Paris for One and Other Stories by Jojo Moyes

Author:Jojo Moyes
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2016-09-20T17:19:47+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

Nell is still smiling as she walks into the hotel. The receptionist is still behind her shiny desk. Nell wonders if the woman has a home or just sleeps there, on her feet, behind the desk, like giraffes do. She realizes she should be embarrassed, turning up in last night’s dress, but finds she cannot do anything except smile.

“Good morning, mademoiselle.”

“Good morning.”

“I trust you had a good evening?”

“Oh, I did,” she says. “Thank you. Paris is . . . so much more fun than I could ever have imagined.”

The woman nods to herself and gives Nell a small grin. “I am very happy to hear that.”

Nell takes a deep breath and looks over toward the stairs. This is the bit she is dreading. For all her brave words to Fabien, she is not looking forward to Pete’s accusations or to his fury. She has wondered, privately, whether he will have done something horrible to her suitcase. He didn’t seem like the kind of man to do such a thing, but you never knew. She stands there, bracing herself to go up to Room 42.

“Can I help you with anything, mademoiselle?”

She turns her head and smiles. “Oh. No. I’m . . . I just have to go up and speak to my friend. He may . . . be a little cross that I did not include him in last night’s plans.”

“Then I am very sorry to tell you he is not here.”

“No?”

“A rule of the hotel. I realized after you left that we cannot have someone using the room who is not the person who booked it. And the room was in your name. So Louis had to ask him to leave.”

“Louis?”

She nods toward the porter, a man who is the size of two back-to-back sofas standing upright. He is pushing a small trolley loaded with suitcases. As he hears his name, he gives a small salute.

“So my friend did not stay in my room?”

“No. We directed him to the youth hostel near Bastille. I’m afraid he was not very happy.”

“Oh!” Nell’s hand has clapped over her mouth. She is trying not to laugh.

“I apologize, mademoiselle, if this causes you any inconvenience. But he was not on the original booking, and he did not arrive with you, so once you were gone . . . It was a matter of security.” Nell notices that the receptionist’s mouth is also twitching. “A rule of the hotel.”

“A rule of the hotel. Quite. It’s very important to stick to hotel rules,” says Nell. “Well. Um. Thank you very much.”

“Your key.” The receptionist hands it to her.

“Thank you.”

“I hope you enjoyed your stay with us.”

“Oh, I did.” Nell stands in front of her and has to fight the urge to hug the woman. “Thank you so much. I will remember it . . . always.”

“That is very good to hear, mademoiselle,” says the receptionist, and finally she turns back to her papers.

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