Chapter Sixteen
As I slip under the velvet rope downstairs I half expect Gideon to come chasing after me, but as I turn to look back up the stairs, he is nowhere to be seen. I wipe at my cheeks, sure that my makeup has all but slid down my face; I head straight for the front door. The man who had greeted us as we arrived was no longer outside, but another man in a similar uniform was standing in his place.
“Excuse me?” I sniffle and he turns around.
“Yes Ma’am?”
“Do you think that you could get me a cab?” As I say these words I hear Gideon mocking me for asking for a cab at such a high society function. The doorman, however, doesn’t think twice.
“Of course Ma’am.” Stepping down to the front of the building he waves his hand quite impressively and a black car pulls up from the side of the house. “Here we are Ma’am.”
“Umm…” I realize as I look at the small clutch purse in my hand that I have very little money and I lean over to the doorman. “I’m so embarrassed, but I don’t have any cash on me, I’m afraid I’ll have to walk.”
The doorman leans in to me and says with a whisper, “This is an estate car, Mrs. Lambert so please don’t worry about the fare, the estate provides his services for our guests on occasions such as this. Just tell him where you’d like to go and he will take you there.” He flashes me a smile, a warm smile that for the first time all night makes me feel normal.
“Thank you so much.” I offer him a smile back and he opens the rear door of the car for me. I had felt so out of my element all night that it was a welcome relief to get away from the gravel driveway and on to the main street. I debate whether I should go straight home or beg the receptionist at Gideon’s building to let me in so I can grab my stuff, most notably my house keys. I don’t want to risk running in to Gideon again, not now that I’ve ended it but if I don’t do it now it only means that I’ll have to call him again later and do it then when he is most definitely there.
I lean forward and tap the driver’s shoulder, “would you mind taking me to Mr. Lambert’s place please? The building next door to Lambert Enterprises, it’s just down here to the left.” The driver nods and smiles at me through the rearview mirror. I offer a halfhearted smile back.
As we pull up to the building I contemplate whether I should ask him to wait for me and decide it would be best incase the Selma Blair lookalike isn’t working the reception. Then I’d be left without a car, house keys or money to get a cab home.
“Would you mind waiting for a moment please? I just need to make sure I can get in to my place, I forgot the keys and Mr. Lambert had to stay at the event.” The driver nods again and I hop out of the car praying to God that Selma is working the front desk. I catch sight of her through the glass front door and I wave back to the driver, “Thank you!” As he pulls out back in to traffic I wonder if perhaps I shouldn’t have made sure that she would let me in to the apartment first.
“Hi!” I have to stop myself from calling her Selma. “Gideon, Mr. Lambert, had to stay at the event tonight a little longer than expected and he forgot to give me the key to get back upstairs,” I offer a pleading smile, a girl to girl smile, “could you please let me in?” I watch her grimace.
“I really can’t, I’m so sorry.” I try my luck at a pleading look one more time.
“Please? I just need to grab my purse and change out of this stupid dress!” I gesture down to the dress that had once made me feel like a princess but was now making me feel nothing short of ridiculous.
“I really wish I could, but there’s no one else approved for penthouse access and I could lose my job if I let you up.” I smile, a smile of understanding mixed with defeat.
“I understand. I wouldn’t want you to lose your job…”
“Joanna” she offered.
“Joanna. Thank you anyway.” I look over to the tightly stuffed leather sofa against the wall. “Would it be okay if I waited here for Mr. Lambert to return?” She nods.
“Sure! Would you like a Coke or something?”#p#分页标题#e#
“Sure, I’ll take one if you don’t mind.” Joanna disappears down the corridor to the right of her desk and comes back shortly with a can of Coke in one hand and a bar of chocolate in the other.
“I figured you could use this.” She waves the chocolate and I laugh.