Chapter 22
Chapter Twenty-Two
Harrison
I was in a lousy mood, thanks to Adalyn. As far as I was concerned, her behavior this morning was unacceptable. Whom did she think she was speaking to me the way she did?
“Jeremy, get in here!” I loudly voiced through the intercom.
“Yes, Mr. Grant?”
“I asked you for the reports from the last quarter. These are from the first quarter. Can’t you read?”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Grant. But when you walked in this morning, you specifically asked for the first quarter reports.”
“No. I didn’t!”
“Actually, you did. I will not get yelled at for your mistake. I apologize.”
What the hell was with people today?
“Jeremy, do you like your job?”
“Yes.”
“Do you think it’s appropriate to speak to me that way? Your boss? The one that signs your paycheck so you can live comfortably?”
“No. But sometimes you can be a bully, and I have the right to stand up for myself.” He cleared his throat and stood tall.
“Excuse me? You have two seconds to get out of my sight before I fire you. Get me the last quarter reports now!” I commanded.
I threw my pen across the desk and turned my chair around to face the window. A bully? Was he serious? Within a few moments, he returned and set the reports on my desk.
“Jeremy, shut the door and take a seat.”
“If you’re going to fire me, I’d rather have you do it while I’m standing,” he nervously spoke.
Rolling my eyes, I turned my chair around and faced him.
“I’m not going to fire you. Have a seat, please. I apologize for earlier. Perhaps I said the first quarter by mistake. I’ve been under a lot of stress lately with the townhouse and the new hotel. The power was out to my building last night because of the storm, and I slept at the hotel. I texted Adalyn this morning to meet me for breakfast, and she flat-out said no.”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Grant. Maybe she wasn’t hungry?”
“No. She did it to spite me.”
“Why would she do that?”
“I have my suspicions. Thank you for the reports, Jeremy, and for letting me vent.”
“You’re welcome, Mr. Grant. You can vent to me anytime.”
After reviewing the reports, I grabbed my suit coat and headed to the townhouse. Adalyn and I would have a little chat about this morning. When I arrived, I stood in the foyer and looked at the clusterfuck of a mess that surrounded me, but I liked the color of the walls. There was chaos and workers everywhere.
“Harrison? What are you doing here?” Adalyn asked as she hobbled into the foyer.
“This is my house.”
“Well, you better be careful, or you will get your expensive designer suit dirty.”
“We need to chat about this morning and why you declined my breakfast offer and your attitude in the lobby.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t understand. I had every right to decline your breakfast invitation, and I didn’t have an attitude in the lobby. If I did, you would know it.”
“This is because of last night, isn’t it?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Adalyn, we need you in the service kitchen,” Rich, the tile guy, spoke.
She began to walk away, and I followed her.
“You know exactly what I’m talking about. You’re all pissed off because I didn’t sleep in your suite last night.”
“Ha. Don’t be ridiculous, Harrison. I didn’t want you to sleep in my suite.”
“So where exactly are we tiling?” Rich asked.
“This entire wall. The accent tile will be the backsplash all along here.”
“Yes, you did, and when I got my own room, it pissed you off. I want to know why?”
“You’re hallucinating. What? You think because we slept together a couple of times, I’m madly in love with you like all the other women you fucked?”
“Keep your voice down,” I spoke.
“Sorry. I can’t even hear myself talk over all the pounding. I know you’re probably used to women falling to their knees to please you until you’re done playing with them, but I am not like those other women, Mr. Grant.”
“No, you certainly are not, Miss Banks.”
My phone rang with a call I’d been waiting for all day.
“I have to take this call. We’ll discuss this later,” I spoke as I walked out the door.
Adalyn
I rolled my eyes, pulled out my ringing phone, and stepped onto the porch away from the noise.
“Hello.”
“Miss Banks?”
“Yes. This is she.”
“This is Anne-Marie calling regarding the apartment you inquired about. I’m happy to say that it is available and ready to move in.”
“Great. Can I stop by to see it?”
“When would you like to come?”
“Is thirty minutes too soon?”
“Not at all. I’ll see you then.”
As much as I loved my suite at the Infinity, it was time for me to move on. I didn’t feel right staying there for free. The apartment I found was based on a month-to-month lease, which was perfect, for I only needed it until I finished the townhouse.
“It’s perfect. I’ll take it,” I spoke with excitement.
“Excellent. Since it’s on a month-to-month basis, I won’t bother with a credit check. You work, right?”
“Yes. I work for Harrison Grant.”
“As in Harrison Grant of Infinity Hotels?”
“Yes. The one and only.” I rolled my eyes.
“Excellent. When would you like to move in?”
“How soon can I get the keys?”
“Now, if you’d like. I’ll need you to sign the lease, pay the security deposit, and the remaining rent for this month.”
I smiled as I picked up a pen and signed on the dotted line. On my way back to the hotel, I stopped at Mary’s place to tell her the news.
“Adalyn, I told you that you could stay for however long you would like. This has nothing to do with what Harrison said to you, does it?”
“No. Mary.” I took hold of her hand. “You have been so kind to me. But it’s time to move on and out of the Infinity.”
“I understand, dear.” She smiled. “How are things between you and my grandson? Is he giving you any trouble?”
“No. Not at all.” I lied.
I stayed and visited with her for a while, then I headed to the hotel, packed my bag, and settled into my new apartment. It was small. Way smaller than my apartment back in Seattle, but it was all I needed.