Read Online Jinxed by Inez Kelley - Free Book Online Page B

to a map of the Virgin Islands. A withered lip curled at the sick smell and he glanced around the room, his small beady eyes nearly invisible behind his thick glasses.
    “Where’s McAlly?”
    A loud moan pinpointed Steve’s location and all eyes swiveled to the bathroom door. Tracey, galvanized into action, grabbed Steve’s coat from the chair back and marched into the bathroom. She pulled Steve into the office and propelled him toward the door.
    “Bad sushi, gotta go.” She breezed by, snagging the small wastebasket by the desk. Thrusting it into Steve’s hands, she grabbed his briefcase and pushed him out the door. “I mean it. No upchucking on the floorboards.”
    An efficient whirlwind, Tracey manhandled the chief accountant out the door. Silence fell in the office. McGee turned back to Frannie and for the first time seemed to notice the stranger in the office.
    “Sullivan?”
    “Yes, sir?” asked Frannie. He waved his hand impatiently at her and looked at Jinx.
    She saw a side of Jinx she never had until that moment. A mask slid over his expressive face and he straightened from his relaxed pose. The man who could titillate her senses disappeared and a shrewd dark stranger appeared. This new Jinx would never toss a woman over his shoulder and whisper touching greeting-card innards. This man would eat her for lunch without a pickle.
    He regarded the little man with cool appraising eyes before speaking. “Hello, Ronald. How’s Evelyn?”
    “Good, she’s good. Are you here on business? I hope so. I realize you deal with Jamison and Fertig, but I’d be more than happy to have you come up to my office and discuss what we can offer.”
    Jinx took a moment to think and study the bespectacled man. He glanced at Frannie with a small smile before replying. “Possibly. I expect to be making several changes in the coming weeks. I really stopped by to speak with Ms. Sullivan about many of those changes. Tell you what, Ronald, go ahead and have your office manager call mine and set up a meeting sometime next week. We’ll see what comes about then, okay?”
    Apparently Jinx had just informed Ronald McGee that both Santa and the Easter Bunny were real—and hinted that the Tooth Fairy might be also, for the little man nearly did a little dance.
    “Excellent. Listen, you must come out to my place for my annual holiday party. You can come as Ms. Sullivan’s guest. It’ll be a wonderful time.”
    “I’d be honored to attend with Ms. Sullivan by my side.” Jinx smiled, but his smile reminded Frannie of a cartoon shark, all teeth. McGee was too tickled to notice. Nor did he notice her raised brows. Since when did her boss dictate her dating schedule?
    “Excellent. Excellent. December twenty-third, about sixish. Formal, you know. Have to give the ladies a good excuse to drag out all their finery during Christmas.”
    The two men shook hands as Frannie mentally scratched her head. What just happened here? Excusing herself, she followed the company partner out of the office. She caught him by the elevators but he stopped her before she could speak.
    “Ms. Sullivan, I don’t know how you got him in here, but if he signs on, I promise you’ll definitely get a hefty bonus. That man is Midas, I tell you. He has this uncanny knack for judging a situation at a second’s glance and making the perfect move. His portfolio is pure gold. Well done.”
    Patting her arm like a dog, he vanished behind the swooshing doors. Frannie was left standing with her mouth open. Sit, Fido, good dog. He’d dismissed her without a thought. Resisting the urge to bark, she snapped her jaw shut and marched back into Steve’s office.
    Jinx had returned to her smaller office and sat at her desk, staring at her ceiling, his hands linked behind his head. She parked her rump on the corner of her desk, crossed her arms and studied him.
    “I just got offered a bonus if you sign on with us.”
    “Great. Glad I could help.” His easy grin was so