with his Prince Charming act to the public and Prince Miserly act in private. No more forestalling her aspirations for the sake of the company. No more running into that slimeball, Enrique Alvarez, who was so sexy he practically made the epoxy in her glue gun melt just looking at him.
Every woman deserved a prince at least once in her life. Barring a prince, a castle would do, Naomi had decided long ago, when her mirrortold her she was never going to be anything more than plain. She didn’t care if everyone laughed. All she knew was that the first time she’d seen the rundown castle P.T. had purchased in the Catskills, she’d fallen in love. No one…not her domineering stepbrother, not a greedy female stockbroker …no one was going to interfere with her dream of renovating the castle, Naomi vowed.
“We’ve got to have a plan,” she told Ruth, who was busy humming “Treat Me Nice” while watching with adoration as Elmer practiced his hip swivel before the mirror. He kept complaining, “I just can’t get my hips and knees to work together.” That was an understatement. He looked as if he was having a fit.
Although she’d addressed Ruth when suggesting the need for a plan, it was Elmer who responded. “I already tol’ ya, Naomi darlin’, I don’t know no hit man from Vegas. I come from Tupelo. The most excitement we got there is watchin’ the cotton grow.”
“A hit man?” Ruth shivered. “Using a hit man would be so…so bloody.”
Naomi rolled her eyes. “Geez, Louise! I didn’t really mean we should wipe the woman out. But we have to find a way to get this Sullivan woman out of the public eye for three weeks.” She studied Elmer with sudden interest. “I don’t suppose you know how to drive a limo?”
He brightened. “Of course. Even a fool such as I can drive a limo. Dintja know I usta be a truckdriver? That was before my first gig on ‘The Milton Berle Show.’”
Elmer had delusions that he was Elvis reincarnated. Mostly, Naomi just humored him. Ruth believed anything he said.
“A truck? No limos?” Naomi sighed with regret. Well, that eliminated one option, crazy as it had been.
“Now don’t go gettin’ all shook up , sweetheart. Truck, bus, limo…they’re all the same. Trust me.” He batted his eyes at her beseechingly, then crooned, “Let me be your limo driver,” to the tune of “Let me be your teddy bear.”
Ruth linked her arm with his and glanced at Naomi as if to say, “Isn’t he the greatest?”
These two are nuttier than a fruitcake, and I must be the biggest pecan of them all because I’m actually considering a scheme that involves the three of us. But what other choice do I have? Stand by and do nothing…take a chance that P.T. will let the woman ruin our company’s stock offering? Or take matters into my own hands? “Well, this is the plan, then,” Naomi said, and quickly filled in her two would-be accomplices.
Elmer and Ruth nodded in agreement.
“It could work if we can keep the woman restrained till we get to the mountains,” Elmer concluded. “Yep, this plan is smellin’ sweet as a daisy.”
“More like a doozy,” Naomi muttered.
“Where can we get some rope in a hurry?” Elmer asked.
“Rope? I doubt there’s any rope in these offices.” They didn’t have much time, and Naomi was starting to panic. “Improvise…we’ve gotta improvise. What can we use instead of rope?”
Elmer tapped his fingertips against his chin, deep in thought—if that was possible. “How about those neckties that Dick keeps in his office closet?”
“Those are designer Bolgheri ties,” Ruth informed them. “They cost about two hundred dollars apiece.”
Elmer and Naomi gaped at Ruth.
“How do you know that, sweet thing?” Elmer beamed at Ruth as if she’d just spelled transubstantiation in the grade-school spelling bee.
Gawd!
“Dick said the ties were the only thing left after his divorce settlement,” Ruth related, “but I think he was just
Every woman deserved a prince at least once in her life. Barring a prince, a castle would do, Naomi had decided long ago, when her mirrortold her she was never going to be anything more than plain. She didn’t care if everyone laughed. All she knew was that the first time she’d seen the rundown castle P.T. had purchased in the Catskills, she’d fallen in love. No one…not her domineering stepbrother, not a greedy female stockbroker …no one was going to interfere with her dream of renovating the castle, Naomi vowed.
“We’ve got to have a plan,” she told Ruth, who was busy humming “Treat Me Nice” while watching with adoration as Elmer practiced his hip swivel before the mirror. He kept complaining, “I just can’t get my hips and knees to work together.” That was an understatement. He looked as if he was having a fit.
Although she’d addressed Ruth when suggesting the need for a plan, it was Elmer who responded. “I already tol’ ya, Naomi darlin’, I don’t know no hit man from Vegas. I come from Tupelo. The most excitement we got there is watchin’ the cotton grow.”
“A hit man?” Ruth shivered. “Using a hit man would be so…so bloody.”
Naomi rolled her eyes. “Geez, Louise! I didn’t really mean we should wipe the woman out. But we have to find a way to get this Sullivan woman out of the public eye for three weeks.” She studied Elmer with sudden interest. “I don’t suppose you know how to drive a limo?”
He brightened. “Of course. Even a fool such as I can drive a limo. Dintja know I usta be a truckdriver? That was before my first gig on ‘The Milton Berle Show.’”
Elmer had delusions that he was Elvis reincarnated. Mostly, Naomi just humored him. Ruth believed anything he said.
“A truck? No limos?” Naomi sighed with regret. Well, that eliminated one option, crazy as it had been.
“Now don’t go gettin’ all shook up , sweetheart. Truck, bus, limo…they’re all the same. Trust me.” He batted his eyes at her beseechingly, then crooned, “Let me be your limo driver,” to the tune of “Let me be your teddy bear.”
Ruth linked her arm with his and glanced at Naomi as if to say, “Isn’t he the greatest?”
These two are nuttier than a fruitcake, and I must be the biggest pecan of them all because I’m actually considering a scheme that involves the three of us. But what other choice do I have? Stand by and do nothing…take a chance that P.T. will let the woman ruin our company’s stock offering? Or take matters into my own hands? “Well, this is the plan, then,” Naomi said, and quickly filled in her two would-be accomplices.
Elmer and Ruth nodded in agreement.
“It could work if we can keep the woman restrained till we get to the mountains,” Elmer concluded. “Yep, this plan is smellin’ sweet as a daisy.”
“More like a doozy,” Naomi muttered.
“Where can we get some rope in a hurry?” Elmer asked.
“Rope? I doubt there’s any rope in these offices.” They didn’t have much time, and Naomi was starting to panic. “Improvise…we’ve gotta improvise. What can we use instead of rope?”
Elmer tapped his fingertips against his chin, deep in thought—if that was possible. “How about those neckties that Dick keeps in his office closet?”
“Those are designer Bolgheri ties,” Ruth informed them. “They cost about two hundred dollars apiece.”
Elmer and Naomi gaped at Ruth.
“How do you know that, sweet thing?” Elmer beamed at Ruth as if she’d just spelled transubstantiation in the grade-school spelling bee.
Gawd!
“Dick said the ties were the only thing left after his divorce settlement,” Ruth related, “but I think he was just
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