” Lucy pressed her face against the tinted window. Noah had just gotten off the phone with Candace. The words,“Everything is in order? Thank you Candace, see you tomorrow,”had passed his lips. “Don’t tell me. You’re taking my ass to the symphony.”
Noah snorted. “I’m tired. I also thought we could both use a change of scenery tonight. So, I booked us a room at The Grand.”
“The Grand?” Lucy had never heard of it before, but it sounded fancy. Was it the big, low building with Gothic accents coming into view? “If you think it’s nice, then it must be.”
“Trust me. It’s very nice.”
“You take your dates there often, huh?”
“Pardon me?” Noah asked.
Lucy clicked her tongue. “Don’t be shy. This isn’t your first time at the Pound Town Rodeo, Mr. Gabriel. You’ve said so yourself.”
“I’ve told you that you’re the first woman I’ve ever purchased such services from.”
Lucy gasped. “Dangling modifier…”
Noah glared at her for two seconds before turning his head away again. “I forget. You’re a student of English.”
“Ain’t nothin’ like English, either.” Lucy waited for him to react. When he didn’t, she let the joke go. “I didn’t know we’d be spending the night elsewhere. Any special reason?”
“It’s Friday. Isn’t that special enough?”
The limo pulled up to the sidewalk. They were soon joined by a new valet, who insisted on letting Lucy out of the car before anyone else.
There wasn’t much time to ask about the nature of this (sure to be conjugal) visit. Noah escorted her into the lobby of The Grand, which quickly revealed itself as one of the premier luxury venues in the city. The opulence was laidback, however. Deep, comfortable chairs and couches invited men dressed in fine suits and women bedecked in pantsuits and cocktail dresses to laze around while awaiting their friends or for their rooms to be ready. A chandelier twinkled above, but the big, green plants and the scent of a fountain reminded guests that this was not a hotel that lived off its own pomposity. Grandeur was found in the mannerisms of the staff, particularly when they recognized the likes of Noah and whatever bunny he had on his arm.
“Mr. Gabriel,” the clerk greeted without asking for names.They know him on sight, huh? Sly dog. He must be here at least once a month with some new girl.Lucy wasn’t jealous. Getting Noah to admit would be half the fun. “Your suite is ready. I’ve taken the liberty to ensure your requests have been adequately met.”
“Requests?” Lucy released his arm as he stepped up to the counter and removed his wallet from the inside jacket pocket. “Dare I ask?”
He ignored her. “I was quite serious when I requested the honeymoon suite. If you can’t procure that, then there’s no point.”
The clerk continued to grin. “Everything has been taken care of, Mr. Gabriel. I absolutely assure you.”
After he received his keys, Noah left the clerk a lingering look and motioned for Lucy to come with him to the elevator. “Like what you see?” he asked, as Lucy drank in the sight of the fountain they passed on their way to the elevators. “This is the best hotel in town, if you ask me. Unassuming, but all the comforts of home.”
“Where you’re treated like a prince, not a king, I’m sure.”
They were the only ones in their elevator. Noah pressed the button for the second to top floor. “It was recently remodeled a few years ago. I personally know the new owners. Good people. The Mathers. Do you know them?”
“Can’t say I do, Mr. Gabriel.”
“They’re in hospitality real estate and some personal residential investments. So, they’re allies to my company, but not direct competition.”
Lucy stared at him, the numbers on the panel glowing with every passing floor.
“I’m in real estate. Surely, you knew that.”
“Sorry. This whole week has been a bit of a blur. I’m sure you understand why.”
He cleared his throat. “Commercial real estate, to be specific. My family’s company owns half the buildings two blocks over. Actually, our offices are not too far from here. There’s an excellent restaurant here for meetings. Only reason I come into town during the day, really.”
