A large man with a face that looks incapable of not smiling, looks down at me with a mixture of surprise and amusement.
"Pardon me" he says quickly as he moves sideways to allow me pass through.
"Sorry, I wasn't looking," I stammer, stepping back to regain my balance.
He laughs, a sound that seems to come from his belly. "No harm, no harm!"
He pats his stomach, which jiggles like a balloon full of liquid. "You find only cushion here."
I give a small, embarrassed laugh, excusing myself to go back to my room to fetch my key. I return and hand them over to Mr. Crane, who int urn summons Sebastian who was outside, to come in and take it.
When the driver is gone, we sit there for a while in silence, which is occasionally punctuated by the sound of him sipping from his coffee mug. After some minutes of looking down and pretending to admire the floor, I look up to see Mr Crane watching me with an eyebrow raised in mild curiosity.
"You seem to have a talent for bumping into people a lot" he says out of the blue.
I grimace awkwardly, trying to lighten the mood. "It's a talent, which has gotten me in quite some trouble."
"Remember the first day we met? You know, till now, I still have that stain on my suit." he sips, "And that was my favorite suit...ruined by you."
My face heat up. Why is he even bringing this up?
"That was quite an encounter" Mr. Crane continues, 'But let's focus on today's agenda. The investor, Mr Laurent or Monsieur Laurent, as he prefers to be called, is arriving directly from the airport. He'll be here around noon, and as I told you before, this is more of an informal chat to break the ice before the formal meeting some other time, which you would schedule."
I nod, taking mental notes. "What should I expect?"
"Expect the unexpected, Miss Cole. Laurent is known for his... eccentricities. Just be calm and flow with whatever I say. Don't be too formal; he appreciates warmth over protocol."
"Got it," I say, trying to sound confident.
"And his English is not too fluent. That's no problem though, I have a standby interpreter ready."
He checks his watch, a piece that probably costs more than my entire wardrobe. "You'll be pinged when he's about ten minutes away from the hotel. Inform me immediately so we can prepare."
"Yes" I reply, and everywhere falls silent again.
Sophia returns shortly after, and I make to stand up, but she holds out her hand to stop me. "Non, non! You should seet. Nolan, perhaps we should go now, no? Prepare for ze arrival?"
Mr. Crane nods in agreement. "Yes, let's go over the final details." He stands, giving me a nod. "Miss Cole, stay ready."
To Sophia, he asks "My suite or yours?"
"Yours will be better Nolan" The heavy accent she puts on his name makes it sound like Nohleen. He gives her a grin and they both head out.
As they leave, I sigh. Why have I never considered the idea of Mr Crane having a love interest? I'm so stupid. I know he has quite the reputation with women, sure. But I never imagined him actually being with any woman. He seems just so...unattainable. But here we are.
Why should he even bring his... her to this meeting today. It just doesn't seem right.
You shouldn't be so bothered, I remind myself, but the sight of them together stirs something in me I'm not ready to admit.
I head back to my room to wait for Sebastian to return with my clothes and he does so in an hour. I quickly change into the A-line dress, feeling good as I savor the feel of the material against my body. The luxury seems to seep into my skin, and I feel momentarily invincible.
I missed this.
Back in the lounge, I wait, sipping on a glass of water, my phone in hand. The ping comes precisely as promised, and I dial Mr. Crane. "He's ten minutes out, sir."
"Good. We'll be right down," he responds, his voice crisp over the phone.
Moments later, Mr. Crane and Sophia join me. We move to the hotel's entrance, the grand lobby leading to the expansive glass doors that lead to outside.
The convoy arrives with a flourish. First, there's the purr of engines, then the sleek black cars roll up, one after another. The lead car, a luxurious Mercedes, stops right at the entrance. Out steps a security detail, men in dark suits with earpieces, scanning the area with professional scrutiny.
Then comes Monsieur Laurent, emerging from his vehicle like a king stepping out of his carriage. He's a sight to behold - a tall, broad man with a jovial face framed by a meticulously groomed beard, his eyes twinkling under bushy brows.
His tailored suit barely contains his expansive frame, the fabric stretching over a body that suggests a life well-lived and enjoyed.
Beside him, a petite woman, clearly his assistant, looks around with a disgusted expression on her face and her nose held high in the air, as if she just perceived a foul odor.
She's all business, her hair in a tight bun, glasses perched low on her nose and her scaly hands gripped tightly around a tablet.
Mr Crane steps forward and gives handshakes to some people while I stand, unsure of what to do but it is Sophia's reaction that catches me unaware.
Her face lights up immediately she sights Monsieur Laurent. She moves forward and opens her arms wide as she envelops him in a warm embrace. Her kiss on his cheek is followed by one on the lips, a quick but passionate display that leaves no doubt of their relationship.
She whispers something in French, her voice soft and melodious, making him laugh heartily, his eyes crinkling with delight.
"Mon amour," he says, the words rolling off his tongue with affection, his large hand resting on her back as they turn towards us.
Mr. Crane's handshake is firm with Laurent, his expression one of respect mixed with the shrewdness of a businessman. "Monsieur Laurent, welcome to this humble establishment."
Laurent's laughter booms again, shaking hands with a vigor that matches his size. "Humble? With such beauty around, I think not!" His eyes flick to me, and i give a small smile.
Introductions are made, and as we move inside, the lobby seems to shrink around Laurent's presence. His entourage follows, and I keep up my pace behind Mr Crane.
Sophia and Laurent? How did I not make the connection? They are both French, after all. Then that means, I've been mistaken about Mr Crane and Sophia all along.
A wave of relief washes over me, and I suddenly feel glad now that the puzzle is solved. It's not because I have any ulterior motives concerning Mr Crane though.
No, not at all. That's absurd
I'm just glad that I don't have to watch Mr Crane act like a lovebird and act all cringey like the way people in relationships do. The air suddenly feels more fresh and there's a lightness in my step as we move away from the glass doors, further into the hotel.