“It sure won’t be,” she said, and then she floated down the hall, grinning from ear to ear. When she got outside, she burst into a sprint. And she ran whooping and hollering all the way to the shady bench where Ethan Blake sat waiting for her.
Chapter
36
Walking into the motel lobby to pay her rent for the week, AnnieLee had to skirt an enormous cellophane-wrapped gift basket half blocking the door. At the front desk, Rhonda, the no-nonsense motel manager, was nearly invisible behind a Technicolor bouquet of gladiolas.
“Whoa, Greg must’ve done something really bad this time,” AnnieLee said. AnnieLee had never met Rhonda’s boyfriend, but to hear the stories, Greg seemed less like a love interest and more like an eternal thorn in Rhonda’s side.
Rhonda gave a quick snort of a laugh. “Fool drove the riding mower into the duck pond last night,” she said. “Again.” She flicked a bit of the bouquet’s decorative greenery out of her way. “But he only sends me flowers when I catch him hitting on other girls. For that tractor stupidity, he just apologized real nice and gave me a foot rub.”
“So you’ve got a secret admirer, then,” AnnieLee said as she poured herself a big cup of the motel’s coffee. It was terrible, but it was free. “Spill the beans!”
“All this is for you, girl,” Rhonda said.
“What? Really?” Bending down to peer through the cellophane, AnnieLee saw boxes of Belgian chocolates, champagne, pears wrapped in gold foil, dried Spanish cherries, tea biscuits, and glass jars of candied nuts, all nestled in creamy tissue paper and tied up with a silk bow. “This looks seriously expensive,” she said.
“No shit. Who’s it from?” Rhonda asked. “Who’s your admirer?”
Ruthanna was the only person AnnieLee knew who could spring for a present like this. “Just a friend, I’m sure,” AnnieLee said. She plucked the card from the bow at the top of the basket, expecting to see the singer’s name and a message of congratulations for getting “Driven” on the WATC playlist.
So she felt a jolt of unpleasant surprise upon seeing that the gift basket was from Mikey Shumer. So were the gladiolas, and a smaller package she hadn’t even seen right away. It contained a pair of classic Ray-Ban Aviators.
AnnieLee put on the sunglasses to disguise her unease. Mikey Shumer was sending her a very clear message: he knew where she was and how to get to her, and he wasn’t going to give up.
“Those look hot on you,” Rhonda said.
“Could I use the phone?” AnnieLee asked. If she didn’t call him right now, she’d lose her nerve.
Rhonda looked pointedly at the basket. AnnieLee sliced open the cellophane with her room key, reached in to grab a sleeve of extremely delicious-looking ginger cookies, and held them out to Rhonda.
“Now can I use it?” AnnieLee asked.
Rhonda smiled and lifted the phone onto the counter where AnnieLee could reach it. Then she opened the cookies. “Dial nine to get out,” she said, breaking off a piece of a cookie and popping it in her mouth. “Do you know how much that champagne is worth?”
“Of course not,” AnnieLee said. She’d never tasted real champagne in her life, let alone tried to buy herself any.
“Five hundred dollars. I googled it.”
“So can I give you the bottle instead of the rent money?”
Rhonda snorted again. “Not when Two-Buck Chuck’ll get me just as drunk on a Saturday night.”
“Well, it was worth a try,” AnnieLee said, sliding an envelope of cash toward the motel manager. She wasn’t stone broke, not anymore, but handing over a solid three figures still wasn’t what she’d call enjoyable.
Someday, though, she was going to have enough money to blow her nose on twenties if she wanted to.
I’m on my way, I start today
I’m gonna be all right
AnnieLee held the handset to her cheek and tapped her fingers on the counter as the phone rang. Sound tough, she reminded herself.
“Shumer,” said a brusque voice.
“Mr. Shumer, this is AnnieLee Keyes.”
Immediately the voice warmed. “Please, call me Mikey, AnnieLee. It’s great to hear from you.”
“What’s with the loot in the lobby?”
“A small token of my esteem,” he said smoothly. “And, apparently, the only way to get you to return my calls. I want to meet with you, AnnieLee. I’ve seen you play—you’re incredible—and I happen to think I could be extremely beneficial to your career.”