supposed to ask you
your name every few hours to make sure there’s no concussion.” She kept her
misty eyes locked on the distant lights of Navy Pier, unable to face him again.
“What’s your name?”
“Idiot,”
came J.D.’s reply in the dark.
Halee
walked down the hall, grabbed her keys and headed for home.
***
“The
Feds are turning up the pressure.”
J.D.
rubbed his eyes and stroked his aching chin. The clock on his nightstand said
half past five. The street lights still shone across the city; the moon still
hung bright in the sky.
Halee
was gone. It was as it should be.
He
pressed his palm against his forehead. It had been a long time since he’d been
in a fight. He’d forgotten how bad it felt to be on the receiving end of a
fist. “What kind of pressure?” he mumbled.
“The
kind that can be alleviated by a fiancé.”
J.D. moaned. “So go buy
Cat a ring. That’ll do it.”
“Victoria is more likely
to be impressed by Halee McCarthy.”
“She ain’t interested.”
“You underestimate your
power over women, Shaw. She’s putty in your hands.”
“Halee ain’t cut from the
same cloth as you, King. Lying ain’t a pastime for her.” He tried to sit up,
but fell back against the pillows. “Leave her out of your shenanigans. I don’t
want her hurt.”
“Sounds like you’re
getting rather fond of our darling Halee,” said King. “Did she play a good
nursemaid?”
J.D. frowned. "She
was right, then. You did set that up."
“Wouldn’t you rather wake
up to Halee than me?”
J.D. pushed himself to
the edge of the bed, suddenly oblivious to the pain. “Let’s be clear here,
King,” he said through gritted teeth. “You work for me. That means I call the
shots. Catrina Hiett is my choice. Get a ring and get my contract signed.”
“Catrina Hiett is a
little viper who will ruin your career. You’re making a big mistake and it’s my
job to save you from career suicide.”
“I’ll handle Cat. You
handle the contract.”
“You’re
making this too hard, Shaw,” Tony warned. “Surely there’s something Halee wants
in return.”
“Return
for what? Halee McCarthy is after the real deal, not some poker game.”
“She’s
young. A long engagement won’t prevent her from an Ozzie and Harriet ending.
She spends some time posing as your fiancé, your contract is sealed, and the
press forgets about her. She fades into the background with enough money to tie
her over till Mr. Right comes along.”
“How
long?”
“How
about until you’re done playing ball?”
“A
ten year engagement?”
“Get
real,” Tony scoffed. “I’ve seen the way you cradle that shoulder of yours. I’m
just praying the Feds don’t figure out your shoulder is shot before they sign
on the dotted line.”
“My
shoulder can be fixed.”
“So
can your contract.”
“What
are you suggesting?”
“Just
leave it to me.”
“I’m
not sure I like the sound of that.”
“You’ll
like the sound of a bat meeting a ball head on in Federal Stadium, I assure
you.”
“Stay
away from Halee. Like I told you, I don’t want anyone getting hurt.”
“Including
you?”
“What’s
that supposed to mean?” asked J.D.
“Like
I said, leave it to me.”
King
disconnected.
~SEVEN~
“Victoria
Pryor is here to see you.”
“She’s
not due till nine.” Halee peered at her favorite student over the top of her
reading glasses and adjusted the child on her lap. “I’m in the middle of a
grant proposal.”
“I
doubt she’ll go away,” said Chantrell. “You want me to take him?”
Halee
pulled the child closer and rested her chin on his curly black hair. “He seems
settled. I like his company.”
“You
need a few babies of your own, Miss McCarthy,” said Chantrell with a sad smile.
“I ain’t never seen Ty so content.”
A
raw pain seized Halee’s heart. “I don’t mind borrowing,” she said softly,
kissing the child. She set her reading glasses back on her nose and
your name every few hours to make sure there’s no concussion.” She kept her
misty eyes locked on the distant lights of Navy Pier, unable to face him again.
“What’s your name?”
“Idiot,”
came J.D.’s reply in the dark.
Halee
walked down the hall, grabbed her keys and headed for home.
***
“The
Feds are turning up the pressure.”
J.D.
rubbed his eyes and stroked his aching chin. The clock on his nightstand said
half past five. The street lights still shone across the city; the moon still
hung bright in the sky.
Halee
was gone. It was as it should be.
He
pressed his palm against his forehead. It had been a long time since he’d been
in a fight. He’d forgotten how bad it felt to be on the receiving end of a
fist. “What kind of pressure?” he mumbled.
“The
kind that can be alleviated by a fiancé.”
J.D. moaned. “So go buy
Cat a ring. That’ll do it.”
“Victoria is more likely
to be impressed by Halee McCarthy.”
“She ain’t interested.”
“You underestimate your
power over women, Shaw. She’s putty in your hands.”
“Halee ain’t cut from the
same cloth as you, King. Lying ain’t a pastime for her.” He tried to sit up,
but fell back against the pillows. “Leave her out of your shenanigans. I don’t
want her hurt.”
“Sounds like you’re
getting rather fond of our darling Halee,” said King. “Did she play a good
nursemaid?”
J.D. frowned. "She
was right, then. You did set that up."
“Wouldn’t you rather wake
up to Halee than me?”
J.D. pushed himself to
the edge of the bed, suddenly oblivious to the pain. “Let’s be clear here,
King,” he said through gritted teeth. “You work for me. That means I call the
shots. Catrina Hiett is my choice. Get a ring and get my contract signed.”
“Catrina Hiett is a
little viper who will ruin your career. You’re making a big mistake and it’s my
job to save you from career suicide.”
“I’ll handle Cat. You
handle the contract.”
“You’re
making this too hard, Shaw,” Tony warned. “Surely there’s something Halee wants
in return.”
“Return
for what? Halee McCarthy is after the real deal, not some poker game.”
“She’s
young. A long engagement won’t prevent her from an Ozzie and Harriet ending.
She spends some time posing as your fiancé, your contract is sealed, and the
press forgets about her. She fades into the background with enough money to tie
her over till Mr. Right comes along.”
“How
long?”
“How
about until you’re done playing ball?”
“A
ten year engagement?”
“Get
real,” Tony scoffed. “I’ve seen the way you cradle that shoulder of yours. I’m
just praying the Feds don’t figure out your shoulder is shot before they sign
on the dotted line.”
“My
shoulder can be fixed.”
“So
can your contract.”
“What
are you suggesting?”
“Just
leave it to me.”
“I’m
not sure I like the sound of that.”
“You’ll
like the sound of a bat meeting a ball head on in Federal Stadium, I assure
you.”
“Stay
away from Halee. Like I told you, I don’t want anyone getting hurt.”
“Including
you?”
“What’s
that supposed to mean?” asked J.D.
“Like
I said, leave it to me.”
King
disconnected.
~SEVEN~
“Victoria
Pryor is here to see you.”
“She’s
not due till nine.” Halee peered at her favorite student over the top of her
reading glasses and adjusted the child on her lap. “I’m in the middle of a
grant proposal.”
“I
doubt she’ll go away,” said Chantrell. “You want me to take him?”
Halee
pulled the child closer and rested her chin on his curly black hair. “He seems
settled. I like his company.”
“You
need a few babies of your own, Miss McCarthy,” said Chantrell with a sad smile.
“I ain’t never seen Ty so content.”
A
raw pain seized Halee’s heart. “I don’t mind borrowing,” she said softly,
kissing the child. She set her reading glasses back on her nose and
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