Part 21 (1/2)
”What day is it?” he rasped.
”I have no idea.”
He looked at his watch and cursed. ”We've missed our flight.”
”It's Monday then.” I took a seat on one of the chairs.
”Do me a favor, please.” Marvin sat up and rubbed his head.
”Call for room service and I'll call the airline.”
I did as he asked and ordered lots of coffee to go along with breakfast. I was about to take a quick shower when I heard a knock on the door. Through the peep hole, I could see Angela standing in the hall. Her hair was down and slightly damp. She looked comfortable in a pair of jeans and an untucked b.u.t.ton- down s.h.i.+rt. She was also wearing a huge smile. I wrapped my robe tighter around my body and let her in.
”Good morning,” she said as she planted a kiss on my cheek and walked past me. ”I was afraid I would miss you.”
”We missed our flight or you probably would've.” I gestured for her to take a seat.
”You feeling okay?” Angela asked.
1.
*”I'm a little unclear on last night...parts of it fade in and out.”
”You put on one h.e.l.l of a show. Everybody is talking about your speech.” Angela smiled up at Marvin as he walked back into the room. ”Mr. Mays says he enjoyed your speech above everyone else's. He was very pleased to hear how highly you touted our products and service. I think my job is pretty secure.”
”I hope mine still is.” Marvin elbowed me in the ribs.
”I called Kalen first thing this morning.” Angela wrinkled her nose. ”She's thrilled. I left out a few parts, though.”
”Thank you,” Marvin and I said in unison.
”I must really thank you both. I know the past few days have been h.e.l.l.” Angela focused on me for a moment. ”It wasn't fair of me to put so much pressure on you. I was so nervous after the last set of meetings when a few of my fellow reps were laid off that I got a bit self-centered.”
”You've been good to us, Angela. I'm glad we were able to help you out. Although...I wish one of you would fill me in on what I did. I remember everything until I walked up to the podium. I think I blocked it all out.” I looked over at Marvin, then at Angela. They were both grinning.
Marvin held up a hand and started counting off each incident.
”You drooled, accosted a woman in the elevator, and made up your own speech that nearly made me wet myself.” He cuffed me on the shoulder. ”But when it came time to deliver, you did it...perfectly, minus the giggling.”
”I giggled through the speech?”
Marvin and Angela nodded. ”It added some levity to an otherwise dull evening.” Angela glanced down at her watch. ”I need to go help with the packing up.” She gave Marvin a hug, and I walked her to the door. She turned and looked at me before she stepped into the hallway. ”You're a great kisser, and that's a lot coming from a straight woman.”
”I'm sorry about that. Blame it on the Stanky Leg.” I looked away in embarra.s.sment.
”I'm not mad,” Angela said with a smile as she moved into my line of sight. ”Maybe now Zoe won't hit on me so much when I visit her salon.”
1.
*”I seriously doubt that,” I said with a grin.
”Oh, I put your jewelry in your cosmetic bag.” Angela tucked her hair behind her ear. ”I put you into bed last night. Marvin didn't seem comfortable with the idea.”
I felt a flush wash over my face.
”I hope your girlfriend won't mind.”
”I'm sure she won't,” I said with a sigh.
”Maybe I'll see you next time I'm in town. It might be kind of fun to tell Kalen that story.”
”Fun for you, yes, but I'll hear about it for the rest of my life.”
”Take care of yourself, Shannon,” Angela said as she walked away.
”I'm so glad I don't have to work for the next few days,”
Marvin said as he sipped on a Mountain Dew. ”When this plane lands, I'm driving you straight home, then I'm going home to sleep for the next twenty-four hours.”
I reached into my pocket and pulled out the five hundred- dollar emergency cash that I hadn't had to use and pressed it into his hand. ”Whatever bonus my sister promised you was not enough. Thank you for taking care of me.”
Marvin looked at the crisp one hundred-dollar bills and tried to hand them back. ”I can't take this. Even though you made me want to pull my hair out, I had a blast and met a really cute guy.”
”Keep it then as hush money,” I said with a grin. ”All Kalen needs to know is that I gave her speech.”
As we walked through the New Orleans airport, I felt relief. I was home. I inhaled deeply the smell of fried food and beignets, and I even welcomed the smell of exhaust as we made our way through the parking garage. My stomach did knot up, though, at the prospect of seeing Hailey again. Invariably, we'd run into each other at the apartment. It was going to be awkward and kind of sad not to have her in my daily life.
”Sure you won't take the cash back?” Marvin lowered my suitcase to the sidewalk in front of my building a little later.
”Sure you won't tell Kalen anything?”
1.
*Marvin laughed and gave me a quick hug. ”I won't say anything, cash or not.”
As I walked through the courtyard, I felt relieved to be home, but there was a pang of sadness, too, as I looked at the empty bench where I usually found Hailey. With the distraction of the trip behind me, I realized that I missed being with her. I wondered if maybe she missed me, too. A glance at my watch told me that she should be home from work by now, but there was no sign of her. I tried to tell myself it was all for the best as I rode in the elevator to my floor.