Chapter Forty-Three
Sierra
While Griffin is dealing with his personal emergency, I take a quick shower to sluice off the day’s sweat. Once freshened up, I put on a T-shirt and shorts and settle into an armchair in the living room, my feet propped on the matching ottoman. I check emails, respond to a few and mark several sales notices from my favorite online stores.
Ellie’s probably still asleep. But I send her the best shots from today anyway so she can look at them when she wakes up.
–Me: The Skytree is amazing. We should visit it together one of these days.
That done, I surf around on a bunch of social media apps to keep myself occupied until Griffin comes up. But after almost an hour of scrolling through feeds, I start to get worried. Griffin said it wouldn’t take long, and he’s usually precise about time.
I shoot him a text.
–Me: Everything okay?
A couple of minutes pass with no response.
What did he say when he put me in the elevator…?
Nothing that raised a red flag, but he seemed a little grim, like his best friend’s dog died.
I should probably go down and see if he’s okay.
I put on a bra, grab my phone and room key and head out. Luckily, there’s an elevator waiting.
Once I’m down in the huge lobby, it takes a moment of scanning before I locate Griffin. He’s sitting at a table with his back toward me, talking with a woman in a bright red dress.
Who is she?He said he needed to make a phone call, not talk to somebody.
I take in her delicate features and shiny golden hair, feeling like I’ve seen her before. Is that…Rachel? The woman at Ted Lasker’s birthday party?
She notices me and waves. “Sierra!” she calls out across the lobby.
Griffin turns around. His eyes collide with mine, his mouth flattening into a hyphen. And if hyphens had feelings, this one would be angry.
Maybe I should leave. I must’ve interrupted something very important and very private.
But before I can make my escape, Rachel stands and gestures for me to join them.
I shake my head with a polite smile. But she strides toward me, her stilettos clacking against the floor as she struts like she’s on a runway, showing off her red dress. Her sudden hug makes me yelp.
“Oh my goodness, it’s so good to see you. How long has it been?”
“Um. A few weeks?” I squeak.
“Too long,” Rachel says. “Come, come join us.” She smiles, putting an arm around my shoulders and pulling me to the table where Griffin’s watching us as if we’re stars in a B-movie not even our moms could like.
“Isn’t it amazing to reunite in Tokyo?” she says.
“Totally. I, um, didn’t know you were going to be here.” I’m not exactly sure how I’m supposed to react, especially when Rachel seems happy and Griffin is growing increasingly grim. If this were a cartoon, a thundercloud would be gathering over his head, shooting lightning and rumbling.
“Oh, I’m everywhere. That’s just how I am. I was doing a photoshoot.” Rachel is breathless with enthusiasm. She pulls me down until I’m seated in an armchair next to Griffin.
“A photoshoot?”
Rachel seems surprised. “Yes, dear. I’m a model.”
“Oh. So that’s why you looked so familiar!”