by Parker, Ali
I believed in giving credit where credit was due, and she had done a great job training and staying on top of the housekeeping crew. With the little fires put out for the moment, I could head over to my lawyer’s office for our meeting. I grabbed my briefcase and headed back out the door to find Bentley waiting for me.
“You’re late,” he commented.
“I had some issues to deal with,” I replied.
“I like when you’re late—it gives me good reason to speed,” he said with a laugh.
“You speed regardless,” I said.
“But now I have a good reason to,” he answered.
I arrived at the lawyer’s office about ten minutes late for my appointment. I’d be charged for those minutes, so I wasn’t all that worried about running behind. I was taken right in.
“Trent, it’s good to see you!” Lance Avery said, extending one of his pudgy hands toward me.
I shook his hand and took my seat. “Sorry, I’m late. Business.”
“No problem. I’ve got the proposal drawn up and just need you to review it.” He picked up a file and slid it across the desk to me.
“You spoke with him directly?” I asked.
He nodded. “I did. Nice man.”
“And why is he wanting to sell?” I asked, not trusting anyone at face value. “And if he does want to sell, why isn’t it more widely known? And why sell it to me?”
“In a nutshell, he’s tired of the game. He’s ready to retire but still cares a great deal for the business he built. He doesn’t want it to go to just anyone. You’re not his only choice.” He grimaced.
“I knew it,” I grumbled.
“His price is reasonable. He has a few stipulations, but I think you can get it. You might want to add a little more to the price to make sure it goes to you. Your competition is going to be thinking the same thing. I can arrange a meeting and have the two of you talk face to face. It might put him at ease and get him to sign his name on the dotted line.”
I nodded, reviewed the proposal to buy the hotel, and found it satisfactory. “That works for me. Do what you have to. I want that real estate.”
“I understand,” he said. “I’ll get back to you next week. Let me do some checking and find out if his story about early retirement is true. Due diligence. I don’t want you spending your money on a pile of shit.”
I chuckled. “Thank you. I don’t want to buy a pile of shit.”
“I’ll be in touch,” he said, and I left the office.
I checked the time, realizing it was still early, and was happy for it. I didn’t feel like I was shirking any duties at work. In fact, I had to go home and talk with my house manager to work out the final details for the party I was hosting at my place tomorrow.
It was a way to rub elbows with some of the elite members of Tahoe society and a few of the newcomers that were hoping to get in on the real-estate boom. Every person could be viewed as my competition. Hotels popped up practically every night, everyone fighting for the prime space on the beach. I liked to stay in the know, and that meant schmoozing now and again.
Bentley dropped me off at the door, promising to see me in the morning, and left. I walked in the house, waiting for Leia to realize I was home. When she didn’t immediately come running, I headed for the kitchen, following the smell of cooking meat.
“There you are,” I said to Leia, who was sitting on the invisible line she and Mira had established. When Mira was cooking, Leia was not allowed in the kitchen. That didn’t mean she couldn’t sit and watch and drool on the very edge.
“How’s it going?” I asked Mira.
“Good, but we need to talk about that party,” she said sternly. “There are some details that need to be finalized.”
Mira was always stern. I didn’t think I’d ever seen her not be completely serious and scowling.
“Okay, what do you need?” I asked.
“I need to know who’s taking care of letting the caterers in,” she said. “They want to come an hour earlier than planned.”
“I’ll leave a key,” I answered easily.
“Good.”
“Anything else?” I asked, knowing she was irritated. She hated last minute changes. The woman could have run the entire military, given the chance. She was stricter than any of the drill sergeants I had encountered in my life.
“I’ve taken care of the rest,” she said. “I’m going to finish this dinner, and don’t you dare give it to that dog.”
I looked at Leia and winked, letting her know she would definitely be getting a bite or two once Mira was gone. Leia seemed to understand and gave a sharp bark.
“Got it,” I said. “Thank you. I’m going to change.”
I walked out of the kitchen, ordering Leia to follow me. She reluctantly left her post and trotted along beside me as we made our way to my sprawling master suite. The house was too big for me alone, but I liked the privacy it afforded. It was either go big or live within an arm’s reach of a neighbor. I didn’t want that, so I went big. Now I had a massive home that seemed a little over the top and like I was flaunting my wealth, but damn, if I didn’t enjoy the perks of the house next to the beach.
“Come on, troublemaker,” I said to Leia, patting my big bed. She jumped up and immediately flopped down to take a short nap while I changed into something more comfortable.
I once again felt a little guilty for not going out or attending the meet and greet at the hotel, but I was hoping no one would miss me. It was so much nicer to hang out at home, with no one expecting anything from me. I didn’t have to smile or schmooze.
I could just be me—a man with his dog.
Chapter 6
Sade
Breakfast had been amazing. We had decided to actually get out of bed and join the living downstairs in the restaurant instead of dining on room service. It had been worth the hassle of getting dressed and presentable. I had never enjoyed such delicious crepes in all my life. I could have eaten so much more, but that would have been a little cliché—the big girl eating four helpings while her skinny friends stuck to one.
We took a different path, wanting to check out the grounds of the hotel, and went out a side door. We walked along a path with both sides of it surrounded by a perfectly manicured lawn with rose bushes blooming and little benches placed under shade trees. It was a beautiful garden space that I planned to visit again soon.
Out of nowhere, a slobbering, short-haired beast rubbed against my legs. I looked down, initially horrified until I saw the prettiest dog in the world, attempting to wrap its body around me, all while looking up at me with the biggest smile on its face.
“Well, hello there,” I exclaimed, hoping like hell the dog was friendly. It seemed friendly enough, but one never knew.
“Oh my god!” Julia exclaimed, jumping back.
“What the hell?” Khloe said, stepping away from the slobbering dog.
“It’s fine, she’s friendly,” I said, leaning down to try and untangle the leash from around my ankles before I fell over and squished the dog.
“I’m so sorry!” I heard a familiar male voice say. I looked up and saw Trent rushing toward us. “I thought I had her leash wrapped a little tighter. She got away from me, and I didn’t realize it.”
“It’s okay,” I mumbled, still trying to keep my balance.
The dog was like an anaconda. Her body was practically folded in half around my legs, making it difficult for me to keep my balance. I tried to pull one leg out of the leash and nearly toppled to the grass.
“Leia, stop!” he ordered, reaching out one hand to steady me.
“Thanks,” I murmured, managing to get one foot out of the leash before very awkwardly hopping around to get my other foot free.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “She knows better, and usually, she doesn’t run off or attack guests.” He took the leash from my hand. “Sit.”
The dog dutifully sat beside him, still looking at me with the biggest dog smile on her face. She lo
oked very proud of herself.
“It’s really okay,” I said. “She is a beautiful dog. What’s her name?”
“Leia,” he said, looking at the dog and scowling.
“Hi, Leia,” I said, reaching out my hand for the dog to sniff. Once she licked my hand, I rubbed her head. “You’re a good girl, aren’t you?”
Then I busted out my baby talk and regaled the dog with praise for her beauty.
It was only after a full thirty seconds or so I realized no one was talking. I looked up and found him staring at me. I quickly jumped back, feeling like a complete idiot.
Damn dog. I had a soft spot for dogs and kind of tuned everything else out. I had let my inner nerd come out, loud and proud, right in front of one of the most handsome men in the world. Good job, Sade.
“I’m having a house party tonight,” he said, his gaze holding mine. “I’d love for you to come. All of you.”
I shook my head, immediately declining the invitation. “We couldn’t impose,” I started to say, but was cut off when Julia grabbed my arm, yanking me back.
“We’d love to!” she answered.
“Great,” he said with an easy smile. “I’ll have a car pick you up. I live on the lake. Bring your suits.”
“Maybe you should give her your number—in case something comes up,” Khloe chimed in.
I looked at her, my eyes going wide as I tried to tell her to stop. There was no stopping her. She grabbed my phone out of my back pocket, unlocked it, and handed it to him.
I watched with shock as he quickly input his information in my phone before handing it back. “I’ll see you tonight. Come on, Leia.”
He walked away with his dog trotting happily at his side. Once he was out of earshot, I spun around, hands on my hips as I glared at my friends. “What the hell are you two doing?”
They were both smiling. “You should see the video,” Khloe said with a laugh.
“What video?” I snapped.
“The video I took of you tangled up in the leash with your sexy hero swooping in to save the day,” she answered nonchalantly.
I shook my head. “No, you didn’t.”
“Oh, I did, and it is going to be fun to watch over and over,” she answered.
“I hate you,” I said.
“Come on,” Julia said, hooking her arm around mine and dragging me through the garden. “We need to go back to our room and figure out what we’re going to wear.”
“Guys, he was only being nice,” I said. “We can’t actually crash his party.”
“He wasn’t being nice,” Khloe said. “He was being flirty. He likes you. He invited you to his house. We’re only the extra baggage that has to come along because friends don’t let friends hang out with wealthy, hot men alone.”
I shook my head. I refused to believe a man like him would be interested in a girl like me. He appeared to be genuinely nice and probably felt bad about his dog mauling me with her tongue. It wasn’t that bad. I loved dogs, and that dog was particularly cute and friendly.
Despite my protests, I found myself with my suitcase dumped out on my bed.
“You guys,” I protested again.
“This is going to be fun,” Julia said. “We’re going to a house party—on the lake. The guy is mega rich. I can’t wait to see his house!”
“I don’t think he was serious,” I said again.
Julia picked up one of the flirty blouses I had packed for a night out. She held it up to me and cocked her head to the side before dropping it on the bed. She reached for another one, similar in style but black with large shoulder cutouts. “Yes, this one.”
I snatched it from her and turned to look in the mirror, holding it up to me. “Jeans or shorts?” I asked, giving in to the fact I was going.
“Shorts,” Khloe said. “Definitely shorts. Those ones with the fringes.”
I groaned. “Those are kind of short.”
“Exactly,” Julia said. “They make your legs look long. They’re perfect. You can wear the wedges with them and really make your legs look long.”
I had to trust them. They were both far better dressers than I was. I never put a lot of thought into what I wore. I spent a lot of time in a lab with a lab coat on. It seemed pointless to get choosy about what I put on for the day.
“We need to bring our swimsuits,” Khloe announced.
“No, I’m not going to wear a swimsuit!” I said firmly.
“It’s a party at the lake,” she said. “Lake means water. People are going to be wearing swimsuits, and he specifically said, bring your swimsuits.”
“Not me. No way.”
“He already saw you in your bathing suit,” Khloe pointed out.
She was right, but that was not the point. “For like three seconds. I will feel way too uncomfortable with all the beautiful people that are sure to be there, roaming about with their perfect bodies, even if said bodies are the work of a skilled plastic surgeon.”
“I’m taking my suit,” Julia stated.
There was some more talk about what to wear, who we might meet, and what to do if one of us hooked up with a guy. I thought the last one was kind of ridiculous because I had no intention of hooking up with anyone. I was only going because they were essentially forcing me to do so. I didn’t want to be rude either. He’d invited us.
“We go, we get one drink, and then we leave,” I said once we were all dressed in our party outfits.
“Stop,” Julia said. “It’s going to be fun. When do you ever think you’ll be invited to something like this again? Never, which means you need to live in the moment. It’s going to be amazing. It’s the kind of thing we could only dream about or watch on some reality show. I wonder if a Kardashian will be there.”
I groaned. “I hope not.”
We all burst into laughter, getting on the elevator and heading down to the ground floor. There was a sense of pride as we strolled across the lobby floor, our beach bags in hand as we headed for the front doors. I imagined it in slow motion, the three of us walking side by side, our hair blowing back as we exuded confidence and power.
And then reality hit. I saw the black town car parked under the cover. I reached out and grabbed both their arms.
“Wait,” I said.
They both turned back to look at me. “What?” they asked in unison.
“What the hell are we doing?” I hissed, dragging them both back inside the lobby.
“We’re going to a party,” Julia answered.
I shook my head. “I’m almost positive this is how at least five horror movies start. Three naïve girls on vacation get into a car with a stranger to go to another stranger’s house. This is us being stupid. We know better than to get in a car with a stranger.”
Khloe rolled her eyes. “He’s not exactly a stranger. We know his name, and we know he owns the hotel.”
“Do we?” I asked. “Do we really know that? What if he just said that to get us to trust him?” My overactive imagination kicked into high gear as various scenarios unfolded in my mind. All of them ended with us dead in some horrible way.
Khloe grabbed my shoulders and spun me around, pointing at the wall over the fireplace where a framed picture of Trent was hanging. “Do you think hotels normally hang pictures of serial killers on the wall?” she asked dryly.
“Oh,” I said.
“Can we go now?” Julia asked with exasperation.
We walked back out to the black car where an older gentleman leaned against the hood.
“Do you think that’s the car?” I whispered.
“Ladies,” the man said, turning to look at us and smiling. “Mr. Gilroy is waiting for you.” He opened the back door for us to climb in.
“Does that answer your question?” Julia asked before climbing in the backseat.
“If I get killed, I swear I am so going to haunt you guys,” I muttered, scooting in next to her.
Khloe sat next to me, and the door shut behind her. “If you’re dead, we’re probably g
oing to be dead. We’ll be able to haunt people together.”
I rolled my eyes, praying Trent Gilroy was the man he appeared to be and not some closet freak that was luring us out of the hotel and into his lair. I watched a lot of movies, I decided. Maybe a few too many. I was always comparing real-life situations to ones I had seen in movies. Obviously, that was why the movies were good. Because they were based on stuff that could happen.
I just hoped nothing movie worthy would happen tonight.
Chapter 7
Trent
I made my way through the crowd of people hovering in the open living area that overlooked the back deck and the lake. Mira was giving me the look from the dining room. I knew she had something to say, and I was trying to get to her, but I kept getting stopped along the way by guests that wanted to chat about the weather, compliment my house, or ask about business.
I excused myself and almost made a clean break for the kitchen where Mira had disappeared to when Richie grabbed my arm.
“Where are you going?” he asked in a low voice.
“I need to talk to Mira,” I said irritably. “She’s been trying to get my attention for the last fifteen minutes.”
“You need to be nice to your guests,” he said quietly. “These are some of the major players in the area. You’ll want them on your good side. That guy over there owns one of the top ski resorts. We want him to send us his overflow.”
I groaned. “That’s what you’re here for. I don’t do this whole schmoozing thing well. I need to check with Mira and see what’s going on. Trust me. She’s not to be messed with.”
“Fine, but hurry back,” he said. “I will come and find you.”
I walked away, keeping a smile on my face as I made my way into the kitchen. Mira was there waiting for me, looking none too pleased.
“Sorry,” I muttered.
“It’s fine,” she said. “Everything is ready. The caterers are ready to serve when you are. I’ve asked them to stay out of sight for now. To let people mingle and drink for a bit.”