Karla rolled her
eyes. “Lupita, go back to your floor. This isn’t your department.”
Lupita didn’t raise her voice. “No, it isn’t. But a tired father with a sleeping little girl is my business if he’s being left to stand out here in the lobby.”
Annoyed, Patricia aggressively hit a few more keys. Four seconds passed. Then, the color drained from her face.
“Here it is,” she murmured, her voice suddenly hollow. “Suite 904. Corporate reservation. Confirmed two weeks ago.”
A heavy, suffocating silence fell over the front desk. Ethan didn’t smile.
Lupita stepped forward, looking warmly at the bouquet. “Those are beautiful flowers, sir, even if the stems got a little bent in transit. Are they for someone special?”
Ethan lowered his eyes. “For my wife. Tomorrow is the anniversary of her passing.”
Lupita caught her breath, her eyes softening completely. “Oh, sir… I am so deeply sorry for your loss.” She
