Cinderella arrived at the prince’s castle in her Mini convertible, only a little late. Unlike the real Cinderella, Addison didn’t have a fairy godmother to magic her a gown and a classy hairstyle. But if she knew how to do anything, it was how to doll herself up. Besides, she preferred her Mini to a pumpkin anyway.
Her prince, on the other hand, really did have a castle. Well, it was close enough, she thought as she pulled up to a small circular drive in front of an Italian Renaissance mansion. The fact that he had a driveway at all in San Francisco was amazing enough, but the three-story home set atop a raised foundation of white stone was like something from a fairy tale.
Rearranging Princess’s feather fascinator on her head, Addison got out of the car and handed the keys to the valet driver. The mansion’s arched doorway was open and she could hear classical music drifting out from somewhere inside. Taking a deep breath, she suppressed a giddy squeal.
It may not have been the ball, but it was at least a date. Well, sort of. She was going to count it as one anyway, because if she didn’t see it that way, it was going to be one awkward afternoon. An afternoon with her and Phillip, and about a hundred dog show hotshots, judges, and highbrow dog lovers. Most of whom still associated her with the missing show dogs, if they didn’t outright accuse her of stealing them.
So instead, she raised her head high and climbed the stone stairs with Princess, who was dressed in a delicate lace sundress, by her side. She was Phillip’s guest, after all. She deserved to be there. Besides, no amount of criticism was going to keep her from her dreams. No matter what anyone said, she knew what was in her own heart. She was just as worried about those dogs as everyone else and she planned to find out what happened … somehow.
Addison was just about to enter through the doors when two men in suits converged on her. By their dark sunglasses and the wires coiling into their ears, she assumed they were on security detail.
“Good afternoon, ma’am,” one said. “We’ve been asked to greet all guests as they arrive today.”
The other guard took out a tablet, jotting a few notes down. Addison kinked her neck to see what he was writing, but he frowned and tilted the screen away.
“Is this the only dog you have accompanying you today?” guard two asked.
“Yes,” she said. “This is Princess.”
He typed the name into his tablet while the first guard held up a small silver tag and a matching bracelet.
“Please attach the tag to your dog’s collar, and we invite you to wear the bracelet. It is a gift from the host.” Guard one held it up. “May I?”
Addison raised her wrist while he fastened it for her. The delicate bling glistened in the sunlight, and when she looked closer, she realized it wasn’t just silver in color, it was actually white gold. Her eyes widened, thinking it was a bit much for a first date.
She noticed a little charm dangling from it and held it up to the sun to read it. There was a number engraved on it that matched the one on Princess’s tag. Okay, so not exactly a gift specifically for her, she realized. Every guest would probably get one, or at least the ladies would. The men would receive something different.
Most of the guests would probably see it as a fun memento of the fundraiser, however the bracelet was of finer quality than most of the costume jewelry Addison had at home.
Guard one slipped the tag onto Princess’s crystal collar. “Simply show the bracelet to the guard upon your exit from the property to ensure you have the correct pet.”
“Thank you.” Addison climbed the stairs to make her grand entrance, thinking that she was pretty sure she wouldn’t forget Princess. Then it dawned on her that it wasn’t to make sure the guests left with their own dog. It was to ensure they couldn’t leave with anyone else’s.
When she entered the double front doors, Phillip was waiting to greet her. He spotted her across the cavernous foyer, and his perfect smile spread across his face like a commercial for teeth-whitening strips.
Excusing himself from a conversation, he walked over to her and took her hands in his. “Addison. I’m so happy you came.”
“Thank you for inviting us,” she said.
He turned to his other guest and greeted her with a bow. “Hello Princess. It’s a pleasure to see you again.”
Princess sat down on the marble floor and stuck out her chest as if to say, Of course it is.
“Please, come in. Most of the guests are on the veranda,” he said, gesturing.
He led Addison and Princess back, way back, toward a set of open doors leading outside. A stone veranda lay behind the house in front of a sizable backyard that stretched into the distance, a plot of grass so manicured it almost looked fake. It was the size of the small park that she often took Princess to. But she supposed that was what craploads of money got you in San Francisco.
Dotted around the backyard, guests leaned against pillars while nibbling on caviar and sipping champagne among marble statues. The furrier guests drank bottled water from gold-embossed bowls. The sun glinting off so many high-priced pieces of jewelry and watches almost blinded Addison.
She noticed a couple of faces turn her way, a frozen smile, a double take. They recognized her. Ignoring them, she kept a pleasant look on her face and followed her date.
Phillip didn’t make it very far before he was stopped by a guest. When he spun to see who it was, Addison recognized the woman right away. It was Julia Edwards, one of her best customers. She looked about in her mid-forties wearing a sapphire blue dress. Her hair was pinned back to show off a pair of diamond earrings that probably cost more than Addison made in a year.
“Fabulous party, Phillip,” she said. “Good turnout.”
“Addison, I’d like you to meet Julia Edwards. Her cocker spaniel was the Best of Breed last year.”
“Yes of course,” Addison said. “We already know each other.”
His eyebrows shot up. “You do?”
“Hello Addison. What a surprise to see you.” Julia held her martini aloft while she leaned in to kiss the air next to Addison’s cheek.
“Nice to see you, Julia,” Addison said.
Phillip watched Julia’s cocker spaniel and Princess sniff each other with familiarity. “How do you two know each other?”
“Addison here is the reason Precious won his title last year,” Julia told Phillip. “Wasn’t she, Precious?” she asked the dog sitting at her feet.
The cocker spaniel’s long fur fanned out on the stones like an elegant cream gown. He stared back passively, turning politely to each face now starting down at him.
Addison waved away the compliment. “Oh, I wouldn’t go that far. Julia is a regular customer of mine,” she told Phillip.
“Don’t be so modest,” Julia told Addison. “We wouldn’t have won if I hadn’t found you.”
“Is that right?” Phillip said. “Well it’s a lucky thing I found her then.” He gave Addison a look that made her feel like she was the lucky one.
“She might be a whiz with a dog brush,” a harsh nasally voice cut in, “but you run the risk of never seeing your pet again.” Penny Peacock approached their group, swishing her appletini around her glass. She leaned down to whisper to Princess conspiratorially. “I’d be careful if I were you.”
Princess growled in Addison’s defense, causing her lace collar to ruffle up over her hackles.
Julia made a show of rolling her eyes. “Addison wasn’t responsible for the missing dogs. She’s not capable of something like that. Precious and I have been going to her faithfully every Saturday for two years now. Haven’t we, Precious?” She bent down to her cocker spaniel and kissed him on the snout. “And that won’t change now.” She leveled Penny with an icy look. “Sensationalism. That’s all that media nonsense was.”
“‘Nonsense’?” Penny looked aghast. “Her carelessness while watching Lilly cost me this year’s Best in Show title.”
“You know you’re not competing, right?” Julia asked her. “I know it’s confusing when they refer to the bitch category, however they are referring to the dogs. Not you.”
Penny’s mouth dropped open with a squawk, reminding Addison of a parrot, and she had to smother a burst of laughter behind her hand. Even Phillip’s cheeks were quivering with the effort to control himself.
“Ladies. Ladies,” he said, trying to act the impartial host. “Let’s not allow a little healthy competition ruin the afternoon.”
“What competition?” Julia asked innocently. “Penny doesn’t even have a dog to handle anymore. There is no competition.”
Penny’s grip on her martini glass tightened until Addison thought the neck would snap. “Maybe it was you who stole Lilly,” she accused Julia. “You just couldn’t stand to see me beat you again, could you?”
Julia yawned. “I’m not quite as obsessed with winning as you. I have a life.” As though bored with the conversation, she turned to Phillip. “I’m going to go get some more of that quiche before it’s gone.”
“Of course. Enjoy yourself.”
“See you on Saturday, Addison?” Julia gave her a wink.
“Four o’clock. As usual. See you then.” Addison felt a little ray of hope burn inside. At least not everyone was willing to believe the rumors. When Addison turned back, Penny had already stormed off. Her day was getting better and better.
Phillip was shaking his head at Penny’s retreating back. “Ignore her,” he told Addison. “She’s extremely competitive and is upset about what happened, and for good reason. But it wasn’t your fault.”
“Thank you for saying so,” she said with an earnest smile.
It felt good to have his faith in her innocence. Of course, he wouldn’t have invited her if he didn’t believe her, but it was still nice to hear it while surrounded by so many people who would disagree with him.
“Besides,” he said, lowering his voice, “Alistair couldn’t have won for a fourth time in a row. Everyone knows that Lilly is past her prime. She was lucky to win last year. So don’t let anyone here ruin your afternoon.”
How could she be upset when she got to spend the afternoon with Phillip? Letting it roll off her back, she smiled up at him. “I don’t intend to.”
Phillip grinned down at her. At that moment, one of the security guards approached him and murmured something too low for Addison to hear.
Phillip nodded briefly and turned back to her. “I’m so sorry, Addison. This is Carson, my head of security. I’ll have to go deal with this. Why don’t you order a drink from the bar? I’ll be right back.”
“Of course,” she said. “Take your time. You’re the host.”
He reached out and squeezed her hand. A pulse of energy coursed through her like he’d just transferred all his feelings into her with that one touch. He was totally into her. She just knew it.
With a grin on her face, she and Princess drifted over to the bar set up at the edge of the grass beneath a huge umbrella. Her doxie trotted next to her with the same tilt of her chin as Addison’s, the one that said she belonged there. Even among the Best of Breeds and Best in Shows, Princess knew she was just as good as they were.
Addison looped Princess’s leash onto the dog-minding hooks on the side of the counter and waited for the bartender to finish organizing his bottles. When he turned around, she scowled. “What are you doing here?”
Felix flashed a winning smile at her like he was actually happy to see her—unlike how she felt about him at the moment. “Well, hello to you too. Can I get you a drink, madam? Might I suggest a Dog’s Lunch, or perhaps a Hair of the Dog? Or maybe you’d like a replay of the other night?” He waggled his dark eyebrows at her.
She made a repulsed, throaty sound. “No thank you. I’d rather forget about that.”
“I meant the drink. What were you thinking about?” He clicked his tongue teasingly. “You should feel flattered. I’ve decided to name it after you. I’ve called it the Head Turner. It certainly seemed to turn your head.”
Her scowl faded slightly. He’d named it after her? Not that it mattered. He probably did that kind of thing all the time to impress girls.
“You mean that pink drink you probably drugged?”
Felix was already grabbing bottles and mixing them into a cocktail shaker. “Drugged?”
“That’s the only way I can explain why I lost all my marbles,” she said with the most aloof air she could manage.
“Or maybe,” he said, “it was because you’d been dying to kiss me ever since the cocktail mixer.”
Some guys just can’t take a hint. “Yeah right. I plead temporary insanity. Besides, I’m interested in someone else.”
She glanced around the veranda, hoping Phillip would come back soon. More and more of the guests were beginning to throw her sharp glances. Addison could feel the daggers. Surely no one would cause a scene if he was there.
The clinking ice in Felix’s cocktail mixer fell silent as he froze. “Who? Not Phillip Montgomery?”
“The third,” she added airily.
He pulled a face. “Is he your Mr. Perfect?”
“Yes. We’re practically dating now.” Kind of, she added in her head. They were sort of on a date now, so technically that meant they were almost dating, pretty much. Right?
He shook his head, pouring the familiar bright pink liquid into a glass. “Not that guy.”
“Yes, that guy,” she said. “He is perfect. He’s a gentleman, he’s got looks, manners, a good job—”
Felix glanced around, careful not to be overheard. “Being a rich man’s son isn’t a job. It’s lucky genetics. It’s not like he worked hard for it.”
Addison frowned. Come to think of it, she didn’t really know exactly what Phillip did for work, or much about him at all, really. But those were all just details. They would come in time. They had the rest of their lives together, after all.
“Well, he fundraises for good causes,” she said. “Which is even more impressive. It means he’s selfless.”
“Well, I guess when you have nothing else to occupy your time, you have to do something.” Felix set the drink in front of her.
She grinned over the bar. “Jealous much?”
“Desperate much?”
Her grin vanished. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“I called it the moment I met you. I knew you were desperate enough to jump at any guy who looked your way.”
“Obviously not any guy. I didn’t jump at you.”
“I know a pool table that would disagree.” The way his eyes roamed over her made her knees shake.
A flash of her visit to Joe’s Dive and the memory of Felix’s touch came to her. She could practically feel the billiard cloth rubbing against her skin.
While Felix set a gold bowl of Evian down for Princess, Addison slid onto one of the stools to hide her sudden weakness and took a gulp of her drink. She was just tired is all. Or nervous. Yes. She was nervous about seeing Phillip, not Felix. How could the two possibly compare? Felix was like the antagonist. The villain to Phillip’s hero.
“He’s not the one for you,” Felix told Addison flatly. “You just want him to be.”
Addison gaped at him like he’d just said he hadn’t seen the movie Lord of the Rings. “What are you talking about? Phillip’s utterly perfect. I’d be crazy not to want him.”
“Are you trying to convince me or yourself?”
There was that cocky, all-knowing look again, like he saw right through her. It was an uncomfortable feeling. Something new. Like someone seeing her first thing in the morning with a rat’s nest for hair, no makeup protecting her, and morning breath. It was unnerving.
She shifted uncomfortably and took another sip. “You don’t even know me.”
“You forget that I do. Remember?” He tapped the side of his head. “I hear all. I see all. And I saw you coming a mile away, sweetheart.”
“I’m not your sweetheart,” she snapped. “And you only think you know it all. But you won’t bother to use your knowledge to help me find the show dogs.”
Picking up his cloth, he began wiping down the counter. “That’s your problem. Not mine.”
She hopped to her feet, glaring across the counter. “You arrogant—”
“Addison.” Phillip’s voice brought her up short.
She quickly rearranged her expression into an innocent smile and turned around. “Phillip.”
“Sorry about that,” he said. “I’m all yours now. Would you like the grand tour of the house?”
“That would be lovely.” She leaned to grab Princess’s leash and whispered over the counter. “He’s going to give me the grand tour.” She threw Felix her best eyebrow waggle.
Phillip offered her his arm and Addison slid hers into place, feeling like a puzzle piece had just found its home. A subtle squeeze of his firm bicep told her it was a very nice home.
She gave Felix a dazzling smile over her shoulder, batting her eyelashes. “Thank you for the drink.”
“You’re welcome, madam,” he said with a surprising amount of professionalism that made her feel more than a little childish.
The chatter of the guests died down as Phillip led her and Princess inside his mansion. Once she was hidden from all the piercing stares, she realized just how on edge she’d been. But now she was all alone with Phillip.
“Where’s Baxter today?” she asked.
“Oh, probably sleeping somewhere. We went for a big run this morning before the fundraiser started.”
“You like to run?”
“Yes. But not just run. I join at least one triathlon a year.”
And it showed. She supposed that’s how he occupied his time. When was the last time Felix entered a triathlon?
Although Phillip’s home was well over a hundred years old, he had rather modern tastes in furniture and style. Addison’s expression might have displayed a serene interest—at least, that’s what she was going for—but her insides were doing cartwheels as they went from room to room, each more grand than the last.
Princess took it all in with an air of “been there, done that.” Addison wondered if she was faking it too, since she was used to running around a tiny one-bedroom apartment.
Floral aromas tickled Addison’s nose when they entered the sitting room. She inhaled deeply, recognizing the light scent in the air. She found a giant crystal vase of periwinkle hydrangeas on the table. She stopped a moment to smell them.
“Mmm. My favorite,” she said.
When she turned back, she caught Phillip gazing at her. She blushed and looked away, feigning interest in a sculpture. They wandered through halls lined with gold-framed artwork, past rooms filled with high-end furniture and a grand pianoforte or two.
“Do you play?” she asked.
“No. I just enjoy the sound. Sometimes my guests play when they’re here.”
“Well, you have a beautiful home.”
“Thank you.” He seemed less interested in his surroundings than he was in her. “I’m happy to open it to people for such a good cause. Besides it’s a good excuse to throw a party. I enjoy entertaining.”
She noticed another security guard stationed at the end of the long hall, his posture rigid, as though he was tensed and ready to tackle someone. “Are your parties usually this”—she looked for the right word—“secure?”
“Oh, you mean the security? It’s just a precaution.” Phillip barely took note of the guard when they passed him, like he was a houseplant.
“Because of the missing dogs during the cocktail mixer?”
“Yes.” He eyed her expression. “Don’t pay any attention to the media and people like Penny Peacock. They just want someone to blame.”
Addison laughed humorlessly. “So does the rest of the city, it seems.” She sighed. “But it’s good that you’re taking precautions to protect the dogs here today. I just hope the missing show dogs are okay.”
“The police are on the case, so it’s only a matter of time before they turn up.”
She didn’t exactly want to explain that a serial killer was taking up all their time and resources. That life wasn’t all pianofortes and crystal vases, and there was no reason to believe they’d simply “turn up.” But the fact that Phillip was trying to comfort her made her cheeks flush again. She sighed, giving his bicep another squeeze.
“I’m sure you’re right,” she said. “It’s not easy to keep a pack of dogs hidden without anyone noticing.”
“I’m sure it will turn out all right and everyone will stop searching for a scapegoat. Your name will be cleared soon enough. Don’t worry. And if there’s anything I can do to help in the meantime, don’t hesitate to ask.”
“Thank you.” She smiled gratefully, but she couldn’t stop thinking about the poor missing dogs and worrying about their fate.
They came to a stop at the bottom of a staircase curving up to the second and third floors. “The third-story terrace has a great view of Pacific Heights. Shall we?”
“Of course.”
He led the way up the marble staircase and through a drawing room. They had the terrace all to themselves. Princess found a spot in the sun and plopped down for a nap, sprawling out on her back like she was working on her tan.
The view really was amazing. The grounds sprawled out, the grass mowed in a perfect grid, like it was a chessboard and Phillip’s guests the chess pieces. People walked their dogs while attendants followed behind ready to clean up after them. Manicured trees stood at attention down either side of the enclosed property, giving the opulent estate a sense of privacy, of distance from the busy city.
It was all so different from the life she grew up knowing. Her mother certainly wouldn’t have left if her dad had all this. What would anyone have to complain about? To worry about?
Ever since her dad had told her that bankruptcy was a real possibility, she’d worried about his new wife Dora. Addison had been ecstatic for her father when they got married five years earlier. She was the sweetest woman, and her dad deserved no less. But as sweet as she was, Addison knew firsthand how finances could destroy a relationship. She watched it happen to her mom and dad.
Addison’s father had been through enough the first time around. She just didn’t want to see it happen to him again. Would this strain prove to be too much for him and Dora? What if he didn’t sell the corner store in time and they went bankrupt? Would their marriage survive?
She considered her surroundings again with an appreciation of what it was like to go without. What a life, she thought. And the guy who owned all of it was interested in her. It really could be a rags-to-riches story. A dream come true. They’d certainly never have to worry about money. Heck, neither would her dad or Dora. Not when even a single pianoforte would bail them out.
“It’s beautiful,” Addison breathed.
“Not as beautiful as you.”
She turned to Phillip to find him gazing into her eyes, as if all their surroundings, the opulence, the luxury was nothing compared to her. Reaching up, he held her chin as he dipped his face to hers for a kiss.
Now this, she thought, I could definitely get used to.
But just before their lips touched, there was a change in the atmosphere around them. A buzzing of agitated voices reached their ears.
The veranda was too far down for them to pick out specific words, but a woman’s shriek echoed across the yard. There was the soft rustle of quality fabric as though the entire party was moving as one, oxfords and heels clicking on the stone.
Phillip and Addison leaned over the bannister to look down on the party below. Addison was too short to see, but Phillip’s square jaw clenched at whatever he saw.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
“I’m not sure. I should go and check it out.”
Addison tugged on Princess’s leash but she resisted, enjoying her sunny nap. Bending down, Addison scooped her up and rushed to keep up with Phillip. They found the head of security at the base of the sweeping staircase to the foyer. Carson had removed his secret agent glasses, so things must have been serious.
“Carson, what’s happening out there?” Phillip called down to him as he descended.
“It’s the dogs, sir.”
Phillip came to a stop at the bottom of the stairs, his chest moving evenly. Whereas Addison’s rush through the house left her breathing a little heavier than usual, but then again, she was no triathlete.
“What about them?” Phillip asked.
“Some of them, well”—Carson hesitated—“they’re gone.”