Stripped Bare

by Heidi McLaughlin

  My heart breaks at how excited she is to go to the mall. It’s a treat and she knows it. “Yes, we need new clothes. Maybe some toys?”

  She nods and squeezes my hand. “Could I get some socks? Mine have holes in them.”

  I fight back a wave of tears and send a silent thank-you to Finn. He has no idea what he’s done for me. I don’t care about my dignity or the fact that I slept with him for a week to earn this money, because the look in Morgan’s eyes is worth it.

  “Definitely new socks and anything else you want. Today, we don’t have to worry about money.” I kiss her on her forehead and pull her behind me and out of our room. Today, everything will be different.

  Chapter 18

  Finn

  I turn the picture over and back again, repeating the process over and over. She has a kid and more important, her name is Morgan. This whole week I thought Morgan was her pimp or boyfriend and I threw that in Macey’s face repeatedly. Mocking our situation, wondering if Morgan cared that I was fucking his woman. Of course he didn’t care because he doesn’t exist, but this Morgan does and I’m willing to bet she doesn’t have a clue about her mother.

  I am, without a doubt, certain that Macey is Morgan’s mother. The conversations I overheard now make sense and judging by this little girl’s picture, she looks like Macey with a mix of someone more familiar. I just can’t place who or what it is.

  Since I found the picture I haven’t let it go. I’ve been tempted to text Macey, but each time I bring up her number my fingers hover over the keypad. What do I even say? Thanks for rocking my world with your amazing pussy, but hey, you left this photo under my bed. I want to be straight to the point, but without showing her that I care. I don’t want her getting her hopes up that there is something between us.

  Even though…

  Setting the photo down, I turn and look out the windows of my office. From where I’m sitting, I can see people milling around the casino floor, enjoying themselves. They’re spending money here and for that I’m thankful. It’s been almost three weeks since Macey walked into my club and lost all her money. Approximately twenty-one days since my life changed. I wish I could say it’s been for the better, but the only decent part of this past month has been when she was here. I hate admitting that to myself, but it’s the truth.

  My intercom buzzes and Hannah’s voice fills the dead space in my office. “Brandy is here to see you.”

  I roll my eyes and think about not answering, but Hannah knows I’m in my office.

  “Fine,” I say as I push down the button. It’s only seconds later that Brandy strolls in on high heels with her blouse tucked into her pencil skirt. On paper, she’s the perfect wife for any businessman looking to make it. Her life is a fucking pedigree of influential relatives, including her father who has funded both my projects.

  “Morning,” she says, taking the seat in front of my desk.

  “Brandy.” I haven’t forgotten her stunt with Macey, but I also haven’t called her out on it. It seems pointless now. Macey is gone, and I still have to deal with Brandy on some level.

  “My father is throwing a fundraiser. You’re invited, of course, but I was wondering if you’d be my date.”

  I start to shake my head when she puts her hand up. “I know what I did was wrong, Finn, but I was jealous. I’ve been in love with you for a long time and to see you with her, it hurt. I want you to look at me like that.”

  “How exactly was I looking at her?”

  “Like you were in love, but that’s preposterous since you don’t do the love thing.”

  She’s right, I don’t. I won’t. It’s all too clear how quickly my father replaced my mother after she died. That’s not how you love someone. When you love someone, you’re there for them, heart, body and soul. You don’t bed hop the minute their back is turned or they pass away.

  “I don’t love her.” Even as I say the words, I don’t know if I believe them. I thought I needed only a week with Macey, that once time was up I’d wash my hands and move on, except she’s a constant thought in my mind, and now this little girl in the picture is there right along with her. I find myself wondering what they’re doing and whether they are alone. Are they safe? I remember all too clearly the type of place Macey grew up in and can’t imagine her daughter is being raised there as well. The thought sickens me.

  “That’s good to hear.”

  “I don’t love you either, Brandy.” Her face falls, but only briefly.

  “I know, but together you and I are stronger. Together, we could be the power couple of Vegas. We could take her by the balls and make her our bitch.”

  “Nice analogy.” I scoff.

  “You know I’m right, Finn.”

  Unfortunately, I do. But admitting it is another thing. I lean back in my chair and stare at my computer. When I told Lamar to get her a phone I should’ve asked him to put some type of tracking device on there so my perverse mind could watch her or at least see what she’s doing all day. Did she go back to stripping? God, I fucking hope not.

  “What are you proposing?”

  Her face lights up as if I’ve asked her to marry me. She leans on my desk and lays out her plan.

  “We attend and leave functions together and when we don’t have public appearances, we go out at least two nights a week minimum, so people still see us together.” She sits back with a smirk.

  “What’s the catch?” With Brandy there is always a catch.

  “We have a one-year engagement before we get married.”

  “Brandy.” I groan and rest my head in my hands. “I don’t want to get married.” Marriage is the last thing I want. I want the freedom I have now to roam. To look, touch and feel another woman when I want something different. The last thing I want is to be tied down, told what to do or be told to change who I am to suit another person. Besides, when I look at Brandy, I don’t see a wife. I see a trophy. If and when I get married it’s going to be because I can’t live without the other person being in my space 24/7. It’s going to be because my life feels empty without the other person in it and I can’t stop thinking about them all the time.

  I let my last thought linger longer than I should. I’ve been thinking about Macey, a lot, but…

  “Finn?” Brandy stomps her foot, causing me to bite my cheek and hold back exactly what I think of her.

  “What?”

  “As I was saying, Daddy doesn’t want to invest anymore. He’s starting to think it’s not worth it and I happen to agree with him. I know I could easily change his mind if I had to. And I can make sure Daddy sways Mr. Cordova away from you too.” She shrugs as if it’s no big deal. I’ve known her family for a long time and know that she gets her way. If she goes to her father, I could be doomed.

  “You want to marry me so badly that you won’t care if I’m with other women?” Because that is who I am right now…a man who loves the company of women. Not one, but many and frequently.

  Her face pales and her eyes narrow. “Don’t even talk like that. I will not have you embarrass me, Finn McCormick.”

  “Right.” I fiddle with the pen on my desk, not making eye contact with her. “I have to think.”

  “What’s there to think about?”

  I shrug, knowing the list is long. “Whether or not I want to stop fucking half of Vegas and be tied down to your frigid vanilla ass.”

  Brandy’s mouth drops open and her hands clench into fists. “If you know what’s best for you, you’ll call me by the end of the day.” With that she leaves my office. If I expect her to storm out of here, I’m sorely mistaken. I can hear her talking to Hannah, being sweet as pie.

  “I need you,” I say into Lamar’s intercom. Only after I hang up do I realize how my words can be construed. Moments later Lamar comes into my office. I motion for him to close the door.

  “Brandy delivered an ultimatum today,” I tell him. “She told me that her father doesn’t want to invest anymore, but he would if we were married. And she’s thr
eatening to sway Cordova as well.”

  “Fuck.”

  “Yep,” I say, sighing. “When did this become my life?”

  He shakes his head. The answer is when I started dating her in college and decided that I didn’t want to be my father and jump from one wife to another. And I definitely didn’t want to be married to her.

  “I’ll set up a meeting with Mr. Kramer and we’ll figure out if this is truly his game or hers. Do you think we can get Cordova on board?”

  “There isn’t time; she wants an answer by the end of the day. Brandy wants all the social events, two date nights a week and a one-year engagement. Fuck.” I throw my pen onto my desk and sink back in my chair. I have depended on her father for a lot of money and for him to yank funding in the middle of my third project would derail everything.

  “What are you going to do?”

  “I don’t know. I can’t lose the investment or construction has to stop. I don’t have enough capital to keep the project going and no time to replace him and keep the money coming in to pay the workers.”

  I stand and go to my windows. “This was the last project that I needed him for. If he pulls the plug, I lose everything.”

  “Our only option is to meet with him,” Lamar says.

  “I’m out of time.”

  “Not necessarily. Don’t you have a conference or need to meet with designers? Is there something that could take you away from here until I can get Mr. Kramer into the office to meet? If you have a business meeting, Brandy can’t expect an answer right away.”

  Shaking my head, I see visions of my tiny empire swirling down the drain all because of a woman. Take that back, two women. Brandy is jealous of Macey, as she should be. I never expected her to pull this, though.

  “Can I be frank?”

  “I’d prefer you to be Lamar, but if you want to be Frank, who am I to stop you?” I try to crack a joke, despite my pending doom. He laughs and I turn to lean against the windows. “By all means, the floor is yours.”

  “Whether you want to admit it or not, Macey got to you. When you were with her, you were different, happier. Hell, you took a day off from work to spend with her and you never do shit like that.”

  “What’s your point?”

  “My point is, you had this woman with you for a week and when she left, you had me slip a phone into her bag. I’m willing to bet you haven’t even texted her yet but have tried repeatedly.”

  I look away so he doesn’t know he’s right.

  “Fucking go to her. Get the hell out of town and I’ll deal with Kramer. I’ll get Brady on board and make sure Kramer doesn’t back out.”

  “It’s not that easy, Lamar.”

  “Why?”

  “She has a kid and I don’t know where she lives.”

  “I know,” he says, catching me off guard.

  “What do you mean, you know? How the fuck do you know something like this and not tell me?”

  “It’s my job to know, Finn. It’s my job to protect you. After we picked her up at the club I ran a background check on her. I had to know if she was going to be a threat to you, either personally or professionally. I didn’t like your arrangement but I went with it because you were so damn adamant about helping her. So I did my job and found out about the girl.”

  “Where’s the kid’s father?”

  Lamar shrugs. “There isn’t one listed.”

  “And are you watching her now?”

  He looks away, confirming my suspicions.

  “How?”

  “Through her phone. I wanted to know what she was doing.”

  “Why?” I ask, needing to know his motives.

  “In case she needed her knight in shining armor.”

  I’m thrown off my axis when Lamar refers to me as that. I never wanted to save her, only help. I sit back down and face him. He knows what Macey is doing. He knows where she lives. Where I have been a chicken shit and not reached out to her, he’s been keeping an eye on her.

  “Is she okay?”

  He nods. “Seems to be. She spends a lot of time at her apartment and she’s opened a bank account.”

  “How much is in there?” What I really want to know is how much is left of the money I gave to her.

  “Less than half. She paid for her apartment a year in advance, bought furniture and enrolled in school.”

  “Does she work?” Please don’t tell me she went back to being a stripper.

  “Waitress at a diner called Eddie’s.” As soon as he says the name I know exactly where it is, assuming she’s in Spokane. It makes sense that’s where she’d be, a single mom isn’t likely to pack up and move.

  “I know that place,” I say as I process the information that Lamar has told me. If Macey knew, she’d slap me for invading her privacy. I’m not mad he’s done it, though, because it makes my next decision much easier.

  “I think I need to go visit my dad.”

  “Probably not a bad idea. I’ll take care of that. I’m assuming you want to leave as soon as possible?”

  I nod and contemplate my next statement carefully. “Put money into her account.”

  “Finn…” he warns, but I brush him off.

  “I’ll tell her it’s from me when I see her.”

  “You’re going to see her?” he asks, as if he doesn’t already know.

  I nod. “Yeah, I mean Eddie’s has great food and Spokane is a small enough town. I’m bound to run into her.” He doesn’t confirm that I’m spot on about her location, but his face gives it away.

  “I’m sure you are.”

  “Plus, you’re going to put that app on my phone so I know how to find her.”

  “Of course I am.” He reaches over my desk and takes my phone. When he hands it back, a black dot on a map blinks at me. I try to enlarge the map as best I can to see where she is and get a good idea from the cross streets.

  Lamar excuses himself to get to work on my ticket and salvaging my working relationship with Mr. Kramer. The best-case scenario, he thinks his daughter is delusional and won’t pay her any mind. Worst case, I’m getting engaged to a woman I don’t want to marry and fully plan to keep a mistress on the side…if she’ll have me.

  Chapter 19

  Macey

  The breakfast rush is where I make most of my tips, and since returning from Vegas that’s what I’ve been using to budget with. I’ve been tempted to spend the money I put in the bank, but refuse to go back to where I was living.

  After I came home, Morgan and I spent a few days in the hotel. We ate room service, laughed, swam in the pool and went to the water park. It was like we were on vacation and I didn’t have a care in the world. Except I did and they were all looming. First thing I had to do was make sure Eddie was going to give me my job back. He did without hesitation and told me to never take off on him again. I didn’t make that promise, but can’t imagine I’m going anywhere else. After I secured my waitressing job, Morgan and I set out to find an apartment close to Eddie’s, what would be her new school and the bus line. I thought about buying a car, but that’s an expense that I can’t afford right now.

  Morgan and I chose a small two-bedroom on the second floor. It’s perfect for the two of us. When I finally had the courage to go over to my mother’s to get the rest of my stuff, I knew it was a mistake. She sensed a change in me and somehow figured out I had money. She demanded that I pay her for storing my stuff. So I left it all there and bought new things. Tangible items that Morgan and I can call our own. Some of it is secondhand, like our couch, but our beds are brand new. For the first time in my life, I have a bed that no one has slept on except for me, and that feels really good.

  With Morgan enrolled in school, I’m back to working my full-time job at Eddie’s. The tips are good, my regulars treat me well and if I play my cards right I can sustain us with this paycheck and tips, meaning that the college courses I enrolled in shouldn’t overextend me.

  I’m excited about taking these courses. I was good at
math back in high school and thought I’d try my hand at accounting. It’ll take two years, but it’ll be worth it. I know I could’ve easily chosen a shorter course, but I want a career that Morgan will be proud of.

  The flow of customers is heavy, but nothing we can’t handle. Eddie’s has been around for a long time and is a staple in the community. If you want a good breakfast you go to a chain restaurant, but if you want something amazing, you stop at Eddie’s.

  “Hey, Macey, there’s a gentleman in my station asking for you. He’s at two,” Debbie, one of the other waitresses working today, says. This means I have to give her one of my tables in exchange.

  “You can have table eighteen,” I tell her as I head to her section. Fortunately for me, since I’ve worked here for so long I know this place by heart, which means I’m walking with my eyes focused on my pad and making sure I’m not missing any orders.

  As soon as I step up to table two, everything freezes. Staring back at me with his bedroom baby blues is Finn. I look around, wondering if someone is playing a joke on me, but who would? No one knows about him, not even Steph. She’s asked me many times what happened in Vegas, but I refuse to tell her. I don’t want her to judge me any more than she has in the past.

  “What are you doing here?” My voice is barely audible over the various tones of chatter that surround us.

  “Hi, Macey.”

  The way he says my name turns my knees weak and I find myself leaning against the table for support. I don’t know whether to scream, fist pump or walk off. Either way, I look around the diner to see who is watching us. No one is.

  I swallow hard and tell my lady bits to calm the fuck down. Of course they’d be excited to see Finn. Not that I blame them.

  “What can I get you?” I ask with my pen poised on my pad of paper. He looks from me to the menu and back at me.

  “What do you recommend?”

  “Oh well, the hash and eggs is a favorite.”

  “Is that your favorite?”

  I shake my head and point to the pancakes. “Those or the French toast,” I tell him. Morgan loves the French toast with powdered sugar and syrup.