by Carina Adams
“I guess introductions are in order. Roman, this beautiful woman is Francesca Carmichael, best friend number one. Frankie, this brooding brat is my boss Roman MacGregor, best friend number two.” I pushed out a seat for her and clarified, “I asked her to meet us.”
He stared at me for a moment as he searched for the right thing to say, then sent a long look in her direction. “Frankie.” I had to give him credit. The corner of his mouth even quirked up in a quarter of a smile. “Are we having a best friend meet and greet?”
I ignored him and cleared my throat. “Frankie is just what you’ve been looking for.”
“Is that so?” His eyes moved back to me. “I already have two best friends. I’m not looking for more.”
“Stubborn ass,” I coughed. Then I grinned. “You need a new act. She needs a job. It’s perfect. Think about it. You have the southern Belle, the girl next door, and me. You need a sporty spice. Athletic, toned, yet tough as hell. Think of the costumes and routines.” My eyes widened in excitement as I thought of all the possibilities. “It will be fantastic.”
“Who has time to train?”
At least he hadn’t said no outright. I paused, considering his words as if I didn’t already have a concrete plan in place. Then I smirked at him. “We’ve all agreed to do it. We need a forth. And, lucky for us, her girlfriend also happens to dance.”
Roman played along. “Oh? Where?”
I nodded. “Yeah. No where important. Some little company in Boston.”
He chuckled and lapped his lips. Then he sat back, crossed his arms over his chest, and looked at her. “So, you need a job, know what we do, and think you have what it takes?” Before Frankie could answer, he continued. “It’s not easy. You don’t just swing your hips and pull off your clothes.”
Frankie’s forehead wrinkled but she sat forward, put her elbows on the table and listened to every word. Dancing at Soiree hadn’t been her first choice. But after almost two months of searching, for a job, she’d broken down and asked me about it. I’d been so excited I’d planned it all out before I’d called Rome.
“You’ll learn routines. Our dancers have both solo performances and group dances. The women you’ll work with are hard core. You’ll practice until your toes bleed and your muscles ache. You’ll give my designer input to help him create a costume that fits your style and songs. We tell the audience a story, one with roots in seduction. It’ll be your job to make every single person in that room fall in love with you, one dance at a time. In return, you get to work at an amazing company and make great money.”
Frankie nodded. “I can do that.”
“All of my employees have a signature song. One they become known for. It’s not the only song they use, but it’s theirs alone. If I hire you, what would yours be?”
She glanced at me, worried. I hadn’t told her about that part. She needed to pass this test on her own. “Lenny Kravitz, ‘American Woman’.”
Roman frowned, then twisted his lips. “We’re on break until after the new year. Be at the studio bright and early on the second.” He held out a hand. “Welcome to Soiree.”
She looked so happy I thought Frankie might let out a very uncharacteristic shriek. Instead, she beamed and shook his hand. It felt like they were taking a first step toward healing the damage that had been done between them.
“I won’t forget this.”
He gave her a small, polite nod.
I smiled at him. “I’ll be right back.” I pushed myself out of the chair and walked Frankie to the door.
“Thank you so freaking much. Will I see you before you head home?”
“No. I’m headed for Nan’s as soon as I leave here.”
She gave me a big hug. “We’ll talk later.”
Roman was playing on his phone when I sat back down. He glanced up, saw me, then tucked it back into his pocket. “You could have just asked me. I would have hired her.”
“And miss this opportunity to relive an epic moment—the one where we met—in history? Never.” I took a sip of coffee. “Are you enjoying your break? You’re not working all the time, are you?” Reid had been busy with finals, too, and I felt like I was on a mandatory break from the two people who usually demanded most of my attention.
“I’ve been surprisingly busy.”
“Our shows for January and February are all booked. You’re not scheduling out further, are you?”
“Actually, the Whiskey Girls are, yeah. There’s been some contract clarifications and I hired a new guard.”
I frowned. I hadn’t known we were looking for anyone new. With Myra gone, we’d had Grove going to parties as an extra.
Instead of explaining, Roman adjusted in his chair. “I need to talk to you about something.”
Christmas carols played merrily over the hidden speakers, a gentle reminder to everyone that it was the most wonderful time of the year. From the look on his face, though, I didn’t think I was going to be in a very joyous mood once he was done. I eyed him suspiciously.
“What’s wrong?”
He pulled out a small brown file folder from his messenger bag and laid it on the table in front of him. “I got a new job.”
“What?”
“Marcus needed someone to manage Sway. She wants to change it, make it a real burlesque club. She has big plans. And made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.”
“Wow.” I didn’t know what else to say. It was awesome, but I was also worried for him. “How are you going to have time to manage a busy club like that and do your regular job? You won’t have any time for you.”
“I’m leaving Soiree.”
I was shocked speechless. He couldn’t leave. He was the backbone of the company. More than that, he was my partner. I couldn’t dance without him.
“I wanted to tell you first. No one else knows.”
I had a million questions. “Who… what…,” I shook my head, unable to vocalize anything.
His smile was sympathetic. “I’m going to move you to Reid.”
“Reid can’t be my partner. He’s Vi’s. Plus, we’re together. That goes against your rules.”
“I won’t be there. You can change the rules.”
Reality started sinking in. Rome wasn’t going to be there. “Who’s going to do your job?”
“You are.”
“I can’t mange myself, let alone a business.” I didn’t think his joke was funny. Not when he was leaving me. “Who are you really hiring?”
“You. Really.” He took a piece of paper out of the file and handed it to me. “You might not know what you’re doing right now, but in a few months, you will.”
I read it quickly, then a second time more slowly. “UCM approved it as an internship.” It wasn’t a question. I was amazed.
“They did. You can stop worrying you aren’t going to graduate because this job counts.” He leaned forward. “Congratulations.”
“You must have just jumped through hoops for this.”
“You’ll be training with Randy until June. Then, contingent on getting your degree and completing training—you’ll be appointed the new manger.”
“I can’t.” I shook my head. “China will eat me alive. The girls will rebel. You’ll lose Soiree.”
He slid the rest of the file toward me. Confused, I flipped the lid open and thumbed through the paperwork. “You bought Belle Reve?”
“I didn’t. Soiree did. And Liv is going to take over down there in a few months, so it’s a good thing we snatched Frankie up now.” He chuckled. “Big changes are coming. I want you to be a part of it.”
“Rome, I’m just a dancer.”
“You were never just a dancer.”
“You’re right. I’m an accountant.”
“Who will never work in the field again because you were in the wrong place at the wrong time.” His lips curved upward and he pointed toward the ceiling. “I think of you every time I hear this song.”
I listened because it was better than admitting he
was right. I frowned, surprised that the Christmas tunes had been replaced by rock. I recognized “Immigrant Song” immediately. The truth was that I thought of him—head banging in his car, laughing as he sang along—every time it came on.
“Why?” I scoffed.
“It was playing in the truck the first time we were alone. You told me if you’d woken up with anyone else other than me, you would have screamed it from the rooftops. You were such a pain in the ass I didn’t know if I should be thankful or insulted.”
My cheeks started to heat as I remembered. It felt like a lifetime before. I stared at my cup, unable to look at him.
“That was the day I started falling in love with you.”
My eyes snapped to his. I opened my mouth, unsure what to say, but knew I needed to say something. He shook his head and stood up.
“I gotta go. Reid says you’re coming for Christmas. I’ll see you then.” He dragged his fingertips across the top of the table toward mine. For the slightest second, our hands touched. Then he was gone.
I didn’t turn to watch him go. I couldn’t. I was afraid he’d see the tears I couldn’t hide and he’d come back. We couldn’t do that to Reid.
“He’s going to be here any minute!” I hollered at my brother. “Please hurry.”
“It’s Christmas,” he grumbled back. “We never go anywhere on Christmas.”
“Hunter Knowlton,” Nana yelled up the stairs. “If your scrawny butt isn’t packed and down here in five minutes flat, I’m telling your sister all about that girl down the street and how you’re the one who puts money on her lunch account.”
“You wouldn’t!” Hunter’s voice cracked and changed three octaves as he screeched.
“Ouch.” I rubbed my ear.
Nana laughed. “Life with a teenaged boy. You get used to it.”
“He’s paying for someone’s lunch?” I whispered.
She nodded. “It’s a sad situation. He said she reminds him of you.”
I checked the stairs to make sure we were still alone. “He lived it, too.”
“He doesn’t remember, honey. He only remembers how much you did. And how much he loves you.”
That made me sad. As much as I didn’t want him to recall the nightmare of our childhood, I didn’t want him to forget the few good times we’d had. “Does he remember mom?”
“Do you ever talk about her?”
I shook my head. I still couldn’t bear to. “You do, don’t you?”
“Yes, I do. It’s not the same. I was her mom, not her child.”
Guilt hit. Maybe I should have talked about her more. Reminded him that we had been happy sometimes. I shook the thought away. “Does he need more money? I can send more.”
She shook her head. “Don’t you dare. We’re fine.”
The doorbell rang, cutting off any further discussion, yet I didn’t move. Reid had insisted we be together on Christmas, even though I’d argued. I’d never been away from my family and wasn’t about to start without a great reason. Being with him at the Inn was not good enough.
He’d gone behind my back and somehow convinced Nana to go to the MacGregor’s Inn for a few days. It was supposedly the epitome of a classic Maine Christmas, with sleigh rides and homemade pies. On the plus side, the estate was large enough so my family and I could drift away from the crowds.
I greeted Reid with a hug. “Merry Christmas.”
“Same to you, beautiful. You all packed?” When I nodded and pointed to the suitcases by the door, he lifted one. “Can you grab the other for me?”
“Of course.” I pulled on my boots. Nana started to follow, so I paused and took her small travel bag from her hands. “I’ll get that. You don’t need to come yet. It’s cold.” I stopped short at the bottom of the steps. “What is that?”
Reid pointed at the brand new, rich plum colored SUV parked in the driveway—under the world’s largest plaid bow—but didn’t stop walking. “The Chevrolet Traverse? Oh, that’s your present.”
I dropped the bags and squealed as I ran to him. He’d put the suitcase he’d carried down and caught me as I leapt. His hands palmed my ass, strong arms holding me off the ground, as I wrapped my legs around his waist.
“You bought me a car?”
“We bought you a car.”
I turned to see Nana and Hunter behind me, cell phones in hand as they recorded the moment. I squealed in excitement again.
“Merry Christmas,” he whispered before he kissed me.
They’d all been in on it; Nana, Hunter, Reid. Hell, even Roman and his grandparents. I had no idea how much each had put toward the purchase, but it was way too much money to spend on me. The knowledge that I’d be able to travel between my apartment and hometown without worrying about the red flashing warning lights and the weird noises my car made took a huge worry off my shoulders. Yet, I didn’t know how I’d ever be able to pay them all back.
The drive to the Inn was filled with chatter about the new car as Hunter looked up the specs online and thumbed through the owner’s manual while, Nana couldn’t stop talking about how much room she had in the back and how comfortable she was. Reid simply held my hand as I drove and grinned like a fool whenever I looked at him.
“Wow,” Nana muttered as we reached the private drive.
“Yeah. Wow.” Hunter parroted.
I only nodded. I understood how overwhelming the MacGregor estate was. It looked more like something you’d see in a movie than in the middle of nowhere. I’d thought it was beautiful in the fall, but the snow and simple Christmas decorations had turned it into a winter wonderland straight from the Hallmark Channel. I never wanted to leave.
“You ready for this?” Reid whispered after I parked.
“No,” I admitted. “Can we turn around and run away?”
“We could. Then we’d miss the guest house with the private hot tub I asked Gran to save for us.”
“Oh. Well, on second thought,” I pushed open my door with a laugh.
They must have been waiting for us. The MacGregor and Grannie greeted us at the end of the walk, Roman right behind them. After a quick round of introductions, we were ushered inside to the warmth of the great room and handed hot toddies, then introduced to more people.
Lunch was served within the hour. As much as I’d dreaded the vacation, as I listened to the family bicker, I caught myself laughing. It was almost fun.
After lunch, Hunter and some of the teens went to the basement game room, the older men went out to the garage, and the women retreated to Grannie’s sunroom. I tried to go with the ladies, yet Nana shooed me away and told me to spend time with my friends.
I found Reid and Roman with Andy in the study. Reid opened his arms for me, so I snuggled next to him on the couch. They finished their discussion about a cousin I didn’t know when Reid adjusted next to me.
“Not that I’m complaining, it’s just weird no one has talked about him. Where’s your brother?”
I almost groaned at the mention of the man my boyfriend hated. Violet had made me promise that I would do everything in my power to keep Reid from pounding Rome’s idiotic cousin. I hoped his absence meant he wasn’t coming.
Andy sat forward and looked between Roman and Reid. “You haven’t heard?” He snorted. “My big brother and Victoria broke up a few days ago. He told the grandparents he was still brining a guest. It’s quite the scandal.” He rolled his eyes. “I hope the wanker doesn’t come. My parents are pissed and I want them to stay that way.”
Reid seemed to tense at the news.
“Everything okay?” I whispered when I got the chance, but he only nodded and kissed me.
The rest of our afternoon flew. I laughed while the boys told me stories of their summers at the Inn. And wished I ‘d known them then and gotten to spend my summers in paradise.
After dinner—where they argued even more—the MacGregor clan called everyone to the great room for egg nog and carols. I felt so welcome I’d almost forgotten how nervous I was ab
out meeting Reid’s mother.
“Hey, shouldn’t Reid’s mom be here by now?” I asked Andy as we stopped at the bowl to scoop out more eggnog.
“She can be pretty flighty,” he assured me. “She’ll probably be here tomorrow.”
“She’s missing Christmas with her son,” I muttered, shocked. “What else could be mo—,”
Andy snorted and started to say something, but the MacGregor’s booming voice cut every conversation in the room.
“Roman, Brooke is here.”
I turned toward Reid. He was on the other side of the room, but as if he could sense my stare, he stopped and looked at me. With a subtle shake of his head, and a furrow of his brow, I knew he was just as surprised as I was.
He hadn’t known Brooke would be there, either.
Even more shocking was that Roman greeted her with not just a long, lingering hug, but a kiss to match.
“Everyone,” Seamus MacGregor, Rome’s dad, called. “Everyone, can I have a moment, please?”
The room went silent almost immediately.
“Roman, Brooke, will you join me up here, please.”
Brooke giggled and stepped up to his side. Rome, on the other hand, shook his head subtly, his face hard. An older woman who I hadn’t been formally introduced to, gave him a gentle push. He snarled something toward her, but joined his father at the front of the room.
“My wife, Mia,” he pointed to the woman who had been with Roman moments before, “and our daughter, Eden, received some magnificent news today. Please raise your glasses and congratulate my son on his engagement.”
My mouth fell open and my chest ached. Tears burned my eyes. There was no way in hell they’d gotten back together and engaged in just a few short weeks. Yet, as I stared at them, and saw the way Brooke gazed up at Rome like he was her whole world, I knew it was true.
You mean his re-engagement,” someone snorted.
I looked at Reid, but he stared at the happy couple with an expression of betrayal. The same one I probably had on my face. At least he’d been as shocked as had been. I wasn’t sure how I would have handled it if he’d known and hadn’t told me.