Everyone on staff had been allowed a plus one. With David’s friends and the few regulars that had been invited, the total guest list numbered around a hundred. It was a true party. The whole thing might have been fun if my plus one was there. But he wasn’t. And by ten, I still hadn’t heard from him.
“Put the fucking phone down and boogie with me,” Liesl urged. I’d filled her in on the day’s events when she arrived. Her feeling was that if I was going to face policemen tomorrow, I should party harder tonight.
She and I were definitely different people.
“Laynie, I love you and I’m here for you if you truly need me. But you seem to have moping down on your own so I’m going to leave you to it and go have a good time.” She tugged at a strand of my hair. “Forgive me?”
“Totally forgive you. Go. Have fun.”
She gave me a peck on the lips and joined a raucous group in the center of the floor. I tried not to feel abandoned. It wasn’t Liesl I wanted anyway.
Determined to not spoil the evening for anyone else, I sat curled up on one of the sofas that lined the main floor and nursed my champagne while I watched the crowd dance and mingle in front of me. It was probably a good idea for me to sit out anyway. Most of them were my employees, after all. There should be a level of separation and respect.
I wondered how much respect I’d get if they all watched me get dragged out in handcuffs.
Stop it, I scolded myself. Jordan said there’d be no arrests, and Hudson would fix everything before it came to a head, though it wouldn’t surprise me if Celia reported my assault to the media.
God, the media!
I closed my eyes, wincing at the thought. Please, Hudson, call me. Please!
“Mind if I join you?” a voice shouted over the pulsing beat.
Opening my eyes, I found Gwen in front of me.
She was already taking a seat before I answered. “By all means, join me.” I scanned the room again. Though not everyone was dancing, I appeared to be the only loner. Was that why Gwen had come over?
Fuck, I hoped not. I wasn’t in the mood to be jollied up. Might as well let her know that right off the bat. “Why aren’t you out there?” Maybe she’d get the hint and join the crowd on the dance floor.
She furrowed her brow and I realized that the drink in her hand had not been her first. If she wasn’t drunk already, she was on her way. “I’m not really into…” She trailed off as if forgetting what she was saying.
I finished for her. “Dancing?”
“Actually, I was going to say people.” She added an amendment. “Besides, they’re our employees. It doesn’t seem right to party hard with them tonight when I might be writing them up tomorrow.”
Damn, she was a good manager. “Gwen? I’m starting to like you. What’s up with that?”
She almost laughed. “I’m sure it won’t last. Give it time.” Her words were heavy, as if she had a sad story to back them up. Or perhaps she was simply a somber drunk.
If she wasn’t outright going to share, I wasn’t going to ask. I had my own problems. For the tenth time in fifteen minutes I hit the screen of my phone, checking for a missed call or text.
Nothing.
Jordan had already returned with the car and was now hanging out in the employee lounge watching something on PBS. I shot him a message: Any word from Hudson?
His reply came fast. Nope. West coast is 3 hours behind. It’s only six there. Give him time.
It had already been five hours since I first texted Hudson to call me. How much time did he need?
Gwen interrupted my thoughts. “You keep checking that thing. Are you expecting a better offer?”
With a sigh, I stuffed my phone in my bra. “Just waiting for Hudson to call. He’s in L.A. for a couple of days. I hadn’t realized I’d been so obvious.”
She groaned. “God, you’re so lovesick, it’s disgusting.”
I tilted my head. “Do you not approve of me with Hudson?”
Gwen shrugged. “I don’t give a flying fig about you and Hudson. It’s love I don’t approve of. I get it enough with Nor—” She stopped, catching herself before she finished her sister’s name. “Anyway. Seems there’s love all around. I’m over it.”
She didn’t know I was already aware of Norma and Boyd’s fling. I didn’t bother to tell her. It was her anti-romance attitude that intrigued me. Did she feel abandoned by her sister since she’d started fooling around with her assistant? Knowing almost nothing about Gwen, it was hard to say.
Then it hit me. “Ooh, Gwen’s got a heartache story.” Things were clicking in place. For the first time that evening, I felt slightly interested in something other than myself. “Is that why you were so eager to leave Eighty-Eighth Floor?”