“new” career on stage, singing in a band.
Good
thing for him, he nearly had the votes to push Luna off the board. Bad for
Tess, he knew her husband’s indifference to her and his blatant affair out in
public with Luna hurt her. And fuck him, because he wanted to take that hurt
away from her.
Tess
drove toward Redrock casino out on the far side of town. She’d been called late
that day by Redrock’s community event director. Then she'd been hired over the
phone as a last minute plea. It seemed there was a wedding going on that night
in one of the big banquet rooms at Redrock and they had flowers, but no one to
arrange them.
Tess was
still unclear how that had come down, but one; she couldn’t let anyone get
married on their special day without lovely flowers, and two; it was too big an
‘in’ into more business from Redrock. Besides she had nothing planned for the
evening except sitting in a very big, very well furnished condo by herself.
“Except
maybe feeling sorry for myself,” she muttered, pulling out on the highway to
take the short drive to the Indian casino.
Her
husband wasn’t acting as if he even cared that she wasn't living at their house
anymore. She thought he rarely came home either. But she couldn’t take the
chance going back to live at home, because Steven could show up anytime. Lately,
she’d been thinking maybe just complaining to Steven about money and such might
be enough to get a lawyer and start divorce proceedings. Steven was so preoccupied
at the moment with his newest lay ... it might be the very best time. Then, she
could be free.
She
nibbled on her bottom lip wondering what Steven might have done if he ever
found out she’d been with Vincent. Steven could act like she didn’t exist, yet
the second he thought another man might take his place, he started paying
attention and acting creepily possessive. She thought it might be those
mysterious associates he’d hooked up with, which she thought acted weirdly like
mob guys.
But she
didn’t think there were mob guys nowadays. Besides why would mob guys be into a
low-tier, wannabe talent agent? Tess would be more inclined to think those mob
guys would have been more interested in Steven’s former job of being a securities
trader and fund manager. But now he was around those guys, she bet Steven
didn’t want to look weak to them and that's what was spurring on any selective
possessiveness he felt toward her.
She was nearly
to the casino when her cell rang, startling her out of her intense thoughts. She
used the hands-free button on her dash to answer it.
“Tess
Navarro? This is the events coordinator for Redrock, Mary Runninghorse.”
Tess
greeted her, then listened to Mary saying, “Just valet park out front. There
will be someone to walk you back.”
Mary
said goodbye rather quickly before Tess could get more details, such as who to
look for.
“Darn,”
Tess muttered, pulling up through the valet parking lane. She just hoped they
had some fresh flowers so she could make a good impression. She parked, grabbed
her shoulder purse, then got out to hand her keys to the attendant with a
smile. He was just tearing off the claim ticket, to hand her, when her gaze
rose. Vincent. She felt her belly tighten as she watched Vincent getting
out of his parked truck. An instant kick of excitement shivered through her.
Distractedly,
she took the claim ticket as she tried to figure out why Vincent got away
parking where he had, and then she wondered if she had enough time to avoid
being seen by him. Or if she wanted too. Of course she wanted to see him,
desperately. She constantly fought the feelings. However seeing him right then
was too quick to erect any walls, and Vincent turned straight toward her as if
he knew she was there.
She pulled
in another breath at how virile and extremely hot he was as he took long
strides toward her. Her memory hadn’t been wrong about his pure masculine
attractiveness, and his wife was a complete idiot
Joan Smith
E. D. Brady
Dani René
Ronald Wintrick
Daniel Woodrell
Colette Caddle
William F. Buckley
Rowan Coleman
Connie Willis
Gemma Malley