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I turned back around in my chair and slumped low, though the low-backed seat would do nothing to fully obscure me. If I got up and tried to escape back into the hotel now, he’d surely see me. Him and his gaggle of little groupies, apparently.
The rise of my ire was ridiculous, of course. I wouldn’t have felt so strongly if Sumner had been laughing with two other guys on the staff. Maybe I would’ve. Maybe I would’ve resented anyonehe smiled at, when I’d grown comfortable with the thought that he saved it only for me.
But he hadn’t. He never smiled at me for anything more than politeness. Friendship. Because he was paid to smile at me.
“Your life is justsointeresting,” one of the girls gushed. “You’re so well-traveled. I haven’t ever left Addison.”
“Same here,” the other one replied. “California, England, Spain—it’s all quite the adventure.”
I frowned a little as I eavesdropped, certain I had locked onto the wrong conversation until Sumner replied. “It’s been quite the jam-packed life, that’s for sure.” The smile in his voice was practically audible. “It’s nice to slow down for a change.”
England and Spain? Sumner had been to those places? He’d never mentioned it to me before. A different thought occurred to me, in a bitter way; Sumner had traveled more than I ever had? When? I thought him making his way into Addison after quitting his job was the first time traveling outside of California. He’d traveled the world?
My heart hardened further. Apparently, he’d been right. I didn’t really know him much at all.
“Margot?”
For half a second, I debated on ignoring him. Bracing myself, I lifted my head to where he stood ten feet away, and even though I didn’t want to, I forced myself to meet his gaze. “Mr. Pennington,” I greeted, closing my fashion magazine and sitting up straighter. “You were working today?”
I had to be horrifyingly transparent.
The two girls who stood beside Sumner lost their smiles at the sight of me, a reaction I was long since used to. They even looked as if they wanted to turn and walk in the opposite direction, but it was too late; I’d already risen from the chair and sauntered over. “You seem awfully relaxed to be on the clock.”
“W-We were just coming back from break,” one girl got out, struggling to maintain her even tone. “We ran into Sumner in the hallway.”
I tilted my stare toward her, not saying a word. It made her nearly cower.
“What are you doing in the lobby?” Sumner asked at once, oblivious to the tension, taking in my suit. He had a frown on his features now, worlds different from the smile on his face moments ago. “You’re supposed to call me when you leave your room.”
He couldn’t have thought I’d call him after last night. Confessing my feelings was bad enough, but the fact that I kissed him just made his presence more unbearable. “To Gilfman’s,” I replied flatly, slipping a hand into my pocket. “I have a fitting for the wedding next Saturday. You left my car at the country club’s valet, if you remember.”
“You didn’t say anything yesterday.”
“I had other things on my mind yesterday.”
At that, I could’ve sworn Sumner flushed.
The two other staff members had been bouncing back and forth between us as if we were a tennis match, their expressions growing increasingly shocked. Perhaps because Sumner wasn’t cowering beneath the imposingstare of Margot Massey. Perhaps because no one was being turned to stone with just one glance at me. Perhaps because I hadn’t fired anyone on the spot yet.
“We—we can tell Mr. Massey that Miss Margot needs your assistance,” one of the staff members said, the one who’d spoken a moment ago. She was the one that stood the closest to Sumner. The one who’d had her hand on his back as they’d walked into the lobby.
Maybe she was the reason he turned me down. Maybe he preferred this bubbly blonde over me, who contained nothing but ire.
Sumner shook his head “No, I can go tell him?—”
“You aren’t coming.”
My tone was blunt and unmissable, and it caused Sumner to blink. The way he stared at me was almost like we were the only two in the conversation, the other girls forgotten. “You’re not supposed to go anywhere by yourself.”
“She won’t be alone,” a voice cut in as a shadow fell over my shoulder. “I’m going with her.”
The group we’d gathered all turned to find Aaron Astor sauntering up from the direction of the elevator, a half-smile smirking his lips. His outfit was summery, with a striped buttonless polo, a pair of chinos that hemmed high on his ankle, expensive boat shoes to top it off. He looked like the epitome of someone who would be wandering about the Alderton-Du Ponte Country Club. He fit in perfectly.
“Wow,” Aaron exclaimed, his eyes roaming my figure. “The rumors about the way you dress were true, apparently. Lovely. Reminds me of my mother a little.”
How my stock Gilfman design could compare to his mother’s original Malstoni was beyond me, but I didn’t comment on it. “She has good taste, your mother.”
“And so do I, apparently.” Aaron turned his attention to Sumner, mirth entering his eyes. “Mr. Pennington.”