“Thank you,” he said, cutting her off. “I have something to ask you.”
She seemed surprised but willing.
“Of course, Mr. Hargrove,” she said.
“The event we had… almost two weeks ago. The one at the ballroom.”
“Yes?” she said in obvious confusion.
“Mr. Stanley ordered a sculpture for the event.”
“Yes, he did.”
“Would you happen to have the sculptor’s contact details?”
“I’ll find them for you, Sir.”
“Thank you,” he said, straightening back up.
“Lola,” she said quickly.
“Thank you, Lola,” Neal repeated with a nod of his head, and then he added, “… and Lola?”
“Yes, Mr. Hargrove?”
“I’d appreciate it if you kept my visit between the two of us.”
She looked slightly uncertain, but she nodded her head.
“Of course, Mr. Hargrove.”
Chapter5
It didn’t take Neal very long to find her. He had considered calling, but then decided against it. What he was about to ask her required face-to-face conversation. He needed to be tactful about it and he was fast realizing how little he had needed to employ tact in his life. She lived in the shabbier part of the city; a tiny, aged looking apartment building wedged into a little crevice of space.
Her apartment number was fifty-four. He gave the number a ring, but got no answer. He ended up sitting in his car, unwilling to turn away from her doorstep until he had spoken to her. He had to wait nearly five hours, but eventually she showed up. She was wearing a pair of dark blue denim jeans, a white sweater and combat boots.
Her hair was tied up in a high ponytail and she wore a harassed expression. A bag was slung over her shoulders and she carried a small grocery bag on her hip. She was walking up the steps when Neal jumped out of his car and ran up towards her. She looked around before he could call her name.
“Neal?” Elena said incredulously.
Of all the people to run into, Elena had not expected to ever see Neal Hargrove again. He looked different today. Less intimidating than he did in his evening wear; he looked like just another guy and not a business mogul, but then, Elena thought uncharitably, he wasn’t really. He just mooched off his brother. He looked as though he had been waiting for her, which she found especially odd.
Neal looked up at her, hoping the desperation on his face would soften her towards him. He walked up the steps and gave her a tentative smile, which she did not return.
“Hello, Elena,” Neal said.
Elena raised her eyebrows, “Hello, Elena?”
Neal chuckled nervously, “I thought that was a good way to start. Can I carry that for you?”
Elena looked down at her small grocery bag. She had to buy sparingly, so that she could stretch what little money she had for the rest of the week. Nine days if she could manage it. She was about to turn him down, but she was side-tracked by the change she saw in him. She couldn’t put her finger on it. It was something about his expression.
“OK,” Elena said, handing over her groceries.
“Can I come in?” Neal asked, hoping against hope that she wouldn’t tell him to get lost.
Elena did in fact think about it, but somehow, the new-found change she saw in him gave her pause. It was definitely his expression, she decided at last. He didn’t look so smug and self-satisfied as he had the night they had met. He didn’t look like he had everything in control. There was more to his visit than trying to get tangled in her sheets with her.