Finn stared at Macy, waiting for an answer. Finally, she spoke. “Yes.”
His stomach rolled. “I didn’t know you were married,” he said, gritting his teeth. He looked at her ring finger but didn’t see a wedding ring. In its place was a blue diamond the color of her eyes. Was that supposed to be their symbol of love?
She nodded then a moment later she gave a tiny head shake as if she wasn’t sure if she was married or not. “It’s complicated.”
“I’ll bet,” he mumbled and caught Matthews shifting his eyes between the two of them. “How long have you been married?” Just saying the word was like a punch in the gut.
Macy appeared to be thinking about her answer then jerked her gaze toward Matthews as if to give him permission to speak for her.
“Almost five years. Her husband travels quite a bit,” Matthews said as if that would explain why the fuck she had invited Finn to her hotel room six months ago, other than she was drunk. And possibly horny. He’d never been so relieved not to have fucked a woman. “Works for the government, but that remains in the confines of this room. Understand?”
“The government?” Finn asked. “Like what? The FBI, CIA?”
“Yes,” Matthews confirmed but didn’t say which branch the guy worked for.
Finn’s blood was boiling. All this time he had been having lusty thoughts about this woman, and she was married. What the fuck? He slid his chair back and pushed to his feet. “I think we’re done here. I’m not right for this job. I suggest you call the local authorities and let them handle things.”
Macy scrambled to her feet and came around the table. “Wait! Please.” She placed a hand on his upper arm. “I can pay you whatever you want. But I can’t rely on the local police. They’re not going to have someone by my side twenty-four-seven.”
“Hire a bodyguard.”
“No. I have a hard time trusting strangers.”
“That’s funny, coming from you.”
She ignored his comment, but dropped her hand to her side. “Caroline left me a message a little while ago saying that her husband’s business partner was on his way. She said I could trust him. You,” she corrected. “Although I didn’t know it was you.” She chewed at her lip after chancing a glance at the producer.
“I have to go.”
“Please, Daniel.”
She’d called him Daniel. No one had ever called him Daniel, except maybe his mother. But that was a long time ago. “It’s Finn. I go by Finn.”
“Finn,” she said then licked her red lips. She had a ton of makeup on her face, probably for the sake of the cameras. And the eyelashes were way longer than he remembered. Probably fake. “Please name your price and it’s yours.”
No amount of money could make him stay. Even though he knew she could afford it. Hell, before he’d headed to Chicago that morning he’d done a little research online. He’d learned she made six million dollars a year from the show alone, not counting the income from guest appearances, interviews, commercials and the two books she’d published. One called Just Be Honest about honesty being the foundation of healthy relationships. What a crock of shit. And the other was titled Man Disease, whatever the hell that was supposed to mean. He’d also learned her net worth was said to be over thirty million dollars. No wonder she was so damn smug. But nowhere had he read anything about her being married.
And why did it matter? They hadn’t had sex that night although they’d slept together in the same bed. Naked. Plus he had promised Caroline he would help her friend. He didn’t know what made him say it, but the words just flew out of his mouth. “Ten thousand dollars a day. And we do this my way.”
“Okay.”
Finn was shocked she had agreed so quickly. Hell, he’d expected her to at least try to negotiate the fee down. Then again, when you’re swimming in money, it probably didn’t matter much to her.
Matthews’s eyes grew wide as he stood. “That seems extreme, Mr. Finney.”
Finn shrugged, started to move past them. “Have it your way.”
“I said okay.” Macy’s blue eyes pleaded with him. “I can certainly afford it.”
“Yes, I’m sure you can.”
She looked over her shoulder at Matthews. “Jeremy, can you please give me a minute alone with . . . Mr. Finney?”
Matthews nodded reluctantly.
“Finn,” he said, correcting her, and waited for Matthews to leave the room.
Once the door closed she turned back to him, crossed her arms in front of her. “I never knew your name. I would never have guessed it was something normal like Daniel.”
Finn just stared at her. Where was she going with this?
“I’m not stupid. I know you’re angry with me because I threw you out of my hotel room and refused to sleep with you again. That’s why you’re charging me so much money.”
She got part of it right but he didn’t bother to respond. Although it was more than being tossed out of her hotel room. It was that she had almost had sex with him and she was married. He didn’t do married women. Unless they were separated, at least. Were Macy and her husband separated? Is that what the It’s complicated statement was about?
“You’re probably used to women thanking you and cooking you breakfast after a night of . . . sex. But that’s not me. I never made a habit of sleeping with strangers. In fact, that was a first for me.”
He barked out a laugh. “Really? Am I supposed to feel special?”
She narrowed her baby blue eyes and dropped her hands to her side. “I’m not proud of myself.” She took a breath, blew it out. “Look, it’s obvious we’re very different people. If alcohol wouldn’t have been involved, that night never would have happened. Married or single.”
“You only go slumming when you’re drunk? Is that it, Doc?”
Her entire face turned angry and she flung her arms in the air before dropping them to her sides again. “Can you stop with the jokes?”
“Baby, I wasn’t joking.”
“Fine.” Nostrils flared, she cast him a frosty look. “Anyway, I wanted to thank you for not saying anything about . . . that night . . . in front of Jeremy.” She rolled her eyes as if the mere mention of them having sex together made her want to vomit. “He’s a little protective at times, and besides it’s none of his business.”
“I don’t kiss and tell.”
She stayed silent. Was she wondering if he had spoken the truth? Probably. Let her sweat it out.
“Well, at the rate you’re paying me we should probably get this show on the road. How many people know about these phone calls?”
“Just a handful. The receptionist, Lesley Richards. I’ll talk to Jeremy and get you a list of their names. Everyone was asked to keep quiet.”
Yeah, Finn knew how that worked. People loved to gossip. He was surprised no one had run to the tabloids yet. The rag magazines would probably pay a nice chunk of money for a story like this one.
“Oh, and Jeremy and I thought that rather than arouse suspicion by saying I needed a bodyguard that I should introduce you as my cousin from back home.”
Finn nodded. “Kissing cousins. I like that.”
Macy stared at Daniel Finney. Finn. Kissing cousins? Not in this lifetime. She’d made a horrible mistake six months ago, but she was not about to make another one.
“Are you always so repulsive?” she asked.
“Not always.”
She wanted to scream. “Well, I happen to find you repulsive.”
“Is it because I only have one eye?”
“What? No, of course not.” Did he really think she was that shallow? “It’s your . . . oppressive personality.”
“Oppressive? Are you trying to use big words to make yourself look smart, Doc?” He waited a beat before adding, “Oh, that’s right. You’re not really a doctor, are you?”
She tapped her foot on the carpeted floor. “I bet your mother is so proud of you.” She’d said the words with all the disdain she could drum up.
He shrugged. “I wouldn’t know. Haven’t seen her since I was ten.”
Shit. “Oh, I’m sorry.” She straightened her shoulders and looked him square in the eye. “I think we should get back to business. I think we should not only tell the staff and crew you’re my cousin but that the reason for your visit is because you’re interested in producing a TV show and want to see firsthand how things work here on the set.”
“And what about the kissing cousins thing?”
“Stop it! Stop making jokes.” She sighed and then sat down at the table, resting her head in her hands. “What was I thinking?” she said, mostly to herself. She peered up at him. He was every bit the brute she remembered all those months ago. Forget the fact that he might be perfect for the job. No man in their right mind was ever going to tangle with him. But that didn’t mean she could deal with him. “This is never going to work between us. Had I known you were the one who was coming today I never would have agreed to even meet with you. No offense, but you sort of turn my stomach.”
Finn dropped into a chair across from her. “Yeah, you’ve made that pretty clear. Good thing I have thick skin.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be cruel, but there’s just something about you that rubs me the wrong way.”
“No need to apologize, baby. I sort of feel the same way about you. I mean there’s just something about a married woman cheating on her husband that sort of turns my stomach as well.”
She stared at him openmouthed. Was he serious? And why was he still calling her baby? It was unnerving. Should she tell him the truth? That she wasn’t married? Could she trust him not to tell anyone? Jeremy knew the truth because she’d blurted it out the day she’d told him she wasn’t sure if she wanted to renew her contract. Mostly due to feeling guilty. She was a fraud. Caroline knew she wasn’t really married. And so did her parents. Because Macy trusted them. But this guy? No way. She hadn’t even told Kat Johansen, and they were pretty close. Probably the closest friend she had in Chicago, anyway.
Maybe since he was appalled that she had slept with him while she was married he might decide not to lust after her. Though if he found out she was single she might have a hard time keeping him at bay. Because she certainly hadn’t missed the way he’d looked at her since she had first walked into the room.
So did that mean she was going to let him stick around? She supposed it did. She just hoped she didn’t live to regret it. She already regretted sleeping with him even if she couldn’t remember the details. Although she had enjoyed seeing his naked body the next morning. Never before had she seen such a fine specimen of man. Too bad his personality wasn’t just as magnificent. Hell, she’d settle for pleasant even.
Mind made up, she stood. “Well, I guess we have something in common after all. Do you think we can make this work even though we despise one another?”
He raked a gaze up and down her body, making her shiver. “I guess I can suffer through it for a little while.”
“Good.” All business now, she offered him her hand and was surprised when he took it. His hands were so large. Everything on him was large. As was a certain part of his anatomy that she remembered all too well. Don’t think about that now, Macy. “I guess I should introduce you to everyone then.”
“Sounds like a plan.” He pushed his chair back and got to his feet. He walked toward her then threw a beefy arm around her shoulder.
“What do you think you’re doing?” She tried to move away but he pulled her close.
“Just practicing. If we’re supposed to be cousins you need to learn not to cringe every time I touch you.” He gave her shoulder a squeeze. “Do you think you can do that, Doc?”
“Of course.” She was an actress, after all. She’d had to pretend to like all sorts of people over the years. Piece of cake. She leaned into him, forcing herself to relax against him and breathed in his spicy cologne that she remembered all too well.
“How does that feel, Doc?”
“You need to stop calling me Doc. Do you think you can do that?”
“Sure, baby.”
She groaned in frustration. “Can you just call me Macy?”
“I’ll try, baby.”
Finn surprised himself with how well behaved he was as Macy made introductions to about two dozen people during his tour of the studio. A few of the ladies had eyed him up and down and winked at him. He overheard the one with the purple tinged hair ask Macy where she had been hiding him, if he was single, and if Macy would hook them up.
He wasn’t sure but it almost looked as though Macy was jealous, although he had no idea why. She hated him so why would she care if he banged one of her co-workers? Of course, that wasn’t going to happen since he was on the job and that job meant he had to babysit her twenty-four-seven.
“This is where the studio audience sits.” She glided a hand across the expanse of seating area in the dimly lit room.
“Do you think it’s possible this creep was ever here? At the studio?”
“I have no idea.”
“How does someone get to sit in one of those seats?”
“They have to wait in line on the floor below us. They fill out a questionnaire. Then if they’re selected they’re given a pass to come upstairs. They can also apply in advance online to be a part of the studio audience.”
“So there’s a record of people who have applied to be on the show?”
“Yes,” she said with a smile. She must have just realized the psycho’s name and information could be on one of those questionnaires. “You’re smart. I hadn’t even thought of that.”
Finn nodded, trying not to appear smug. “What about when people call in to the show? Is there any record of those phone numbers and names perhaps?”
“I don’t think so, but we can go downstairs and talk to Benny.”
“And Benny is?”
“He’s our go-to man. He’s only been working with the show this past year, but already he’s a wealth of knowledge.”
“Then let’s go talk to Benny.”
Benny Grossman was in his late thirties or early forties perhaps, with a mop of messy dark hair that, from a distance, made his head look twice its size. At least Finn thought so.
“I have an entire database of names stored in a file,” Benny said. “Just tell me what you’re looking for and I’ll see if I can find it.” He glanced between Finn and Macy.
Finn didn’t want to share why he needed the information. He just wanted the names. “Well, I really don’t know until I see the list.”
Benny frowned and turned his focus on Macy. “You know, I’m not sure with all the privacy laws that I can just give out this info, especially to your cousin. Who authorized this, Ms. Winthrop?”
“Jeremy,” she said. “And I’m sure if you ask him he’ll tell you it’s fine.”
The guy still looked skeptical. “It’s going to take me a while to sort through things.”
Finn leaned over a vacant desk, helped himself to a pen and notepad and started scribbling. He ripped the paper from the pad and handed it to Benny. “When the list is ready send it to this email address. Oh, and if someone could get me the names of the staff and crew that would be a huge help as well.”
Benny took the paper, glanced at it then looked back up at Finn. “Sure. But only if Jeremy says it’s okay.”
“Of course,” Finn and Macy said at practically the same time. She’d even managed to smile at him. Not a full blown smile, but a tiny upturn of her lips.
“And if you can get it to me within the hour I’ll see that you get a little something for your trouble,” Finn added.
“Like what? Money? A day off?” Then Benny’s gaze went to Macy, her breasts specifically.
Finn wanted to punch the guy in the face. “Sure. Something like that. On second thought just get me the damn list.” He turned and started walking, Macy hurrying to catch up to him.
“That wasn’t very nice,” she said in a near whisper.
“The guy’s a dick.”
“He’s smart. A little different, but everyone loves Benny.”
“Yeah? I saw the way he was looking at you. Like maybe he expected you to drop your panties in exchange for helping us.”
“Stop! Don’t ever say anything like that again. I work really hard around here to always be professional and I don’t need you stirring things up with the crew and staff.”
He stopped walking and zoomed in on her. “Baby, you need to start paying attention to the signals you’ve been receiving. That was the fourth asshole today that I saw eyeing you up and down.”
“You’re crazy.”
“Am I? What about your executive producer?”
She shrugged. “Jeremy has made his feelings for me quite clear, but he knows I don’t feel the same way.”
He knew it. Had that guy nailed from the get go. “And the director?”
“David Greenberg is happily married.”
“I’ll bet. And that cameraman upstairs? The one with the bald head?”
“Damon?”
Finn nodded.
“He’s only twenty-one.”
“Baby, I don’t care if they’re sixteen or ninety-six. If they can breathe, they’re looking. Trust me on this.”
“The only man, or asshole rather, who has been eyeing me up and down today is you.” She lowered her voice. “And you need to stop or people are going to know you’re not my cousin.”
She was right. But damn he couldn’t help it. Never in his life had a woman affected him as much as she did. He needed to remind himself she was married and a cheater as well.
Just then Damon the baldheaded cameraman came around the corner. He stopped when he saw them. “Ms. Winthrop, I forgot to mention how nice you look today. Hope you enjoy the break.”
She gave Finn a sheepish look then glanced back at her potential stalker. “Thank you, Damon.”
Damon beamed a smile and was on his way. Finn leaned in close to Macy and whispered, “What did I tell you?”
She waved him off with her hand. Finn saw her glance at her watch just as the lady with the purple tinted hair joined them. She was carrying a clipboard and wearing a headset. “Macy, they’re waiting for you in Make-up.”
“Thanks, Katerina.” Macy turned to him again. “I need to go upstairs. Try not to get into any trouble.”
“I’ll try, cuz,” Finn said with a wink and a wave of the hand, playing up his role.
Katerina with the purple tinged hair was smiling at him. “I’m Kat. We met upstairs.”
“Honey, how could I forget a beautiful woman like you?”
Macy shot him a look, rolled her eyes then spun around and left him alone with Kat.
“If you’re not busy later,” Kat said, trailing a finger along his sleeve, “I would love to buy you a drink.”
Finn frowned. “I’m going to have to take a raincheck, Kat. My cousin has me booked up solid the next several days.”
“Oh, that’s too bad. But if you need anyone to answer questions about the television business or to give you a private tour, you be sure to come find me.”
“I’ll do that. In the meantime there is something you can help me with. I don’t remember Ms. Winthrop’s husband’s name.” Mostly because no one had mentioned it to him.
“It’s Antonio. Antonio . . . darn, it’s on the tip of my tongue. Oh, yes. Cavoletti. That’s it. Antonio Cavoletti. He’s such a hunk. Every time I see that photo of him in Macy’s dressing room I get the goosebumps. Sort of like when I look at you.” She batted her lashes and smiled.
Oh boy.
“Don’t forget my offer.”
How could he forget? She blew him a kiss before sashaying away, her hips swinging from side to side in her short skirt.
Benny came up beside him. “If you’re looking to get lucky while you’re in town, you could do worse.”
Finn glanced at him sideways. “Oh, yeah?”
“Yeah. Kat’s done just about every guy here.”
“Is that so?”
“Yep. She and your cousin seem to be pretty tight.”
“What does that mean exactly?”
He shrugged. “Nothing, except they’re nothing alike.”
“Macy’s married. Why would you expect her to be like Kat?” Had he just defended Macy even though she’d almost had sex with him?
“No reason. I was just making an observation.”
“Why don’t you keep your observations to yourself, Benny, and start working on that list of names?”
Benny scowled at him and walked off in a huff. Dick weed.
Finn went back upstairs and tried to open the door to the set, but it was locked. A big neon sign flashed overhead, saying No Entry. So instead, he went down the hall until he located Macy’s dressing room. He knocked and when no one answered he turned the knob. The room was empty. No big surprise. He knew she was on the set. He glanced straight ahead at the double mirrors, the cluttered counter below it. And there was the photo of a man. It had to be Antonio Cavoletti.
It was only a side view, and didn’t show off any distinguishing characteristics like eye color. Just a dude with dark wavy hair and a smile. He was wearing a black leather jacket and straddling a motorcycle. The background looked like the photo had been taken in Europe somewhere. Probably Italy.
Finn pulled out his cell and pressed the camera button. Click. He then forwarded it to his buddy Luke Remington. Then he dialed his friend. He trusted Luke to do a little investigating.
“Remington Investigations.”
“Hey, I got something for you.”
“No hello, how are you?”
“Smartass.” Finn scrubbed a hand over his face. He was starving. It was nearly six and he hadn’t eaten anything all day. He was also tired. He still hadn’t caught up on his sleep from the mission. “Sorry. Long day.”
“I’m just jacking you. What’s up?”
“I just texted you a photo. See what you can find on a guy named Antonio Cavoletti. C-A-V-O-L-E-T-T-I. He works for the government. Maybe the Feds or the CIA. He’s married to Macy Winthrop. You know Dr. Macy?”
“The good looking chick on TV?”
“That’s the one.” He paused. “I’m also going to be sending you a list of names either later today or sometime tomorrow. It might be quite extensive. I’m only interested in the males on that list and only the ones who are single or divorced. Got that?” The man who had threatened Macy had said he had killed his girlfriend. A girlfriend who had apparently lived with him. Married men were out.
“Got it. Want to tell me what this is all about?”
“Not yet.”
“Okay. Say hi to Ryder.”
“Sure.” The call ended.
Finn grabbed an apple from the bowl of fruit, ate it in a few bites, then strode across the room and sat down on the small sofa. His ankle was still killing him. He crossed his leg over his knee and massaged it then lowered it to the floor. That was the last thing he remembered before leaning his head back against the sofa cushion and nodding off. The last thing until he heard Macy screaming at him and a jolt of pain to his sprained ankle. Had she just kicked him?