Until We Meet Again(38)
betrayal of both women.
By the time we arrive at the Ritz, I’m starting to panic. The
way Fay glances back at me as she leads me to her room only
makes it worse. I can’t pretend to not understand what she’s
hoping for. I need to stop her. Save her the humiliation.
“Let’s go down to the pavilion,” I say, pulling at her hand.
“Grab a bite to eat.”
She laughs. “Don’t be silly, Lon.” She saunters ahead and
pulls out the key to her room. “We’ll just order some room
service.”
With a smile, she pushes open the door. I start to follow
but freeze in the door way. Fay sits on the red settee nearby,
stretching out her legs in a relaxed, but seductive pose.
“Aren’t you coming in? I’m getting a draft from that open
door.”
I grip the door frame. “I don’t think I ought to, Fay.”
Her brow lowers. “Ought to what?”
“It’s best if we call it a night.”
She sits up, her face bright with anger. “Excuse me?”
“I’ll call on you in the morning.”
I don’t dare meet her eyes as I turn away. It does pain me to
hurt her like this. She deserves a man who’ll worship her like
she desires. That man, however, can’t be me.
She calls my name, sharply, but I close the door, wincing. I
stride down the hall, praying she doesn’t follow me. She doesn’t.
I think she’s too shocked at the blatant rejection. With a heavy
heart, I go up the six floors to the suite Ned and I share.
As I approach, I notice a strip of light gleaming beneath the
door. Ned’s back. I guess he’s had enough bad hooch and jazz.
Raised voices drift out into the hall. I pause, my hand on
the doorknob.
“We had a deal. You can’t back out now.”
It’s difficult to make out the words, and I can’t tell if it’s Ned
speaking or another man.
“I need more time,” a different, indistinguishable voice says.
“You’ve had your time.”
The voices lower to an indecipherable level. I put my ear
to the door and then suddenly feel ashamed of standing here
eavesdropping. With a frown, I turn to go. Perhaps a stroll
around the hotel lobby. Give Ned some time to finish up his
meeting. I’ve only make it halfway down the length of the hallway, however, when I hear the door open behind me. I turn toward the nearest door, pretending to be just leaving a room.
A short, broad man passes without so much as a glance. He’s
well-dressed and older, but there’s a hardness in his eyes. I have
no idea what business he has with Ned, but something about
it troubles me.
When I open the door to our suite, Ned is sitting on the
plush sofa, smoking a cigarette and staring at a stack of papers.
His whole body tenses as I enter.
“Lonnie?” His surprise quickly becomes a scowl. “What are
you doing back?”
My mind is still buzzing with everything that’s happened in
the past hour. When I don’t immediately respond, Ned stamps
out his cigarette in the little glass tray.
“Dammit, Lon. Why aren’t you with Fay?” His anger throws
me off completely.
“Where is she?” he demands. “I was told you’d taken her back
to the Ritz.”
“I did. She’s in her room.”
“And you didn’t stay?”
“I…”
“You what?”
“I just felt like coming back, that’s all.”
“What’s wrong with you, boy?” Ned growls.
I’ve never seen him lose his temper like this. I’m not sure
if the meeting I overheard put him in a foul mood, or something else.
“Is Fay not good enough for you?” he demands.
“N-no. That’s not it at all.”
“Then what is it, pray tell?”
His tone rankles me. “What’s it to you, whether or not I go
with Fay?”
He scoffs and scrapes a thick hand through his hair. “I don’t
think you quite understand what’s expected of you, Lon.”
“You’re right. I don’t. What is expected of me?”
“You and Fay will be married. It’s all been discussed.”
I stare at him for a moment, not sure if he’s kidding around
or crazy. “Discussed? With whom?”
“Your father approves of the match. As do Fay’s parents.”
“I haven’t heard a word from my father this whole summer.”
“That’s because he trusts my damn judgment,” Ned says,
slamming his fist on the coffee table.
A charged silence fills the room. But before I can grasp what
I might say, Ned releases a shaky breath and rubs his face. He
stands. His expression calms.
“You’ve had a long night. Both of us have.”
I nod, still trying to understand what’s gotten into him, but