“Correct the situation?” he demanded. “How am I supposed to do that? Force her to hire me? That’ll go over well.”
There was a brief pause before Shadoe said, “Your usual methods will suffice.”
“And what methods are those?”
“Bumbling mayhem?”
The muscles in Shayde’s jaw clenched. “Yuck it up big brother and I may dump this one in your lap. I’m a volunteer, remember? I don’t get paid to screw with people’s lives. I do it out of sheer perverse pleasure. Push me and Mrs. Lonigan goes matchless.”
Now that he thought about it, he actually liked the sound of that.
“You’re to find a weakness to use as leverage,” Shadoe retorted. A quick series of computer tones sounded in the background. “I’m sending you an E-mail with a more in-depth report on Mrs. Lonigan than the one you currently have. Use the information you find there. I’ll expect another progress report within forty-eight hours.”
“I won’t blackmail her,” Shayde warned. “I made it clear when you approached me about helping out. I don’t operate that way.”
“The word used was leverage, not blackmail.”
“That’s a mighty fine line you’re drawing there.”
There was a pointed silence and then Shadoe’s voice rumbled across the line. “Are you refusing the job?”
“Hell, no.” But he wanted to. They were making a mistake with this’ whole ridiculous setup. A bad one. He didn’t give a damn if they matched Tess with a dozen eligible men. He didn’t have a single doubt that their choice would ultimately prove wrong for her. “Are you certain about this one, bro? Really certain?”
“What do you mean?”
How could he explain gut instinct? He’d lived by it, trusted it, depended on it. And his gut was telling him that Tess Lonigan wouldn’t appreciate the Committee’s interference in her life. He’d never met a woman quite like her before. He couldn’t help remembering how she’d looked when he’d gotten too close—startled, wary, fragile. Vulnerable. And yet there had been a steely determination that had overridden her apprehension. While her pansy-blue eyes had revealed her skittishness, she’d faced him with a passionate defiance that had set fire to the night. Nervousness caught within a determined resistance. Fire wrapped in ice. It had made for an intriguing contrast.
Perhaps that explained why he’d pushed so hard. He’d wanted to see the woman behind the mask. He wanted to know her true essence, not the select elements with which she confronted the world around her. And he had seen her, far more than she felt comfortable revealing. He’d also come away from the encounter having formed two ironclad conclusions.
First, this wasn’t a woman who would accept help easily or appreciate the deception the Committee was practicing. When she found out the truth, there’d be hell to pay. Second, there was more going on than a mere job promotion, otherwise she wouldn’t have taken such an extreme step as hiring a pretend lover. Whatever it was had thoroughly disconcerted the overly controlled Mrs. Lonigan. Which—now that he thought about it—led him to a third conclusion.
She needed him.
“Shayde?” Shadoe’s boss joined the conversation. As always her tinny voice sounded odd, almost mechanical. “Explain your reluctance in accepting this assignment.”
He released his breath in a sigh. She wouldn’t buy “gut instinct” which meant he better come up with an angle she would buy. Unfortunately, he hadn’t found one. Yet. “Tess doesn’t strike me as a woman who has much use for a man.” Except for him. “Sure, maybe to help out her career. But there’s something about her—”
“That’s not your decision to make,” Shadoe informed him.
Shayde frowned. How did he make his brother understand? “I’ve met her. You haven’t. I have the distinct impression that she’s not ready for a relationship.”
“We’ve found the perfect match.”
Shayde grimaced. He’d never heard his brother more adamant. “Yeah, great. What if she doesn’t want any match, perfect or otherwise?”
It was the boss lady’s turn to attack. “The decision has been made. As the Instigator, your job is to initiate the events, not debate the pros and cons. You’re to put all the elements in place and allow them to interact.”
“And if nothing happens?”
“As always, the ultimate choice remains hers.”
“Says you.”
“The Committee has never been wrong,” she reminded him.
“There’s a first time for everything,” he retorted. He might as well have saved his breath.
As usual, the two ignored what they didn’t want to hear. They made a great team. “Step one is to get the job,” Shadoe ordered. “Call us when you’ve achieved your first objective.”
“Yes, sir.” Shayde set his jaw. Fine. He’d do his damn job and to hell with his gut instincts. They’d claimed the Cupid Committee had never been wrong. If he couldn’t help thinking he’d like to be there when they fell flat on their collective faces, he’d be smart to keep such an aberrant thought to himself. “By tomorrow Mrs. Lonigan and I will be playing the part of lovers.”
Shadoe reacted just as he’d anticipated. “Mrs. Lonigan isn’t for you, little brother,” came the sharp warning.
Shayde didn’t bother replying, but snapped the phone closed. Maybe that was so he wouldn’t reveal his second aberrant thought.
The hell she isn’t.
“Well?” Shadoe asked.
“Interesting development.”
He leaned all the way back in his chair and lifted his boot-clad feet to his desktop. “Give him time, boss lady. He’s new at this. He’ll get it right in the end.”
“You should have handled the assignment.”
“Nah.” Amusement glittered in his eyes like gold dust. “It’s more fun this way.”
“And if Shayde makes a mistake?” She frowned in displeasure. “It could happen, you know.”
“Then we’ll be there to pick up the pieces.”
“Perhaps.”
“What’s the matter?” he prompted gently. “Are you having second thoughts?”
“One or two.” He could tell she made the confession with great reluctance. “Of all the matches we’ve arranged, this has the greatest potential for failure.”
“Because of Shayde?”
She inclined her head. “And because of Tess Lonigan. What if Shayde decides to take matters into his own hands? It would be like him.”
“We’ve never failed before,” he reminded. “We’re not going to this time.”
She actually smiled. “Promise?”
“Shayde will come through in the end. You have my word of honor.”
Tess’s phone rang and she picked up the receiver, holding it to her ear with an uplifted shoulder. “Altruistics,” she said automatically.
“Dearest, how lovely to speak to you again.”
The instant Tess heard the friendly tones she carefully returned her pen to the desktop and straightened in her chair. “Mrs. Smith. This is a surprise.”
“I don’t know why it would be. I’m sure I mentioned that I’d be in touch.”
“So you did,” Tess replied. “What can I do for you?”
“I’ve decided that tomorrow’s the day.”
Oh, dear. Tess released a silent sigh. She’d been dreading this moment for almost five years. That was how long she’d known Adelaide Smith and that’s how long the sweetly stubborn woman had been attempting to find Tess a husband. It didn’t matter that she didn’t want another husband, or that any of the men Adelaide had forced on her had been abysmal failures. At their last meeting, it had become clear that the woman had decided to go from casual matchmaking to something more drastic.
“Mrs. Smith, I really rather you didn’t try and instigate anything between me and your son. He’s a potential client and it would be a conflict of interest.” Not only that, but Tess suspected her boss had selected Adelaide’s son as the Impossible she’d have to t
urn in order to win her promotion.
“I’m afraid you’ve left me no choice. You need a man in your life and I’m going to make sure you get one. Dick is perfect for you. I don’t know why it didn’t occur to me to introduce the two of you before this. Maybe because he was so busy making his millions that I didn’t think he’d have time to give you the attention you deserve.”
Lovely. Just what she required—a self-centered mercenary. “Mrs. Smith, you don’t understand. You see, I’m up for this big promotion and—”
“And you have to turn an Impossible. Yes, dear, I know.” Tess’s breath caught in sheer disbelief. How the devil had Adelaide found out about that? As though in response to the silent question, she explained, “I have my sources. I’m also determined to get what I want. In case you hadn’t noticed, I don’t give up easily.”
No, she didn’t. Which made Tess’s position all the more awkward. She’d tried everything over the past several years—saying no, saying yes, explaining ad nauseam, demanding, threatening, begging. Nothing had convinced the woman to stop her efforts. If the Smiths weren’t at the top of Altruistic’s list of Impossibles they most wanted as contributors, Tess would have taken more drastic action. But how did she tell her boss, Al Portman, that this sweet, adorable woman was as ruthless as a shark when it came to her matrimonial efforts?
Tess gave it one more try. “What if your son isn’t interested in marriage? I’m not.”
Adelaide tutted. “Don’t you see how perfect this will be? I can see it now. You and Dick meet, thanks to my generous efforts. You and Dick fall in love. Dick writes you a nice, fat check that gets you your promotion. You and Dick marry. You and Dick give me grandchildren. You quit your job. And then you and Dick give me more grandchildren. Now isn’t that the most perfect idea in the world?”
Grandchildren? Quit? Grandchildren? No. Oh, no, no, no. Desperation drove her to commit to the scheme she’d devised—one she’d prayed she wouldn’t need to implement. “It would seem your sources have neglected to keep you adequately apprised,” she announced with a calm she was far from feeling.
“Apprised of what, dearest?”
“I’m involved in a serious relationship.”
There was a moment of absolute silence. “No, my sources hadn’t told me.”
“Strange.” Tess deliberately infused a bewildered note into her voice. “Considering how serious it is, I’m surprised they didn’t think to mention it.”
“But Dick—”
“I would be delighted to meet your son in order to discuss a contribution, Mrs. Smith. But I’ve made a commitment to this other man and I’m not the sort of woman who leapfrogs from relationship to relationship. You wouldn’t want me for a daughter-in-law if I were, would you?”
“Of course you’re not that type,” Adelaide maintained stoutly. “But how do I know if this man’s good enough for you?”
“Trust me, he’s wonderful.”
“Oh, I have the perfect idea.” The older woman laughed in delight. “Brilliant, in fact. You bring him to the benefit tomorrow night and I’ll look him over. If I’m satisfied, then that will be the end of it. A woman can tell, you know. I’ll even talk to Dick about considering your company for a donation. How would that be?”
Tess closed her eyes. What in the world could she say? “That would be wonderful, Mrs. Smith. Thank you.”
Hanging up the phone, she stared at it for an endless moment. She’d wasted enough time. From the broad hunts Al had dropped, he planned to assign Dick Smith as the Impossible who’d make or break her chances at a promotion. Having experienced Adelaide’s aggressive tactics firsthand, Tess could kiss that promotion goodbye if she didn’t find a way to put an end to any matchmaking attempts before they ever got started.
Tess sighed. Which meant she needed to hire a “significant other” before tomorrow evening. So far she hadn’t found anyone more qualified than Shayde, and she doubted that would change within the next twentyfour hours. To be honest, she could look for months and not find anyone to equal him.
Unfortunately, none of the other candidates she’d interviewed had come close to matching either his business qualifications or imposing personal characteristics. Only one thing had kept her from calling Jeanne and instructing her to hire him for the job. Pride. Her breath escaped in a silent sigh. She seemed to have a surfeit of that less-than laudable trait.
Taking a seat at her desk, she punched in Jeanne’s number. She didn’t bother looking it up. She’d dialed it so many times in the past week she knew it by heart. It only took a moment to confirm her final choice and obtain the necessary information to get in touch with Shayde. She immediately placed the call before she could lose her nerve.
“It’s Tess Lonigan,” she announced the instant he answered.
“Yes, Mrs. Lonigan.” His voice rumbled across the phone lines, the sound every bit as disturbing as when they’d first met. This time she also found it reassuring. How odd. “What can I do for you?”
As if he didn’t know. “I’ve made a final decision about the job. If you’re still available, I’d like to hire you.”
“I’m available,” he confirmed. “But I have a few terms we’ll need to discuss before I can start working for you.”
She hadn’t expected that. “What terms?”
There was a brief pause, and then he said, “I suggest we go over everything in person. Are you free tonight?”
This didn’t sound good. She hesitated, debating how best to deal with the situation. As much as she hated to admit it, he had the upper hand. She could argue all she wanted about whatever these terms were, but she’d already committed both of them to attending the benefit. If Shayde decided to force the issue she’d have no choice but to surrender to whatever demands he’d come up with.
Her grip tightened on the receiver. “Yes, I’m free,” she admitted shortly. “Where would you like to meet?”
“Your place.”
“No.” Not a chance in hell.
“Your place,” he repeated. “Look, Mrs. Lonigan, Jeanne has had me thoroughly investigated. I’m as safe as you’re going to get.”
“Somehow I doubt that,” she muttered.
“You had to know this would get personal. You plan to hire a man to act the part of your lover. Did you think the two of you would meet at some central location before attending the various functions you have scheduled? That’s not going to work.”
“I—” She didn’t know what she thought. “I guess not.”
“I’ll be at your place at eight.” Voices murmured in the background and he added, “I have to go.”
“Don’t you want my address?” she asked dryly.
There was a brief pause and then his husky laugh sounded in her ear, teasing her senses in ways that shocked her. “That might be a good idea.”
In only took her a second to relay the information. He hung up immediately afterward and she sat at her desk using every argument at her command to rationalize what she’d just done. Logic didn’t work, nor did emotion. Desperation came closest to justifying her actions, but that made her feel worse rather than better. What if she’d hired a lunatic, or some sort of smooth-talking predator? The instant she realized her panic outweighed every other thought or feeling, she snatched up the phone and called her brother. Seth owned a construction company and had access to the precise tool she required to deal with this evening’s events.
“Come on. Seth.” she pleaded. “You must know someone who can help. I need a big, strong male body in my house while I meet with this guy. And remember, whomever you choose has to be really big and really intimidating, okay? Nothing less than that will work.”
Seth didn’t cut her any slack. “You’re an idiot, Tess. I can’t believe someone as smart as you would invite a complete stranger to your house.”
“Well, I have. And it still might work, despite what you think. Just have your man at my place before eight. Got it?”
�
��He’ll be there.”
“One other question and then I’ll let you go.”
“Hit me.”
“How is the Committee coming along with my request?”
“You’re not our only client, Tess. We’ll get to Emma and Raine as soon as possible. Besides, I’m willing to bet you’ll know how successful we’ve been before we do. Won’t they call you when we dump a pair of perfect matches in their laps?”
“Perfect, huh?”
“Hey, we’re good at what we do.”
“You’d better be. Emma and Raine deserve to be happy.”
“They won’t just be happy. We guarantee happily-ever-after. Now try and be patient, Tess.”
“I’ll be patient if you’ll send me a man of my own,” she teased. “Only I want mine to be big, bad and as intimidating as they come.”
“No problem. I have the perfect candidate. I’ll send him over tonight. Promise.”
Satisfied that she’d protected herself as best she could, she spent the next half dozen hours counting the minutes until her appointment. The time crept by. It didn’t help that her workload was unusually slack that day, or that the memories of her initial meeting with Shayde continued to haunt her. His essence permeated her office, whispering to her in a gravelly voice that succeeded in breaking her concentration. At five that evening she escaped Altruistics, though she soon discovered that the wait at home was even worse. After making certain the house would pass muster, she couldn’t find anything to hold her attention other than deciding what to wear.
The fact that she’d be consumed with such a trivial issue annoyed her no end. Deliberately, she settled on a comfortable pair of jeans and a sleeveless knit top that left an intriguing inch of torso peeking out between the hem of her top and the waistband of her jeans. Running a comb through her hair, she regarded her image with a trace of defiance. Let him try and call her casually elegant now.
Day Leclaire - The Provocative Proposal Page 3