He was always so confident. So certain. She wished she could be more like that. She always seemed to be waiting for the worst to happen.
Issy pressed on the button for the penthouse. No answer. She shifted around. They should have called him. What if he was away? What if he wasn’t happy to see them?
“What should we do?”
Issy brought out his wallet and she watched with amazement as he drew out a card which he held to the reader pad next to the door.
The door opened and he picked up both of their bags. She’d learned her lesson about not picking up her own bags at the airport. He’d given her a sharp slap on the ass, right there in public, as she’d reached for her bag. She’d gone bright red, but after a glance around the only people who seemed to have noticed were an older couple. The woman had given her a knowing wink.
She wondered if there were more people around who were into this sort of stuff than she’d realized. She’d always thought she was weird and odd. But maybe not.
He led them through a very nice foyer with shiny tile floors and high ceilings. There were two elevators and Issy pressed a button, the doors to the one on the right opened immediately. He stepped in, swiped the card and pressed a button for the penthouse.
“This card only allows access to the penthouse floor,” he told her. “Archer gave it to me years ago.”
The elevator doors opened after a smooth trip and she followed Issy into a small foyer with just one door leading off it. He swiped the card again. Then entered a number into a pin pad.
“He never changes his alarm code. He needs to be more careful. Especially now that we have you to take care of.”
Except Archer didn’t know that. Maybe he didn’t want that.
Urgh. She wished she could stop worrying.
The lights turned on automatically and her mouth dropped open as she walked through the door and into a huge open-plan living area. The furniture was all dark. Everything looked clean and shiny. The kitchen white with marble countertops. A huge T.V. was mounted in front of a sectional.
But none of that was what caught her attention. No, she was drawn to the huge floor-to-ceiling windows looking out at the lights of the city below.
“Wow. This is amazing.”
Issy grunted. “I prefer mountains, trees and the stars. But it’s okay.”
It was more than okay. Although she understood what Issy was saying. She forced herself to turn and take in the rest of the penthouse. It was swank and sophisticated. Very Archer.
Very much not her.
“Probably hired someone to decorate the place. It’s pretty bland and boring but at least it’s tidy.”
She nearly rolled her eyes at this statement.
Issy walked to the fridge and opened the door. “Urgh, craft beer. I guess it will do.” He drew one out as well as a bottle of orange juice, which he poured into a glass for her.
“Here, baby doll. You haven’t drunk much today.” He set the glass down on the counter then opened his beer.
She felt weird making herself at home without Archer here. “What if he doesn’t want us here? Should we be in here?”
“He’s not gonna call the cops on us.” He tapped his fingers against the kitchen bench. “I’m gonna put our stuff in the spare room. Drink your juice.”
Bossy.
But she drank the juice. And she did feel a bit better. She guessed she had been getting low in blood sugar.
Issy returned with a frown, his phone pressed to his ear. “He’s not answering his phone.”
“Do you think he’s all right? Why would his phone be off?”
“I can think of one reason. I can find out for sure if he’s there. But question is, if he is there do you want to go to him?”
“Go where?”