An I.O.U. from a Billionaire

by Olivia B. Dannon

  Liam laughed. “There wasn’t time to come up with an alternative.”

  “Please. You didn’t get billions letting people railroad you into situations you don’t want to be in.” Mae stepped off the elevator when the doors opened. “Try not to fall too deeply in love with her. Joan’s a hard one to catch.”

  If I wanted her, she’d already be mine.

  “I’ll do my best.”

  Mae left him standing outside the elevator. Liam scanned the hall for any sign of Westley. He’d probably left and was waiting in the parking lot.

  Liam spotted Joan talking to the doctor who’d tried to play the hero upstairs. She was pointing at a patient’s chart and Dr. Clark was admiring Joan.

  Who knew that hospitals are such meat markets?

  The doctor said something probably as stupid as his haircut. Joan laughed with a genuine smile handing the doctor the clipboard. They parted ways. Joan walked into a patient room out of his sight and Dr. Clark went into another.

  Another doctor for Joan, apparently that’s her type.

  It didn’t matter. It wasn’t as if he had any real feelings toward her besides annoyance and gratitude for what she did for Cole. Taking the exit, he spotted Westley in the parking lot. Westley hopped in the car and started it up.

  Liam dialed Evelyn while he waited to be picked up.

  “Wainwright Enterprise, Assistant Evelyn speaking. How can I assist you today?”

  “Look at your caller ID, Evelyn. I need you to take care of a problem for me.”

  He could hear the pages on her notepad turning. “I’m ready.”

  “Joan Taylor. She works at Phoenix General as a nurse in the ER. Tonight she will be my date to the benefit. I need you to make sure she looks the part.”

  “I reserved your seats under your name and Alise Crenshaw as you asked. You’ve changed your date?”

  Westley pulled up in front of him and Liam opened the door. “No, don’t cancel Alise just add Joan Taylor on the other side of me.”

  “Two dates? Don’t you think Mr. Crenshaw will have a coronary if he finds out—”

  “He won’t find out. Joan is not arriving with me.”

  Evelyn’s voice was thick with judgment as she answered, “If you say so, Mr. Wainwright.”

  “Good and arrange for her transportation to and from the benefit as well.”

  “I hope you’ll forgive me for saying so, Liam, but Alise doesn’t strike me as the kind of woman who shares. Do you know what I mean?”

  Westley was driving too fast, his usual. Liam put on his seatbelt. “Alise won’t know that Joan is also my date.”

  “And Joan won’t know either?”

  “Joan knows.”

  “What?”

  “Just do as I ask, Evelyn.”

  She laughed like a little sister when her older brother is about to get busted. “Whatever you say, Mr. Wainwright.”

  Liam put the phone back in his pocket. “You’re not going to believe the mess I’m in, Westley.”

  “Really? Were you accused of trying to get painkillers for the fake pain in your arm? No? Well. I was.”

  “Did you slip the nurse some money to keep her from leaking to the press?”

  Westley shook his head. “No. I told her I was your ticket into the ER to see Joan.”

  “You sold me out?”

  “I saw you walk by with Joan and figured your plan worked so why not? The nurse turned out to be a friend of your Nurse Joan so it worked out. You’re lucky she was.”

  Another of Joan’s friends with the picture of a perverted billionaire painted for them by Joan.

  “Yeah, real lucky.”

  “You are juggling two girls at the benefit? Did I hear that right?”

  Liam held up a hand. “It’s not what you think. Joan is cashing in her I.O.U.”

  “She just wants you to be her date?”

  “No, there’s more to it than that.” Liam pushed his hand through his hair suddenly realizing he was saying too much. Westley would definitely tease him about a fake engagement for the rest of his life. Knowing Westley, the way Liam did, he knew that Westley would give him a hard time at the event too. No way was Crenshaw finding out about Joan and drawing the wrong conclusion.

  “Well?” Westley asked when Liam was quiet a bit too long. “Complicated how? Does she want you to buy something that’s up for auction?”

  Liam nodded, deciding it was an easy way out of an awkward conversation he didn’t want to have. “Who are you taking?”

  “Genevieve.”

  “You two are still together?”

  Westley groaned. “It’s not serious.”

  “Two years together is pretty serious.”

  “You sound like a woman right now. You know that? We don’t live together.”

  Liam nodded saying nothing because he knew what was coming. Westley was still hung up on the girl who got away.

  “Genevieve is great.”

  “But she’s not….”

  Westley smiled even though there was torment in his eyes. “No. She’s not Beth.”

  “Still haven’t found her?”

  “There are 179,173 Beth’s currently living in the United States, and more than 1.5 million Elizabeth’s. It’s not as easy as you’d think.”

  When Westley parked the car in front of his office, Liam asked, “It’s been how long since you last saw Beth?”

  “It doesn’t matter how long. It was real with Beth. You don’t get it because you’ve never been in love.”

  “Why do people keep saying that to me? How do you know?”

  Westley laughed as he shook his head. “When it hits you, you’ll know. Trust me.”

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  “That lady is waiting for you, the personal assistant in the pantsuit.” Amanda pointed toward the exit. “I told her I’d send you out. Now go.”

  Joan waved a hand to slow Amanda’s steam rolling. “I just want to check on a patient and I’m gone.”

  Amanda exhaled. “No you’re not because I clocked you out. Your shift is covered. Now scoot.”

  “He said I’m a terrible actor.”

  Amanda nodded. “Yeah, honey, you are. So just don’t act.”

  “What?”

  “You’re attracted to the guy. Let it show.” Joan opened her mouth to protest but Amanda kept going. “You’d have to be dead not to recognize the man is gorgeous and you have a pulse so I know you think he’s smoking hot.”

  Arguing with Amanda wasn’t going to get her anywhere. She had to go and play the part. She’d practically challenged Liam before she’d escaped him on the elevator. “I keep my thoughts to myself. I have an excellent poker face.”

  “Yeah. Not so great at hiding your emotions though when you aren’t pulling your professional face.”

  “Fine. He’s handsome but then he opens his mouth and ruins it.”

  Amanda laughed. “Seriously? You’re the nurse who faced down that wife beating giant when everyone else was too afraid to step in. You can handle this rich guy for a party or two. Right?”

  “The new doctor backed me up. I wasn’t completely alone.”

  “Yeah, but he showed up after you stepped up. No excuses or doubts. You got this.”

  Joan nodded. “You’re right. I can do this.”

  “Absolutely.” Amanda pressed her purse into her hands, took her nametag and lanyard, and started steering her toward the exit.

  Dr. Clark stepped into their path and Joan crashed into him. “I am so sorry. I really am.”

  “No, I should have been more careful. I am running late for a fitting. Are you all right, Nurse Taylor?”

  “Yes. Good luck with your fitting and thank you for backing me up with that patient from earlier?”

  He smiled, his hand raising as if tipping an invisible Stetson hat. Joan smiled realizing why the nurses were calling him Dr. Stetson behind his back.

  “My pleasure. You have yourself a good night.”

  Amanda and Joan
watched him walk away. “Wouldn’t you just love to hear his Texas drawl in the bedroom?”

  “Nope. I’m still trying to save my butt from the last doctor I dated. Remember?”

  “Right. Speaking of that, you’d better go. That PA didn’t seem like the patient type.”

  Great. I get to have someone tell me what to wear and dress me up like a pretentious snob.

  “As soon as he takes you home, Mae and I want a call. We want details from your date with Mr. Wainwright.” Amanda gave her a hug and whispered, “Tell me if you were right about how big his—”

  “Amanda!” Joan rolled her eyes as she pulled back. “I wish I hadn’t told either of you about that.”

  Mae dashed up catching what Joan said. “You mean about his photo lens? Too late.”

  A woman in a white pantsuit entered through the emergency exit holding a tablet with Joan’s picture on the screen. Her ash blonde hair was pulled up in a very neat bun. The black blouse beneath her white jacket had a heart shaped neckline, accentuating her tiny waist.

  The woman looked and walked like she was a CEO of some multi-billion dollar industry. When she spotted Joan, she smiled and offered a beautifully manicured hand. “I’m Evelyn, and you’re Joan Taylor. Right?”

  “Yes.” Joan managed wondering how a woman who was clearly a powerhouse ended up as Liam’s personal assistant.

  “The clock is ticking so I figured I’d save time and come in and find you. We’d better go if you don’t want to be too late.”

  It’s only three o’clock in the afternoon. How long does it take to buy a dress and a pair of shoes?

  “Let’s go.” Evelyn started back out the emergency bay entrance. Joan waved to her friends and fell into step with Evelyn, who was walking in black stilettoes like they were a pair of sneakers. “Follow me this way and we’ll get you ready to meet with Mr. Wainwright.”

  “Okay,” Joan answered, unsure of what she was agreeing to exactly.

  A black bus with tinted windows pulled up to the curb. The doors opened with a hiss. Evelyn led the way up the stairs. Once Joan was inside the doors closed and the bus started moving.

  There were two other women on the bus that looked like a salon on wheels from the inside, with a vanity on one side, a padded massage bed on the other and privacy screen and full-length mirror in the back.

  “This is Marci and Heather. Marci will be doing your hair and makeup. Heather will do your waxing, body exfoliating and nails, and of course I’ll be happy to assist you in getting into your dress and shoes.” Evelyn smiled exposing perfectly straight white teeth.

  Did she just say waxing?

  “I’ve never been a waxing kind of girl. I tend to pluck my brows and if you’ve got a razor handy I can shave my legs.”

  “Let’s see what we’re working with and we’ll go from there,” Heather said as Evelyn took Joan’s purse and hung it on a hook next to the vanity.

  “When we’re done with you, Ms. Taylor, you’re going to look like so hot, Liam is going to drool over you like a lovesick puppy.” Evelyn assured, flashing a white smile contrasting with her tan, reminding Joan of a toothpaste commercial.

  Joan nodded reluctantly at the woman who looked like she’d stepped off some Wall Street fashion runway. “Do you do this for all Liam’s dates?”

  Evelyn shook her head. “Some. I think with you though, I’m going to enjoy this.”

  “What’s different this time? The others were less of a challenge?”

  Evelyn tilted her head considering Joan. “No. It’s because Hansen said you’re special and you know what? I think he’s right.”

  Joan smiled, unable to stop herself. She certainly hadn’t expected the blonde bombshell telling her, with her frizz crazy hair and plain face, that she was special.

  “Liam needs a woman with a backbone and a good heart. I can tell you have both. I’m rooting for you,” she said with a contagious smile. “Call me Evelyn but think of me as your Fairy Godmother, gorgeous. We’re dressing you up for a magical night.”

  Marci bent and began removing her shoes. “Whoa, what’s happening right now?”

  “If you’d prefer to disrobe yourself there is a privacy screen and towel just over this way.”

  Joan nodded and went behind the screen. She took off her scrubs, nurse shoes, and socks. Wrapping the towel around herself, she wished she’d had a chance to shower.

  “Take off your underwear too please.” Heather stopped her before she’d made it a second step away from the screen.

  “Why?”

  Heather smiled. “For the waxing of course.”

  “Nope. We don’t need to wax above my thighs. Like I said, I’m not a fan of wax.”

  “Whatever makes you comfortable,” Evelyn said gesturing to the massage table.

  “Comfortable and wax don’t belong in the same sentence.” Truthfully, she had very limited experience with waxing. She’d had her eyebrows done once. It hurt then and it was going to hurt now too.

  Heather laughed. “It won’t be too bad. Go ahead and lay down face down first.” Joan obliged. At least she’d get off her tired feet.

  Once she put her face in the hole Evelyn started talking. “You’re a size six, right?”

  “I’m more comfortable in a seven actually.”

  “Trust me, honey, you’re a six. Is there a color you prefer?”

  Her towel was opened and just above warm wax was smoothed onto her lower back, and at the same time more of the same wax was spread over the back of her calves.

  “Whatever color you pick I’m sure will be fine,” Joan said quickly, her body tensing as a strip of fabric was rubbed over the small of her back. “My back is above my knees, Heather.”

  Another of her chuckles bounced off the walls. “True but I know you don’t want a fuzzy back if things heat up with Mr. Wainwright on your date.”

  “It’s not really a—” Heather ripped what had to be hair, root, and flesh from her back. “Oooouuuch!” Marci ripped the strip off her left calf. “MUTHERFUUUUHH….”

  “Sorry, honey,” Marci said. “If I work with Heather it’ll be over faster.”

  Joan pushed up on the table with her hands as Heather ripped the last strip from her other calf clenching her teeth. “And we’re done waxing.”

  “You can’t have prickly shins and smooth calves, honey.” Heather started.

  Joan looked over her shoulder at Heather. “Says who?”

  “Joan, trust us.” Evelyn put her hand on Joan’s shoulder urging her back onto the table. “When we’re done, you’re going to want to kiss our feet. That’s a promise.”

  “Yeah because the torture will be over.”

  The three women laughed like she was kidding.

  What happened over the next hour was an experience Cinderella was spared. Joan was exfoliated, waxed practically everywhere, plucked, and slathered in a lotion that made her skin as soft and glowing as cheeks on a baby.

  Marci got to work on her hair while Heather did Joan’s finger and toenails. Evelyn directed the two women as though they were the paintbrushes and Joan the canvas for her vision.

  During the waxing and exfoliating stage, Joan was second guessing the Fairy Godmother title for Evelyn but when she stood in front of the full-length mirror in an original blush pink Renee Chevalier gown, she was ready to call Evelyn whatever title she asked for.

  The gown went to the floor in a soft cascade of chiffon. There was a V of diamonds at the waist that was repeated in the heart shaped neckline, flattering her curves. More diamonds glittered from the sheer transparent material on the back of the dress.

  High heels in the same pearl white shade as her nails hugged her feet with an exposed toe showing off her pedicure. Joan touched the diamond earring studs in her ears to be sure they were still there as she smiled.

  Her makeup was elegant and not overdone. Marci used shades of pink and tan for her eyeshadow, lining them with dark brown and mascara that made her blue eyes pop. The lipstick she
was wearing was watermelon pink and didn’t budge. Even when she chewed her lip it didn’t stain her teeth or smear.

  As against the waxing as she’d been, especially when she’d been stripped out of her underwear, she found herself loving the silky smoothness of her skin.

  Somehow these women had taken her from frump to fabulous.

  “You were right. I trust you.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  “You seem nervous, baby. Aren’t I the perfect distraction?” Alise asked, pouting out her lips like a duck again.

  Liam poured a shot of bourbon from the bar in the limo. “I’m not nervous.”

  Evelyn’s name came up on the caller ID and he answered after he downed the shot. “Well? Is it prepared?”

  “It? Nice code, boss. Yeah Joan is definitely fit to be on your arm.”

  “What about the uh… two… stones? Were they well received?”

  Evelyn laughed in his ear. “You are terrible at trying to speak in code. Alise isn’t smart but I’m pretty sure she can crack your attempt at espionage.”

  “Answer my question please.”

  “The diamond earrings you selected were well received, sir. I don’t understand why you didn’t want me to tell her that you picked them out for her yourself.”

  Alise began practicing her smile for the cameras in her compact mirror.

  What the hell?

  “I have my reasons. It would complicate the issue.” He poured himself a second shot and threw it back. “It was delivered?”

  “Yes. Liam, don’t drink too much and make an ass of yourself,” Evelyn said as if she could see him with the shot glass in his hand.

  “I haven’t been drunk at a party in years.”

  “That’s because you only drink when you’re nervous. Maybe juggling women isn’t your thing.”

  The limo pulled to the walkway. “Duly noted, Evelyn. You did well. Thank you.”

  “Good luck.”

  Liam ended the call and put his mobile in his jacket pocket.

  “Make sure to hold me close for the pictures,” Alise said as she reached into her dress and boosted up her cleavage.

  Liam nodded as the door was opened. He stepped out and the local reporters began asking their questions and taking their pictures. He smiled next to Alise but did not put his arm around her in an effort to keep the engagement lie going.