He’d picked up his phone to dial it when he’d arrived back at his hotel, but hesitated. The thought crossed his mind that the number possibly belonged to some other man who had shown interest in her last night. Why would she need to write her own number on a slip ofpaper?
“You can sit here thinking on it, or you can dial it and findout.”
Hearing his thoughts out loud pushed him into action. He dialed the number and waited three rings before someone answeredit.
“Hello?”
It was a female’s voice, but it didn’t sound as sultry and thoughtful asMandisa’s.
“Hello. May I speak with Mandisa,please?”
“Are you seriously calling my phone looking forMandisa?”
“I’m sorry, sugar. I take it I have the wrongnumber?”
There was a brief pause before he heard the woman’s voice again. “Wait a minute. That twang sounds familiar. Is this that sexy Texan that was loved up with Mandisa last night? This isKandi.”
Slade could feel the blood warming his face at Kandi’s description of him. “Was that Mandisa’s depiction of me, oryours?”
“Both.” She laughed, apparently tickled by her answer. “But Mandisa saw you first. Girl code dictates I fall back and let her have you. So, again, Big Sexy, why are you calling me looking forher?”
He shook his head at the mouthful the woman on the other end gave him. He was correct in his assessment. Mandisa was attracted tohim.
“Mandisa left her purse on our table last night. I’m trying to contact her to returnit.”
“Still doesn’t explain why you’re calling me.” Kandireplied.
“The only thing I found in the purse was a compact, some lip gloss, and a folded piece of paper with this number on it. No name, just thenumber.”
“Oh,” Kandi sang into the line. “I changed my number when I bought a new phone yesterday. I wrote it down for her before we left the store. She must have left the paper in her bag after she transferred it to herphone.”
Slade found himself laughing as he imagined how animated she must be while having this conversation with him. “Kandi, not that it isn’t an absolute pleasure talking to you, but is Mandisa around for me to chatwith?”
“Unfortunately, no. She’s not aroundtoday.”
“Would you tell me how to contacther?”
“No,” she answered quickly. “You’re cute as hell, but you could be a psycho. Not about to expose my girl toyou.”
Slade shook his head. Mandisa was right. New Yorkers really were naturally distrustful. “Honey, I wouldn’t hurt a fly. Please, if you don’t want to give me her contact info, then do me this favor. Give her my number and tell her to meet me for dinner tonight. There’s a restaurant at the Oceanview Hotel off North Conduit Avenue. I’ll be there ateight.”
The line was quiet for longer than an acceptable pause. “Kandi, you stillthere?”
“Yeah. I’ll give her your message. But just because you’re sexy, don’t think I won’t come for you if you turn out to be some crazed maniac that’s got his sights set on mygirl.”
Slade laughed. He liked this woman. He also didn’t take her warning lightly. “I promise. The only thing I want to do is have a meal with her and spend a little time in her company if she’swilling.”
“All right, Big Sexy. What’s yournumber?”
* * *
The heavy base of Jagged Edge’s “Where the Party At?” made Mandisa jump and knock the top of her head on a low-hanging shelf in the stock room. She scrambled and answered the phone on the thirdring.
“Kandi, what’sup?”
“Busy?”
Mandisa looked around at the three unpacked boxes of products waiting to be shelved and sighed. “Not with anything that can’t wait. What do youneed?’
