Guilty Pleasures

by Donna Hill

  He stole a look over his shoulder. “Eva. We’ll work it out. Okay”

  Silence.

  “Eva…”

  No response.

  He sighed in exhaustion, got under the covers, and turned his back to her. He tried to sleep.

  11

  Eva went into the stockroom. She’d stashed her personal shipment of zirconia among the boxes of accessories and supplies. Rita was planning on stopping by during her lunch hour so they could begin removing some of the goods.

  Eva went to the back of the room. She frowned as her eyes ran over the boxes. She turned and looked at the row behind her, and her heart pumped faster. Maybe she’d put them someplace else. One by one, she scanned each row of boxes again. Panic seized her. She tugged in a deep breath, and her heart pumped faster. Eva closed her eyes for a moment and then looked again. The three boxes were not there.

  For several seconds she stood in the center of the stockroom, chewing on her thumbnail, forcing her mind to clear. Someone had obviously moved them.

  “Oh, there you are.”

  Eva jumped, grabbed her chest. She turned. “Tara, you startled me. Something wrong” She surprised herself with her calm recovery.

  “Sebastian is here. He said he wanted to start going over the inventory with you.”

  Damnit. She’d hoped that he would have forgotten all about it, with the busy season picking up. “Uh, tell him I’ll be right there.”

  “Sure.” Tara hesitated. “Are you okay You looked flushed.”

  Eva cleared her throat and rubbed her forehead. “Hmmm, think I might be coming down with something.”

  Tara stepped back, made a cross with her fingers. “Well, stay away from me, girl. I cannot afford to get whatever it is you think you’re getting.” She grinned. “I’ll tell Sebastian you’re on your way.”

  “Thanks.”

  Tara started to leave.

  “Uh, Tara, I was looking for three boxes that I’d put back here last week.”

  Tara frowned for a moment and then brightened. “Oh, yes, I have them up front. When I was going over the weekly deliveries, I didn’t see those boxes on my spreadsheet or on yours. I was going to send them back, figured it must have been an error.”

  Eva almost grinned with relief. “Stupid me. I should have transferred the information to your system but totally forgot. I placed that order.”

  “Oh, okay. Well, I have them up front. Good thing you mentioned it. They were going back today.”

  “You are just too efficient for your own good,” Eva teased.

  “I’ll bring them back to your office.”

  “Uh, no. That’s okay. Leave them where they are. Sebastian and I will be working in my office for a couple of hours. I’ll just be sure to include them on the inventory sheet.”

  “I can do that for you.”

  “No,” she snapped with more bite than she intended. Tara flinched. “I mean, don’t worry about it. You have enough to do if I’m going to be tied up for the next few hours. Plus I need to check them out first. They just might have to go back.” She smiled. “I’ll get them from you when Sebastian and I are done.”

  Tara looked at her for a moment, then shrugged. “You’re the boss. I’ll tell Sebastian you’re coming.”

  “Thanks,” she muttered.

  When Tara left the stockroom, Eva turned around in a slow circle, her fist pressed to her mouth, trying to think. Now Tara knew about the boxes. She would be looking for them to appear on the spreadsheet. She’d just deal with that later. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise that the boxes were at Tara’s desk and not in the stockroom. At least she wouldn’t have to worry about Sebastian noticing them there or in her office.

  She straightened her jacket and walked out. Now, if she could get through the next couple of hours with Sebastian, she’d figure out the rest. Rita would just have to wait for the pickup until she’d worked everything out on the inside and soothed any suspicions Tara might have.

  Tara was young and eager, but she was also willing to please and loyal to Eva. If she’d thought anything was awry, she’d come to Eva before ever going to Sebastian. Of that much Eva was certain. Tara had dreams of running the office if and when Eva moved to the new location. It wouldn’t serve her well to get on Eva’s wrong side.

  Holding on to that small comfort, Eva walked into her office, where Sebastian was waiting.

  “I was ready to take a nap,” Sebastian teased. He stood to greet her with a kiss on the cheek.

  “Bass, you weren’t waiting that long.” She walked around him. “How are you Looking good as ever.”

  “I’m good. Better than good.”

  “Oh” Her brow arched in inquiry.

  “The young lady I was telling you about—”

  She smiled. “The one who is still nameless”

  “Her name is Allison. Allison Hampton.”

  Eva eyes widened. “The Allison Hampton Of Hampton Enterprises”

  Allison Hampton was the white equivalent of Oprah. She owned two magazines, a radio station, sat on the board of several Fortune 500 corporations, and recently launched her own charitable foundation. She had her hand in any and every humanitarian cause, near and far. That’s because she had enough money to pay off the national debt—out of her petty cash. Her father was a senator for decades until he died five years earlier. The family made their first fortune during Prohibition and then legitimized themselves in oil, then turned to stocks. She was an only child and heiress to a megafortune, which, by all accounts, she spent wisely. There’d been rumors that her father had had very close ties with the Saudis, but the speculation was never proved.

  Sebastian grinned. “Yes, the Allison Hampton.”

  “Well, you certainly go for the gusto. Congratulations.” She stepped closer and lowered her voice. “Are those really her boobs, or does she have a good surgeon”

  Sebastian tossed his head back and howled with laughter. “I’ll let you know. How’s that”

  Eva chuckled. “As long as you’re happy. I just hope she treats you nice. Or else you know she will be subject to a beatdown. I don’t care how much money she has.”

  “I’m a big boy, Eva. I can take care of myself. But I appreciate your sentiments.”

  She wagged a finger at him. “Listen, you know all you have to do is put your lips together and blow. I’ll be there.”

  He shook his head in merriment. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  “So … I take it the date went well”

  “Yes, very. The first, and every one since then too. We’ve been seeing each other practically every night.”

  “Wow. This does sound serious.”

  Sebastian sat down. He looked up at Eva. “I think so. At least I hope it will be. I really care about her. She’s a good person, funny intelligent, beautiful.”

  “Sounds like she’s the whole package.”

  “And I want you to meet her, you and Jake. I’m going to have a little dinner party at my place, next week Saturday.”

  She froze. “Next Saturday”

  “Yes, does that work for you”

  “Well, actually … I was going to talk to you about next week. I know this is a bad time, but I’m going to have to take a few days off.”

  “Now, with everything that’s going on”

  “Yes, uh, you know my cousin Rita.” He nodded. “Well, she’s going in for some … female surgery. And she’s going to need someone to take care of her for a few days when she gets home. We’re the only family. She doesn’t have anyone else.”

  His mouth formed a firm line. “Will you be reachable, in case we need you”

  “Of course. You can always get me on my cell phone.” She hoped it would work on the ship.

  “Hmmm. Well, family is family. How long will you be out”

  “All of next week, for sure. I hope it won’t be longer than that.” She snatched a glance at her desk clock. Damn, Rita would be walking through the door for their lunch date any second n
ow. “Can you excuse me one minute I need to check on something with Tara.” She hurried out and reached Tara’s desk just as Rita stepped off the elevator.

  Eva practically ran to Rita. Thankfully, Tara was busy with one of the designers. She grabbed Rita by the arm and turned her back to the elevator.

  “Change in plans,” she said under her breath. “Don’t call the office. I’ll call you later.” She pushed Rita back on the elevator just before the door closed.

  She quickly walked over to Tara. “Uh, Sebastian and I will be busy for a while, so would you hold my calls for me”

  “Sure thing.” She looked past Eva. “I swore I saw your cousin just get off the elevator.”

  “Really” She laughed. “At first I thought it was her too, and I went rushing over to her like a fool. Just someone who got off on the wrong floor.”

  Tara looked at her. “Are you sure you’re okay You’re acting really frazzled today.”

  “I do feel a bit warm. Right after I finish up with Sebastian, I think I’ll leave early. Try to nip this thing in the bud.”

  Tara nodded. “Okay.”

  “Well, let me get back.” Eva hurried away, whispering a desperate prayer. Please let this work.

  “Everything okay” Sebastian asked when she returned. He scrutinized her with a pinched expression. “I don’t see why you didn’t just call Tara on the phone. The phones are working, aren’t they”

  “Yeah, but I knew she was working with the designers and wouldn’t be at her desk.”

  “Hmmm.” He looked at his watch. “Okay, well let’s get busy.”

  “Sure.” She was more than happy to sit down. Her legs had gone all wobbly.

  Three hours later, they’d finished the preliminary work. They’d matched all the inventory with the in-house files and began the process of seeing what could be cut back.

  “There really isn’t much room for cuts, Bass,” Eva said, rotating her neck.

  “Unfortunately, you’re right.” He pursed his lips in thought. “Our biggest expenses are the rent for this place, salaries, and utilities.”

  “We can’t afford to let any of the designers go, especially not now. And they can’t work in the dark.”

  They both chuckled.

  “The only thing we can do, which will save several thousand per month, is to cut back on the hours of operation.”

  “What You’re kidding!”

  He shook his head. “What choice do we have The staff is going to have to do more in less time. Since they’re all paid by the hour, we can cut that way, and if no one is here, that will save on the electric bill, which is astronomical.”

  “Bass … I don’t know.…”

  “If you have a better suggestion, I’d love to hear it.”

  She had none. “Who’s going to tell them Not me,” she added quickly.

  The corner of his mouth turned up in a sardonic grin. “Guess that leaves me.”

  “Yeah, I guess it does.”

  * * *

  To say that the staff was disgruntled was a mild understatement, Eva thought as she drove home from work. Sebastian’s new work plan was to go into effect the following day, which meant that everyone was in at their same time of eight but would end the day at two. All that might work out in her favor. No one besides her and Sebastian had keys. Once the employees were gone for the day, she could simply come back and remove the boxes. In the morning she’d let Tara know that she was planning on returning them after all.

  She turned onto her street. Today’s bullets had been dodged, but she was sure there were more where those came from.

  12

  The next day, Lenora sat next to Stan as she placed the call. It rang on the other end several times before the woman who’d set up her husband answered the phone.

  Lenora had gone over every detail of information she’d been able to gather on Suarez and his secret trip into the United States. The shipment wasn’t his real agenda, only a small part of it, but it was the only part that interested her. According to everything she’d uncovered, Suarez was coming to the States to settle a personal score with a family member who’d absconded to the U.S. several months ago. That was his business. When she got what she wanted, she’d put in a well-placed call and have Suarez picked up. In the meantime, she had to stay focused.

  “I will meet you and your husband at the designated drop-off point in Miami. No fuckups.”

  “How do we know that this isn’t a setup” Eva asked.

  “You don’t. But you also have a choice. Do what I tell you to do and walk away, or try to get creative and I can have an agent at your door in five minutes. It’s up to you.”

  “We’ll be there.”

  “That’s better. You have the phones that I sent to you”

  “Yes.”

  “Good. Make sure you have them on at all times. You never know when I may decide to check in. If you don’t answer…” She chuckled. “Well, we don’t want to think about that now, do we” She paused. “Are we clear about everything”

  “Crystal,” Eva said from between her teeth.

  “Excellent. Oh, and by the way, you could really stand to lose a few pounds. Your rear end doesn’t photograph very well.”

  Click.

  Eva’s neck snapped back. “Bitch!” She slammed down the phone just as Jake walked through the door.

  “Who” he asked, hanging his jacket on the coatrack.

  “Lenora Ingram,” she said, seething with outrage.

  “We know that already. What did she do now”

  Eva planted her hands on her hips and rocked from side to side as she spoke. “She indicated that my ass was fat and didn’t photograph well.”

  Jake fought to keep from laughing. He slowly approached. “What does she know about fat asses anyway” He kissed her cheek and patted her behind. “Probably jealous.”

  Eva gave him a hard shove.

  He snickered. “What did she really want”

  “Wanted to make sure we are going to be where we’re supposed to be to make the drop-off.”

  He crossed the room, plopped down on the couch, and let out a long sigh. “I’ll be glad when this is over.”

  Eva dropped down next to him. “Yeah, so will I. The little bitch is going to get what she deserves.”

  Jake grinned and draped his arm around her shoulder. “She’s going to wish she would have simply paid us the money.”

  “I know that’s right.” She turned to Jake. “What time are Rita and Jinx coming tonight”

  “I told them to get here around seven. How’d you make out with the boxes”

  “Believe me, it was touch and go for a minute. I got them out of there today. They’re in the bedroom.”

  “You square everything away with Sebastian”

  “He was pissed that I was going to be out, but I promised him he could always reach me by cell phone in the event of an emergency. But before we leave, I’m going to go over everything I can think of with Tara. She’s itching to run the studio one day. This will be her chance, and I’m going to impress that upon her. If I can get her to believe that contacting me is an indication that she isn’t ready to handle things”—she bobbed her head up and down—“I won’t be expecting any calls.”

  Jake patted her thigh. “Always on the ball.” He pushed up from the couch. “I’m going to take a quick shower and get out of this monkey suit before they get here.”

  Eva sat there for a few minutes more. Ordinarily she would have been eager to join him in the shower for a quick one, but for some reason she wasn’t in the mood. Her nerves were shot, and as much as she’d kept it from Jake, she hadn’t been able to sleep soundly since this entire fiasco began.

  A part of her resented him for getting them into this mess, and the anger was making her distant. She hated to feel that way, but she did. She couldn’t remember a time since they’d met that she hadn’t been hot for him twenty-four hours a day. Sooner or later he would notice, if he hadn’t already.

&n
bsp; She listened to the sound of the shower, tuned in to her body, waited for it to respond to the temptation that was only a few feet away. It never did.

  * * *

  “Did you get approval for the time off from work” Lenora asked Stan as they stood side by side in the kitchen.

  Stan nodded. “It won’t be a p-problem.”

  “Good. I don’t want to risk anything by flying down there and having our names on any flight itinerary. So we’re going to drive.”

  “All the way to F-florida”

  She chopped an onion into minuscule pieces with the precision of a samurai warrior. Stan winced at the intensity with which she wielded the knife.

  “Yes.” She stabbed the knife into the wooden cutting board and turned to him. She wiped her hands on her apron. “It’s the best way. It will take two days. We can spend the night in a motel along the way, meet them for the pickup, and then be on our way.”

  “Lee…” His throat worked up and down. “W-what are we going to do a-after this is o-over”

  She looked into his pale blue eyes, hoping to see some remnants of the man she’d married, hoping that her heart would soften. “Don’t worry about it. I have everything under control.” She stroked his hand as she would a pet and went back to preparing dinner.

  Stan left Lenora to her work and went into the living room to fix himself a drink. If there was one thing he knew about Lenora, she always had a plan, and his gut told him her plan did not include him. He’d have to have one of his own.

  13

  “Hold still,” Eva warned. “I need to fix this sleeve.”

  Rita huffed. “Just don’t stick me again, okay.”

  “I wouldn’t if you would stay still.”

  “Hey, Eva, the shirt is missing one of the gold buttons on the shoulder,” Jinx called out.

  Eva rolled her eyes. They had no clue what it took to put together an entire wardrobe, especially one that had to be mimicked down to the last detail. She went to sleep dreaming about gold buttons and sagging hemlines.

  “I swear I don’t know what you see in him,” Eva said as she made the final adjustment on Rita’s sleeve.