by Zoey Parker
Luke
St. Louis is on us before we know it, and I’m zipping the car through the streets, navigating the evening traffic. When we get to where I’m headed, I parallel park on the curb. I catch the passenger door as Lily is stepping out, closing it after her.
“I need to pay the meter and then I’m all yours.” I feed coins to the machine and fill it up for a good three hours. I plan to keep Lily with me for as long as possible. I can’t assume she’ll let me take her to my place, seeing as the first time was a fluke. A fucking lovely gift from fate, but a fluke nevertheless.
I don’t rely on randomness when I do business, and Lily is a loose knot in a business dealing gone wrong. She saw my little informant-turned-greedy traitor Derrick die, and though I’m sorry she was a witness, I haven’t shed a tear or lost a bit of sleep that I ordered a hit on that goddamn little rodent.
Not wanting to dwell on Derrick, or Russ and Keith’s mistake, I tuck my wallet into the inner pocket of my leather jacket and turn to Lily. We’re crossing the street together, my arm sliding around her waist so naturally even though I’m nearly a foot taller.
We make it work for us, and Lily isn’t shivering so much when clutched to my side. We hit the downtown, walking by stores, people watching, and chatting.
It may seem like we have no destination, but soon I draw us both to a stop.
“I thought we could work up an appetite by shopping,” I say, explaining why we’re stopping in this hole-in-the-wall boutique.
It’s on the pricey side. I should know; my kid half-sister owns the place.
“Luke,” she yelps, and I know she’s here, working tonight. She’s usually at work though. The workaholic gene runs in the family.
“Julie, hey,” I say.
I barely detach myself from Lily when Julie flies into my arms, screeching, “It really is you—you’re alive!”
If anybody else talked to me this way, I’d punch them. Okay, maybe I’d sit down and have a chat first before I used my fists.
“Seriously,” she lightly shoves out of our embrace, her hand smacking my chest. “Just who do you think you are, huh? No word from you for months.”
“I do call,” I tell her.
She settles her fists on her hips. “Doesn’t count. I need human contact, Luke. I need to see you like this, face-to-face, like family.” She sighs, shaking her head like I’m a lost cause. I might be, because she has a point. I haven’t been around to her upscale clothing boutique in, well, long enough that the last time eludes me.
But Julie being who she is, easy to let go, turns off the drama faucet and rounds on my guest—the main reason I stopped by.
“Who’s this?” Julie sizes up Lily, and then she grins. “Girlfriend?”
Lily grows flustered at that, looking to me to save face. I know what I want to say, so I say it.
“Yeah, this is Lily Erickson.”
Julie claps her hands together and legitimately bounces.
I cough through a laugh, turning away, a little embarrassed for myself.
Ignoring me, Julie introduces herself. “I’m this one’s sister; we share a father, and only half our genes, thankfully.”
“You don’t mean that.” I smile.
Julie makes a face at me, and then she winks at Lily. “So, Lily, tell me how my brother is treating you and for how long?”
Lily looks to me again. She’s doing that way too much, and Julie’s catching on. Before long she’ll suspect something fishy between Lily and me.
Nodding at her to go on and reply, I turn my back to them, reaching out to touch a dress that catches my eye. My ears are working, though, and they’re tuned on Lily’s response.
“We started dating only recently,” she tells Julie. It’s a good answer—just the right side of vague without inciting suspicion. I’m satisfied and proud. I’ll have to compliment Lily later.
“A fresh one,” Julie whistles. “Don’t scare her away then, Luke.” Leaning closer to Lily, she whispers loudly, “He puts on a scary face, but he’s a big, old softie inside.”
“I heard that,” I counter.
Julie snorts. “All right, introductions aside, I know you came in here for a reason. Out with it, Luke, what do you want me to do?”
“Actually, it’s Lily you’ll be helping out.” I hold out the dress that’s caught my eye, suddenly curious to see it on my date. Julie takes it out of my hand, her eagle-like gaze fixated on Lily, studying her subject. She gets like this when she’s in business mode.
Nodding, she turns to me. “Anything in particular, or do I clean out the shop?”
“Warm, fashionable outerwear,” I say, smiling at Lily’s wide eyes. “Impress me, sis.”
I don’t need to say anymore. Julie whisks Lily from my side, leaving me to wander the storefront while they explore the racks further back. She has a few coats on hand, but most need to be special ordered.
Julie leads Lily out to a three-sided mirror, helping her up onto the podium in front of it. She has Lily trying on a faux fur coat, but I shake my head on it.
“I hate to say it, but he’s right. You look like this gaudy thing is trying to swallow you,” Julie grumbles loudly. “I’ve been trying to sell this piece for months. It’s my Achilles heel, I tell you.”
As she switches coats, Lily’s giggling reaches my ears. Julie is cracking her usual jokes. Lily is wiping at her eyes, her mirth bringing her to tears. It’s a sound I’m quickly learning to enjoy.
It also puts me at ease. I’ve brought her to my sister, let her in on a piece of me this early on. I have a lot at stake.
This second coat is better. Julie is good at what she does, so I’ll let the fur-coat faux paus slip. My sister grins my way, her eyes knowingly moving between me and Lily. Lily is busy studying herself in the mirror, angling this way and that, clueless of my sneaking closer.
She startles at my touch on her arm.
“Do you like it?” I ask. My gaze tracks over her once she gives me a tentative nod.
The gray wool wraparound coat looks more like a dress. It has a form-fitting shape with ruffles lining the center front. Realizing what it’s missing, I say, “I’d like to see you in it with the other dress.”
Julie perks up at the idea of more dress-up. Lily follows her to the changing room in the back.
While Julie is busy with Lily, I notice the entry of more customers.
The three young women who walk in are dressed for a night out themselves, almost in uniform actually. Their long, black coats, bare legs, short skirts, and trendy heels are guy-magnets. After skimming a glance over them, I find my attention waning and eventually turn away.
But not before I catch all of them regarding me with interest. Then I hear them moving around through the store, drawing items from racks, discussing the merits of pairing this top with those bottoms.
I stay near the front mirror, waiting on Lily’s return. But because I’m facing the mirror, I catch the reflection of one of the women approaching. She’s walking with her shoulders back, tits forward. I know what she’s up to, and I’m ready to let her down.
Thankfully, Julie returns with Lily.
My sister arches a brow at her new patrons. Meanwhile, looking as beautiful as I imagined she’d be, Lily slows to a stop and shyly meets my roving stare. Julie has the wool coat in hand, so I’m free to admire my dress choice for my date.
Leaving me to Lily, Julie hands me the coat and steps in to greet her customer. By that point I’m swiveling to regard Lily fully.
“Cliché, I know, but I have to say it—you look stunning,” I tell her. I help her up to the podium, a little wary of those heels of hers. Finding her gaze in the mirror, I smile. Her lips tilt up, telling me she likes the woman she sees as well. I add the finishing touch.
Smoothing the coat over her shoulders, I let my hands skim down to frame her waist. I tie the coat’s sash from behind, aware of Lily’s response to me. Her body tenses under my gentle hands. It only makes me want to hold
her more, but we have an audience.
I murmur, “Go and change. I’ll be out here waiting for you.”
# # #
Julie has the young woman and her friends around the podium now, a cream-colored pant suit on debate. When she lingers to the side, letting the girl group mull over the outfit, I nudge my head to the changing rooms. “Could you wrap up that coat and dress privately?”
“Sure.” She brightens up, hopping to do as I ask.
Ringing up my sale quickly, she rounds the counter with the shopping bag, handing me the receipt. “Would you like me to distract her?”
“Could you?”
Julie grins. “Is that a challenge?” She puffs, waving me to the door. “You go on and let the professional do the work.” Then, grabbing a sleeveless floral-patterned blouse from the nearest rack, she marches in the direction of the changing room and leaves me assured she’ll have a good excuse for my absence.
With the shopping bag tucked in the trunk of my car, I’m back in time to catch Lily walking out with Julie. My sister pushes the blouse back on its rack, straightening it before joining us.
My arm slides around Lily’s waist, drawing her closer, as Julie watches on.
“You two lovebirds enjoy your evening. And Lily, you’re always welcome here.” She sees us off.
We walk from the boutique to the restaurant, La Sœur, the only place I know offering French-American cuisine in the city. I don’t need a reservation here, not when the owner is an acquaintance.
“Mr. Hanley.” The maître d’, a familiar face, steps around his podium with a warm smile and a firm handshake. “We’re in for a treat with your presence.”
Skipping the wait, Lily and I are seated before I can ask after the maître d’s health. He rushes off with an apology, but he leaves me with an experienced wait staff member. The middle-aged man carries himself with such pomp, I’m reminded why I don’t frequent places like this.
Pizza would be just fine, but I want to give it all to Lily. Give her a taste of my wealth and business successes, and hopefully make this transition as each other’s alibis smoother.
As much as I could kid myself, I won’t. I like Lily. I like she’s not one of my typical women. If I had to deal with any other girl, I might lose my mind.
Dinner is exactly as I expect. Pleasant food, drinks, and company, and it’s not too surprising the night flies by and soon I’m asking for the check. Paying for our meal, I’m ready to hit the road and see Lily back to Potentia. I’m eager to get her to my place and in my bed.
When I ask if she’ll come home with me, my hand is dangerously close to slipping down to her ass.
I feel her shudder. “Sure, I guess. It is the weekend.” With a quick smile my way, she turns to focus on where she’s walking.
I notice her wobbling ankles, but as I go to mention it, we’re stopped by the arrival of La Sœur’s owner.
Angelina is a French-loving American widow in her forties, the ex-wife to not one, but two multi-millionaires. She opened her five-star restaurant a little over a year ago and business is thriving, so she shouldn’t be thirsting for my company.
Yet here she is, making a bold play and doing it in front of Lily.
“Luke, mon cher, it’s been too long,” she coos, her tone honeyed. She kisses my cheeks, her be-ringed hands lingering on my forearms and nails digging lightly into me as she drinks me in. Her full survey doesn’t go unnoted.
Lily inches from us, my hand having dropping from her back at the sheer force of Angelina’s will.
Reaching out, I rectify the problem. I circle my fingers around Lily’s wrist and keep her from moving farther. She stares wide-eyed at me, meeting Angelina’s carefully masked ire.
It’s a perfect time for introductions.
Extracting Angelina off me proves more difficult, but soon I have Lily in my arm, pressed to my side again.
Lily is polite, but Angelina is borderline curt. She fluffs the bottom of her sharp, black bob, her pink lips thin, her high cheekbones peppered with freckles. Those freckles dot her buxom cleavage as well, most of it hanging out of her low-cut black halter dress. She doesn’t wear the color as well as Lily.
Six feet in her tall heels, Angelina regards Lily under her nose as one might gum smeared on the sole of their shoe. I’m ready to rip through her, remind her how far the Hanley family’s power stretches, and how quickly I could undo her success.
Yeah, her restaurant is floated on the backs of a lot of our business. Most of her top clientele are direct referrals of mine. I’ve inked plenty of deals here. So I don’t mind a whit whipping that fancy rug right out from under her heels, right fucking now.
Lucky for her, she avoids my censure with the timing of her maître d’ calling for her to report with the chef.
Reaching out to touch my hand, she says, “I’ll see you around then. We have much to discuss. I hear you’ve been très busy.” Then Angelina’s lips paint on a fake smile for Lily and she swishes away before I can call her on it.
When we clear the front door of the restaurant, I apologize.
Lily tries to brush it off with exaggerated nonchalance, but I catch the wilt of her lips and the smothering confusion in her dark eyes. She’s bothered by what just happened. I can’t have her fret like this, not for the hour-long drive home.
She’s shocked when I grab her waist and press her to the passenger’s door of my car.
Studying her features for a moment, I explain, “She’s mostly always like that, but I’ll have to speak to Angelina next time. I hate for her to question us.”
“Of course,” Lily says, her chin dipping, lashes fluttering down. “She can’t think we aren’t a couple. That wouldn’t be any good.”
Reality drops my hands from her and I take a step back from this woman who only yesterday was just my employee. I’m reminded of why we’re here, of why I ended up bursting into Lily’s uncomplicated life.
She’s made it clear, and I’m glad for it.
“Yeah.” I run my fingers through my hair, jaw clenching, my next words grinding my teeth together. “You got it. It’s all about the show.”
Chapter 9
Lily
Is this how Cinderella felt at midnight, torn from the ball and her prince, and from her fairy tale happily ever after?
I bet. Only I don’t have any hope of Luke and I being anything more than what binds us now, an alibi and a desire to keep living peacefully in Potentia.
Afraid he’ll catch on, I’ve been trying all through our date to be pleasant and positive, but I’m losing my grip as the night comes to an end and he drives home. I’m glad he’s decided to play his music—it gives us something to talk about.
Part of me wishes I were headed home to be alone to sort out my confused reaction to Luke tonight. And maybe I’d be able to answer some of the myriad of questions running circles around my head, such as how can a man change so dramatically in a few hours?
Luke arrived on my doorstep for our date, looking like himself, talking and holding himself like the Luke Hanley I was accustomed to, but he wasn’t my boss.
It clicked now. I was seeing him as just plain old Luke, outside the office. That night Russ dragged me to see him I was facing the office Luke, not Friday-date night Luke.
Of course, even plain old Luke didn’t do casual. He is wearing his suit like a second skin. The deep red-wine blazer plays on his eyes. The stark white shirt, black tie, and black slacks pop out in their clean, sharp lines.
Realizing I’m staring, I tune into his question. He’s inviting me to change the music, his tone implying he assumes I’ve grown tired of his choices.
“No, that’s fine,” I say quickly, my gaze veering back to my window. We’re close now. Another few minutes and we’ll be at his place.
I guess I’ll have to hold myself together, but for how long? Until he screws me again? Until I mess up our air-tight alibi and give Detective Art Dayton what he came around looking for?
“Lily.”
Luke’s calling me.
I blink out the window, recognizing the garage the car is now facing. It’s Luke’s home.
Thinking about Dayton makes me lose it. The tears threaten. Luke exits the car as I press the heels of my palms to my burning eyes, ducking my head, the doubts and fears a heavy load in there.
My car door opens, a whoosh of cool air licking my calves, the stockings doing nothing to keep off the chilly autumn night. Luke’s hands are gentle. They unbuckle the seat belt, loosening some of the pressure off my chest, and they turn me in my seat into his hard, strong chest.
He smells wonderful, and his soft, deep voice is sanding away the flood of anxiety and hopelessness that was threatening to drown me.