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CHAPTER ONE THIS WAS TURNING into a three-doughnut morning. Jenny Prillaman scarfed down her second hot Krispy Kreme doughnut, marveling at how something that tasted so light could have so many calories. Krispy Kreme doughnuts weren’t on the approved list of foods for the South Beach diet, and she would have to exchange half her meals for the day on Weight Watchers. Sighing, she surreptitiously licked one of her fingers. Tough. Her boss wasn’t here and he really needed to be. She barely brushed some glazed sugar from her chin before executive VP Marc Waterson burst through the door wearing an expression of controlled fury on his chiseled face. “Brooke Tarantino is coming in today. Where’s Sal?” Jenny cleared her throat and rubbed her sticky hands together beneath her desk. Oh, wow. She’d thought he would send his assistant down to do the inquisition. Marc Waterson had always struck her as a force of nature carefully concealed in a well-tailored Brooks Brothers suit. She suspected in an CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO STUNNED, JENNY FELT her hands go limp. The bottle of champagne slid through her fingers. She tried to grasp for it, but she felt as if she were moving in slow motion. Marc moved in a split second and caught the bottle just as it hit the floor. Jenny shook her head and winced. “Sorry. I, uh.” She shook her head. “Great save.” He nodded and stood in front of her. “You’ll need to be briefed by the PR Department and they’ll require you to take a few lessons. The worst part is you’ll have to deal with Brooke until this is all over, and you won’t get credit for your designs. We’re trying to build the name of Sal Amoré by Bellagio as the premier line in evening and bridal shoes. I wasn’t sure if you could do it, but Sal insisted you could. He told me to take a second look at your résumé. I didn’t know you’d attended design school and even did an apprenticeship with one of our competitors.” She didn’t know that, either. Jenny dropped her jaw in shock. Marc must have gotten her résu CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER THREE THE NEXT DAY Jenny’s promotion felt more than ever like a pretend promotion. She fielded calls for Sal, filed and did everything she used to do, plus now she also needed to design. During the lunch she took at her desk, the phone rang again. She frowned at it and almost didn’t pick up. Mentally grumbling, she answered the phone. “Jenny Prillaman for Sal Amoré.” “Take the Tarantino job, Jenny. You can do it,” Sal said. She nearly dropped the phone in shock. “Sal! Where are you?” “In rehab. I had to sneak this call. I won’t be able to call again. Just do the job.” “But Marc Waterson thinks I have a degree from a design school.” “In this case, what he doesn’t know can’t hurt him. Sometimes upper management doesn’t understand the way an artist creates.” “But I’m not an artist,” she protested. “I’m a doodler.” “Don’t diminish your talent. You’re an assistant designer now, Jenny. Do your job. I’ll call you after I get out. Ciao.” “But they think I’m something different from wha CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER FOUR THE FOLLOWING THURSDAY Jenny finally set aside her beloved red glasses and put disposable contact lenses into her eyes. She slid her feet into her new heels, left her hair swinging freely at her shoulders and wore a little red sweater and the black skirt. She added a pair of Foot Peta footpads to keep her feet from declaring mutiny by midday. Feeling conspicuous, she hid in her office for the better part of the day until she worked up the nerve to show Marc some drawings of evening shoes she’d designed. Her palms damp, she took the elevator three flights up and walked to his assistant’s desk. “He’s gone for the afternoon. You didn’t have an appointment, did you?” Cynthia asked, clicking her computer mouse and checking her screen. “No,” Jenny said, feeling foolish. How anticlimactic. She should have made an appointment, but she’d been too chicken yesterday. “He leaves early on either Tuesday or Thursday afternoons to visit his grandfather. Do you want to set up an appointme CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FIVE MARC SLID OUT of his Porsche and squeezed the lock button on his remote key as he walked the two flights up to Jenny’s apartment. Climbing the stairs reminded him of his junior year in college and made him feel oddly nostalgic. Those had been simpler days before his father died, when his greatest concerns were acing a midterm and making it with a sorority sister at his fraternity’s keg party on Friday night. Now that he was older and wiser, his family expected him to be the responsible one. In fact, he wouldn’t be surprised if Brooke hadn’t been required to invite him. Her parties tended to end with uniformed officers hauling disorderly people off to jail. Just as he lifted his hand to knock, the door flew open and Jenny appeared, her cheeks flushed with color, her hair hanging shiny and loosely to her shoulders. Her laser blue eyes skimmed him from head to toe and back again. Her gaze was so thorough his suit started to feel a little warm. “Hi,” she said breathlessly. She CHAPTER FIVE CHAPTER SIX JENNY COULDN’T BELIEVE where she was. In Marc Waterson’s arms, intimately pressed against his aroused body. She loved the way his hand felt guiding her against him, she loved the crisp sensation of his hair between her fingers, and she wanted to bury her nose in his throat to inhale his aftershave. Feel so good, she thought. “No, you do,” he said, and she realized she’d said her thoughts aloud, just before his head lowered and she felt his mouth on hers. Oh, Lord, now he was kissing her. She willed herself not to panic. Follow the music, follow the feelings, Chad had coached her when he taught her salsa. Following instinct, she opened her mouth and tasted him with her tongue. His groan of approval encouraged her. She had to be dreaming. This couldn’t be happening. He couldn’t be kissing her as if she was the only woman on earth. Kissing her deeply, he closed his hands over her hips so that she felt every inch of him. She shuddered and he groaned again. He drew back slightly CHAPTER SIX CHAPTER SEVEN A KNOCK ON HER DOOR awakened Jenny the next morning. Who was it? Marc? No, that chivalrous little kiss on her hand had been his way of nicely setting their relationship back in place. Darn shame, she thought. It had bothered her enough to keep her awake for hours, but she’d finally fallen into a deep sleep. Bleary-eyed, she dragged herself out of bed to the door and looked through the peephole. She winced. Anna and Stella with the brunch Anna had promised. “Just a minute,” Jenny said. “I overslept.” She ran back to her room and pulled on a pair of jeans, then opened the door. “Good morning,” she said. “I could smell it through the door. You two are too good to me.” “This is just a little thank-you for allowing Stella to stay at your house until I get home when I’m running late from work,” Anna said, carrying in a basket of food. A petite woman with a feminine frame and long, curly brown hair, she glanced at Jenny, and her eyes, older than her years, widened. “Wow, you’ve CHAPTER SEVEN “Red shoes can take you places you want to go. Just look at what they did for Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz.” —Jenny Prillaman, Assistant Shoe Designer CHAPTER EIGHT DRESSED TO KILL, Atlanta’s crème de la crème showed up in force for the charity fashion gala. The capacity crowd took their seats in the auditorium, which featured a well-lit stage and catwalk. “I’ve never seen so many Botoxed Junior Leaguers in control-top long-line foundation garments in my life,” said Trina Roberts, one of Bellagio’s PR reps as she sat next to Jenny. “And trust me, with my upbringing, I’ve seen a lot.” Jenny nodded at the young woman who seemed to combine class with a little bit of rebel popping out every now and then. She didn’t know Trina well, but so far, she liked her. “Originally from Buckhead?” Jenny asked, referring to Atlanta’s most exclusive community. Trina nodded then smiled. “But I was never a debutante. I gave up the bribe of a Corvette for that battle.” “A Corvette? Wow, didn’t you just have to put on a dress, go to a party and smile a lot?” “If only that had been all,” Trina said, then turned toward the entrance of the room. “There’s Bro CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE “TIME FOR MATH,” Jenny said to Stella. She was covering for Anna tonight. Stella, who was seated at Jenny’s kitchen table, cupped her face in her hands. “Do you have M&M’s?” “I don’t think so. Why?” “Justin does math with M&M’s.” Stella leaned forward with a conspiratorial expression. “I gave him some of my M&M’s when he helped me with my homework. He’s better at math than you are.” Jenny was too amused to feel insulted. Besides, she knew math wasn’t her strong suit. “Is that so? How many times has Justin been over lately?” Stella lifted up fingers. “Spaghetti and pot roast and chicken blue.” “Chicken cordon bleu,” Jenny corrected. “Three times. He’s turning into a regular. Is he nice to your mom?” Stella nodded. “I like him. He picks me up and carries me around.” Jenny smiled, feeling a wave of nostalgia. “That’s fun, isn’t it? My daddy carried me around when I was little, too.” Stella nodded again. “I still don’t like math.” “You might change your mind. I don’t have M&M’ CHAPTER NINE CHAPTER TEN MARC KEPT TELLING HIMSELF he was doing this for the sake of Bellagio. Cameras and his cousin Brooke could produce a lethal PR combination. Brooke had insisted that he and Jenny join her and Walker at the family’s St. Simons beach house. Marc had argued that his presence was unnecessary, but she had refused to back down. “Four will be more cozy. We can have some shots of Walker and me on the beach and later on, you and Jenny can show Walker and me shoes. You can still be ‘Mr. Bellagio’ and my cousin at the same time. It will make it less businessy and more interesting. It’s just one night. Besides, I’ve already arranged for the film crew.” So, now he was in his own personal little hell with the object of his distraction inches away from him. In the close confines of his Porsche, Marc spent the first hour and a half of the drive to St. Simons Island on his cell phone via speaker phone dictating e-mail responses to his assistant, setting up appointments and holding a conferenc CHAPTER TEN CHAPTER ELEVEN HALFWAY TO THE DRAWBRIDGE leading off of St. Simons Island, Marc and Jenny hit traffic at a dead stop. “What the hell?” Marc muttered, craning to see what was causing the traffic snarl. “What is this?” He glanced at his watch. “It’s barely one in the afternoon. There shouldn’t be any traffic.” “Maybe there’s a wreck,” Jenny suggested. “I wouldn’t be surprised. It’s been that kind of day.” He was beyond irritated. Although he’d tried to ignore her, he couldn’t keep his gaze from gravitating to Jenny’s bare foot propped across her leg. He hadn’t seen her toes when he’d slid inside her while they were in the butler’s pantry. Come to think of it, he hadn’t seen much of her. With the exception of her thong, she’d been fully dressed. Now, why in the world that made him feel cheated, he had no idea. He flicked on the radio to a local station to see if he could learn anything. Within seconds a reporter announced the problem. “This just in. If you’re stuck in traffic to leave the CHAPTER ELEVEN CHAPTER TWELVE “WE CAN GO BACK NOW,” Marc said as he accelerated the boat. “No, no, no,” Jenny protested, rushing to him. “It’s still sunny, still warm. Can’t we stretch this? Please?” He glanced at her. “No more surprise swims?” he asked. “No more,” she said, lifting her hand in oath. “I promise. Besides, it was really cold.” “I could have told you—” “But I’m still glad I jumped in,” she interrupted. “It was fun.” The way his sunglasses shielded his eyes from her irritated her. She followed the impulse to lift them off the bridge of his nose. “I bet you secretly wish you had jumped in, too.” His lips twitched in amusement. “If that’s my secret wish, then it’s a secret even to me. I prefer warm water unless I’m wearing a wetsuit.” He pushed his sunglasses back in place and focused on the water in front of them. And she’d bet he looked pretty darn good in a wetsuit. Sheesh, she’d just like to see him in his birthday suit. In retrospect, there were some aspects to the butler’s pantry exp CHAPTER TWELVE CHAPTER THIRTEEN “I’M GOING TO GO TO HELL,” JENNY whispered to Anna as she stood beside her, watching her stir something yummy looking on the stove. “What are you making?” “Chicken parmesan with lemon and capers,” Anna said and lowered her voice as she wiped her hand on a dish towel. “Why are you going to hell?” “Once was not enough,” Jenny said. “I want Marc Waterson again.” Anna groaned. “Oh, no. But he’s your boss. You could lose your job. At the least, you could lose any chance of him taking you seriously.” “I don’t think there’s any danger of him taking me seriously, anyway.” “Why? You’re talented and reliable and—” Minus a degree in design. “Never mind. I just don’t think he takes me seriously. Sad, irritating, but probably true. The other truth is I want him again and he’s going out on a date with Miss Tomato Queen tonight and—” Anna made a face. “Tomato Queen,” she echoed. “Yeah, I know,” Jenny said with a sigh. “I know it may not happen with him again, but my ego is starting t CHAPTER THIRTEEN CHAPTER FOURTEEN “GOOD MORNING, CYNTHIA, I know I’m not on Marc’s schedule, but is there any chance I could pop in for a minute?” Jenny’s heart raced and her palm dampened the paper she held in her hand as she worked to keep a casual tone in her voice. “Good morning to you. Don’t you look gorgeous in red?” Marc’s assistant said. “He’s in, so let me ask him.” She picked up her phone and pushed a button. “Marc, Jenny Prillaman is here. Said she just wants a moment with you. Can you do it?” Cynthia nodded. “Go right in.” “Thanks,” Jenny said with a smile, but her stomach clenched into a triple knot as she walked through the door and closed it behind her. “Good morning, Marc,” she said. “Morning,” he said, eyeing her curiously. “Is this about Brooke’s shoes or—” She immediately shook her head. “Nope.” He nodded slowly. “About last night,” he began. “I apologize for—” “I’m tired of apologies,” she interrupted. “I’ve spent some time thinking about this situation, and I have a proposal. I hav CHAPTER FOURTEEN “High heels let you cheat at the gym. In the time it takes you to slide your feet into a great pair of heels, you not only get great-looking legs, you also get a butt lift of approximately twenty-five percent. What exercise equipment can beat that?” —Jenny Prillaman, Assistant Shoe Designer CHAPTER FIFTEEN THE NEXT NIGHT Jenny insisted on keeping Stella for Anna’s dinner date with Justin. She also insisted on loaning Anna a purse and scarf. “Stop it,” Anna said, when Jenny also brought over a cashmere sweater. “Enough’s enough. I’m not taking your sweater. What are you trying to do? Loan me the entire contents of your closet?” “I just want you to have a great time tonight. And you seem a little nervous,” Jenny said, watching Anna pause in front of the mirror and fuss with her hair yet another time. “I am a little nervous,” Anna admitted in a low voice. “Or a lot nervous.” She put her hand on her stomach. “I hope I’ll be able to eat.” “You’d better eat,” Jenny told her in response to her confession. “Justin’s been chowing down on your food for weeks. You’d better order the most expensive thing on the menu, and if you don’t eat every bite, then bring it home in a doggy bag.” “Yes, ma’am,” Anna said with a slight smile. “I’m surprised you were free to keep Stella tonight.” J CHAPTER FIFTEEN CHAPTER SIXTEEN MARC LOOKED DOWN at her and felt pulled in different directions. Her lips were swollen from their kisses, the tips of her breasts still erect, her hair spilled over the pillow in sexy disarray and her eyes flashed with a mixture of arousal and curiosity. He wanted to ravage her from the top of her head to the bottom of her feet with intense focus on everything in between, but her artless, honest response to him grabbed at something in his gut and he felt oddly protective of her. His body was gunning for satisfaction. Every muscle in him felt as if it were flexed to the max. Part of the reason he’d wanted to make love to her again was because he’d wanted to make sure she felt the same pleasure he had. He’d told himself that would somehow even the score. He wanted to prove to himself that he could exhibit some control. “Why are you staring at me?” she asked, a hint of uncertainty in her eyes. “Because you look so beautiful this way,” he said. “Naked,” she said, her lips t CHAPTER SIXTEEN CHAPTER SEVENTEEN FOUR DAYS LATER, Jenny exposed her pale, sunscreen-slathered body to the Mexican sun as she sipped a margarita. Her tall, dark, handsome boss stood over her scowling. Marc swore. “You can’t turn your back on that woman for a minute. I’d barely landed on the airport tarmac and I got word that Brooke was dancing on tables last night, pulling off her clothes. Just the image we need to set for Bellagio at a business conference.” “Would a peppermint patty help?” she asked. He gave a reluctant chuckle. “Not this time, but thanks for the offer.” Determined to savor her time in the sun, Jenny adjusted her sunglasses. “I’m sure you’ll provide the appropriate compensatory sobriety. You’ll walk up to the podium, make a speech and everyone will be reassured.” “It would be nice if she didn’t make it an uphill battle,” he said, sitting on the edge of her chair. He rubbed his hand over her ankle. “Do you swear that you’re using good sunscreen? I have plans for your body, and they do CHAPTER SEVENTEEN CHAPTER EIGHTEEN THE TUESDAY AFTER he returned from Cancún, Marc hit reality with a crash landing when he visited his grandfather. More disoriented than Marc could remember, his grandfather seemed feeble and on the edge of tears. Alarm stabbed him like an icicle in his chest when his grandfather pleaded, “Please don’t tie me again.” Marc pushed his grandfather’s sleeves upward, and the bruises he saw punched every button connected with anger inside of him. Within an hour he’d evacuated his grandfather from the seniors’ home leaving the director with a promise that he would pursue legal action. After taking his grandfather to the doctor, he brought him home, fed him and got on the phone to find temporary care while he looked for another, better senior facility. He soon learned he would be taking Wednesday off in order to handle the emergency. When he hung up the phone the last time, he joined his grandfather in the den while he watched a fishing show on television. “What kind of bait ar CHAPTER EIGHTEEN CHAPTER NINETEEN MARC USED EVERY CONNECTION he had to get his grandfather into the new extracare facility. No longer confined to one room, his grandfather would live in a three-room suite with a personal assistant visiting him or taking him on “field trips,” as Jenny called them, frequently throughout the day. He had the option of going to three different dining halls for his meals or having his meals delivered. The extracare facility was situated next to a golf course and there was even a pond for fishing. The cost would choke an anaconda, but Marc had a good feeling about this place. Yes, his grandfather could fall or have an accident, but as Jenny had told him, that could happen anywhere. After Gino helped Marc move his grandfather, they headed to his town house for beer and a Bond movie. Marc and Gino watched Pierce Brosnan kiss a brunette and kill a bad guy at the same time. “You know, somebody should give a class on how to be like James Bond. They’d make a killing,” Gino said. “B CHAPTER NINETEEN CHAPTER TWENTY JENNY JOINED CHAD AND LIZ on Sunday for a belated celebration of Liz’s birthday over at Anna’s apartment. “Strawberry mimosas and Anna’s homemade breakfast casserole. What could be better,” Liz said as she sipped her second drink and chatted about her latest trip. “It was fabulous. I wish I could have taken all of you with me.” “We do, too,” Chad said. “Next time you really should take me to ease the way. I can fake three languages.” Liz made a tsk-ing sound and flipped her hair behind her shoulder. “Sweetie, haven’t you heard? Money is the international language.” She pursed her lips in a pouty moue. “And I’m crushed. None of you have commented on my new little bauble.” She waved her hand, showing off a yellow-diamond ring. “Darling, you’re getting so many these days. It’s hard for us to know what’s new anymore,” Chad said, and took her hand to study the ring. “Platinum?” “Of course. Frank got it for me for my birthday.” “It’s gorgeous,” Jenny said. “How much did you ha CHAPTER TWENTY CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE AFTER BUMMING A RIDE HOME, Jenny answered the phone twice only to learn a reporter wanted inside information on the Tarantino nonwedding. After that, she checked messages for the next twenty-four hours, hoping against hope that Marc would call. He didn’t. It appeared that everyone else who had an ax to grind with her did. The reality television show reporter was furious that Jenny wouldn’t return calls. Jenny’s sister heard about the wedding and called Jenny with the message, “How could you do this to me?” Her phone started ringing nonstop at 10:30 p.m., so Jenny pulled the plug on it and went to bed. She slept until noon the next day and cleaned her apartment from top to bottom to top again. That night she put in the DVD for Oklahoma!, fixed a pan of brownies, popped some popcorn and refused to answer a knock at the door. The knock persisted and she petted Romeo. “Just pretend you can’t hear it, okay?” The door opened and Chad burst in. “Good grief, woman! What does CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE “The right pair of shoes can do the talking for you.” —Jenny Prillaman, Designer CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO JENNY’S PHONE was ringing off the hook again. Liz was pissed because she’d been outbid during the auction for Brooke’s shoes. Justin was sitting on the couch next to Anna with his arm wrapped around her shoulders. Chad was in ecstasy. “Chad Garcia,” he said. “Jenny’s agent.” “Agent?” Jenny repeated, shaking her head at him. He lifted his finger. “You want to offer her a job with your company. Lovely,” he said. “As I’m sure you can imagine, we’re getting a lot of calls. Could you give me a ballpark for the salary range?” Jenny stared at him in surprise. “What in the—” “What a sweet little offer,” he said, his tone conveying they needed to up the ante. “Oh, you’d be willing to offer more? Such as?” He nodded, his eyes gleaming with dollar signs. “Much nicer. I’ll be sure and give her the message. Your name again?” He scribbled the information on a notepad. “Oh, there’s another incoming call. Thank you. We’ll be in touch.” He punched the button for call waiting. “Hello. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO CHAPTER ONE IT WAS LATE when she sank onto the barstool. Still wearing her best dressed-to-kill sexy tuxedo dress, Trina Roberts had received immediate attention from the bartender. “Hot night?” he said. “What’ll you have?” Hot didn’t cover it. Train wreck didn’t cover it. Nuclear explosion didn’t cover it. “Mojito, please.” “Coming up,” he said. While she waited, she took a deep breath and glanced around the bar. The crowd had thinned out. Her gaze stopped on a man seated at the other end of the bar, his head bowed over a squat glass of amber-colored liquor. His tux tie was unfastened along with the top buttons of his shirt. She knew that profile, the hard jawline, straight nose and dark hair uncharacteristically mussed over his forehead. Walker Gordon. Her heart clenched for him. He looked miserable, desolate, destroyed. She couldn’t blame him. After all, he’d just been publicly dumped at the altar by Brooke Tarantino, the great-granddaughter of the founder of Bellagio Shoes. That wa CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO Nine months, ten days, twenty-two hours and thirty-six minutes later… “WHERE ARE MY DRUGS?” Trina screamed through the pain ripping her in half. The nurse gently squeezed her arm. “I told you. The anesthesiologist is on his way.” “You said that hours ago,” Trina accused, feeling her contracted muscles relax slightly. She wiped her sweat-dampened forehead with the back of her hand. She was in hell. The cheerful yellow chintz curtains and Yanni music playing in the background couldn’t fool her. She was in pain, her mother was spouting platitudes and Nurse Beamer, aka Nurse Hatchett was her guide through labor hell. “No, you’re confused,” Nurse Hatchett said. “I told you that twenty minutes ago. The anesthesiologist is with another patient right now” “You’re lying.” Trina felt the beginning of another contraction and desperation stabbed at her. Her muscles tightened around her abdomen like a vise, making it impossible to breathe. “I’m never going to have this baby, am I?” “Of CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER THREE ONCE UPON A TIME Trina had been in control of her life. She’d successfully distanced herself from her overbearing mother and managed her romantic life so that she enjoyed casual dates, but nothing that interfered with her plan to remain single and free of domestic responsibility. Yes, there’s been a blip in keeping her love life under control by the name of Stan Roch when she’d been nineteen, but she’d taken care of that and put it behind her. Once upon a time, although she normally kept her apartment neat and clean, she’d only been in charge of her own laundry and she only bought food she needed, which she could eat on her own schedule. Once upon a time, she’d been on the fast track to her second promotion at the designer shoe company, Bellagio, Inc. She’d been someone management knew they could depend on to be prompt, levelheaded, poised and always ready with a brilliant idea. All that had changed as a result of her temporary insanity fifteen months ago. As she rushed i CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER FOUR AS SOON AS HE ANNOUNCED himself as the point man, that he wouldn’t be returning to Paris, Walker felt the level of tension in the room drop at least sixty percent. The knowledge boosted his confidence and would ultimately boost earnings for his company. Brooke Tarantino might have dumped him at the altar on live television. She might have stomped his ego into the ground and made him look like a joke. She might have succeeded in motivating him to leave Atlanta in order to get his mojo back. But Walker was hell-bent and determined on keeping the Bellagio account. He’d nurtured this account from the beginning and it was growing bigger every year. Atlanta would burn again before he would let another agency raid his account and take the spoils. “That’s good to know,” Alfredo Bellagio said. “So you’ll give us some more ads on Friday and we’ll think some more.” Walker nodded, feeling a shot of adrenaline. He would need to hustle to pull it together, but he could do it. He’d done CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FIVE AFTER FIRING STEPHANIE and temporarily commandeering his partner’s longtime admin assistant, putting together a skeleton ad and calling in favors to get a cameraman, producer and some actors, Walker dragged himself into his condo. He heard a ball game blaring from the television and smelled the combined scents of a Dominican cigar and burger and fries. Everything his uncle Harry wasn’t supposed to be consuming with the exception of alcohol. Walker felt a headache pound through his skull. He knew why he’d been chosen to provide a place for Uncle Harry after his uncle had spent a couple weeks in a rehab facility following bypass surgery. Uncle Harry trusted Walker. Plus Walker was financially independent and the Gordon family had a sketchy history with finances, banks, taxes and creditors. He shrugged out of his jacket as he walked through the wooden foyer toward the den. His balding, hard-of-hearing uncle sat in Walker’s favorite chair, holding a cigar in one hand and a bee CHAPTER FIVE CHAPTER SIX ENTERING THE FOYER of her home, Trina kicked off her heels and plopped her purse and keys on the antique Italian credenza she’d bought at an auction. The sound of her mother singing a wobbly, warbly rendition of a lullabye broke the silence. Trina rolled her eyes at the sound, but smiled at the same time. Trina and her mother hadn’t gotten along well for about twenty-eight of Trina’s twenty-nine years and they were nowhere near compatible now, but Maddie had managed to bring them to speaking terms. Maddie had softened the edges of Aubrey’s harsh, often sharp personality, and Trina found it difficult to hold a grudge when she saw her mother willing to make a fool of herself for her only grandchild. After her lousy meeting with Walker, Trina just wanted to see her baby. She had a terrible feeling that things would change once Walker learned the truth. Now it was just Maddie and her. And while it had been hard in the beginning and Trina never would have predicted it, Maddie pr CHAPTER SIX CHAPTER SEVEN I HAD A VASECTOMY. Trina had a mental car crash. “Vasectomy,” she repeated. “When? How?” He nodded. “A couple of months before the wedding. Brooke and I had agreed that we didn’t want children. How?” He gave a wry grin. “The usual way. Snip. Snip.” He jammed his hands into his pockets while she tried to digest the news. “So you see it couldn’t be me,” he said. Exactly, she agreed. Except it couldn’t be anyone else unless she’d gotten pregnant by immaculate conception, and Trina had heard of only one woman who’d done that. The problem was that she hadn’t had sex with anyone in months because she’d been working double time on the reality show project for Bellagio. “I don’t know who else you were involved with at the time,” he ventured. No one. She glanced at Walker and felt an odd surge of feelings. Loss. She felt a sense of loss. Crazy. Even though she’d known he wouldn’t want a child, she’d hoped that just seeing Maddie would make him at least give it a second’s considera CHAPTER SEVEN CHAPTER EIGHT TRINA PACKED some necessities for Maddie and met Jenny Prillaman in the park near the condo Jenny shared with her fiancé. She’d liked Jenny from the first time she met her, when Jenny had been working as an assistant to another designer for Bellagio. Jenny had a big heart and Trina suspected that was part of the reason the woman had captured the interest, and now loving devotion, of Bellagio’s hot VP, Marc Waterson. As Trina drove her Mustang convertible through her old stomping grounds with an Aerosmith CD playing, she couldn’t help remembering the incredibly rash and stupid thing she’d done to get away from this neighborhood and everything it had meant to her. Thank goodness she had been able to divorce Stan and put that mistake behind her. She was relieved she hadn’t received any more letters from him. Trina pulled into the parking area and immediately spotted Jenny, sitting on a bench with pad in hand, looking up and shielding her eyes from the bright sunlight. Trina CHAPTER EIGHT Sad Fact: It’s not unusual for a woman’s feet to grow a half to a full size during pregnancy. Often enough, her feet will remain a larger size. Best consolation: a new wardrobe of shoes in the proper size. CHAPTER NINE WHILE MADDIE SLEPT PEACEFULLY, Trina paced her bedroom as she stripped. She kicked off the Bellagio sandals, folded her pashmina and caught sight of herself in the full-length mirror as she unzipped her dress. She studied the green-bean stain on her shoulder. Damn, it was larger than she’d expected. She wondered why no one except Blair had mentioned it to her. Maybe everyone else had been trying to be nice. Trina cringed. That prospect was far more embarrassing than the actual cause of the stain. What bothered her was that she’d walked around as if she looked reasonably attractive and pulled together with a baby-food stain on her shoulder all evening. She felt like an idiot. She stepped out of the dress and put it on a hanger with plans to take it to the dry cleaner. For a while now, she’d avoided looking in the mirror when she was naked or even half-naked. The sight of her post-pregnancy body still jarred her. It seemed like every time she caught a glimpse of herself with CHAPTER NINE CHAPTER TEN “WHO ARE ROB, MARK AND STEVE?” Trina asked as Walker strode into her office. The look of fury on Trina’s face caught him off guard and he quickly searched his memory. “Oh, those are some guys I told to call you. Remember you said you were ready to start dating.” Shaking her head, she rose from her desk and closed the door to her office. “Have you lost your mind?” “No. I told you I would help find someone for you.” “Getting strange calls from men I’ve never heard of doesn’t make me want to race onto the playing field,” she said. “Did you think you could maybe let me know you were referring these guys?” “I told them to say I sent you,” he said. “I kinda got that message after I blew off the first two and told them they had the wrong number. What are you telling these guys anyway?” “That you’re pretty, smart, on the market and you have a baby. All of them have good jobs and like kids. No criminal records and they’re unattached. No diseases or addictions.” “If you really want m CHAPTER TEN CHAPTER ELEVEN ON SUNDAY NIGHT, Jenny Prillaman paid a visit for a girls’ night at Trina’s house. After Jenny wore out Maddie, Trina put her baby to bed and fixed a martini for Jenny and herself. Settling herself in front of the television for a rerun of Desperate Housewives, Jenny pulled out a pad of paper for herself, a coloring book for Trina and her box of Crayola crayons for a coloring session. Trina shook her head. “This is serious regression, Jenny. Is the wedding situation that bad?” “It’s a healthy stress relief,” Jenny said, and took a sip of her martini before she began to draw. “You’re great at making martinis. No matter how hard I try, mine taste like cough medicine. How’s the dating scene? I have a guy in mind for you and I’m not taking no for an answer.” “I’ve ventured out and my answer is yes,” Trina said. “Even though you’re talking about my dating life in order to throw the discussion off your upcoming nuptials.” Jenny looked at her in surprise. “You went on a date an CHAPTER ELEVEN CHAPTER TWELVE I DON’ T UNDERSTAND why you don’t just go ahead and marry her. She’s a pretty girl and nice. Plus she had your baby. What else do you need? Are you of all people conveniently forgetting the Gordon curse? Oh, was all Uncle Harry had said on their drive back from Trina’s house. “Yeah, oh,” Walker was still muttering to himself as he stared at the ceiling. Images of Trina and Maddie streamed through his mind like nonstop video. It didn’t matter if he closed his eyes or kept them open. The images continued. Sighing, he closed his eyes and tried to think about the Braves. That lasted four seconds before an image of Trina smiling floated along. Walker began to count sheep, backwards. Down by a thousand, he finally drifted off… The woman had come-get-me eyes and a mouth that made his blood pool in his crotch. She opened her puffy lips before he rubbed his mouth over hers and tasted her with his tongue. A little noise of invitation vibrated from her, kicking up his body temperat CHAPTER TWELVE CHAPTER THIRTEEN THREE DAYS LATER, Trina completed plans for a party hosted by Bellagio at the national shoe convention. She kept eyeing the clock because Walker had said he wanted to meet with her, about business, he’d emphasized, at the end of the day. Walker strode through the door just after four-thirty. “Sorry this is so late. I spent the afternoon upstairs with marketing. They’re getting nervous about the product, since Sal has decided not to return full-time. Jenny’s in demand.” “I know,” Trina said. “You wouldn’t believe how many requests for her appearance we get. And what she really wants to do is lock herself in a room and draw.” “Let’s do some brainstorming,” he said. “I’d like to be in on this,” Dora said, giving Walker a covetous look. “It will be work,” Trina warned. “I know,” Dora said with a huffy sound in her voice. Trina said. “Okay, I need to grab Maddie. I’ll just bring her back here.” “During our meeting?” Dora asked in horror. “It’s called multitasking. I’ll load CHAPTER THIRTEEN CHAPTER FOURTEEN “WALKER, I KNOW IT’S A LOT to ask,” Brooke said. “But I’m really in a bad spot. My father is still angry with me and…” Walker caught sight of Trina, alone for the first time, at the reception. He’d watched her dance with Chad and chat with some guy who looked interested in engaging her in more than conversation. The prospect made his stomach burn. It didn’t help that Brooke kept appearing at his side asking for his help. He saw Trina look his way and she met his gaze for a long moment that made something inside him feel like a cool stream was easing all his rough places. Then she looked to his left and away. Brooke’s voice continued in his left ear. “If you could just help me this one time—” “I’ll talk to you later,” Walker said, cutting her off and heading for Trina. Dora stepped directly in his path and smiled with scary determination. “I’d love to steal you onto the dance floor.” “Not now, thanks,” Walker said and continued around her. Waving a few times at people w CHAPTER FOURTEEN CHAPTER FIFTEEN “MY TALENTS ARE BEING WASTED here,” Dora announced. “I’m leaving Bellagio.” Trina looked up from an advance press plan for an appearance by Sal in New York. “Are you sure that’s what you want? If you’re not happy in PR, then maybe—” “You can find another paper-pusher position for me? No, thanks,” she said in a huff. “I got a job with a cruise line. I’m in charge of group-party planning and I start day after tomorrow, so I can’t give you any notice.” “It would have been nice if—” “Yeah, well, lots of things would be nice. Like if Walker Gordon could have gone out with me. Instead of feeling obligated to be with you.” Even though Trina knew she shouldn’t let Dora bother her, the woman’s words stung. “Walker has never been obligated to me for anything,” Trina retorted. “Not for Maddie or my position or anything else.” She cut herself off. “But this is an unnecessary discussion. I appreciate all of your hard work here, Dora, and I hope you’ll be happy and successful in your CHAPTER FIFTEEN Whoever said you can’t fight Mother Nature when it comes to your height never stepped into a pair of three-inch heels. CHAPTER SIXTEEN TRINA ARRIVED AT HER OFFICE Monday morning to find a friendly new face at the receptionist’s desk. “Hi, I’m Amelia Parker,” the woman said with a deep Southern drawl that no Northern university had beaten out of her. She stood and extended her hand. “I’m Bellagio’s floating temp, and I hope you’ll let me know what I can do to help.” “Thank you,” Trina said, shaking Amelia’s hand. “I’m Trina Roberts and I’m so glad you’re here.” Amelia smiled. “I’ve already made coffee and if you’ll tell me where you’d like me to start, I’ll get moving.” “I sent out prepublicity for Sal’s appearance in New York City. I would like you to do some e-mail follow-up. I’m not sure what Dora had on her computer, so I’ll send you the list from mine. Then there’s a charitable group that Bellagio plans to donate shoes to—it’s for women from abused situations who are seeking employment. Marc Waterson will make that appearance in Washington, D.C. I’m working with the charity for a combined press rel CHAPTER SIXTEEN CHAPTER SEVENTEEN “HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?” Trina asked Walker after he walked her to her car. “He makes a good case,” Walker said. “For what? Insanity,” Trina said. “You’ve made it perfectly clear that you don’t want to marry me and that you don’t want children.” “Trina, you gotta admit our situation has been as clear as mud. I think that underneath all the chauvinistic family stuff, he had a good point. You and I have never even attempted to date.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Maybe there’s an excellent reason for that, since you’re a child hater.” “I’m not a child hater. I just didn’t want to have any kids because I didn’t want to carry on my father’s legacy.” “Which brings up the same issue that will never go away. Maddie,” Trina said. “I think we should date.” “Why? Because you’re afraid you’ll lose the account with Bellagio,” she said, tossing out the possibility like a piece of raw meat, seeing if he would bite. He stood silent for a full moment. Her suspicions rose ex CHAPTER SEVENTEEN CHAPTER EIGHTEEN YOU HAD NINE MONTHS to get used to the idea of having a baby. You gave me less than five minutes. Walker’s words reverberated in her head throughout the drive to wherever he was taking her. Which ended up being a barbecue restaurant, if one used the term restaurant loosely. It was more of a stand with picnic tables. The locals knew it was the best. “Best barbecue in Georgia,” she said, unwrapping her sandwich and taking a sip of limeade. “Best barbecue, period,” Walker corrected. “I’ve eaten a lot of barbecue between Texas and Georgia, so I should know.” “Except ribs,” she said. “Best baby back ribs are at a place called Carolina Roadhouse in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.” “Sit-down place?” he asked, chowing down on his sandwich. She nodded, taking a bite. He shook his head. “That’s for sissies.” “Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it,” she said, smiling. “Is that an invitation?” He met and held her gaze and she felt a zapping sensation that she wished she could blame o CHAPTER EIGHTEEN CHAPTER NINETEEN WALKER’S GUT FELL TO HIS FEET. “Your what broke?” he echoed. “My water,” Danielle said. “It’s a sign of labor. I’m sorry to bother you, but I’ve called BJ several times and he’s not answering. He said he would be right back and he would be bringing me a sur—” She broke off and he heard her take an audible breath, then another. “This is starting to hurt.” Walker began to sweat. “Where are you? I’m coming right now,” he said, and threw a twenty on the bar and left. Danielle gave him the address as he got into his car. “I really want BJ. I think this is it.” “Hold tight, I’m coming. Do you have your doctor’s number?” “It’s at the house,” she said, her voice quivering. “What if something has happened to BJ? What if I have to do all of this alone?” “You won’t have to do this alone. BJ will be there. I’ll be there.” He pressed on the accelerator. She made another sound of audible breathing. Walker checked his watch. Five minutes since the first time she did that. “You know, CHAPTER NINETEEN CHAPTER TWENTY WALKER GAVE TRINA A LIFT HOME. Since David had dropped her off at the hospital, she had no vehicle. He followed her into her house and while she paid the sitter, he went upstairs. She knew what he was doing before she climbed up the stairs after him. He was in Maddie’s room staring at her while she slept. She stepped into the room and sure enough, he stood there in the dark, looking at Maddie. Although she knew he felt tortured, she wished she knew the thoughts running through his head. He stood there next to her crib for several moments then turned to Trina. “What was she like when she was first born?” he whispered. Trina’s heart squeezed tight. She slid her hand over his and gently tugged. “Let’s talk downstairs.” “The first three days, she was so sweet,” Trina said as they walked into the den. “She didn’t cry very much at all. Had a little pink rash on her cheeks and she didn’t have much hair, but I, of course, knew she was the most beautiful baby ever born.” He crack CHAPTER TWENTY CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE MONDAY MORNING STARTED OUT crazy. Although Trina arrived at the office five minutes late, Amelia was nowhere in sight. Trina wondered if her wonder assistant was ill. She needed something to clear her sex-clouded, sleep-deprived brain. She didn’t know who was more determined to make up for lost time, her or Walker. Her legs felt like overstretched rubber bands, and her lips and chin were chapped from kissing. She couldn’t recall a mojito hangover that had left her less coordinated since the night Maddie had been conceived. The thought scared the daylights out of her, but she reminded herself that they had used protection every single time. Her cell phone rang before she could grab a cup of coffee. “Hello.” “Good morning, Carter-Aubrey,” her mother said in a too-perky voice. “How are you?” “Fine, thank you, and—” “Good, I’m going to have a barbecue to celebrate the birth of Danielle and BJ’s new son on Sunday night. I want you to be there.” “Isn’t that a little early? CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO HORRIFIED, TRINA RUSHED to her mother’s side and patted Aubrey’s hands. “Wake up, Mother. Wake up.” She glanced up at Stan. “We’re not still married. You’re wrong.” Harry joined Trina. “Aubrey, Aubrey, darlin’.” “Hey, sweetheart,” Stan said. “I didn’t make the law. I just had plenty of time to study it.” “Because you were in jail and couldn’t rob any more convenience stores,” Trina said as her mother blinked her eyes. Walker stepped forward. “You should leave.” “Who are you? The new guy?” Stan grinned. “How does it feel to know you’ve been doing somebody else’s wife? That could be a turn—” Trina barely blinked before Walker threw Stan against the wall and wrapped one of his hands around Stan’s throat. “Watch your mouth,” Walker muttered. “Careful, pretty boy,” Stan said. “I’ve got ownership papers.” Trina panicked. Stan had always been mean. She didn’t want Walker hurt. “Walker, don’t—” BJ came to Walker’s side. “We’re taking your sorry ass outside and you’re gonna l CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO If you meet a man whose kisses make you feel as if you’re the most beautiful woman in the world whether you’re dressed in heels or tennis shoes, he’s a keeper. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE BY FRIDAY EVENING Trina was starting to panic. She hadn’t seen or heard anything from evil Stan and she had no way to contact him to tell him that she would sell pretty much everything but her soul and her daughter in exchange for a divorce. Stan hadn’t given her a telephone number or address. How was she supposed to find him? Put a classified ad in the newspaper? Looking for convicted felon’s phone number. Please help. She’d eaten through another two bags of double dippers and she couldn’t keep still. Trina paced while she watched Maddie scoot from one end of the den to the other like a caterpillar. If the Stan situation weren’t bad enough, then the Walker one was worse. She hadn’t heard from him since Tuesday. So maybe she’d finally succeeded in making him give up on her. The possibility made her heart hurt. She couldn’t involve him in this, though. Even though she knew she’d chosen to handle this on her own, she couldn’t remember feeling this lonely in her life. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE Dictionary Definition: Heel: Noun. A solid attachment of a shoe or boot forming the back of the sole under the heel of the foot. Amelia Parker’s Definition: Heel: Noun. A low-down dirty guy who steals your heart then stomps it into a thousand pieces. CHAPTER ONE AMELIA WAS SO EXCITED she could barely breathe, let alone eat the delicious dinner she would share in a short time with Will, his boss and his boss’s wife at the fabulous restaurant in Buckhead. Her ex-fiancé, William, was about to become her fiancé again and everything would be right with the world. She wished the two of them could have managed some alone time before dinner, but Will was arriving directly from the airport. They would share a sweet reconciliation afterward. She had it all planned. Fighting butterflies, she walked down the stairs of the historical mansion that belonged to her recently married landlord, Aubrey Carter Elizabeth Roberts Gordon. “You look beautiful, dear. He’ll regret every minute he’s spent without you,” Aubrey said. “And if he doesn’t, Harold will—” “Pull out a can of whoop-ass like that boy has never seen,” Harry finished. Aubrey tried to pinch her lips together in disapproval, but a smile escaped. Polar opposites, the middle-aged couple prov CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO Three weeks later DRINKING HIS SECOND CORONA, Jack O’Connell watched the little blonde at the other end of the bar as she wrote on a cocktail napkin and sipped a drink with a colorful umbrella. Amidst the tanned beach babes exposing yards of skin, she looked like a fish out of water as she kept pulling up the strap of her sundress. Her skin was alabaster white. Poor thing, he thought, she probably burned like a beast. Her earnest intensity about whatever she was writing on that cocktail napkin made him curious. Which just showed he had too much time on his hands. Vacations made him edgy. He always felt that if he took time off, he would miss something. Even though he was down here to grease the skids on his biggest deal ever, he had a lot of dead time to fill. He glanced at the blonde again, wondering what her story was. He noticed a wallet on the ground by her feet and wondered if it belonged to her. Indulging his curiosity, he strolled toward her, picked up the wallet and CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER THREE OKAY, SO MAYBE the three-hurricane thing hadn’t been such a good idea after all, Amelia thought the next morning as the sound of her alarm clock scraped like a thousand razors in her skull. She felt renewed sympathy for the state of Florida for the pounding of hurricanes it had taken throughout the years. Images of the night before skittered through her brain. She’d started a list. It had begun sensibly, but then that hot guy had made suggestions. Had she really kissed the man she’d met last night? She pulled her sheet over her head in embarrassment. What was his name? Something that started with a J. John, Jim. Jack. He had been so hot, so good-looking and sexy, and she’d just bet he possessed little to zero ambition. She was lucky he hadn’t taken advantage of her. Or maybe not so lucky, she thought, as a kick of defiance raced through her. The advantage to being taken advantage of was that she wouldn’t have to take responsibility for being a bad girl. Remembering how hi CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER FOUR USEFUL AND AMUSING. That was Jack’s analysis of Magnolia. While he allowed Lillian Bellagio to wait for his response to her invitation, he wanted to gather as much information as possible about Bellagio’s grande dame. Of course, when his mother was alive, she’d only had bad things to say about Lillian. Although he knew he hadn’t escaped the bitterness she’d carried with her until she died, he’d moved on. Having a mother addicted to meth had taught him early on that he wanted no part of the drug world. Instead of getting high after school or playing a sport, he’d worked. He’d wanted out of the bad neighborhood, away from the desperation and he would happily work 365 days a year to make it happen. More than once before he’d graduated and left home, his mother had raided his earnings. It had taken him four years to earn enough money to buy his first business. Eight months later he sold it at a one hundred and twenty-three percent profit. Within a year, he’d caught the attenti CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FIVE JACK RECEIVED a second royal invitation from Queen Bellagio herself two days later. It was almost as if she’d known he wouldn’t cool his heels any longer to meet with her. When she’d cancelled their first meeting with a promise to reschedule, he’d debated heading back to Chicago, but had decided to give her a few more days. After all, he’d been waiting for this for thirty-one years. He could conduct business anywhere and Bellagio’s grande dame could be useful. She hadn’t invited him to her home or to a restaurant in town. No. She still didn’t want the public to know of his existence, but it didn’t bother him. Jack was accustomed to being a dirty secret. He researched the address she’d given him and learned it belonged to a cottage Lillian owned. She allowed a longtime friend to operate a catering business out of it. Jack wore a Brooks Brothers suit that fit him perfectly due to his demanding tailor’s specifications, Bellagio shoes and a gold watch. Everything about the way CHAPTER FIVE CHAPTER SIX “I’VE DECIDED THEY’RE aliens,” Amelia said to Jack as they walked the private man-made beach outside the condo where he was staying. She was ridiculously happy that he hadn’t left and she’d nearly had to tie her hands behind her back to keep from wrapping her arms around him and hugging him when he’d driven up to the estate. He probably would have looked at her as if she were the alien. Jack laughed. “Who? The Bellagios?” Amelia nodded. “They look human, normal, even beautiful on the outside, but on the inside they’re aliens. What am I supposed to do with Brooke Tarantino that someone else hasn’t tried?” “I don’t know. Teach her something she hasn’t learned.” “She’s an heiress. What have I possibly done that she hasn’t?” “Stayed out of trouble. Lived within a budget.” Amelia threw him a dark look. “She doesn’t appear interested in learning how to do either of those things.” “Well, what about all that domestic stuff your mother taught you when you were growing up? Cooking, b CHAPTER SIX Dictionary Definition: Vamp: Noun. The part of a shoe upper or boot upper covering especially the forepart of the foot and sometimes also extending forward over the toe or backward to the back seam of the upper. Amelia Parker’s Definition: Vamp: Transitive verb. To act and dress in a seductive way with the goal of creating hormonal havoc within a male which can result in fun or trouble. Or both. CHAPTER SEVEN “I’D LIKE YOU TO TAKE Brooke to lunch today,” Lillian said after Amelia had worked a couple of hours planning a charity luncheon. “Preferably somewhere quiet, away from the bars and tattoo parlors. If she goes home with another piercing, I’ll never hear the end of it.” Amelia met Lillian’s gaze. “I thought you might want to join her.” Lillian’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. “You wouldn’t be suggesting that I’m not taking excellent care of my grand-niece, would you?” “Not at all. I just thought that part of the reason she’s here is to be under your guidance and influence.” Lillian’s laugh sounded like glasses tinkling against each other. “Brooke won’t accept my guidance or influence. She was sent here because it’s harder for her to get in trouble. We keep hoping that she’ll settle down after a couple of weeks here in Geriatric Village. No, I can’t influence her, but I bet you can.” Amelia shook her head. “I really don’t think I’m the best one for this job.” “Of course CHAPTER SEVEN CHAPTER EIGHT SHE LIKED THE WAY he looked at her. She liked the way he touched her, closing his hands over hers briefly when he handed her a glass of wine. Behind the café table, he slid his chair next to hers so she was aware of his scent and every move he made. His shirt gaped slightly, teasing her with a quick glance at his chest. She remembered how he had felt against her bare breasts. From her peripheral vision, she saw him take a drink of wine and remembered how dizzy she’d felt when he’d kissed her. The sound of Ian’s guitar and soulful singing added another layer of seduction. Even though Ian was in the spotlight, Amelia’s attention was centered on Jack. Odd things kept popping into her head. Be good to yourself. Do the cute guy. Give me the orders and I’ll deliver. That last thought played over and over in her mind, and each time, she felt a shot of adrenaline. The air was heavy with humidity, steamy with anticipation. The crowd applauded, tugging Amelia out of her fog, and sh CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE AMELIA LOOKED AT BROOKE and felt a bolt of sheer fear in her stomach. She knew Brooke had an unerring ability to find trouble and she definitely didn’t want to be part of another Brooke-style explosion. Clearly sensing her hesitation, Brooke smiled widely and pulled Amelia aside. “Amelia, come on. I just want to meet Ian. He’s an awesome musician.” “And that’s why you want to meet him,” Amelia said skeptically. “Because he’s an awesome musician. Luciano Pavarotti is an awesome musician. Do you want to meet him, too?” “Okay, Ian is beyond hot and he doesn’t hit the party circuit. He writes intelligent lyrics and he’s not all ego. How rare is that? C’mon Amelia, you have to do this. Your hot guy is staring at us.” “You have to swear to keep all of your clothes on and not to break or bend any laws,” Amelia told her. “Swear.” “I swear,” Brooke said, a little too easily for Amelia’s comfort. “Let’s go.” “Okay?” Jack asked, meeting Amelia’s gaze. She nodded and he led them insid CHAPTER NINE CHAPTER TEN LILLIAN BELLAGIO CALLED Jack again, apologizing for asking him to meet her on short notice. He agreed, figuring he didn’t have anything to lose but a little of his time. She requested the same meeting place as before. The same woman greeted him and poured a cup of coffee and served him on the patio. This time, however, Lillian didn’t keep him waiting. She joined him within two minutes of his arrival. “I’m sorry again for the short notice. Thank you for coming,” she said, carrying a leather portfolio and putting it on the table as he stood and offered his hand. “No problem, Mrs. Bellagio. It’s good to see you again. How are you?” She paused and exhaled. “A little rushed from my flight, but fine. Thank you. Please sit. I won’t keep you long,” she said, sitting down and pulling a folder from her attaché. “It occurred to me that since you never met your father you might like to see some of his photos and learn about the health issues common among the Bellagio family. And I’ve p CHAPTER TEN CHAPTER ELEVEN AMELIA MADE IT BACK to the Bellagio estate just after one a.m., thanking her lucky stars that she didn’t run into anyone on the way to her room. After joining Jack in the shower, she was a total mess. She washed off her smeared mascara before she left the house and pinned her impossible hair into something resembling an abandoned bird’s nest on the back of her head. The next morning, her alarm clock tortured her out of a dead sleep. She took a shower and would have loved to climb back into bed, but she refused to be late, especially for Lillian. Pulling her hair into a French twist so tight it almost made her eyes water, she followed with extra blush and concealer in the hopes of making herself appear perky. Taking a final look in the mirror, she scowled and rubbed off that extra blush, which had made her look more feverish than healthy. Although she felt jittery, she gulped down a cup of coffee on the way to Lillian’s offices. She wasn’t cut out for this. Not cut out fo CHAPTER ELEVEN CHAPTER TWELVE AMELIA WAS SO UPSET she thought she was going to explode. Her stomach churned, her pulse pounded in her head. “A stroke,” she muttered to herself. “If I don’t settle down, I’m going to have a stroke.” Forcing herself to take deep, calming breaths, she pushed open the door to her new office. “Surprise!” Trina Roberts called, lifting a plate of cupcakes. At the sight of her friend and former boss, Amelia’s spirits immediately lifted. She flew toward her and hugged her. Then she smiled, catching sight of the welcome sign hanging across the window on the back wall and the balloons and flowers. “What a sweetheart.” “I wanted you to feel welcome even though I’ll never forgive you for not coming back to work for me,” Trina said. “How bad was the Dame Bellagio? Is she really the devil in paradise?” “She can be demanding,” Amelia said, remembering that Lillian wanted to maintain her tough reputation. “But I got along with her.” “You look great.” Trina clasped her hands together. CHAPTER TWELVE CHAPTER THIRTEEN WITH HER NEW JOB, new office and new condo, Amelia didn’t have time to think about Jack and what a prick he’d been, so she decided to pretend he didn’t exist. It shouldn’t be that hard. His office was on a different floor and she couldn’t imagine any reason she would need to interact with him. Except in the elevator, and using the law of statistical averages, that shouldn’t happen very often. She almost believed the plan would work—until she received flowers, roses in every color. The enclosed card read, Which color do you like best? No signature. That seemed like something Florida Jack might do, but since he hadn’t signed his name, she couldn’t exactly take the roses up to his office with her grateful message attached: Sit on these. Hope you find a thorn the hard way. Despite her suspicions, she couldn’t help enjoying the perky buds and the yummy scent they exuded. Amelia spent the morning reviewing the file for her first disaster assignment. The mailroom was a mess. CHAPTER THIRTEEN CHAPTER FOURTEEN “GIRLS’ NIGHT OUT ON Thursday,” Trina had told her. “Minus Maddie. Plus Chad.” Amelia wouldn’t miss drinks and dinner at the trendy new restaurant with this group of people. As she entered the busy eatery in Buckhead, she spotted Trina, Liz and Chad. Liz and Chad, longtime friends of Jenny’s, had invited Trina into their inner circle via Jenny. Trina had thrown a M.A.P party—also known as a men are pigs party—for Amelia last spring, when Will had broken up with her the first time. Liz had ushered Amelia into her first margarita hangover with some sage feminine wisdom. “The great thing about getting a hangover when your heart is broken is that your head hurts so much it distracts you from other pain.” Liz and Trina smiled and waved. “Come on over. Jenny’s running a little late,” Trina said. “Liz already ordered a drink for you.” Liz rose to give Amelia a hug. “You’re looking good, girl. I hear you finally left wishy-washy Will behind. I’m glad to hear it.” Amelia laughe CHAPTER FOURTEEN Dictionary Definition: Flip-flop: Noun. A type of sandal, usually a thong with a lightweight foam sole that makes a “flip-flop” sound as you walk. Amelia Parker’s Definition: Flip-flop: Transitive verb. What a really hot guy makes your heart do. CHAPTER FIFTEEN JACK SAT IN HIS OFFICE, aka former skinny file room, comparing the best-selling shoes at Bellagio with other brands. Bellagio was a clear winner among special occasion shoes. Jack liked the whole ad campaign of using a glamorous Desperate Housewives theme, showing a celebrity going from her Bellagio special occasion shoes to her Bellagio activewear shoes. Guys were easier. They all wanted to feel like they were the next great basketball player. He heard a brisk tap at his door before it opened. Marc Waterson entered and closed the door behind him. Jack was surprised as hell, but he didn’t show it. Instead, he leaned back in his desk chair and nodded. “Hello.” “Hello,” Marc returned, glancing at Jack’s computer. He tossed a pair of tickets onto Jack’s desk. “Here they are.” Jack saw they were the tickets for the charity auction. “Damn. I was hoping you were going to invite me to a Braves game.” Marc shot him a deadly gaze. “To what do I owe the pleasure of your charming CHAPTER FIFTEEN CHAPTER SIXTEEN SHE BLINKED. “That’s it? What about a bra?” “Won’t need it,” he said. “But—” “Go on now. I don’t have all night if I’m going to mooch my way into the event.” Within ten minutes, Amelia had pulled the gown over her nearly naked body. She stepped into the silver sandals Chad had brought for her. He applied her lip color and gave her the gloss for touch-ups, then guided her to the full-length mirror. “Well?” “You’re amazing. Thank you.” “You’re very welcome. If I have it my way, I’ll see you later tonight at the auction.” “How will you get inside?” He waved his hand. “There’s always a way. Heads are gonna turn and hearts are gonna roll. Think of all the money I could make off of the whiplash victims tomorrow morning if I were a chiropractor.” “That may be an exaggeration.” Chad shook his head. “You’ll see. Ciao, my dear. Would you mind if I take your vodka with me?” AMELIA COULDN’T LIE. She felt like Cinderella at the ball. She’d splurged on valet parking, so she wouldn’ CHAPTER SIXTEEN CHAPTER SEVENTEEN SHE SHOULD IGNORE HIM. But she didn’t. Amelia argued with herself for ninety seconds until she couldn’t stand her internal debate. Making her way to the verandah, she didn’t see him until she walked away from the entrance. He looked isolated as he stood alone, leaning against a column and staring into the night. She felt a twinge of something and tried to dismiss the feeling with debatable success. “I don’t owe you a drink. You had two going on three and I had one.” He turned to look at her. “Nice to meet you again, Miss Amelia Parker,” he said in a mocking voice. He shook his head. “Afraid to admit you even know me in front of your friends?” A slice of guilt cut deep. “It’s more about my job. You’re obviously not going to be here forever and if it got around that you and I—” She broke off, searching for the right words. “That you and I had a wild affair when you were down in the Keys and that you spilled information about your company—” “Because I didn’t know you wer CHAPTER SEVENTEEN CHAPTER EIGHTEEN JACK DOUBLE-CHECKED the address Amelia had given him in her voice message. Yep, the street address matched the old, worn three-story community center. Shaking his head as he parked his car on the street, he wondered if the tires would still be attached to his vehicle after he went inside the building. This wasn’t Atlanta’s nicest neighborhood. She’d instructed him to dress casually to join her as she crossed something off her list, and to come only if you dare. The message had sounded sexy and too inviting to miss. That sweet southern girl had tricked him. Smelling a do-gooder activity, he went against his usual instincts and decided to join her anyway. Walking inside, he heard the sound of voices coming from a gym on the right. He entered the gym and saw a few adults and a large group of elementary school-age children. Spotting him, Amelia waved and moved toward him. “I’m glad you could make it,” she said. “When you said it involved your list, I imagined something els CHAPTER EIGHTEEN CHAPTER NINETEEN “I DON’T HAVE MUCH TIME,” Marc said as the waiter delivered their burgers for lunch. “I’ve already told you that I don’t think an economy line is the best way to go for Bellagio. Why are you so insistent?” “Thanks,” Jack said to the waiter, then looked at Marc. “Because it could be good for Bellagio. Have you looked at the numbers?” “Have you examined the adverse effect on the couture line?” He swallowed his first bite of the burger. “This is good. Hits the spot.” “Not as good as The Vortex, but it’s pretty good,” Marc agreed. “But—” His cell phone rang and he picked up. “Hey, sweetheart, I’m in a business lunch. What can I do for you?” He paused and smiled. “Thanks. This is the best call I’ve received all day. I love you, too. I’ll stop in and see you after lunch. Okay?” He closed his phone and glanced at Jack, his smile falling. “About your idea,” he said. “You can’t ignore the financial boost a bigger share of the market would give Bellagio. You could call it someth CHAPTER NINETEEN CHAPTER TWENTY THE FOLLOWING AFTERNOON, Jack stopped by Amelia’s office again. “How’d you manage this covert trip?” she teased. He shook his head and raked his hand through his hair. “Sorry, that didn’t even occur. I just thought I should let you know I won’t be coming over tonight. I gotta head back to Chicago.” Her stomach sank. “Oh.” She told herself she shouldn’t be surprised. She told herself she shouldn’t feel anything. Jack was just a distraction—one who could make great pancakes and kiss her so that she felt like melted syrup. “Tired of Bellagio and Atlanta?” And me? Okay, where did that come from? “No. It’s my uncle. Apparently he was in an accident. He’s in bad shape and there’s a screw-up with his insurance. His wife, Cindy, called me, which she ordinarily never does, so she must be pretty upset.” “I’m so sorry,” Amelia said, concerned. “Do you know anything about his condition?” “He’s stable, but he’s got a concussion, broken bones. He’s unconscious. It doesn’t sound good.” CHAPTER TWENTY CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE JACK STAYED IN CHICAGO for another week, but he called Amelia every day. She tried to use the distance to get her head screwed on straight, but she thought about him much more than she knew her should. She wondered what would happen between them when he returned. Would he take over her bed? Would she let him? He must have sensed her hesitation, or maybe he had his own, because he didn’t rush her into bed when he returned to Atlanta. Which, of course, made her question her ability to arouse him to the point of insanity. He took her back to kisses. Long, drawn-out, bring-her-to-the-edge-of-madness kisses. Every time she saw him, he left her hot, wet and bothered and wanting more. For some reason, though, they both resisted taking the next step. The weekend of her sister’s wedding arrived and she took Friday off and left Thursday afternoon to join the festivities. Jack joined her, pleased with his assignment to play golf with her father. “Just so you know,” she told him CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE Dictionary Definition: Tongue: Noun. The flap under the lacing or buckles of a shoe. Amelia Parker’s Definition: Tongue: Noun. Using it the wrong way can get a girl into big trouble. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO WITHIN TWO MINUTES, Jack snuck out of the house. Speed was his friend. He heard Shelley calling after him just as he slammed the door to his car and reversed out of the driveway. He called the police station across the state line where the Parker sisters, two other members of the wedding party and several other patrons of The Red Eye bar had apparently been taken. As he entered the small facility, he heard singing in the background. He approached the harried-looking uniformed man behind the desk. “Sheriff, I’m here to escort some ladies from Georgia home.” The guy rubbed his face. “I’m not the sheriff. Who are you here for?” “Six women celebrating the wedding of Gwendolyn Parker, which is scheduled for tomorrow.” The man cast him a wary look. “Oh. Those women.” He glanced at papers on the desk. “Charges include public drunkenness, lewd behavior, nudity and resisting arrest.” “May I speak with Amelia Parker, please?” “I’ll bring her out,” the officer said and a couple CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE TWO DAYS AFTER JACK and Amelia returned to Atlanta, he showed up at her condo with chocolate. “Dessert,” he said and watched her eyes widen with anticipation. “Oooh, I can’t wait.” She reached for the box. He pulled it from her reach and shook his head. “Oh, no. Didn’t your mother ever tell you dessert is for after your dinner? Protein and vegetables before sweets.” She pursed her lips in the cutest, sexiest pout he’d ever seen in his life. It was so out of character for her that he almost gave her the candy. He bent toward her and brushed those sexy lips with his mouth. She was better than any candy. “Let me take you out to dinner first,” he said. She tilted her head to one side and smiled. “That’s a nice offer.” She lifted her finger to rub his chin. “But why don’t we stay in instead? It just occurred to me that there are some things with chocolate that I’ve never done.” “That’s very tempting, but there’s this place I’ve been wanting to go. Great reviews. I want CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE EPILOGUE ONE MONTH LATER, after several dinners out, Jack took Amelia to Key West. As she slid her hand through his and watched the sun go down, she felt a sense of nostalgia so sweet it ached. After that night at Lillian’s, she’d told Jack that she’d seriously considered punching him for keeping secrets again. In response, he’d shown her photographs of his mother and father. The more she learned about his upbringing, the more she hurt for the little boy he’d been and the more she admired the man he’d become. But he was determined to put the bad days behind him, and she found herself wanting to make his glory days as wonderful as possible. The fact that he could make her heart stop and start again with just one look occasionally scared the poo out of her, but he was worth the fear. She felt his chin rub against the top of her head and turned toward him, putting her arms around him. “This is so nice.” “Ready for the wet T-shirt contest now?” he joked. She gave him a light, playful pinch EPILOGUE

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