Free Her Little White Lie (BWWM Romance) by Cj Howard Page B

pulled up outside the Great West International hotel and the driver flew around to make sure he was in time to open the door for us. I pulled a face at Mikey. We weren't used to this sort of treatment. We were used to being cramped up on a subway train, noisy and hot and dying to get out at the other end of the journey. In a few days that's exactly how we would be traveling, I nearly didn't want to leave the car.
     
    We stepped out into the freezing street. I felt sorry for the poor doormen who came rushing to take our cases and stand to attention when they held open the doors for us.
     
    “Wait,” said Mikey. “I always wanted to do this.” He went to enter the hotel by the rotating doors. I laughed as I went through the grand door at the side the doorman held open.
     
    I joined Mikey on the other side and linked his arm. We were laughing all the way to the reception desk until I noticed who was on duty.
     
    “Miss Poole!”
     
    “Grace.” She nodded at me. “Did you forget you had an important family commitment today? What are you doing here?” She looked me up and down and then looked Mikey up and down too.
     
    “Not at all, Miss Poole. There's been a slight change in location and personnel to my plans, that's all. If you would like to take a look I believe you'll see I have the Excelsior Suite booked for two nights.” I looked at Mikey. He raised his eyebrows at Miss Poole.
     
    “You have what!” She looked over the top of her glasses at me. “Is this your idea of a joke? Have you come to gloat, Grace?”
     
    “Miss Poole, as if I'd do something like that. Just take a look at the computer and you'll see I'm telling the truth.”
     
    She turned slowly to the computer screen behind the desk, her eyes not leaving me until the last second. I saw her do a double take and take her glasses off and on several times.
     
    “Yes, it says it right here. Grace Danvers and Mikey Doyle. Apologies, Grace, I've only just arrived for duty so I had no idea...but how...?” Her mouth remained open.
     
    “Miss Poole, are you okay?” I asked.
     
    “Yes, fine. Er, your keys, here are your keys.” She handed them to the bell boy.
     
    “Thank you.”
     
    “I have your cases, Grace,” Johnny, the bell boy said. “Would you like to come this way?” He winked at me.
     
    We followed Johnny along the wide corridor. The carpets were deep and our feet made no sound. The paintings along the walls had gilt frames and I remember having to dust every one of them, all those years ago. I never suspected that one day I might walk past them as a guest.
     
    Johnny stopped outside the Excelsior Suite and opened the door for us. He let us through and then laid our cases just at the door.
     
    “If that will be all for now, Grace, enjoy your stay and let us know if there's anything else we can do to help you further.”
     
    Mikey dug his hand into his pocket and jangled some loose change around. Johnny put out his hands.
     
    “No, that's all been taken care of. Everyone working today has received a handsome tip from Mr. Iglesias and we were not to expect anything from you. Merry Christmas, Grace.”
     
    “Merry Christmas, Johnny.”
     
    He left us alone and I spun around in the enormous entrance hall to our suite. The Excelsior was very rarely used. It was the most spacious and expensive suite of them all. It had a lounge, a dining room, two bedrooms and two en suites. Especially for us, the hotel had set up a medium sized pine tree in the living room. It was delicately decorated with lights and silver baubles.
     
    “Look, Gracie, this is where the elves with good taste come to decorate trees. The guys who did yours should come up here for some lessons.”
     
    I punched his arm.
     
    “Shut up, Mikey. I've never trimmed a tree before.”
     
    “Next year, I'll show you how.”
     
    He hugged me.
     
    All of the windows in the rooms were tall, wide and grand. The curtains were in the finest of raw silk with voile