Catch - Deborah Bladon Page 0,16
told them I’d do it whenever they wanted.”
“They wanted it immediately?” I smile.
“The sooner the better, they said.” He brushes his fingertips over the lapel of his jacket, chasing away some glitter. “They already had their marriage license, so we decided to do it after the diner closed. I went home and threw on my tux. I picked up some flowers on my way back, and sealed the deal at the stroke of midnight.”
Chapter 12
Maren
To think I was in bed by ten last night and at that time, Keats was still hours away from officiating a last-minute wedding at a diner. My boss doesn’t live a boring life.
“I’m going to run home to shower and change before I get down to business.” Keats tosses me a grin. “I’ll drop this tux off at the dry cleaners on my way back. I need it next week.”
There’s a question begging to be asked, but I’m sure in time I’ll find out if he’s marrying another couple next week or if the need for his tux is because of something else.
“I’ll arrange to have your office cleaned,” I offer because it’s my job and because I haven’t forgotten that he’s paying me a ridiculous amount of money to be his assistant.
“I think we need to call in some big guns to take care of the glitter cannon clusterfuck in my office. The vacuum cleaner that the building’s cleaning crew has is too lightweight for this job.”
“You owe another hundred,” I shoot back. “I know someone who will have all of that cleaned up by noon. I’ll arrange for it to happen.”
“I trust you, so give them a call and get them here as soon as possible.”
I slide open my bottom drawer to reach for my phone. “I’ll take care of it now.”
“I’m going home.” He starts back toward his office. “I need to find my shoes.”
My gaze wanders to his ass again as he walks away.
Suddenly, he looks back to catch me watching him. “Jamie wouldn’t have stepped up to the plate to help me out the way you are, Maren.”
All I’m doing is arranging for the cleaning crew who took care of my dad’s offices to come down here to de-glitter this place.
“It’s my job,” I sound back.
“You’re doing a he…heck of a good job so far.”
I take pride in that even though it’s only my second day, and every task I’ve been assigned so far has been easy.
I watch as he slides his feet into his black wingtip shoes. As he stalks back toward me, his gaze falls to his hand. “What the…?”
His voice trails as he glances at whatever is written on his palm in black ink.
“Is there a problem?” I probe because I want to know what the secret message is.
He turns his hand to face me. I silently read the ten digits of what I assume is a phone number.
“A woman at the club asked for Pace’s autograph on her…well, she wanted him to sign her,” he stumbles his way through that while circling a finger in front of his chest. “She yanked a marker out of her purse, and then Pace handed it to her friend when he was finished with it.”
I nod, realizing what he’s about to say.
“The friend grabbed my hand and scribbled something down.” Shaking his head, he scrubs at the numbers with his finger. “She told me to use it. I didn’t realize until I went to wash my hands that it was her number, and the ink is fucking permanent.”
I suck in a breath. “You swore.”
“I swore off calling random women who write their phone numbers on my body.”
“What?” I ask before I realize the question has left my lips.
“You don’t want to know.” He chuckles. “I’ll get this off at home. Rubbing alcohol will erase it in a flash.”
My mouth continues spitting out things I shouldn’t say to my boss. “You should save the number to your phone before you do that.”
He crosses his arms over his chest. “Why? I have no intention of using the number.”
I tilt my chin up. “You don’t.”
He takes in the green dress I’m wearing before his gaze settles on my face. “No. I don’t.”
Since I’m the one who led us into awkward territory, I guide us out. “I’ll call the cleaners.”
His eyes lock on mine. “I appreciate you helping me with this.”
I nod. “If there’s anything else I can do for you today, please let me know.”
“Have dinner with me.”
I open my mouth to refuse,