Page 70 of The Boss and the Adoption Mess
Both receptionists exchange a quick glance before one of them turns back to me, “Yes, of course. But the cleaning staff has already been in the room.” He gives me a questioning look.
“Maybe I’ll find them anyway. Who knows?”
“Certainly. I’ll get you the key card. Just a moment.”
It takes less than a minute before he hands me the card. “Room 701." He points to the elevator. "Seventh floor, first on the left.”
“Perfect. Thank you very much. I’ll return the card as soon as I’ve found the cufflinks.”
I leave the reception and walk toward the elevators. As the doors slide shut, unease twists in my stomach.
So, Gabriel was here last night. And then there’s this woman—this Caroline—who looks so much like me. If I didn’t know better, I’d think…
No. That’s insane.
Isn’t it?
Why do I suddenly feel like a wife suspecting her husband of cheating on her with a hotter copy? There’s nothing between Gabriel and me. Nothing at all. Well… there could have been. Once. But not anymore. Really not.
I swallow hard as the elevator dings at the seventh floor. Just as promised, it’s the first room on the left. At the far end of the hall, I notice two cleaning ladies, but I slip into the room first.
The room is simple and tastefully upscale. Luxurious. Clean and tidy. But what I notice immediately are not just the fine bottles of liquor, but also certain toys. And tons of condoms.
I swallow hard and leave the room again. I hesitate briefly, wavering, but then I approach the two women who are about to enter another room.
"Excuse me, but I have a question," I begin. Both ladies look at me and smile sincerely. "Have you already been in room 701?" I ask.
"Yes. Did you lose something there, Miss Evans?"
Okay, this is very convenient right now. She's mistaking me for Caroline!
“Yes, my earring,” I lie.
“Oh, we’ll gladly check again. But we really did clean everything thoroughly,” the other woman replies.
“I understand. Not a big deal. It was just a small stud, with a little butterfly on it. About this big.” I show about a quarter of an inch between my thumb and forefinger.
“That can happen after such a wild night, right?” she giggles.
“Yes, it really was a very wild night,” I agree.
“One is allowed to be a little jealous, aren’t they?” the second woman says, then adds, “I’ve always wondered—how do men treat escort girls? Are they actually good to you, or not?”
“Very good, actually. Very good…” I keep lying.
“Well, that’s good. Fortunately. You never know, right?”
“That’s true. Yes. Um, if someone happens to find my earring, I’d really appreciate it if you could let me know,” I say, turning to leave.
“We’ll check again right away, Miss Evans,” she promises.
“Thank you very much.” We exchange goodbyes. As I turn away and walk back to the elevator, tears sting my eyes. So Caroline Evans is an escort. And Gabriel was with her in that room last night. He actually lied to me.
I can’t help wondering: is it just some insane coincidence that she looks so much like me? Or does he just have a thing for my type of woman? Is that why he came up to me in the Midnight Lounge? Did he only want to hire me because of my appearance? Because secretly he has a thing for redheads?
So many thoughts are racing through my head that I feel a little dizzy in the elevator. No matter how I look at it, it doesn’t feel good to know what happened here last night.
That he slept with her.
