Chapter 325: Do You Want A Tour?


    The doorman opens the door, and Avery barely recognizes the hotel lobby. It''s only been a few months since shest visited the hotel, but the atmosphere has changed. Dozens of businesspeople and well-dressed tourists crowd the reception area, waiting to check-in.


    Across the marble lobby, the ding of the elevator. The doors slide open, and a short-haired woman wearing a crisp, professional skirt suit rushes out.


    "Avery," ire calls. "It''s good to see you."


    "ire, it looks like you''ve done a great job with the ce," Avery says. "I barely recognized the hotelbusiness is booming. You make a good manager."


    ire smiles shyly and says, "Don''t make fun of me. I''ve been doing my best, but I''m not that experienced."


    Avery smiles back and puts a hand on her stomach. ire''s sharp eyes dart down, and she purses her lips.


    "How long have you been pregnant?" ire asks.


    "Almost four months," she answers.


    "Mr. Howel must be very happy," ire says.


    Avery feels blood rush to her cheeks. She thought the news about her divorce from Evan had spread everywhere, but it seems the Howel family has been controlling the tabloids.


    "Do you want a tour?" ire asks. "I haven''t changed much, but you might be interested in seeing how everything looks. Do you want to see the restaurant? I''m a bit proud of it."


    Avery follows ire down the hall out onto the patio. Though it''s almost summer, cherry blossoms still float on the wind. White embroidered tablecloths cover the tables, and the cherry blossoms drift down onto the pristine linens. It seems like nothing has changed at all.


    "Mr. Howel ordered us to keep everything the same," ire says with a slight blush. "I''m rather proud of thiswe''ve found a special fertilizer that makes the trees bloom year-round. And of course, we keep the settings the same."


    They walk onto the patio, and Avery closes her eyes and inhales the sweet scent of the cherry trees. The cool breeze lifts her hair, and for a moment, she forgets everything. ire clears her throat, snapping Avery back to reality.


    "Mr. Howeles to eat here twice a week," ire says, pointing at a table near the edge of the patio. "He always sits at that table there."


    Avery''s heart stopsthat''s the table she sat at with him many months ago. She knows Evan is a man of habit, but this seems strangely sentimental for him.


    "Twice a week?" she asks.


    "Yes, hees here every Wednesday and Friday," ire says.


    Today is Friday, Avery thinks. But I guess it makes sense. If Reba is staying here, he''ll want to visit her. I just need to leave before he arrives.


    "What time does he usuallye?" Avery asks.


    "It''s hard to say," ire says. "He usuallyes in the afternoons or evenings, but he ordered for the whole restaurant to be cleared today."


    Avery looks at her watchit''s almost noon. The sooner she can see Reba and leave, the better. Hopefully, Evan willete today.


    "Thanks for the tour, ire, but I think I''m going to go up to the presidential suite now," Avery says. "I don''t want to keep my friend waiting."


    "The presidential suite?" ire asks.


    "Yes, Mr. Howel''s girlfriend is staying there," Avery says.


    ire''s eyes widen, and her cheeks blush. She looks down at her shoes and then up at Avery as if she doesn''t know what to say. Avery sighs and decides it''s too much work to exin the whole story to ire. Besides, she''s running out of time to visit Reba and leave before Evanes.


    She says goodbye to ire and takes the elevator up. She rings the doorbell outside the suite and waits for someone to answer it. After five minutes, a haggard-looking Rebaes to the door. She''s wearing silk pajamas, and her hair looks unwashed. There are dark circles under her eyes, and her eyes are red and puffy as if she''s been crying.


    "Oh, Avery," Reba says, poised and gracious as ever. "I wasn''t expecting you, but wee."


    "Sophie told me you''re not going well," Avery says. "I thought I''de to talk to you."


    "That''s so thoughtful," she says. "Come in."


    Avery follows her into the hotel room, noticing that Reba is wearing custom-made Hermes slippers instead of the standard pair offered to guests. Reba walks to the small kitchte and fills an electric kettle with water.


    "Thanks again foring to see me," Reba says as she prepares two teacups. "I''m afraid Sophie has worried you for no reasonI''m fine. I just feel guilty about yesterday."


    "Oh, I understand why Sophie wanted me toe," Avery murmurs. "It''s fine, Reba, really."


    Reba passes her a cup of steaming tea and says, "Forgive me for being so bold, but I think you still me me."


    "I don''t me you," Avery says. "How could you have known what Crystal would do?"


    Reba nods, but she doesn''t look convinced. Avery looks at the girl''s red-rimmed eyes, trying to understand why Reba keeps ming herself. Reba looks away, staring down into her teacup.


    "What about the design?" Reba asks, sounding eager to change the subject.


    "What do you mean?" Avery asks.


    "I really liked your cufflink design," Reba says. "Do you think you could finish making them for Evan and me?"


    Avery can''t believe her ears. Is she crazy? She wonders. After everything, she still wants me to finish the design. Isn''t she even a little bit jealous of my rtionship with Evan? She tries to look at Reba, but the woman''s face is a smooth, unreadable mask.


    "Sure," Avery says. "I''ll finish cufflinks."


    "You''re so kind, Avery," Reba says, taking her hand. "You''d tell me if you were ufortable with the situation, right?"


    Avery pulls her hand away and stifles a sigh. If I refuse or back out now, Reba will think it''s because I''m ufortable with the situation, she thinks. She''ll worry that I still have feelings for Evan.


    "It''s nothing," Avery says. "In fact, we need the same thing. You need a gift for Evan, and I need work to do. Anyway, we''ll be in touch soon."


    Avery puts her tea down and gets up to leave. As she nears the door, the doorbell rings again. A horrible sinking feeling begins in the pit of her stomach. She peeks through the ss in the door and sees Robert standing in the hall.


    Reba opens the door, and Averyes face to race with Evan''s butler. Robert''s eyebrows shoot up to the middle of his forehead when he sees her. Avery grabs her purse and tries to step past him, but he''s blocking the entire doorway.


    "Miss Arlington, the restaurant is ready, and Mr. Howel is waiting for you," Robert says. "I didn''t realize you had a visitor."


    "Don''t worry," Avery says. "I was on my way out."


    "Actually, why don''t you stay for lunch?" Reba asks.


    "Are you sure?" Avery asks. "I don''t want to intrude."


    "Of course," Reba says. "Think of it as our way of thanking you for such a beautiful design."


    Avery bites her lip. If I didn''t know better, I''d think Reba is trying to make me ufortable, she thinks. She might think she''s nice by inviting me to lunch, but at best, it will be incredibly awkward. As she thinks, she shakes her head no.


    "Come on, and you''re my friend," Reba says. "I know it might seem a bit awkward, but I talked to Evan yesterday, and he said he''s relieved the truth is out in the open now. I know he won''t intentionally do anything to make you ufortable."


    Oh, so now if I refuse, I''m the petty one, Avery thinks. Reba is very clevershe acts as the perfect charming society woman, but she knows how to manipte people.


    "I haven''t eaten anything in a while, pleasee," Reba says.


    As she speaks, she walks toward the bedroom, disappearing behind arge antique screen. When she reappears, she''s wearing a pale green dress, and her hair has been twisted into a simple but elegant bun. She slides a pair of low-heeled sandals on and joins Avery by the door. All traces of redness have disappeared from her eyes. Avery can''t believe how quickly she has transformed.


    "Have you reminded the restaurant of Evan''s allergy to soybeans?" Reba asks Robert.


    The words hit Avery like a knife. She already knows about his allergies, she thinks. They''ve only been together a few weeks at most, but she acts like she''s known him her whole life.


    Avery walks slowly, falling into step with Robert. The butler raises his eyebrows, and Avery nces at Reba''s thin back.


    "Whose idea was it?" Avery asks. "Was this really Reba''s idea, or did Evan make her invite me?"


    Robert looks down at his shoes and says, "Actually, it was Mr. Francis Howel''s idea."


    "What?" Avery asks.


    "The old Mr. Howel loves Miss Arlington," Robert exins. "He heard that she didn''t have many friends here, and he ordered Evan to do everything in his power to make her happy."