Trials and Tiaras (Untouchable #7) - Heather Long Page 0,41

locked the car and we headed inside, hand in hand. “Coop said it was hot.”

I stumbled a step, and Jake let out a little whoop, even as he caught me and pulled me to him.

“I knew it! That lucky bastard worked his way in with you and Bubba.”

Clearing my throat, I thumped him. “I’m not having this conversation.”

“You can tell me,” he whispered. “You know you can tell me anything. Bubba talked to me about the classes, and I’ve been reading your books.”

The earlier heat had nothing on how my face caught on fire.

“And in case you were at all curious,” he whispered into my ear. “I’m all in, Baby Girl. That next class of yours, I want to go.”

Holy shit.

That thing about surprising them?

Yeah.

I needed to get on that.

Biting my lip, I pulled back and canted my head. “You show me yours, and I’ll show you mine.”

“Trust me, Baby Girl. You will see ours soon enough, and mine is always yours.”

A shiver went through me.

He definitely showed me his when we got inside, picking me up and utterly bypassing Archie and Ian in the living room and locking the door when we got to the bedroom. I was still laughing when he dumped me on the bed all caveman style and then pounced me for a tickling that nearly had me peeing my pants.

Chapter Nine

Little Boy Blu and the Man in the Moon

Archie

The host led me through the club’s dining room to a private table. While Grandpa hadn’t arrived yet, they weren’t going to make me wait. When the host asked me if I’d like something to drink, I resisted the urge to ask for whiskey or a bourbon. They wouldn’t serve me here no matter how much money I had. They liked their liquor license. Course, once Grandpa got here, he’d probably take care of that for me.

“Just a Coke,” I ordered and pulled out my phone as I checked to see if there were any messages. I was early, but I wasn’t worried. Grandpa had been on the move for weeks to deal with Edward. He was literally getting all his pieces in place so that when we sprang the takeover, it would be a smooth transition and not hostile.

Well, at least not the kind of hostile Edward stood a hope in hell of fending off.

Frankie: Let me know when you’re done?

Me: Do I get a gold star?

Frankie: At least two and a kiss.

Me: Sold. You working tonight?

Frankie: That’s the theory, though it’s been slow.

Me: Be careful.

Frankie: Always. Love you.

I grinned. My smile grew wider when she sent a selfie of her puckering up and blowing me a kiss.

Fuck, I loved this girl.

There were a couple of messages from Bubba.

Bubba: You around?

Bubba: You got a guy who understands contracts?

Holy. Shit.

Me: Sign nothing. We’ll have Wittaker look at it.

Bubba: Just between us until we figure out if it’s good or not?

I totally got that.

Me: My lips are sealed. Texting Wittaker now, keep your phone handy.

Bubba: Thanks, man.

Me: Anytime.

Fuck. A contract. The producers liked the recordings he’d sent in. I really needed to up my research on the music business, and they needed a full-time entertainment lawyer if they were going to do this. If they wanted to do this, then they were damn well going to do it. Text sent, I checked for any other messages. Most were things I could ignore, the guys were busy.

Jake was at the house and working until I got there. We had most of it figured out, now we just had to put it all back together and run some tests. Coop had family stuff tonight, while Frankie was working. She’d text us all when she was done, and whoever was closest would head back to the apartment.

After the last ambush, she didn’t stay there alone. We were trying to be subtle about it, but Frankie recognized it. She wasn’t an idiot, the knowledge flickered in her eyes along with the acceptance. She’d acquiesced to my desire that she not return to Standish, and that was as much for her as for me. I had every ounce of faith she’d confront Edward, and I didn’t want her anywhere near him.

Not until I made sure to cut off all avenues of retaliation, at least within the company. Then we’d deliver that blow—and it would be a blow—and hopefully, that would swing his focus to Maddy. I couldn’t think of anything more fitting than dropping the two of them into a sack like a