DownTown Seattle (1) – Lipstick Lies!

Pulling up just outside the entrance to the Fairmont, Orson let out a long slow whistle on seeing the beauty of the grand hotel. Anyone would tell you it was one of Seattle’s oldest and finest hotels, and was truly up the upmarket end of town. Orson threw his arm back over the driver’s seat and looked back at the pair.

“Bring me back one of those monogrammed toweling robes, Bro.” He said this with a quirky smile as Brock shook his head at his brother. “I’m not stealing no robes for you. Bring Erica and do it yourself sometime.” Orson let out something of a raspberry as Brock got out of the car, and then walked around to open Pandora’s door. He offered her his hand to help him out onto the sidewalk, as Orson popped the boot.

With only a bit of luggage, after dropping off the garbage bags of old clothes to the life line bins, Brock was ready to treat his special lady to a night she would not forget. He slammed the boot shut, only to hear Orson curse.

“Careful. You might damage her!”

“Dude…nothing can harm this car. They made it back in the days when they used more steel than they would on an army tank.”

“Eh..true. STILL…she’s a lady and I don’t go slamming her.”

“I’ll remember that. Thanks for the ride, bro.”

Orson did something of a salute as he pulled away from the curb, leaving Pandora and Brock there with their bags. Brock picked up everything, and motioned for them to head inside.

The foyer was incredibly beautiful. The architecture was from a bygone era. All around people were enjoying the hotel’s services, with a line up for the restaurant, and many at the piano bar. it was a popular place after work for many, others were either international guests, or those from out of town.

Brock walked up to the guest service desk with Pandora, and rang the bell. A girl in a blue uniform emerged from an inner office and said.

“Welcome to the Fairmont Olympic, can I help you?”

“Yes, I have made a reservation for two under the name Brock Carrendar.”

The girl checked her computer terminal, and then smiled up at the couple. “Yes, we have your reservation. Room 589.’She handed a form for Brock to fill out, while smiling at Pandora. “We have provided a welcome basket with some goodies. Always love to have newly weds.”

Brock coughed and asked.

“I’m sorry…but we aren’t newly weds.”

The girl behind the counter went bright red. “I’m so sorry Sir, but that is what you ordered. The honeymoon suite. Extra spa and all the trimmings.”

Brock looked at Pandora and wondered what she would say.

<3>

When they pulled up in front of the hotel, Orson whistled in surprise and even Pandora was stunned at the elegance and beauty the place gave off. She was now glad she hadn’t changed her clothes after getting back from Hawaii. Brock climbed from the car, coming around to help her out as Orson opened the trunk for their bags.

Once their bags were safely on the curb, Brock slammed the trunk down, annoying Orson. This devolved into a 2 minute conversation about the dangers of angering Orson’s “girl”, ripe with sexual innuendos. Brock made mention of the car being the equivalent of an army tank, which made Orson grin with pride and comment:

“Eh..true. STILL…she’s a lady and I don’t go slamming her.”

Pandora nearly bit her tongue in half at the laugh that wanted to escape her right then at the unintended quip. This was Orson they were talking about after all.

Waving his brother off, Brock took up their bags and he indicated for her to head inside, the doorman opening the door to young couple with a tip of his hat.

Across the street, George pulled the car to a stop and growled in anger.

“Well let’s go in.” Denise demanded, making a move to step from the car. George grabbed her arm and shoved her forcefully back into her seat. “Ow! George! What the hell is wrong with you?”

“Do we look like the type of people who frequent a place that swanky?” he snapped, pointing at his grease-covered overalls and her tube top and short skirt.

“Well…no.” Denise admitted after some silence.

“Do you have the money to buy your way into a place like that?”

“Well…no.”

“Then we will do what we have been doing,…watch and wait.”

Inside, Brock and Pandora arrived at the front desk where he gave his name and stated that he’d made a reservation. The clerk typed into her computer and easily found the reservation, stating that they were booked into their Deluxe (aka Honeymoon) Suite, assuming they were newlyweds.

Brock was actually embarrassed by this and he looked at Pandora to get her input.

“It’s fine, Brock. With all the bags, we need the room. Besides…” she stepped close to him and whispered into his ear, “…think of all the flat surfaces we can…make use of.” She stepped back and winked saucily at him. A tiger didn’t change their stripes in a day, ya know.

Suite 589

Once they reached the room, Pandora collapsed to the bed as Brock placed their bags aside. It was a beautiful room with a gorgeous view of the city. She could see the Needle from where she lay. Sitting up, she grabbed her carry-on bag and searched for her phone. Finding it, she noticed a missed call and a voicemail indicator.

“I really need to stop leaving my phone on vibrate.” she muttered, putting the phone to her ear. The message she heard surprised her.

“Hey Panda, its Ame. I am just calling in to see how things are going. Sorry for leaving town a while ago. Some emergencies had come up in my home town so I had to leave right away. Please call me back when you get this! Love you bunches!” There was a callback number.

She hadn’t heard from Ame in nearly a year and had almost given her up as lost. She was actually glad to hear from her.

Dialing the number, she growled when she got a voicemail in return. Not bothering to leave a message, she hung up and turned to send Ame a text message instead.

That done, she put her phone on the side table and moved to unpack her things. She wasn’t sure how long she and Brock would be living in the hotel until they’d gotten their new house situated. She kicked off her shoes and moved to a reclining position on the bed.

“You owe me some ice cream, Mr Carrendar.” she stated, watching as he moved around the room, unpacking his own things. “And I expect payment.”

The room at the Fairmont was luxury personified, even more so than Carrendar House. Brock set down their bags, and then on straightening looked about his plush surrounds. Would Pandora find this a little bit over the top? This sort of room was for Presidents, and Rock stars which they were neither. Brock silently watched Pandora take in the view from the room of the city, nervously waiting to see if she would ask to stay somewhere else. It wasn’t like he was trying to show off, or be extravagant, this was just the best hotel in the City, and a welcome stop between her apartment and their new home.

Noticing that she had taken out her cell from her bag, Pandora had seen she had missed a call. For a moment he was concerned it would be from Simone; the girl that he had yet to deal with since he took off after Pandora to Hawaii. Thankfully it wasn’t.

“Whose the message from, babe?” Brock asked with a certain level of curiosity. He wasn’t trying to pry into her affairs, but he just wondered. She would probably tell him if it was just another friend, or to do with work.

Brock started to unpack his things into the joint closet, when Pandora reminded him that he owed her some ice cream, and expected it…now. Brock chuckled at her impatience for the tasty treat. “I did promise, didn’t I?” He said with a laugh, grabbing his wallet and then going over to the hotel phone. He picked it up and dialed for room service.

“Yeah, hey, this is Brock Carrendar in suite 589. My lady love wants the biggest bowl of icecream you got. Really? Oh yeah with everything. Even sprinkles. Great. Thanks.” Brock hung up and smirked.

“One desert coming up.” he said with a wicked grin. It was pretty certain that Pandora was going to get one hell of an ice cream headache.

About 10 minutes later the door bell intercom buzzed, and Brock jogged to get it. Out in the foyer stood a bell boy with a large silver dish, that contained Pandora’s ice cream dish. Brock stepped back and gestured to his Pandora.

“It’s for her.”

The young bell boy entered the swanky room and placed the dome topped tray on the table nearest Pandora and took off the lid to reveal an ice cream masterpiece.

Needless to say, she would need more than one spoon.

<3>

“Whose the message from, babe?” his husky voice caught her attention and she looked up from reading Ame’s latest text.

“Hmm? Oh. It’s from my friend, Ame. She’s been out of town for the past year and she’s due back tonight. She wants to take me, and the other girls to lunch next week so we can catch up.” With a sigh, she set the phone aside for the night. He nodded at that and at her reminder of ice cream, he went to the phone and called room service.

She wasn’t sure if she was ready to deal with Simone just yet, but with Ame returning, it was unavoidable. And now with Pandora moving out of her apartment, she wasn’t even sure of Kali anymore. She hadn’t heard from her since her last night in Hawaii.

When the deserved treat arrived, it was a stacked, delicious mess of chocolate and whipped cream goodness.

Pandora stared at it with wide eyes.

“Brock! I was expecting you to go to the store around the corner for a pint! This is huge!” she exclaimed. “I hope like hell you’re going to help me eat this!”

She held up her spoon and pointed it at him. “Please?”

Brock could barely hide his amusement when he saw the size, the sheer magnitude of the Ice cream castle. Cause technically that is what it was. What was even funnier was Pandora’s reaction. She expected him to go around the store for a pint, not order something like this. He was truly amused by her exclamation on how she hoped that he was going to help her eat this.

“Oh no, love. That’s just for you.” Brock teased, knowing it would get a good reaction, before taking up the spare spoon and sampling a small scoop full of creamy goodness from the top.

“Taste better if you were wearing it.” He said with a cheeky tone. Getting his finger and running it through the cream and dabbing some on her nose. “Let’s try that shall we?” He leaned forward and kissed the cream off her nose gently before licking his lips. “Yes, I prefer Pan flavoured ice cream.”

Sitting down beside her with the monster treat, he eased back to watch her attempt to take on the mountain, and asked about the earlier conversation concerning Ame.

“So, she’s been out of town a year and coming back now to…..oh.”

He knew that a lot had changed between the group of girls, and that he was partly responsible for that. The sigh that Pandora made would probably be in relation to Simone. A subject they were yet to discuss. Nervously he asked.

“What if she calls Simone? Are you going to be able to sit at the same table as her? I mean, I know you have forgiven me, but…”

He didn’t need to follow through with his sentence. Brock was pretty sure that the waters would remain icy between Pan and Simone.

<3>

He had the nerve to laugh at her! Oh that was so not on! Although she did melt just a bit when he dabbed ice cream on her nose before kissing it off. He eased back on the bed beside her, leaving her to handle the mountain of goo by herself. She set the large treat between them and started digging into it.

“Smart ass.” she grumbled good-naturedly. There was a brief uncomfortable silence that he broke by asking about Simone.

“What if she calls Simone? Are you going to be able to sit at the same table as her? I mean, I know you have forgiven me, but…”

“I know I’m going to need to talk to Simone before Ame’s luncheon. I’d rather not have to deal with her at all. But rather the devil you know…you know?” she sighed, sliding the ice-cream-filled spoon between her lips. “Maybe I’ll go see her tomorrow…alone.” she added when she thought Brock might offer to go with her. “I don’t want to think about it anymore tonight. I just want to relax with you.” She took another bite, moaning slightly when the chocolatey goodness slipped down her throat.

“Delicious.” she murmured.