“Thank you so much,” she said, adding a smile and nod.
Turning around, she looked for Willow, then spotted her friend over by the bank of elevators.
Walking over, she tapped Willow on the shoulder.
“What…?” Willow jumped, looking surprised. She looked at the bank of elevators again, then turned to Tamara, peering behind her. “Where did you come from?” Willow asked.
Tamara couldn’t stop the blush that singed her cheeks. “I was just…from upstairs,” she filled in, not wanting to admit the exact place “upstairs” where she’d spent the night.
Willow eyed the public elevators. A moment later, Willow leaned to the side and, darn it, her friend was too smart! She spotted the separate elevators as well as the two guards standing at the elevator. When she straightened this time, a slow, knowing smile lifted the corners of Willow’s lips.
“Got it. Upstairs,” she replied, nodding slowly. Knowingly. “So…?”
“Oh stop it,” Tamara groaned, linking her arm through Willow’s and leading her through the lobby to the hotel dining room. “Let’s have an extravagant breakfast. We’re charging everything to Jurid’s bill,” she muttered with irritation.
“Sounds like an excellent plan!” Willow agreed, laughing when they were recognized as they approached. There was a line of people waiting to be seated, but the hostess muttered something to her assistant, who stepped away from the hostess station and walked over to Willow and Tamara.
“It is an honor, Your Highness,” he said softly with a slight bow. “A table for two?”
Tamara stifled her sigh at her lack of anonymity. “That would be wonderful. Thank you.”
Willow giggled, then laughed even harder when Tamara glared at her. “Sorry, but your title sometimes has advantages. I’m starving!”
Tamara rolled her eyes, but followed the host to one of the best tables in the restaurant. The table overlooked the courtyard below and the babbling brook that had been built up inside of the hotel. “Enjoy your breakfast,” the host said, handing them menus.
Tamara hid behind the large menu, trying to cool her pink cheeks. It was both good and bad that Willow knew her so well. Tamara could handle a bit of secrecy at the moment.
“You know you’re going to tell me about it. So why not just spill it and give me all of the juicy details?”
Tamara smacked her menu down on the small table, glaring at her friend. But Willow’s mood was just too happy, too sweet, and kind. There was a bit of concern in her eyes too and that’s what Tamara reacted to. Willow was the nice one in their group. Lana was the creative, almost flighty friend who came down to earth when she was needed. Lana lost herself in drawing and painting, forgetting to eat or sleep. Tamara considered herself to be the cynical one of their trio. She knew where her life was going and the bitterness over her future caused her to look at the world with sarcasm.
Willow was the nice one. Oh, the red-headed, Texas lady didn’t take any crap from anyone, but she was always optimistic, always eager to point out the silver lining.
But right now, Tamara wanted…needed…Willow to be a bit more oblivious.
“There’s nothing to tell,” Tamara argued. “What are you having for breakfast?”
“Pancakes!” she sighed, shaking her head. “I know that I should probably get the fresh fruit with yogurt. But I’m craving pancakes this morning,” she grinned. “Probably from sexual frustration because I know that both of my best friends are definitely satisfied this morning and I’m not even seeing anyone. So I don’t have even a future outlet for my sexual envy.”
Tamara laughed. “You prefer your life that way. A boyfriend would get in the way. Besides, you don’t trust relationships. Your father taught you that.”
Willow grinned. “You’re trying to change the subject. And I noticed that you didn’t deny that you are sexually satisfied this morning.”
Another blush answered Willow’s question and her friend laughed. “Yes. I had dinner with Jurid last night and…well, things got a bit out of hand.” She shifted uncomfortably on her chair. “But that changes nothing. I still don’t want to marry him. I have a growing, thriving business to run in London. Mike and I are hoping to purchase another condominium that is right on the edge of the Thames River. The condo will be a perfect addition to our portfolio.”
Willow leaned forward. “Oh, that sounds ideal. What does it look like?”
Tamara’s shoulders relaxed. “I don’t know. Mike and I will take a look at it when I get back to town. He was going to look at it a few days ago, but the realtor canceled.” She cringed and made a face, causing Willow to laugh. “That translates into the owner discovering something really bad with the place and needing a bit of time to cover it up.” She sipped her water. “But Mike and I are pretty good at sniffing out problems with properties. We’ve renovated enough of them to know what to look for. And we’ll still get a professional inspector out before we make an offer. If either of us discover a significant problem, we still might want the property. It could result in a lower offering price though.”
The waiter arrived and they put in their order, Willow asking for pancakes and, because Tamara was still a bit overwhelmed by last night’s activities, she ordered the French toast. Overloading on carbs seemed to be the thing of the day, she thought.
They binged on carbs and sugar, whipped cream and real maple syrup. “Oh, I’m going to pay for this later,” Tamara groaned, leaning back in her chair.
“When do you leave?”
Tamara shrugged. “Good question,” she replied, pulling her phone out of her purse. She tapped a few buttons, then nodded. “There’s a flight to London in two hours. When is your flight back to Wyoming?” she asked. Willow might have been born in Texas and lived the first half of her life there, but her father maintained a residence in Texas, which is why Willow lived in Wyoming now.
Her friend glanced at her phone as well. “I’m on a flight in three hours. If you wait for me, I’ll grab my suitcase and we can ride to the airport together.”
Tamara loved the idea. “Sounds perfect. My stuff is already down here. How long will it take to get your stuff packed up?”
“I’m all packed. I just need to grab it from my room.” She looked at the time again. “Give me five minutes and I’ll meet you out front, okay?”
Tamara nodded and Willow rushed out of the restaurant. Tamara had thought to charge their breakfast to Jurid’s hotel bill, but now that she’d had some space away from him, that didn’t feel right. Besides, he’d paid for dinner last night. So instead, she handed her own credit card to the waiter.
Ten minutes later, she stood outside of the hotel with her suitcase by her feet and her purse over her shoulder. Nervously, she looked around, waiting for Jurid or one of his guards to step out and stop her from leaving.
Thankfully, Willow emerged moments later and they jumped into a cab. Escape felt especially delicious this morning!
Chapter 4
Jurid finished his conference call and glanced at his watch. “Damn,” he muttered, realizing how long he’d been on the call. But it had been a good meeting with several issues resolved.