Slap Shot (8 page)

“Yes, she told me to offer them an extra five hundred dollars to have the elephant stay up late but the zoo isn’t budging.”

I sighed and rubbed my hand across my forehead. “Okay, you carry on with that and I’ll do cakes and balloons for Rachel Warrington’s christening.” I wandered back into my office and stared at the pile of notes and files on my desk. My to-do list was as long as my arm but my heart just wasn’t in it. I couldn’t summon the enthusiasm I usually did for anything involving Best Laid Plans. It was as though a part of me was elsewhere, but I wasn’t sure where.

I frowned. We needed some help. We needed some help fast. “You know anyone who’s on the ball and needs a job?” I shouted to Maddie.

Quiet.

“Maddie?”

“Actually, yes.” She appeared at the door to my office, a broad beam on her face. “My cousin Cassie has just moved back home, she’s been living in Ohio with her boyfriend and it all went wrong. She’s smart, efficient and has turned her hand to all sorts of things over the years.”

“Perfect,” I said, flopping onto my chair. “Give her a call and see if she can stop by tomorrow. Tell her to park for the day. If I like her she can start immediately.”

“You’ll like her,” Maddie said with a grin. “She’s just like me.”

“In that case I will adore her,” I said, smiling back and picking up my mobile. Perhaps that would be one problem solved.

I got busy, booked two venues for events over the next three months. Sorted out a halal buffet and sourced a dozen white doves for a wedding in the spring. I chased up the fountain to be delivered to Carly’s and ordered gladiator outfits for the fifteen male bar and waiting staff.

Despite the rush of business, I had no events to attend this coming weekend—a rarity—and I was looking forward to kicking back in sweats and lazing around. Just me, quiet, no commitments. The blank two days on my calendar looked very inviting.

I nibbled on a blueberry muffin Maddie had brought me and began the satisfying job of ticking off my to-do list.

Suddenly Maddie’s voice, high and authoritative, caught my attention. “I’m sorry, but you’ll need an appointment, we’re rather pushed at the moment.”

“I don’t need an appointment.”

My heart stuttered. I recognized the deep, rumbling voice I didn’t think I would hear again. A voice full of determination and intent, belonging to a man who seriously played with my rules every time I saw him.

“But she is very busy, Mr., Mr.…?”

“Lewis. And I’m sure Miss Wilcox would rather speak to me in her office than have me turn up on her doorstep later.”

What the hell is he doing here?
I thought I’d been perfectly clear last night. As irritation spiked my scalp, my traitorous heart did a flip of excitement and my nipples puckered beneath my blouse.

“Well, I-I…” Maddie stuttered. “I’m not sure now is a good time.”

He appeared in the doorway of my office, paused, then strode purposefully up to the front of my desk. The late-morning sunshine cut across his cheek and one corner of his mouth. His big body created a shadow against not just the flecked hessian carpet but also on the opposite wall, creeping up and over a photograph of a giant birthday cake with a team of cheerleaders bursting out of it.

I swallowed tightly. The last thing I needed was a nerve-twisting conversation with Rick. I’d been busy pushing him from my mind and seeing him standing in front of me all heart-stopping, head-turning gorgeous was not going to help me wean myself off him.

“Nice setup you’ve got going on here,” he said, placing his hands on his hips and looking around.

“Why are you here?”

“I’m having a party and I want to book the services of Best Laid Plans.” He pulled up a chair and folded his large frame into it. His gaze trapped mine.

“I’m sorry, Dana, he just walked in and I…” Maddie rushed into the office, pushing her small red glasses up the bridge of her nose.

“It’s okay, Maddie,” I said, my gaze leaving Rick’s for the briefest of moments. “Mr. Lewis won’t stay long.”

His brows tilted and he folded his arms over his wide chest, settling back farther into the chair as if he was planning on staying a while.

I frowned. “I’m sure there are other party planners you could use.”

“I want to use Best Laid Plans. They have a great reputation.” His mouth tipped into a devilish grin. “And I also want you there, overseeing the event.”

“Is this some kind of elaborate way to get me to go out with you again?”

“No.” His eyes widened, feigning hurt. “Of course not.”

“Because you know that isn’t going to happen.”

“You went out with him?” Maddie asked, her mouth forming a perfect ‘O’. “But you
never
go out on dates.”

I frowned. “I can take it from here, thanks, Maddie.”

She pointed at me then at her chest. “Later,” she mouthed. Her lips pursed and she left the office, not quite shutting the door.

I sighed. “When do you want this so-called party?”

He reached forward and spun my calendar to face him. “This weekend is looking good.”

“This weekend?”

“Yeah, you have nothing on Saturday night, so that will be just fine.”

“But that’s not nearly enough time to organize anything, that’s only three days away.”

“I have every confidence in your planning abilities.”

“It’s impossible.” I shook my head.

“Nothing is impossible, Dana. Why don’t you look upon it as a challenge.”

“Don’t you have a game you have to be at?”

“Nope, not on Saturday.”

“Practice, training?”

“Nope.”

I sighed. “What kind of party?”

“A bachelor celebration for Brick. He’s just proposed to the woman of his dreams and us guys should definitely give him some kind of slap on the back.”

“And you want me to be there? At a guy thing? Won’t that be a bit odd?”

“Oh no, I think it will be just fine. And it’s going to be at my house so you’ll know where to come.”

I picked up a pencil and scribbled down
Saturday—Rick’s
. “I think Maddie will be able to handle this very well. She is attending events now on my behalf.”

He leaned forward and his fisted hand dropped onto the table. My pencil pot shook as did my half-empty coffee cup. “No, absolutely not. It’s you or not at all, Dana.”

“So what if I said not at all?”

“I don’t think you would want to piss me off like that.” His eyes flashed dangerously and a muscle jumped in his cheek.

He was right, I didn’t want to piss him off, and I did like a challenge. Organizing something in three days would be tight. “So, if I took the job on, tell me what you would need.”
How does he always make me forget I said no?

He grinned, as if he knew he’d won. “Pizza, beer and some girls, I dunno, dancers or something.” He shrugged. “What do you think?”

“Dancers?”

“Yeah, I was imagining something real sexy, you know, pole dancers, belly dancers, the guys would enjoy that. They can’t go to clubs and enjoy a show without getting photographed and having it splashed all over the gossip magazines.”

I gulped in a breath. Pole dancers, why the hell had he come up with that? Had he been digging and found something out about my past? No, he couldn’t have. Impossible. I’d left a clean trail, there was no evidence of my past anywhere.

“Nothing sordid,” he went on. “They can keep a
few
of their clothes on, but something pretty to look at always appeals to the guys.” He tipped his head and his eyes grew heavy. “Like you in that bikini last night, that was a
real
pretty sight.”

My stomach did a flip and my cheeks heated. The way he was devouring me with his gaze brought memories of the intense orgasm he’d given me with just his fingers. I should resist this man, I knew I should, but I couldn’t. “Okay,” I said, nodding curtly and looking away to hide my internal battle. “Tell me what time, how many guests and I’ll take care of it, but it will cost you. A lot.”

“I don’t care how much it costs,” he said, rising to his feet. “And cater for about twenty. Here’s my cell number, tap it into your phone in case you have any questions.” He turned and stepped toward the door. “I’m out of town for the next two days, got games on the West Coast but don’t hesitate to call.” He narrowed his eyes. “And I’ll see you at my house at seven on Saturday. If you’re not there by ten past I’ll be around to collect you.”

After a grilling from Maddie about Rick “Ramrod” Lewis, I set about ordering enough pizza and beer to feed twenty hungry hockey players on Saturday night. Possibly the easiest catering job I’d ever had to handle.

I called a rigging company and organized a pole to be delivered and installed into Rick’s home cinema on Friday afternoon. It would fit nicely in front of the enormous screen and would even be slightly elevated like a stage. The guy on the phone didn’t seem fazed when I told him what it was for.

Needing to sort out the actual dancers, my hand hovered over the phone. Tina sprang to mind. We’d been really good friends. She was a great dancer, taught me a lot and was stunningly pretty. Trouble was, it had been a while since we’d been in touch. I’d sent her a hundred dollars at Christmas for her to treat her young son, Raif, but since then we’d had no contact. That part of my life no longer existed and that was the way I liked it. But Tina
did
still exist and I cared about her, thought about her, wondered how she was faring in the lifestyle I’d escaped. I also knew she would need the money. Money went through her fingers like water and this could set her up for several weeks’ rent, food and bills.

I dialed her cell, hoping she hadn’t changed it and praying I wouldn’t regret bringing my old best friend into my new life.

“Hey, sugar lips, I was waiting for you to call.”

“Tina?”

“Er, yeah, who is this?”

“Tina, it’s Dana.”

“Well, for crying out loud, girl, how are you?”

“I’m good, and you?”

“Doin’ amazing, finally got me a decent man.”

“Is he treating you well?” Tina’s idea of a decent man was probably one who didn’t think it was fun to beat her every second night.

“Like a princess, and Raif adores him, especially when he takes him out in his car on night rides.”

An image of angelic Raif sitting in some mean and noisy roadster filled my mind. I pushed it away. “Did Raif have a good birthday last month?”

“Yes, I took him to the mini golf, he loves it. Let him take a friend too.”

There was a moment of silence.

“You okay?” Tina asked.

“Great.”

“Got yourself a man yet?” she asked.

“No and I’m planning on keeping it that way.”

“Oh, give that a rest already, girl, it’ll close up.” She laughed. “Is your business still going well?”

“Busy, really busy. Look, I’m calling to see if you want some work.”

“If it’s my kind of work, honey, then sure, count me in.”

“I’m organizing a party this weekend, some hockey guys, they want a couple of dancers.” I paused. “It would be great money, you’d just have to sign to keep your mouth shut about it.”

“Sure, but what’s your idea of great money these days?”

“Five hundred dollars for an hour’s work.”

“Hell, count me in.”

“Is there someone else you could bring? I need two dancers.”

“Mmm, yeah, I’ll ask Cindy. It’s her night off, she’s new. A tall Amazonian type, rocks the pole.”

“Sounds perfect, I’ll send a car to collect you both. Are you still in Canton?”

“Yep, it’s a shithole but it works for me.”

“Be ready for about nine and any problems call me on this number.”

“Sure thing and, you know, thanks for thinking of me, I appreciate it.”

“I often think of you.”

“And I think of you too, honey.”

“Also, Tina, would you mind not mentioning to anyone you happen to talk to at the party that I used to dance at Mackay’s.”

“Of course I won’t, I know how hard you worked to turn your life around. You’re an executive now, got your own company, a car and a house. I’m proud of the new you, I wouldn’t jeopardize that.”

“Thanks, Tina, I appreciate it, I’ll see you Saturday then.”

“Are you gonna be there?”

“Yes, the host is insisting upon it.”

She snorted with laughter. “Ah, I think there’s more to this story than you’re letting on—hockey players, dancing. I’ll get it all out of you, Dana, I know the chinks in your armor.”

“There’s nothing to get out of me.” She was as bad as Maddie.

“Mmm, we’ll see.”

* * * * *

I pulled up at Rick’s gates on time and was met with a burly guy in a navy suit.
Chainlink Security
was embroidered in gold on his jacket.

“Good evening, madam,” he said when I wound down the window. “Is Mr. Lewis expecting you?”