Top Floor (Rendezvous #1)

Chapter 15

“How was the party night with the boss?” Elli asked Claire.

The two girls were accompanied by Chad and all three of them were sitting at their own booth, sipping on their drinks. There were various basketball games shown on the TVs in the bar, catching most of Chad’s attention.

Until Elli asked that question. “I asked her the same thing.” He raised an eyebrow at Claire. “She didn’t exactly give me an answer.”

“Yes I did.” She rolled her eyes. “I told you it was okay. It was just like any other party we host in Bishop Lodgings.”

“C’mon, Claire. We’re in a bar.” Chad motioned to their surroundings. “You can drop that high-and-mighty general manager mask and open up a little to your friends.”

“I agree.” Elli joined in. “Besides, why else would we invite you here if we weren’t expecting some information on you and the boss?”

Claire chuckled before shaking her head. “Is that what our friendship is? Juicy gossip?”

“Your words, not mine.” Elli shrugged before she sipped her fruity drink.

It was silent at the table for a few seconds with both Elli and Chad staring directly into Claire’s eyes. She looked between her two friends for a bit before sighing in defeat. After all, they were her friends, and she knew the not-so-subtle ambush would happen sooner or later.

But she would start slowly. “Well…I met Tori.”

Chad cringed. “That spoiled, bad-mouthed, human Barbie?”

“Oh, she’s not going to like you calling her that.” Claire laughed. Though it was all true, and Tori would’ve most likely agreed, she didn’t like it when others actually said it out loud, especially Chad. The two were friends, but they bickered with each other no matter what the conversation was about.

Claire noticed Elli at first had a blank look on from the mention of Tori. The two knew each other through Chad and Claire, but they weren’t exactly friends. They were simply acquaintances–friend of a friend.

A second later, Elli took a sip of her drink. “And? I’m sure meeting Tori was fun and all, but we’re here for someone else.”

“Hm…” Claire took a moment to pretend that she was actually thinking. “Oh yeah. I met Heath’s older brother. His name’s Declan. He’s the father of Denora.”

Elli flatly stared at Claire. “You know that’s not what I meant.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Chad interrupted. “I didn’t know old man Bishop actually had two sons. And wait…” he thought for a split second before his eyes popped open again. “That makes him a grandpa!”

Now that she thought about it, Claire realized that Chad’s words were true. Logan Bishop was a grandfather. Shockingly, she couldn’t exactly picture her old boss as a grandfather or playing with his granddaughter.