When Sparks Fly (31 page)

Renee was so focused on finishing the song that she didn’t hear her apartment door open. She was scared, the jump-out-of-your-skin kind of scared, when she looked up to see a six foot, half-naked frame looming over her.

Renee shook her head.

No time for this now. You need to be in a good frame of mind not thinking of Blake’s frame.

Renee checked the clock. She needed to hustle if she was going to make the meeting with her agent, Frankie Wellman.

Frankie had been a family friend for as long as Renee could remember. She and her husband, Don, frequently attended dinner at the Manelli’s and Frankie and Ann Manelli belonged to the same card club.

The Wellman Agency, Frankie in particular, had been Renee’s agent for the past year. Her mom had phoned Frankie and explained the situation: Renee had been trying her hardest to get her name into the public music cliques without much success and could she please help her daughter. Frankie promised she’d do what she could to help.

This morning Frankie had scheduled an appointment with a potentially new public relations person, someone who’d do all the leg work and get Renee some gigs, hopefully in some bigger venues. It wasn’t that she needed the money, but that she wanted to perform what she’d written.

Renee loved music. She loved all aspects of music from thought to finished product. Whether it was lyrics, music, or both, she put all she had into what she wrote. Her songs were filled with emotion and some of her own life stories.

Renee looked one last time in the mirror. She looked good in the designer jeans, brown leather boots, and ecru chenille sweater.

Renee kissed the silver cross that she’d just secured around her neck and let fall between her breasts. It sparkled against the fabric of the sweater. She ran a brush through her hair again and spritzed it with hair product. Spraying her favorite fragrance into the air, she walked through it then ran out the door.

The parking space on the first level of the garage just to the left of the door was where Renee’s red convertible called home. After securing her seatbelt, she exited the garage and turned right continuing to the stop where she turned right again.

The Wellman Agency was across town. On a good day it took twenty minutes to get there, but traffic at this early morning hour was brutal.

Renee turned on the radio and found a station that would keep her awake and in a positive mood. Nothing, not even traffic, was going to ruin this day.

A new PR person. This could be the start of something really good.

Renee tapped the steering wheel in time with the tunes on the radio, sometimes humming along. Her thoughts went once again to the man who stood half naked in her apartment only a few short hours ago. She smiled.

“Blake McIntyre, we’re definitely going to have to get to know one another,” Renee affirmed out loud.

Renee continued down Trout Boulevard before turning left on Shriver Avenue. The agency was only a few blocks away. She flipped on the left turn signal and merged into the turning lane before pulling into the parking lot.

Frankie’s black sedan was parked in the space closest to the door. Usually if Frankie was in the office, Don was out playing golf or having coffee with his friends. Come to think of it, they were never at the office at the same time.

Renee smiled noting an unusual amount of cars in the lot this morning. She grabbed her purse and notebook, shut the car door, and hit the automatic lock on her key fob. She headed toward the door just as someone opened it for her.

“Hey, thanks, I appreciate that.”

The older man nodded, smiled, and continued down the hall.

Renee stopped in front of the elevators and as soon as the doors opened to the one going up, she stepped in.

“Fourth floor, please.”

The woman by the elevator buttons pushed four and they began rising. There were people who exited on every floor.

“Busy place today, huh?” the man next to her questioned.

“Yes, appears so.”

The elevator stopped and the man held the door so it didn’t close until Renee was out. She nodded her thanks and made her way down the hall then turned left into the agency suite.

“Renee! So good to see you! How’ve you been?”

Renee smiled and hugged Alice, the elderly lady who’d been Frankie’s right hand woman forever.

“I’m well, Alice, thanks for asking. I hope you are, too. Is Dragon Lady in her office?”

Alice laughed at those words, since it was she who’d come up with them after a lengthy discussion between her boss and a difficult client.

“Yes, she said for you to go in when you got here. I’ll let her know you’re on your way.”

The heels of Renee’s boots clicked methodically as she made her way to Frankie’s office. She opened the door.

“You!” Renee and Blake exclaimed simultaneously then laughed.

Frankie stood between them looking from Renee to the man standing in her office.

“Would someone like to tell me what’s going on?”

Blake rubbed his forehead and chuckled.

“Go ahead, Ms. Manelli, tell Frankie our story.”

Our story? What the hell? We have no story…yet.

Renee raised an eyebrow and glared at Blake but managed to produce one of her killer smiles as well.

That simple gesture pushed Blake’s amusement to the forefront. He was anxious to see how Renee would explain things to her agent. He crossed his arms and leaned against the panel that separated the floor to ceiling windows.

“Frankie, Blake and I are across the hall neighbors.”

“Interesting.”

“No, it isn’t what you think. We just met this morning, actually,” Renee moved from her position by the door to one of the chairs in front of Frankie’s desk.

Frankie smiled and nodded. This story was unfolding better than she’d hoped.

“Please, continue,” Frankie urged as she sat down behind her desk.

Blake now stood directly behind Renee, putting both hands on her shoulders.

“Well, it seems my music was keeping Mr. McIntyre awake.”

Renee wiggled her shoulders hoping Blake would remove his hands but his grip only tightened. She couldn’t turn around and face him. The last thing she wanted was for him to see the color of her cheeks, to know his touch had that much of an effect on her.

Frankie was enjoying the little game that was unfolding before her. She tapped her pen against the desk calendar. If these two thought she wasn’t seeing what she was seeing, they were crazy. The physical chemistry between them was amazing. Anyone who saw them would think they’d been together for a very long time. Frankie smiled.

Good! I wasn’t banking on a romance happening with these two, but whatever. If Blake can get Renee’s music out there, I don’t care what they do.

“You make that sound so cold, Renee.”

Blake squeezed her shoulders gently before walking to the chair that was across from Renee. He smirked.

“How the hell am I supposed to make it sound, huh? You came charging into my apartment half naked, telling me to tone down my music. You even yelled at me.”

“You yelled at her, Blake? Not a good way to make a good first impression,” Frankie put the pen down and sat back in her chair.

“Well, I admit, I did raise my voice, but that was because you couldn’t hear anything. Your music was so loud you didn’t hear me yelling at you. That’s why I touched your arm.”

“You scared the crap out of me, Blake!”

“And you were about to hit me with that expensive guitar and then call the cops.”

Frankie stood up and smoothed her skirt. She poured a glass of water.

This is going to cause more headaches than what it’s worth.

“This is getting us nowhere. For whatever reason, you met. That’s a good thing. So, I will dispense with the introductions. What I won’t slack on, though, is the need for us to get busy. We need to find you a platform, Renee, a by-line, something that people will associate with you. Every time they hear or see it, they will think of you and hopefully share you with others.”

“I take it Blake is my new PR guy, huh?” Lack of enthusiasm dripped from Renee’s words.

“Wait a minute. I haven’t agreed to anything yet.”

“Blake,” Frankie began, “I need to know right now if you’re with us on this. I’ve offered you a pretty damn lucrative package for what I expect from you. If you aren’t on board, please show yourself out of my office.”

Holy shit! Dragon Lady barely scratches the surface
.
Two can play this game.

Blake blinked. He needed a couple minutes to gather his thoughts so he wouldn’t sound like a complete idiot when he spoke.

“Frankie, yes, your offer was more than I could ever ask for, and I thank you for that. If you’re sure you want my help to do this, then I’m in. My only requirement is that I have your complete trust, meaning we do it my way, without questions. I know what I’m doing, even you said that. I won’t be micro managed. I’m excited to show you first-hand what I can do for your company as well as for Ms. Manelli.”

Frankie extended her hand to Blake and welcomed him again to the agency while Renee sat…still, in shock, yet somehow grateful.

“Hey, don’t I get a say in this?”

Renee stood up and glanced from one pair of eyes to the other.

“You get a say in this, little lady, when you foot the bill. I’m doing my best to get your name out there. I want people to hear what you have to offer. I haven’t been successful that’s why I’ve just hired the most sought after PR person in the area. Now, if you don’t want to comply with what’s being offered, you know what you can do.”

Renee was speechless. She wanted the help, she wanted to be known for her music. She wanted her music to touch the souls of others.

“Better close your mouth, Renee, before you eat a bug,” Frankie cautioned.

Renee’s lips snapped shut. Again she looked from Blake’s eyes to Frankie’s.

“Fine.”

“Fine as in thank you for offering to help or fine as in great, just great? You forget how well I know you, Renee Manelli.”

Frankie pulled Renee into a motherly-like hug, pulled back, and put her hands on each side of her client’s face.

“It’s going to work. You’ll see. With Blake McIntyre at the helm and me cracking the whip on his ass, you’ll see,” Frankie winked.

That brought chuckles from both Blake and Renee and lightened the mood.

“So, is there a contract I need to sign, Frankie?”

“No, Blake, no contract. We shook hands. I believe in doing business the old fashioned way. If you aren’t as good as your word, then you aren’t good for much.”

Frankie looked at the clock, walked around her desk, and picked up the phone.

“Alice, clear my appointments until at least 3 pm. We have some celebrating to do.”

‡
Chapter Three

Knight’s Table was a small, lesser known restaurant in the area. They were known for their unique sandwiches and salad combos.

Frankie asked the hostess to be seated in the quietest section toward the back. She didn’t want anyone bothering them, interrupting this first brainstorming session that would soon put Renee Manelli on the music map.

The hostess, whose name was Ann, led them to the last corner table in the back, as far away from noise as could be. She instructed that their server would be by soon with water and menus and to enjoy their Knight’s Table experience.

Frankie smiled. She’d eaten here more than she’d eaten at home. When clients were particularly difficult and made her days long, Don would pick her up from work and they’d have dinner here so she didn’t have to cook at home.

The server brought their glasses of water and took their orders.

“Let’s start with a bottle of your best blush, please,” Frankie stated, “And I already know that I would like to have the Reuben with extra dressing and a mandarin spinach salad. Blake, Renee, if you know what you’d like, you order as well.”

Renee ordered a hot roasted turkey sandwich and a house salad while Blake ordered the steak and pepper sandwich with seasoned fries.

“Now, where were we…yes, I was telling you how much I’ve tried to get Renee into the market here. It seems that things have changed so much musically in just the past few months. I’ve run out of ideas.”