by Boone Brux
“No.” He shrugged. “I just don’t get it. How can somebody resist a perfectly cooked fillet or juicy burger?”
“Digestive problems, healthy lifestyle, the moral issue of killing animals for food.” She folded her hands in her lap and glanced around the restaurant, trying to locate their waitress. “There are a lot of reasons.” When he didn’t reply, she looked at him. He was grinning at her again. Not a mocking smile, but one that made her heart skip a beat and the breath catch in her throat. “What?”
“Has anybody ever told you you’re cute?”
His question took her by surprise, spreading heat across her chest and up her neck. “Uh, no.”
His eyes narrowed slightly, but he continued to smile at her. “How about serious?”
“Too many times.” The thrill of his previous compliment fizzled. “That seems to be the glaring flaw in my character.”
“I wouldn’t worry about it too much.” He eased against the seat back. “I’m told I’m not serious enough.”
With that she agreed wholeheartedly, but refrained from saying so because his admission was somewhat comforting. “What do you say to people when they tell you that?”
“Usually I laugh it off.” He smirked. “It really irritates them.”
“So your knack for annoying people is done on purpose?” She couldn’t imagine intentionally pissing people off.
“Sometimes. Usually it’s when they’ve irritated me first.”
The arrival of their waitress cut off their conversation. “Hey, Price. How’s it going?”
The woman looked to be in her late twenties and had the kind of natural beauty other women paid big bucks for. Everything from her skin to her hair shimmered a bronze-gold. Even her lip gloss sparkled, making her look like she glowed. Her brown eyes reminded Kinni of a cartoon deer, big and outlined with exaggerated black lashes.
“It’s going good, Tiff. How about for you?”
As she set glasses of water on the table she said, “Same old, same old. Eat, work, sleep.” She wiggled a gold-polished fingernail in the air. “Scratch that sleeping part. Eat, work, go to school, parent, clean, and maybe catch a few z’s before I have to do it all over again.”
Price looked at Kinni. “Tiffany is studying to be an accountant.”
“Forensic accountant, actually,” she corrected. “Hopefully, I’ll get on with the police department or one of the bigger agencies. Benefits and retirement would be amazing.”
“That’s wonderful,” Kinni said, surprised by the woman’s busy life. “And did I hear you toss parenting into your long list of duties?”
The woman’s demeanor softened, and she pulled out her phone to flash them a picture of a cherub-cheeked boy. “Yep, this adorable little monster is why I don’t get much sleep.”
“He’s beautiful.” She thought she had it hard with trying to find a job and pay back student loans, but having someone so heavily dependent on her for everything would be terrifying. Her admiration for Tiffany swelled. “He has your eyes.”
Tiffany flipped the phone around and gazed at the screen. The love emanating from her sent a pang of jealousy through Kinni. There had never been anybody in her life she’d felt that way about. Her parents were the closest, but even they didn’t garner such an open display of affection. “He’s the best.” She shoved the phone back into the pouch hanging from her waist. “And the reason I’m working like a dog, which I should probably get back to. So, do you need a couple of minutes or do you know what you want?”
“The usual for me,” Price said.
“Of course.” Tiffany turned her attention to Kinni. “How about you? Can I tempt you with one of our burgers?”
“Why not?” She handed the menu to the waitress. “Bacon avocado burger, fries, and a Diet Coke.”
“Diet?” Price arched his brow. “You have a great body. You don’t need to drink diet soda.”
His comment sent an unexpected tingle of pleasure through her. She’d never considered herself fat, and actually didn’t give her body much thought one way or another. While growing up, her parents had taught her about healthy eating, and besides the occasional splurge, it was a habit now. “Thanks.” She unfolded her napkin and laid it across her lap, avoiding his eyes. “But I had to draw the line somewhere.”
“Well, whatever you’re doing,” he continued, “it’s working.”
“Price, can you follow me around and say nice things?” Tiffany asked, collecting their menus.
“I bet guys are always complimenting you,” Kinni said.
“I wish that was true, but all this”—with a wave of her hand, she indicated her body—“isn’t nearly as sexy when there’s a three-year-old attached to my hip.”
With that, she sauntered away to put in their order. After a few seconds Price looked at Kinni. “Still think these women are clueless airheads?”
“I never said that.” No, but she’d thought it, and he’d picked up on it. “I’m so impressed with Tiffany.” She paused. “But would you say she’s the exception, in terms of drive, I mean?”
“Not at all.” He propped his elbow on the table and twisted to face the dining area. “Amber, the blonde by the bar, is in medical school. Jenny”—he pointed to a brunette taking an order a few tables away—“is a mother of three and works here for adult interaction and spending money. Monica has her own online art store and recently sold one of her designs to a major hotel chain.”
She scowled at him. “I’m a little disturbed by how much you know about these women.”
“What can I say? I’m charming…and eat here a lot.” He took a sip of water and set the glass back on the table. “People love to talk about themselves. Once you learn that fact, you’ll never run out of conversation. Just ask somebody about themselves and nature will do the rest. And…” He held a finger in the air. “They’ll remember and like you.”
“Is that true?” If she was being honest she was a little socially awkward. She could hold her own in discussions about politics and current events, and was great at picking up on body language, but sometimes her casual conversations came out a little too close to a cross-examination. “That seems too easy.”
“Try it sometime.” With a quick nod, he winked at her. “I guarantee you’ll win that person over.”
She did have to admit that Price never seemed to lack for friends. During every event they’d attended for Roxy and Kyle, he’d always appeared to enjoy himself, and seemed confident. Maybe his piece of advice could even help her land a job. Funny, this morning she’d labored under the belief that she was doing him a favor, but now it seemed it was Price who had helped her.
The meal progressed smoothly. Conversation flowed, without strained silence or awkward moments. It was the first time she could remember being comfortable with somebody who wasn’t one of her girlfriends. Price acted like a perfect gentleman, which surprised her, and she wasn’t sure she should be flattered that he respected her or insulted that he didn’t make an effort to blatantly flirt.
By the end of the meal she decided to be grateful. They’d discussed the stress of helping plan a wedding, and the obstacles she’d run into while job hunting. Instead of trying to fix her problem, he’d listened and asked intelligent questions, but also joked enough to get her to relax. While he paid the check, she realized a lot of the stress she’d been carrying around for the last month had evaporated.
“So what’s on your agenda for today?” he asked, indicating she should lead the way to the exit. “More wedding duties?”
“Well, to be honest I’m going to work on the seating chart and try to finish it up.” She skirted a chair and turned her head slightly to talk over her shoulder. “But don’t tell Roxy.”
“Why not?”
“Let’s just say…”
Before she could finish telling him about her plans for the day, he pulled her to a stop next to a table. Seated at it were two men and a woman. “I see they let you out of your cage to eat.” Price clapped an o
lder man in a gray suit on the shoulder and held out his hand. “Or have you now decided to meet your clients at Hooters?”
“Price, how the hell are you?” A smile so white it had to be cosmetically enhanced stretched across the man’s tan face. He gripped Price’s hand and gave it a vigorous shake while rising. His gaze skated to Kinni. “Haven’t you learned this isn’t a good place to bring your dates?”
“Not yet, obviously.” Price released his friend’s hand and turned toward her. “Kinni, this is Jonathan Lawson, an old family friend.”
“Not that old,” he said, reaching for her. “It’s nice to meet you, though you’re much too pretty to be hanging around with the likes of this guy.”
The fact that she’d just been introduced to Seattle’s foremost attorney sent butterflies dancing around her stomach. His firm was still on her list to apply to, but its level of success and high-caliber clientele were intimidating. Every time she thought about sending her résumé, her doubts won out. Now here she was, hand in hand with the man. This would be the perfect opportunity to introduce herself, but as the introductions raced through her mind she discarded them, each for sounding pompous or needy. She’d already lost several jobs by being too intense. Instead, she decided to take Price’s advice. “It’s nice to meet you, too, and don’t worry, I’m only using him for food.”
He patted her hand and then released it. “Smart girl.” Indicating the others at his table, he said, “These are my colleagues, June Barnes and Eric Ricker. We decided to play hooky and have our meeting here.”
“Not much chance of running into a client?” Price asked.
June laughed. “Exactly.”
“Are you coming or going?” Jonathan indicated the extra chairs. “Can you join us?”
“Thanks, but we’ve already eaten.”
It took all of Kinni’s willpower not to slump with disappointment. Opportunities like this didn’t present themselves every day. All she could muster was a tight grin and heartfelt, “Thank you, though. I wish we could.”
“Jonathan owns Lawson and Associates,” Price said to her.
Her grin turned into a genuine smile. Whether he’d done it on purpose or not, Price had given her an opening. “Yes, I know. I’ve followed your career for some time. Very impressive.”
Jonathan opened his mouth to reply, but Price cut him off. “Kinni’s an attorney, too. She passed the bar this year.”
All three of the lawyers murmured their congratulations.
“Hey,” Price continued, “are you hiring? Because she is super smart and works like a dog.”
Heat rushed up her neck and flooded her face. His tactless question rendered her speechless, and she prayed the earth would open up and swallow her.
But Mr. Lawson didn’t seem fazed by Price’s blunt approach. “I’m always looking for qualified recruits.” He pulled a business card from his pocket, scribbled “needs interview, JL,” and handed it to her. “I can’t promise anything, but we’d love to have you apply. Drop off your résumé and they’ll get you set up.”
She accepted the card, finally finding her speech. “Thank you, Mr. Lawson. I appreciate the opportunity.”
“My pleasure.” He shook Price’s hand again. “Tell your dad he still owes me twenty from the Seattle-Vikings game.”
“I’m going to see him tomorrow. I’ll give him your message, but I doubt it will do any good. You know how cheap he is.” He turned to the other lawyers. “It was nice meeting you. Enjoy your lunch.”
Kinni mumbled her good-byes, still in shock from the turn of events, and followed Price out of the restaurant. She fumbled in her purse for her wallet while holding the business card gingerly by the corner as if it were a priceless treasure.
“So, I was thinking,” he said, interrupting the list of to-dos for the interview she’d begun compiling. “Why don’t you come to the hotel and use one of our conference rooms? The tables are big enough to hold the seating chart, and you won’t have to worry about anybody complaining that you’re hogging space.”
“That’s nice, but…” She shoved the card into the front pocket of her wallet, keeping it safe until she needed it. “I don’t want to inconvenience you.”
“No inconvenience.” He opened the car door for her. “You could even leave it there overnight if you want. No one will bother it.”
Before getting into the car, she stopped and looked at him. “Thank you. That would be great.” She hesitated. “And thanks for the introduction to Mr. Lawson. Though rather indelicate in your delivery, I appreciate you trying to help me.”
“You’re welcome, I think.” He tipped his head toward the passenger seat, indicating she should get in. “And don’t worry about Jon holding anything I do against you. He expects that from me.”
She couldn’t help smiling at him. Until today she’d never understood the charm of Price Lyons. Now she got it. Another wave of warmth rippled through her, but it had nothing to do with embarrassment or mortification over something he’d said. Repressing the sigh threatening to escape, she lowered herself into the seat. Good-looking, charming, and fun, all the things she hadn’t deemed that appealing in a man—until now.
Chapter Four
He’d offered Kinni one of his hotel conference rooms so she could work on the seating chart. Now he wasn’t sure that had been a good idea. From his desk he had an unobstructed view of her and had spent more time staring than working. A few times he’d contemplated going in to talk to her, but her unwavering concentration made him reconsider. The look she wore when focused reminded him of a border collie guarding sheep. Nothing distracted her from the job at hand.
For the last three hours she’d been hunkered over the table, moving little scraps of paper back and forth over the massive seating chart she’d constructed. He’d never met anybody with such single-minded determination and focus. That couldn’t be healthy for a person.
Lunch had gone far better than he had planned, and she appeared to have enjoyed herself. He had to give her kudos for not fussing too much about eating at Hooters. And running into Jonathan Lawson had been an unexpected coup. She’d mentioned wanting to apply to a few of the top firms but found the whole process intimidating. As a businessman he’d learned a lot of times it’s who you know. What you know enters the equation once you’ve broken the ice. She’d still have to impress Jonathan or whoever was doing the hiring, but at least he’d helped her get her foot in the door. Now all she had to do was say yes and take the next step.
She stood, drawing his attention back to her and away from his thoughts. She placed both hands on her lower back and arched, pushing her breasts out. His breath caught in his throat and the crotch of his pants grew tight. His gaze lingered on the enticing mounds, straining against the white T-shirt. Damn, when he’d started this little venture he hadn’t believed his attraction would grow so quickly. He figured lust would dominate the first few outings, but she’d piqued his interest on a deeper level, and he couldn’t shake the desire to know her better from his mind. It didn’t help that every time he looked up, she was there.
With cautious hesitation, he pushed his chair away from the desk and stood, never taking his eyes off her. Maybe he’d pop in and see how she was doing—see if she needed anything. He strode to the conference room and pushed open the glass door. “How’s it going?”
She started at the question, snapping upright from her bent position. “Oh, hi.” Her nose wrinkled and her brow pinched together. “Okay, I guess.”
“That sounded unconvincing.” He eased into the room, letting the door close behind him. Though the walls were nearly floor-to-ceiling glass, and anybody walking by could see them, the mood felt a lot more intimate once the door clicked shut. “Anything I can help with?”
“Not unless you have a solution for these.” Making a circle around the left side of the huge seating chart, she indicated the five tables closest to the front near the wedding party. “This is where family members sit.” She lifted two sheets of p
aper and shook them in the air. “Both Mrs. Honeycutt and Mrs. Bennett gave me a list of people who must absolutely be seated in this area, but there aren’t enough chairs.” The lists fluttered onto the table and she rubbed the back of her neck with her hand. “I’ve been over it a hundred times, but I can’t make it work.”
Price bent over the diagram and scanned the work she’d done so far. That in itself was impressive. From running a hotel, he knew how arduous and important the smallest details were to events like a wedding reception.
“Why don’t you put Kyle’s aunt here?” He pointed to a chair at the far-right table.
“But there’s no open place for her husband.”
“Trust me, that’s a good thing. They can’t stand each other.” Price reached across the chart and moved a couple of pieces. “Put her next to Roxy’s Uncle George. He’s a big flirt and will keep Kyle’s aunt entertained.”
“What about her husband?”
“Put him next to Regina, Roxy’s widowed but rather wild aunt.” He tapped a place at the far-left table. “I had the pleasure of sitting next to her at the first engagement party.” A tiny shudder rippled through him. “The woman has more hands than a poker game. Kyle’s uncle will love sitting next to her.”
“That seems kind of dangerous, don’t you think? I’d hate to be the cause of any strife in their marriage.”
He shook his head and then looked at her. “That ship sailed long ago, so don’t worry about it. And besides, it might not be perfect, but they will certainly have fun.”
She snorted. “Fun isn’t the answer to everything.”
“It’s not?” His gaze searched her face, his grin widening. “Since when?”
She turned her big brown eyes on him and scowled; the breath in his throat hitched. She was a real beauty. Only the crease between her brows marred her flawless skin. Unable to resist, he lifted his thumb to her face and smoothed the pinched skin.