Stroke of Luck

“I can’t pay the hotel bill.”

“That’s all?” He hadn’t known what to expect, but this was such a trivially easy thing to fix. “I’ll take care of it.”

“No, you don’t understand. It’s huge.”

He plucked the paper from her hand and glanced at the amount. Without blinking, he folded the sheet of paper and slid it into his suit jacket pocket, then glanced at Mr. Johan.

“Add it to my bill.”

He ignored April’s wide blue eyes as she stared at him. Her jaw had fallen open, and she shook her head in disbelief.

Mr. Johan seemed just as stunned. “Mr. Taylor?”

“Is there a problem?” Quinn asked, sending the man a steely gaze.

“No. Consider it done.”

“Good.” He stood up. “You can take Ms. Smith’s luggage to my suite for now.”

“Of course, Mr. Taylor.” Mr. Johan nodded to the staffers with the cart, and they rolled it away.

Quinn glanced at April, still sitting on the bench.

“Are you coming?” he asked.

She drew in a shaky breath. “Where?”

“To join my business partner and me for lunch.”

* * *

April stood up, and Quinn started toward the elevator. Still shocked at what Quinn had done, she hesitated.

He glanced over his shoulder. “Come on,” he said.

She hurried after him, trying not to think about the fact she had nowhere else to go. Not just because her wedding had been canceled and her life turned upside down, but she had no means by which to go home. Or anywhere else.

She didn’t even have anyone to call. She had no family, and as she racked her brain to think of a friend she could call for help, she realized that all her friends were Maurice’s friends first. After graduation, he’d talked her into moving to Lachelle, a large town in Massachusetts he and his family basically owned.

She caught up to Quinn and fell into step beside him, having trouble keeping up with his long-legged stride.

“Quinn, thank you for what you did back there.”

She still couldn’t believe it. He hadn’t even blinked when he’d seen the amount.

“It’s nothing.” His tone was chillingly indifferent.

She glanced at him in surprise. “Not to me.”

Quinn stopped at the elevator and pushed the down button.

“I don’t know how I’m going to pay you back,” she continued, disturbed by his silence, “but I’ll find a way.”

“Why didn’t your fiancé help you out?” he asked.

“What?” Then she realized she’d been toying with the diamond ring again. Turning it back and forth on her finger.

She stopped and dropped her hand to her side.