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“So, all set?” she asked Alex, greeting her with a stiff hug.

“I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”

“Great, well you’ve got a couple of hours to rest before we go to the cathedral for a sound check.” Francine now turned her attention to Morgan. “Where she goes, you go.”

“For goodness’ sake, Fran, I’m fine,” Alex admonished with a quiet hiss.

“Good, let’s keep it that way, huh?” Francine said, turning back to Morgan. “Like I said—”

“Where she goes, I go. Got it.” Morgan saluted, and out of the corner of her eye, she caught Alex smirking.

“Right, let’s go.”

Francine marched off, leaving Mike and the kid to deal with the luggage, and Alex and Morgan to do as they were told and follow behind. Which they did, keeping a small distance between them and Francine.

“Does she ever chill out?” Morgan leaned in and asked quietly.

“Not so far,” Alex replied with another grin.

If Morgan had thought the outside of the hotel was grand, she was even more impressed when they entered through the huge double doors and into a marble foyer that wouldn’t look out of place in New York.

“Wow,” she said in awe as her eyes swept around the room. “It’s magnificent.”

Alex studied her for a moment and was transfixed by the way Morgan looked with curious wonderment at the place they would be staying for the next two nights. She was so used to just rocking up somewhere, sleeping and moving on that she hadn’t realised just how much she was missing. The architecture and the history of somewhere like this should have been as captivating to her as it was to Morgan, and she wondered when that had stopped being the case. When had she stopped enjoying these moments?

“It’s breathtaking, isn’t it?” She stared at the grand ceiling, though she wasn’t sure she wasn’t talking about the doctor herself.

Morgan was silent a beat before she said, “Yes. Makes you think about who else has stayed here over the years.”

When Francine reappeared beside a smartly dressed woman with impeccable hair and make-up, Alex moved into professional mode and became the celebrity they were all expecting:Sasha.

“Sasha, may I say what a pleasure it is to have you staying here at the Albany. Anything you need, anything at all, you just let us know and we can arrange that for you,” the woman said in an accent that wasn’t from around here, but Alex recognised instantly as Russian, if Alex had to guess by the way her vowels moved with the R sound. It was almost made melodic by the excitement in her voice.

“Thank you.” She quickly read the name badge. Nadia, Duty Manager, and had to stop herself from replying in her mother’s native tongue. “Nadia. I think right now we’d just like to get settled in our rooms.”

“Of course, you have the beautiful Mayflower suite. I highly recommend it. The views are just stunning. And of course, you have access 24/7 to our concierge.”

“Wonderful, is it this way?” Alex pointed towards a bank of lifts in the far corner, wanting to move them along as swiftly as possible, and away from the potential glare of the public.

Nadia beamed. “Yes, of course, I will show you myself, please, follow me.”

There were two lifts, one was already on its way down. Nadia inserted a small key into a lock, sending the other lift onits way too. With only a couple of floors to travel, both arrived almost simultaneously, and as the doors opened, a surprised voice spoke out loud.

“Isn’t that—” the woman stepping out was saying to her husband as he ushered her away.

“I dunno, but they don’t need us gawping at them,” he said hurriedly, and Morgan smiled at the interaction.

“Please, after you.” Nadia’s permanent smile radiated warmth as she held the door open with her key. Morgan stepped towards the back and was joined by Alex, while Francine took up position in front of Alex. The all stared out into the foyer as the doors slid closed and the gawping faces disappeared.

“I guess you get that a lot?” Morgan whispered, chin jutting towards the now invisible audience.

Alex twisted around. “Yes, I’m used to it. Most people mean well, and don’t actually recognise me right away. They just have this vague notion of knowing my face.” She chuckled. “That’s when I can usually make my getaway.”

When the lift stopped and they stepped into the hallway, Nadia explained, “There are only four floors to the hotel. The fourth floor is entirely made up of suites. The lift will not come to the fourth floor without the correct keycard.” Francine held their three in her hand in the air like a prize awarded for best listener. “And each suite has its own spacious living area and balcony to enjoy at your pleasure.” Nadia withdrew her key card from her pocket when they came to a door marked 404. She opened the door with a flourish and stepped back to allow Sasha to enter, followed by Francine.

Morgan hesitated, not wanting to intrude in Alex’s private space. She assumed she would be on another floor altogether.

“You can go in.” Nadia smiled, and hesitated to move before Morgan did.