Page 16 (1/2)
He slipped on one of the new jackets he’d bought that day and slid his wallet into the inside pocket Then he left the rooed his mind and went back in to switch on a lalow, nice and ro-size bed was a lot of rooet lucky tonight
HANNAH MADE HER WAY to a table and sat down She was pro s He had to be all of twenty "Mind if I join you?" She hesitated, then shook her head
"I’ for some friends," she lied Darn her sister, anyway! How sick could she be?
"Me, too," he said, setting down his pint of beer Some of the foam sloshed over the side and onto the fake et you one"
She felt rattled The call to E her purse like that What a klutz And in front of thatA lawyer, maybe He looked very tri until my friends coure out what she was going to do next--she needed to get out of here She’d stay a little while, just to let Eood time, then she’d take a cab to Emily’s house She didn’t want to show up too soon, not when Steve or Nigel or whoever was there Sick! Hannah didn’t believe it for a moment In fact, she wouldn’t put it past E
"I’m Phil What’s your nah, although definitely not her type Usually men didn’t waltz up and talk to her They sure didn’t call her babe Was it the crazy outfit she’d worn? The hair? It had coe Oh well, it was supposed to wash out in eight shampoos She’d be back to her usual brown by the time she had to return to work
"Name? Er, Annabel," she said; she had no idea why, except that she didn’t want him to know her name Besides, Hannah was kind of…old-fashioned Annabel was so old it was new--chic, modern, trendy
"Hey, Annabel!" he said, thankfully not extending his hand "Cool club, eh?" He glanced around and so did Hannah She’d like nothing better than to leave right now and drive back to Glory This had been one of her really stupid ideas She should have followed her instincts and turned Eht for the trick-or-treaters
Some trick she’d pulled on her sister! And Emily wasn’t even here to find out that Hannah could dress up and have fun just like everyone else if she wanted to It was just that she didn’t really want to--she’d rather be home with Joan and Mr Spitz
Hannah narrowed her eyes She was positive she’d spotted the man she’d seen in the hotel lobby, but when she stared toward the club entrance again, he wasn’t there Wishful thinking, Hannah Parrish Besides, no man like that would ever be interested in you
Just then a crowd of irls with various h their lips, cheeks, eyebrows, ears, you-na, came up to the table Hannah leaped to her feet
"Here, you takeher purse, which she’d thrown over the back of the chair
Phil protested
"No, really! I’ll find soh clumps of people toward the door, the band started to play Soers, and lights flashing everywhere This was not her kind of place If only she could get through the crowd that hadparty was obviously a success
"Looking for someone?" The voice was very close to her left ear She raised her head That ined hiet out so I can leave"
"Already?"
"I…uain People see She saw the young
"Hey, Annabel! You left this--" He handed her the jacket she’d draped over her chair "Whew! I see you found Annabel!" he shouted, addressing the , in this crowd" Then he turned and made his way back
"Nice fellow Friend of yours?"
"Not really He was at my table"
"You alone?"
"Yes" It had just slipped out She hadn’t told the young man with dreadlocks that she was by herself Why had she told thisher jacket over his shoulder and reached for her hand Then he shouldered his way through the croith her in his wake
At the side of the club, near the mirrored wall, he smiled at her "Well, you’re not alone now, Annabel I’m Jack" He held out his hand "Jack Gamble" He had a wonderful smile Even white teeth Dark eyes A healthy tan
"How do you do?" she murmured, taken aback She shook his hand quickly "I’m, er, not Annabel" She didn’t think he’d heard her Oh, well What did it matter? It was Halloween; she could be whoever she wanted