Page 20 of Sweeter than Honey
“She is?” Anxiety tightens in my chest again. She’ll be finished with her donor any minute. I think quickly. “Ms. Price, do you know if Amara is working the lounge or the club tonight?”
“The lounge, I think.”
Relief washes over me. I’m glad I don’t need to bring Eli to a vampire nightclub.
“Thanks!” I take Eli by the hand and hurry to the elevators.
Luckily, we don’t run into anyone else on our way to the lounge. The lounge is a gorgeous, five-star restaurant/bar on the main floor of the hotel, off of the lobby. It’s not too crowded this evening. There are afew couples sitting in intimate booths, their legs touching under the table, their faces illuminated by candlelight. An unexpected pang of jealousy blooms in my stomach, but I push it away. I have to focus.
Thank god, Amara is working at the bar. She wears a dark green dress, with a gold bracelet wrapped around her upper arm. Her long rope twists are pulled into a knot at the top of her head, complemented by a silk scarf. She hums to herself pleasantly as she arranges a row of glass mugs along the shelf.
“Lily, hi!” she says when she spots me. Her eyes light up when she sees Eli. “Oh, and who do we have here?”
Eli immediately ducks behind my legs again.
“This is Elijah,” I tell her. I’m a little nervous, but Amara’s kind expression makes me feel more confident. “I have a big favour to ask you.”
“Ask away!” she says, leaning over the counter.
“My mother usually watches Eli during my shifts, but she hurt her hip. I couldn’t leave him alone all night. Is there any way you could watch him? I’m worried what Renata would say, and I’ve got so much to do…”
“Of course!” she says. She comes around the bar and crouches down so she’s face-to-face with Eli. “Hi, little man. Do you like hot chocolate?”
He can’t help but return her warm smile.
“And maybe a coffee for mom?” she says, giving me a wink.
“Oh, Amara, thank you so much!” I gush, handing her Eli’s backpack filled with his ponies and colouring books.
“Don’t mention it, we’ll have lots of fun!”
I catch a glance at the clock on the opposite wall.
“Oh my god, I’ve got to hurry,” I say. “I’ll get that coffee another time, Amara! Thanks again!”
I almost bang into a server as I run through the lounge and the lobby and catch the next elevator up to the office floor. I make it back to my desk as quickly as I can.
“Lily!” snaps Renata’s clear, crisp voice. Her office door swings open and she stands framed in the doorway, the picture of grace and poise. Meanwhile, my hair is a flyaway mess, and I’m panting heavily. Renata’s nostrils flare slightly as she looks me up and down. “Are youall right? Where have you been?”
Her tone isn’t angry, but it’s not quite understanding, either. As always, she hits the exact middle, so I err on the side of caution and keep my response professional. To be safe, I don’t mention any elderly parents, or small children.
“I’m so sorry, Ms. Espina,” I say. “I…I had an unexpected disruption, and I was late today. It won’t happen again.”
My boss’s expression softens slightly for a moment, as if she’s about to speak. Then her smart watch buzzes, and she glances irritably down at its screen. “My god, it’s Damien. He says there was something odd in Xia’s shift report.”
“The shift report!” I gasp. Renata frowns at me. “I was supposed to tell him to read it right away after the sun set. But I was late, so…”
“Well, he says she noticed some odd figures leaving the hotel out of the emergency staircase, but she wasn’t able to catch them. It could have been nothing, but we should send some extra security to be safe.”
“I’m right on it,” I tell her, eagerly, trying to make up for my lateness. But I’m not sure exactly what ‘on it’ means. “Um…I suppose I’ll…check in with Ms. Côté?”
Renata tosses her hair back angrily. “Celine should be on top of this. She always handled security issues before. You shouldn’t be doing her work, Lily. I’ll speak with my sister. You get settled in,” her eyes travel over me. I smooth down my blouse self-consciously. “Take a minute if you need to…”
“No, no, I’m all right,” I reply. To prove that I’m operating at full capacity, I quickly hurry to my desk and log into my computer.
As always, a full email inbox is waiting for me. I completely forgot about the bloodstain removal text from Chelsie, but I see a chain of emails regarding the extent of the damage and the cost it will take to repair. I lose myself in work for the next hour, until there’s a softclickon my headset and Renata’s voice comes through.
“Lily, could you come into my office? I’ve got something to discuss with you.”