door behind her, she rode the elevator down to the lobby, eager to see if her suitcase had arrived. Everyone seemed to have the same idea. It was chaos, and the concierge line was horrendous. She waited patiently for her turn, watching the crowd of people pass through the lobby and in and out of the restaurant. She was hungry and could have used a bite. Not to mention a big, delicious coffee.
“How may I help you?”
Pepper turned back to the counter. “Yes, I’m waiting for my luggage to arrive from the airline. Has it come? My name is Pepper Chapman.”
“One second and I’ll check for you.” He went into the back room and a couple minutes later came out with a familiar bag. “Is this yours?”
“Yes, thank goodness.” Relief flooded through her. Not that she had anything of value inside, other than her little sand jar, but it was the extent of her worldly belongings.
“I need some ID, miss. Before I can let you take it.”
Pepper deflated. All her identification was still missing, along with her wallet. “I don’t have any. I lost it after I arrived last night and haven’t been able to get anything replaced yet.”
“I’m sorry, then; I can’t let you take the bag.”
“Seriously?” This was just one more thing to add to the growing pile of shit. Anger bloomed, but she bit it back. “Come on, I can tell you what’s in it and what the tag says. Please, I’ve just traveled halfway around the world, and all I have is in that bag.” Pepper pointed at it and made direct eye contact with the concierge.
He looked at her and chewed his lip. Then the crowd behind her started to get a little vocal. He grabbed a piece of paper and pushed it at her. “Fill this out. I’m going to call my manager. It’s up to him.”
Pepper stepped aside to let the people behind her come forward and quickly filled out the questions on the paper. When it came to “current address,” her heart dropped. What could she put in there? The only possibility was Octagon’s address. It wasn’t a lie, because she was part owner.
Once she was able to convince the manager the bag belonged to her, and with the paperwork filled out, he released the suitcase. She nearly lost the bellboy in the crowd as she followed him to the taxi stand. She pushed through the doors and frowned when she saw he’d dropped the suitcase and duffel right in front of the entrance.
“Shit, a few more steps wouldn’t have hurt,” she muttered under her breath. Before she could move her bags, a crowd spilled from the hotel, dodging to avoid them. A young woman with a cane nearly tripped over them. Pepper rushed to her side, taking her elbow to steady her. “Are you okay? I’m terribly sorry.”
The woman’s blonde hair hid her face. “Oh, that’s okay. Why would someone leave a bag in such a bad spot, anyway?”
“I know.” Pepper kicked it aside and assisted the woman. “The bellboy unloaded it here without thinking. I was going to move them but wasn’t quick enough before the crowd—”
She stopped midsentence when her gaze met that of the woman. Big, blue eyes expressing surprise gazed back at her. “Oh, Pepper.”
“Meg! How wonderful to see you.” Pepper was genuinely pleased and was about to give her a hug, but when Meg seemed to hesitate and step away, Pepper withdrew, trying not to feel hurt about it. Pepper supposed she couldn’t blame her for being distant. Since Meg was Tank’s sister, Pepper would expect no less. “I’m so glad to see you’re getting around on your own.”
“Yes, I am. Doing my best.” She faced Pepper. “I heard you were back.”
“Yes, I arrived yesterday.” How had Meg known? Then it dawned on her. “Tank told you?”
Meg nodded, handing the valet her receipt. “Really, Pepper, the way you left was a bad thing.”
Heat flushed Pepper’s cheeks at Meg’s reprimand. No one seemed to understand that she simply had to flee and she wasn’t going to try to explain it, at least not here.
“How may I help you?”
Pepper turned back to the counter. “Yes, I’m waiting for my luggage to arrive from the airline. Has it come? My name is Pepper Chapman.”
“One second and I’ll check for you.” He went into the back room and a couple minutes later came out with a familiar bag. “Is this yours?”
“Yes, thank goodness.” Relief flooded through her. Not that she had anything of value inside, other than her little sand jar, but it was the extent of her worldly belongings.
“I need some ID, miss. Before I can let you take it.”
Pepper deflated. All her identification was still missing, along with her wallet. “I don’t have any. I lost it after I arrived last night and haven’t been able to get anything replaced yet.”
“I’m sorry, then; I can’t let you take the bag.”
“Seriously?” This was just one more thing to add to the growing pile of shit. Anger bloomed, but she bit it back. “Come on, I can tell you what’s in it and what the tag says. Please, I’ve just traveled halfway around the world, and all I have is in that bag.” Pepper pointed at it and made direct eye contact with the concierge.
He looked at her and chewed his lip. Then the crowd behind her started to get a little vocal. He grabbed a piece of paper and pushed it at her. “Fill this out. I’m going to call my manager. It’s up to him.”
Pepper stepped aside to let the people behind her come forward and quickly filled out the questions on the paper. When it came to “current address,” her heart dropped. What could she put in there? The only possibility was Octagon’s address. It wasn’t a lie, because she was part owner.
Once she was able to convince the manager the bag belonged to her, and with the paperwork filled out, he released the suitcase. She nearly lost the bellboy in the crowd as she followed him to the taxi stand. She pushed through the doors and frowned when she saw he’d dropped the suitcase and duffel right in front of the entrance.
“Shit, a few more steps wouldn’t have hurt,” she muttered under her breath. Before she could move her bags, a crowd spilled from the hotel, dodging to avoid them. A young woman with a cane nearly tripped over them. Pepper rushed to her side, taking her elbow to steady her. “Are you okay? I’m terribly sorry.”
The woman’s blonde hair hid her face. “Oh, that’s okay. Why would someone leave a bag in such a bad spot, anyway?”
“I know.” Pepper kicked it aside and assisted the woman. “The bellboy unloaded it here without thinking. I was going to move them but wasn’t quick enough before the crowd—”
She stopped midsentence when her gaze met that of the woman. Big, blue eyes expressing surprise gazed back at her. “Oh, Pepper.”
“Meg! How wonderful to see you.” Pepper was genuinely pleased and was about to give her a hug, but when Meg seemed to hesitate and step away, Pepper withdrew, trying not to feel hurt about it. Pepper supposed she couldn’t blame her for being distant. Since Meg was Tank’s sister, Pepper would expect no less. “I’m so glad to see you’re getting around on your own.”
“Yes, I am. Doing my best.” She faced Pepper. “I heard you were back.”
“Yes, I arrived yesterday.” How had Meg known? Then it dawned on her. “Tank told you?”
Meg nodded, handing the valet her receipt. “Really, Pepper, the way you left was a bad thing.”
Heat flushed Pepper’s cheeks at Meg’s reprimand. No one seemed to understand that she simply had to flee and she wasn’t going to try to explain it, at least not here.
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