“No, absolutely not.” Jess smiled at him. “We had a great meal and will pay for it. And I won’t even leave a bad review online.”
“Thank you. I’ll be back in a second.” With a relieved sigh, Tyler hurried off.
“Are you okay?” Lena studied Jess for signs of distress or anger.
But Jess’s shoulders were relaxed, a smile played around her lips, and her eyes shone with amusement. “It’s only wine. Either the stains will get out of my shirt, or they won’t.” She shrugged and dabbed the napkin against her chest.
“Um, yeah, maybe.” Lena had difficulty focusing on the conversation. Her mind was on the light-blue shirt with the burgundy stain that molded itself perfectly to Jess’s right breast. She tore her gaze away when the waiter returned, and Jess handed him her credit card.
Lucky for them, the restaurant was only a couple of blocks from Jess’s condo in Belltown. Jess phoned her mother for an update on Ella during the short walk, and Lena had time to study the area.
Everything was shiny and oozed money. Maggie lived in a well-to-do neighborhood too, but the contrast between the busy city and her serene gardens couldn’t be more pronounced. Lena couldn’t see Jess taking her evening walks with Ella here. But she hadn’t accompanied Jess to question her. Jess had asked for support, and she would offer that. Just because she wouldn’t prefer to live here herself wasn’t a good enough reason to doubt Jess would be happy here.
“Give Ella a kiss from me, and tell her I love her. Sleep well, Mom.” Jess hung up as they reached the high-rise.
They detoured to the garage to pick up their bags from Jess’s car. Afterward, the elevator to the thirty-fourth floor didn’t take long. In fact, it was so fast Lena’s stomach dropped. Or maybe it was nerves because she would be alone with Jess and her wet shirt in her home.
Jess opened the door by entering a combination on a keypad and stretched her arm invitingly. “Welcome. Make yourself at home while I change.” She switched on the lights.
Wow. After a few steps, Lena froze. The apartment was gigantic, with an open floor plan. A monstrous white couch and a couple of sleek white-and-chrome chairs dominated the left side of the room. They were placed around an area rug in several shades of cream, which sat next to a gas fireplace. An enormous abstract painting in pale blue and cream hung on the side wall. On the other end was a dining area with a glass-topped table made of an intentionally rusty metal structure that looked like something you’d either find in a museum or a junkyard. Eight modern chairs with high backs surrounded it. A breakfast bar was the only separation from a kitchen that seemed larger than Lena’s whole house. Stainless steel appliances gleamed as if they’d been polished recently.
They probably had been. Someone who owned such a condo would hire a cleaning crew. And that explained why everything looked as if she’d opened an architectural magazine. No chair stood out of line, no cushion showed an imprint of a head, no mug sat forgotten on the bar. The closed blinds added to the eerie feeling she was on a staged set, not in a home.
Especially not in a home with a kid. Lena couldn’t picture someone playing in this room. Would Ella be allowed to use crayons while lying on the cream-colored rug or play hide-and-seek under a table that looked as if it would crush a kid’s skull like a snowball when it toppled over?
What had Jess said? Make yourself at home? Lena wouldn’t even know how to begin here. A corridor on her left caught her interest. Maybe she’d find Ella’s room there.
The first door opened into a bathroom. It seemed small compared to the main room and uncluttered. Maybe it was for guests? Lena didn’t bother to switch on the light and moved on. Jess could have all the bathrooms she wanted; it wasn’t any of her business. Next door was a guest room that looked like a hotel in even more shades of cream and gray—not that interesting either. Since she’d probably be staying there overnight, she didn’t bother exploring and closed the door again.
The next door stood open. Bingo. Ella’s room. The walls were painted in a soft buttery yellow with a wide border running all the way around, depicting cartoon animals playing with toys. The furniture looked brand new, but for the first time Lena detected a hint of personality. An old, handmade blanket in the same warm yellow covered a bed. Someone had stitched the silhouettes of animals, flowers, and trees on it, and it seemed the colors of the room were chosen to match it. The bed was too big for Ella, and Lena didn’t see a cradle. Next to the bed, a mixture of old and new plush toys sat in a neat row on one side of the changing table. Bottles of lotion, baby powder, piles of diapers, and boxes of wipes were stacked on a board above it.
This was the first room Lena could see herself spending time in. If she was honest with herself, the rest of the apartment intimidated her. It hadn’t been furnished for comfort but to impress. She shrugged. Or maybe Jess did feel comfortable here.
She left the nursery but didn’t turn back to the main room. The next and last room at the end of the corridor must be Jess’s bedroom. The half-open door hid most of the inside from curious gazes.
Without conscious decision, Lena stepped closer, about to enter. No, it wasn’t right. She stopped with her hand on the door frame. Snooping around Jess’s bedroom without invitation was too personal.
From her position, she could see a small part of the room between the bed and the window. The cradle she’d
