Page 10 of Better Watch Out
Joey swiveled in his chair. There was an edge of apprehension in his expression that said he expected Oskar to object.
“Vice President’s still alive so Joey Rigatoni’s got some skills, but …” The edge of Oskar’s lips tipped up. “You still haven’t told us why you left the Secret Service.”
“It wasn’t a good fit,” Joey said and Andrew caught the subtle clenching of his jaw that told him it was more than that. “Oskar can go in my place if that makes everyone more comfortable.”
“Can’t.” Oskar held his hands up. “I’ve got a meeting at the Waldorf with hotel security before Mr. Malone and his daughter arrive.”
Which left Andrew with Joey’s offer. “I think it’ll be fine.” He trusted that whatever the reason Joey had left the Secret Service, it had nothing to do with his ability to protect because otherwise Amanda wouldn’t have hired him. “You’ll pick up Ms. Malone, get her to the hotel, and I’ll meet you there.”
“Sounds good.” Joey tipped his chin and got back to work at his desk.
Andrew stared at the flight itinerary again and prayed nothing else would come up. There was a good chance that if traffic flowed in his favor, he may even get to the Waldorf before Joey showed up with Ms. Malone. So long as nothing else got in his way, everything would be just fine.
ChapterFive
“I’m sorry, you want to what?”
The woman behind the front desk of the hotel did nothing to restrain the amused confusion lifting her brows. Frannie’s own pinched together. Her Southern accent wasn’tthatbad.
“Can you recommend a place to buy souvenirs?” Frannie tried again, slowing her speech just enough. “Someplace close?”
“Oh.” The hotel employee gestured to the gift shop at Frannie’s right. “We have a nice selection of items.”
Frannie leaned over the tall counter. “Yes, but aren’t they a bit pricey?”
Another female employee walked over. “Everything is pricey in New York.”
Annoyance rose in her chest. “Ma’am,” Frannie said before her gaze traveled to the gentleman in a crisp suit, polished shoes, and wearing a hotel name tag on his lapel. She met the impatient expression of the first woman and forced a smile. “Do you know of any nearby shops or should I ask your manager for his recommendation?”
The women exchanged a quick look before the first shrugged. “There’s a place down the block. It’s a little touristy.” She worked her gaze over Frannie. “And you might want to leave that cute purse in your room and just take the cash you need.”
“Thank you.” Frannie squared her shoulders and made her way back to the elevator, determined not to leave New York City without a few souvenirs and, darn it, if that meant facing off with tough New Yorkers, she would do it.
And then politely thank them because her mama raised her right and she wasn’t a savage.
Still, the women’s attitude and overhearing them laugh about the city eating tourists like her alive as she walked away gnawed at her the whole way back to her room. It wasn’t the first time she’d faced stereotyping due to her accent and use ofma’amandsirbut after what had happened with Calvin and her conversation this morning with Ryan, it was like salt to the wound. Those two women knew nothing about her and assumed she wasn’t tough enough for New York. She stared at her packed suitcase. Maybe she wasn’t. This trip hadn’t gone at all like she’d planned and even though spending the week with Vivian and Jisoo in D.C. sounded wonderful, she was still going to face the same questions and rumors when she returned to Walton. Or even worse—the pity.
Nothing was worse than facing off with everyone telling herI-told-you-so.
Her cell phone buzzed with a message from American Airlines. Ryan had purchased a ticket to D.C. and adjusted her return flight from there to Georgia.
Another text message pinged from Ryan and Frannie ignored it, setting her phone on the table. She knew her brother was probably confirming she got the information. She should be grateful he’d taken care of it and was letting her avoid heading back home but she couldn’t shake the agitation settling over her shoulders.
This city would not eat her alive.
Frannie wasn’t some naïve hick from the South. Her eyes moved to her carry-on bag and she saw the bucket list she’d created for her and Calvin. The backs of her eyes burned but she quickly blinked the tears away.
You’re just like your mother.
Was she? Was that why Calvin left? His upbringing was very different from hers. His parents were still married, had college degrees, and had been raised in prestigious homes outside of Boston. Calvin’s dad was an editor for a major publisher in New York and his mom, from what Frannie had gathered, had never worked a day in her life, spending her days as a socialite and attending the kind of events that landed in the pages ofVanity Fair.
Frannie’s mom, on the other hand, had worked three jobs at one time just to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table. She was proud of her momnow, but back then it was hard facing the cruelty of kids who teased her for no other reason than to deflect attention from their own issues. And now her mom was happily married to Evan—a successful dentist who adored her mom—but that didn’t keep Frannie from wanting to prove there wasn’t some family legacy of shame hanging over her.
Staring at her cell phone with her flight confirmation on it, she ground her molars. What was she doing? Cutting her trip short because of Calvin? If people were going to gossip about him walking out on her like her father did to her mom, leaving New York wasn’t going to stop them.
Frannie might not be able to control the narrative of what people would say about her but she wasn’t going to give them the satisfaction of saying she couldn’t handle New York without Calvin.
A tickle of excitement and nerves battled for position in her stomach as she pulled out her bucket list. Eyeing it, she bit her lower lip. The activities she’d added to this list were meant for her and Calvin. Romantic moments that could’ve been social-media worthy. Doubt crept in but she shoved it back.I am going to check off every single item on this page!As an independent, single woman. Her eyes dropped to the last item on the list. Okay, maybe not that one … but everything else.
