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grew silent again, but without the tongue clicks. Triston grinned and turned up the music. Who needed to know the artist or song when peace was humming along?
     
     
     

 
    Chapter Five
     
    After a night at home, Shannon’s heart was elated to be back at the Grande. Her own bed, her own room, none of it nearly as comforting as it should have been. It didn’t matter she owned high end furniture, expensive sheets and trinkets. The king bed was lonely, the keepsakes from the many vacations to top destinations taunted instead of supplying comforting memories. The master bedroom, dressed in the favored hues of plum and navy, was nothing more than a mausoleum to painful reminders.
    Now, standing in the middle of the lobby, reveling in the five a.m. calm, the comfort missed the night before now swaddling her. The Grande Marquis was home, and though she prayed she could one day return to her old life, this was where s he wanted to be.
    Shannon glanced at her watch again and strolled to the seating area with its comfortable loveseats and armchairs. In a few short hours, the lobby would be bustling. But for now, only a few early risers rested in the alcoves overlooking the Hudson, sipping coffee, reading newspa pers or laptops, faces at ease.
    Settling into a loveseat across from the fireplace, Shannon leaned into the cushions while a hand ran across the surface of the fabric. The loveseat, like every other piece of furniture in the hotel, was changed every couple years; sometimes sooner, depending on wear. It was one of the ways she guaranteed guests the best possible stay. She was pleased this loveseat was still in great condition.
    “Good morning, pretty lady.”
    Shannon’s consideration lifted toward the voice she recognized but couldn’t place. Until she turned around. “Good morning Triston. Don’t remember you being a morning person.”
    “I told you, things change.” He motioned to the space next to her. “May I?”
    She raised an eyebr ow and nodded in consideration.
    “Thank you.” He circled the coffee table and settled next to her, edging his body to catch her eyes. “Don’t you ever leave this place?”
    That brought a smile. “Sometimes.” She leaned back, glancing towards the lobby. “Where’s your girlfriend?”
    He made a funny grunting sound and shrug ged. “Still sleeping probably.”
    “Don’t spend much time together, huh?”
    He shifted his weight and reclined into the armrest. “How about you? You’re married. Don’t you ever spend time at home with your family?”
    Shannon’s gaze faltered then veered from probing eyes, nodding at a passing couple who never looked her way. “We have our own arrangement.”
    Triston smiled. “Isn’t that the way with everyone? What’s he like? "
    Shannon glanced away, looking the Hudson. The waters flowed smoothly, and even when she wasn’t standing above its shores, close enough to hear the song of the liquid, a peace flowed within the water she couldn’t find elsewhere. Her voice was distant when she spoke, and cooler than she intended. “Well, you know. He’s …”
    A silence lapsed for a mere moment, and Triston leaned closer, resting a hand across her fingers. “Shannon?”
    Shaking her head, she yanked the fingers away. Too close, too much. Nearly twenty years and his touch electrified her. “Everything’s great. Marriage is great, my husband is great. Life couldn’t be better.” She stood, a spark ignited within her. Concern? What right did he have? It’s been years, and it was him who handed the right over with a side of one night fling. What was that girl’s name? Shannon couldn’t recall, but she remembered how easily he left her be hind to chase the new conquest.
    Triston stood and gently grasped her wrist. She turned with an ember sparkling in her eyes.
    The fire quickly dissipated with one look from him. “And you are totally lying to me. What? So many years have passed that you don’t think I’d be able to se e it?