Chapter 3
At Gangulf’s insistence, Kurt led Mel and Tommy to seats amongst the other guests. Mel felt everyone’s eyes on them as they stepped over and around limbs and feet to reach the last empty places. Kurt’s glare told her that he felt the attention, too, and she said a silent prayer that he would contain his anger at least until they could retreat to their rooms. He was always easier to deal with when they were alone, and he could vent his spleen while Mel let it roll off her back. She’d make sure Tommy was safely in his own space before that happened.
“Hi, I’m Olivia!” gushed the girl Gangulf had called an influencer. “Is this your first time to Wulfzhan?”
“It is,” Mel replied.
“Mine, too!” she squealed. “Isn’t it just gorgeous? I can’t wait to do a photoshoot! Maybe something a little risque out on that portico?”
Out of the corner of her eye, Mel saw Kurt staring hard at Olivia’s bosom and remembered his response to Gangulf’s introduction. She did not doubt that he’d seen those tits before, possibly more than the lacy outfit revealed.
“Welcome, welcome,” the older gentleman added. Ed, she remembered. Ed’s wife, Silvia, did not speak, but smiled wanly. “Forgive my wife. Her illness…”
“There’s nothing to forgive,” Mel hurried to assure him.
“I’m Hallie, and this is Stephen.”
“I’m Mel. This is Kurt and Tommy.”
“Mads Madsen, pleased to meet you all.”
“Mr. Gangulf says you’re an author?” Mel asked.
“Oh, well, yes. I write mostly horror these days. Hallie here is also an author, I believe?”
“Why, yes, I am!” Hallie smiled.
“What do you do for a living, Kurt?” Stephen asked.
“I own a couple of car dealerships down near Albuquerque.”
“Wonderful! And you, Mel?”
Mel blushed. “I’m a nurse, nothing so fancy as you all. But I’m going to design school at night. I’d love to break into the fashion industry.”
“Fashion?” Olivia asked loudly. “You should talk to Nell over here.”
Eleano smiled and leaned forward. “Fashion? I might know a little something about it.” Her voice was throaty and her accent disarming. Something about her eyes caught and held Mel’s attention. She could happily drown in those depths, she found herself thinking. Mel shook her head to clear the distracting thoughts.
“Mr. Gangulf said you’re the head of the Leleu fashion house in Paris?” she asked.
“Oui, but, please, call me Nell. Eleanor is so formal, non?”
“Sure,” Mel agreed. Then, “I’d love to pick your brain sometime if you don’t mind.”
“Of course not! I love to talk fashion, and to introduce someone to that world? It would be my pleasure.”
Something about the way the other woman said “pleasure” sent a thrill up Mel’s spine. “I’ll come find you after we get settled in. Maybe tomorrow?”
“It’s a date! Come to my suite around noon, and we’ll talk and have lunch.”
“You two seem to be getting on quite well,” Gangulf said from over Mel’s shoulder.
She nodded and smiled up at him. “Nell’s going to talk fashion with me.”
“That’s very generous of her.” He glanced at Kurt, who was deep in a discussion of showroom design with Stephen Bullock. “How is your husband doing?”
“Kurt? He’s my boyfriend, not my husband.”
“Oh, so is Tommy your son or his?”
“His. Kurt’s first wife passed away when Tommy was just two.”
“Oh, the poor thing!” Olivia broke in.
“Yes, but he’s a strong little boy. And, to be honest, I don’t think he remembers much about her.”
“Oh!” Olivia laughed. “I’m sorry, I meant Kurt. It must be so hard to lose someone that close, you know? It must have hurt him a lot.”
“Yes,” Mel agreed, although she wasn’t entirely sure that was true. Kurt had not seemed like an empty shell when they’d met. A harried father of a young boy, yes, but not someone wracked by grief. At the time, she’d assumed that he was just being stoic, which was part of what had attracted her to him. Things had started to change a year or so later.
The sound of breaking glass broke her reverie.
“What did you do?” Kurt hissed, gripping one of Tommy’s arms.
“I’m sorry!” Tommy wailed. The remains of his soda puddled around glittering shards of glass.
“No need to fret,” Gangulf said. “Would you call for Alice, please?” he asked the bartender. The mustached man nodded, picked up a phone, and spoke into it briefly.
“She’s on her way, sir.”
“Good.” Gangulf turned back to Tommy and Kurt. “Now, let’s just leave that where it is, shall we? Alice will be along in a moment.” He put out a hand and caught Tommy’s shoulder, gently tugging him out of his father’s grip, then passed him to Mel, who stood behind. “No harm done, Mr. Daniels. Just a broken glass and that’s easily cleaned up.”
Kurt sucked in a deep breath. “Yeah, fine, whatever.” He looked at Mel. “Maybe we just need to head up to our room.”
Mel would rather have stayed and talked with Nell and the others longer, but there was no arguing with Kurt when he was like this. It would only make him angrier. “It’s been a long day, and we’re all really tired,” she agreed.
“If you’re sure, I’ll have Sessions show you up,” Gangulf said.
Just then, a dark-haired woman wearing the same vest as the other employees Mel had seen entered the room carrying a broom, dustpan, and towels.
“Ah, Alice, thank you. Just a minor accident.” Gangulf indicated the broken glass and spilled soda.
“Of course, Mr. Gangulf.” Alice bent and began sweeping the glass into the dustpan.
“Mr. Daniels?” Sessions stood off to the side. Mel hadn’t even seen him enter. “If you and your family will follow me, I’ll show you to your suite.”
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