Chapter 20
20
Dana’s apartment was absurdly quiet. For the first time since she started this job, the door leading to the Ogilvie’s was locked from their side. A problem she hadn’t anticipated as she always used their laundry room. She texted Brit and Simone.
Dana: Can I use your washer and dryer? I’m locked out of the Ogilvie’s.
Minutes passed before she got a response.
Brit: Sure. Simone is on a flight and I won’t be back until 6 or so. I’ll tell Javier and ask him to let you in.
Dana: Thanks.
The head of building security, Javier, also worked for Hastings. Dana opened the app and sent him a direct message before she gathered her laundry and headed to the elevator.
At Brit’s floor, the door opened. Javier leaned against the opposite wall. “You could have asked to use my laundry, you know.”
“I don’t know your new roommate and didn’t think he’d take kindly to having a stranger in there.”
“I don’t have one yet. Hastings hasn’t hired anyone new. With the Ogilvies moving to Indiana, they are playing musical chairs or apartments with the security teams.” He stopped in front of Brit’s door and tapped his phone to unlock the door. “Are you going to go in and out?”
“No, I brought a book and I have enough laundry to keep me busy until Brit gets home.”
“Text me if you do and I’ll give you access until later.” He grinned. Javier had that magnetic charm that made most women swoon.
Dana considered herself immune to it, but it lifted her spirits. “You could have given me access from wherever you were.”
“And miss seeing you? I understand there is a love interest to talk about.”
“How could I be in love with anyone but you?” The familiar banter comforted her. “But I have news Brit and Simone haven’t heard yet.”
“Really? Tell.”
“They inducted my father into the Blood Donation Hall of Fame yesterday. Now you know something they don’t, which should make your day.”
“You know me too well.”
“Which is why I don’t succumb to your charms.” Dana set her laundry down inside the door. “See you later.”
Sometime between changing the whites and starting the darks, Dana fell asleep on the couch. She woke to Brit shutting the front door. Dana sat up and stretched.
Brit set her purse on the table. “Now I know why you didn’t answer your text about what I should pick up for dinner.”
“I guess I still have jet lag.”
“Simone should be here in—” Brit checked her watch “—45 minutes. I put in an order for dinner. I figured I couldn’t go wrong with Italian, especially if I ordered Cannoli. The hard part is going to be not asking you about anything until Simone gets here.”
“I’ll go change my laundry, then we can’t talk for a moment.”
“That works. I’ll change clothes. If we are both very slow…”
“Then we can talk about Javier personally letting me into the apartment when he could have done that from his desk.”
“Really? Simone isn’t here for him to flirt with. He had to know that.”
“You know Javier. Flirting is a competitive sport. He has to practice. He just forgets I am immune to his charms.” Dana went to change her laundry.
After another round of chit chat, Simone arrived with the promised take out. “Please tell me you didn’t talk about your trip or especially your Captain Wentworth.”
“No, you only missed an update on my father’s induction into the Blood Donation Hall of Fame. He’s given over ten gallons in his life and he has volunteered for the past fourteen years.”
“Wow. That is a lot.” Simone kicked off her shoes. “Now tell us what we’ve been waiting for. Do you have pictures?”
Dana thought of the video and her cheeks flamed.
Brit raised a brow. “What kind of photos do you have?”
“I have a video. And well, since it’s over, I can eat ice cream and watch it.” Dana handed over her phone rather than hear her friends beg her to see.
Simone fanned herself dramatically as she rewatched the video. “And why is this over?”
“Because I was stupid.” As they ate, Dana told them the story of Chandler and Amy-Kate and what Amy-Kate said on the plane.
Brit set aside her empty plate. “And you didn’t ask him to explain more?”
“No.”
“Why haven’t you texted him for an explanation?”
“I don’t have his number.” Dana put up a hand. “I found his social media?—”
“What?” asked Simone.
“So many women tagged him in photos.”
Brit tapped on her phone. “Oh my, that is a lot of women. Although I don’t think the senior citizen crowd counts as competition.”
Dana took her phone back. “I was probably just another cruise ship COW.”
“COW?”
“Crush of the week. A term I learned from Chey’s friends. Only this time he was ordered to keep me around so they could have their stupid sting and talk with Chandler.”
“I don’t know about that. That was some kiss.” Brit fanned herself. “That was too real to be following orders.”
“He can kiss.” Dana sighed. Two days of second guessing herself, and that was the one fact that didn’t change. She’d enjoyed his kiss far above any other in her life. She needed to change the subject. “Hey, I brought you chocolate. We can finally compare Irish Cadbury to English Cadbury.”
“Seriously, you’re giving up?” asked Brit.
“Where is your inner Ann Elliot? You should be running through the streets of Fort Wayne searching for him!” Simone’s encouragement would’ve been camera worthy if it weren’t for the little piece of cannoli stuck to her upper lip.
Dana pointed to her laundry baskets. “Work? I just took more than two weeks off. I can’t exactly take another road trip right now.”
Brit leaned forward. “Are you trying to tell me you will not have a day or two off anytime in the next couple of weeks?”
Dana rolled her eyes. “Of course I will. Fort Wayne may not be Chicago, but it’s plenty big and I’m hardly likely to find him Ann Elliott style since I don’t know where to look.”
“Your internet search didn’t bring up an address?” asked Simone.
“No, but that’s not surprising, considering that he’s been living on a ship for the last several years.” She loved her two friends dearly, but they needed to drop this inquisition.
“What about his mom or sister?” pressed Simone.
“I have some possibilities for his mom, but with her cancer, I hardly want to bother her.” The mention of cancer dampened the conversation.
Brit picked up the remote. “How about we binge a movie and try that chocolate?”
“One condition, not Persuasion .” Dana couldn’t risk seeing any movie that highlighted the places she’d been with McKay.