shrug. “I’ll have you know some women would much prefer brains over brawn.”
Rory bore a startling resemblance to Chris Hemsworth and had turned women’s heads around the country as the host of the newest reality show Renegades. The guy was smart too, considering he held an economics major, but they had fun ribbing each other.
“And some women prefer a guy with both,” Rory drawled, cuddling Samira close, and the three of them laughed again.
“Take a seat.” Samira waved at a chair. “What brings you by? We haven’t seen you in ages.”
“We saw him at the wedding yesterday,” Rory said. “Two doc sightings in a week is two too many.”
Manny flipped him the finger and Rory grinned.
“I’m actually heading to Auckland for a conference and thought I’d stop by because it’s been too long since we hung out.”
Samira studied him, her shrewd glance not missing a trick. “This is about Harper, isn’t it?”
Dammit, sprung.
Feigning nonchalance, he said, “This is about friends who are too busy with their baby to make time for their other friend, so said other friend has to make a trip from the city all the way out to Dandenong.”
“It’s thirty minutes, you dufus, not a plane trip.” Samira sank into the sofa next to Rory. “And cut the BS. I saw you checking out Harper at the wedding.”
And by the cunning glint in her eyes, Samira knew a whole lot more.
“Did Harper tell you what happened?”
“About what?” Samira’s eyes widened in faux innocence, and Manny knew he was busted.
“I acted like a jackass, and though I’ve apologized I want to send her something special.”
“If you think I’m giving you her home address, you’ve got rocks in your head.” She tapped her temple for emphasis. “Besides, Harper’s not one of your bimbos you can screw around with.”
“Harsh, but true,” Rory added, with a grin.
“Do you two ever have a nice word to say about me?”
“No,” Samira and Rory answered in unison, and laughed.
“Pathetic,” Manny muttered, and Samira finally took pity on him.
“Look, the best I can do is give her your number. I’ll explain what you want to do, and it’s up to her whether she wants the contact or not.”
“Fine.” He huffed out a breath. It wasn’t though, because he had acted like an ass from the moment he’d insulted her food presentation to kissing her like a caveman unable to control his impulses, and he seriously doubted he’d hear from the lovely Harper even after Samira gave her his number.
“Mate, take it from an expert in being hung up on a woman: there’s nothing you can do unless she wants you to.” Rory gazed at his wife in open adoration, and for a fleeting moment Manny wondered what it would be like to love a woman that much.
Before sending a silent prayer heavenward that he’d never find out.
As for being hung up on Harper, no way. It wasn’t his style.
So why did the thought of not seeing her again make him wish for something he could barely contemplate?
9
Harper had fully intended to call her dad when she got home from brunch with her mom, but she’d ended up being so drained from the encounter she fell asleep on the sofa.
When her cell rang she jerked awake, hoping it wasn’t her dad because she needed her wits about her to field his usual twenty questions about Lydia. She didn’t recognize the number on the screen and immediately felt guilty for being relieved it wasn’t her dad. She hit the “answer” button.
“Harper Ryland speaking,” she said in her best professional voice. She used her cell for business, and an unknown number, hot on the heels of all her cards vanishing at the wedding, could hopefully mean more work.
“Ms. Ryland, it’s Wayne Storr.”
She didn’t know a Wayne Storr, but the name sounded vaguely familiar.
“Of Storr Hotels,” he added, for clarification, and she sat up straighter.
Storr Hotels was well-known throughout Australia and New Zealand, famous for their quirky rooms, luxe facilities, and high-end dining.
Her pulse raced with the implication of what this call could mean, but she managed to keep her tone well modulated when she responded with, “What can I do for you, Mr. Storr?”
“I was at a wedding yesterday and was highly impressed with the food presentation, so I wanted to call you personally. That was you, yes?”
“Yes,” she parroted, crossing the fingers on her free hand, the one not clenching the cell so tight she hoped it wouldn’t shatter.
“Great. In that case, I would like to offer