“Did you bid on anything?”
Her question was met with silence. When she glanced up, his lips twitched.
“Of course, and it was well worth the money.”
Roxanne eyed her father for a brief second. It was easy to read his amusement. She narrowed her gaze, and grasped her hips.
“You won me, didn’t you?”
The one snafu that happened took some finessing, scrambling and eventually, self-sacrifice. A woman who’d originally volunteered to be auctioned off as a date had recently gotten engaged.The night before the gala. It put everyone in an awkward and uncomfortable position. Especially the soon-to-be-bride and groom.Who offers a date when she has a boyfriend?Roxanne didn’t bother asking questions. Time was of the essence in finding a replacement. Roxanne exhausted all her connections, and in the end, she was the only available bachelorette.
“Best money I ever spent is getting a dinner date with my daughter.” He walked over, taking her in for a hug. “I’m heading out unless you need me to stay?”
She rarely turned down an offer of extra help. But it had been a long and emotional night for her dad, too. She waved her hand, smiling.
“Thanks, Dad, but I think we’ve got everything covered. They've already started cleaning, and I know everyone’s eager to get out of here.” She smirked. “And paid. It should only beanother hour. Drive safe and check your schedule so we can set up our date.” Roxanne winked.
“My calendar is always clear for you, kid.” He started through the room, and she watched until he made it out the door.
With the space cleared of guests, Roxanne did the one thing she’d been looking forward to for hours. She bent down, took off her shoes, and set them aside. She got some odd looks and heard a few soft giggles from the staff.I don’t care.She was officially done with professionalism for the night.
She, along with the entire staff, spent the next thirty minutes disassembling tables, stacking chairs and tying up garbage. It was like a well-oiled machine. Everyone had a job, and they all pitched in where others fell behind. By the time it was cleaned up, a group was forming by the exit.
Roxanne stood in front of them, her palms pressed together. She eyed all the workers with a warm smile. “You did amazing tonight. Couldn’t have asked for better staff. You’re all invited back next year. If you want the work, it’s yours.” She pointed toward the entrance. “Grab your envelopes on the way out. You’ll notice it’s a little more than we initially discussed. Consider it a mini-bonus and a heartfelt thank you. Without all of you, it wouldn’t have run as smoothly.”
The extra money had come from her personal account. It probably wasn’t the best business move, but she believed in rewarding exceptional service. And they had all delivered.
Alex, one of the bartenders, pushed through the small group to stand in front of her. “We’re all going to Benny’s for drinks to unwind, and it looks like spending some of that bonus.” He smirked, eyeing her body. “You should come with us.”
He was charming, good-looking, and an absolute sure thing if she was interested.I’m not.There weren’t any ground rules about socializing with the staff. In her line of work, there was aconstant turnover from event to event. However, it was best to keep her professional and social life separate.
What social life?
Shut up!
She ignored the taunting voice in the back of her head and smiled. “Thanks, but I’m just looking forward to going home and getting into bed.”
Alex moved closer, a gleam in his eye, and lowered his voice. “See, now that sounds good too.”
Roxanne resisted the urge to roll her eyes. It was a cheesy line that would’ve never worked on her, even years ago. But she’d give Alex credit for trying, though his efforts were wasted on her. She had no doubt another woman would be eager to take her place.Have at it, ladies.
“Alone.” She laughed, grabbing his arm, leading him and the others to the exit. “Now, stop flirting with your boss and go have fun.”
The staff might have finished for the night, but she still had a few loose ends to tie up. Roxanne had done one final walk-through and retrieved her shoes before locking the ballroom door. As she stood in the empty, quiet hallway, she briefly reconsidered meeting everyone down at Benny’s. It was a fleeting thought. But still … This had been the biggest night of her career since opening her business a few years ago. It’d been an epic success.I should be celebrating.Instead, she was going home to her empty apartment. Alone.
“Rox.”
The booming masculine voice echoed through the hallway. She spun around, gasping. Aside from her assistant, there shouldn’t have been anyone inside the building. The lights dimmed in an uncanny coincidence of timing.Oh hell.This had all the makings of the opening scene of a cheap horror movie.
Roxanne squinted, eyeing the tall figure a few feet away. He was leaning against the frame of the door, and as he straightened, the light hit his brooding features. Roxanne drew in a breath, relaxing instantly. He hadn’t been a guest, though he had been invited.
“I’m still mad at you.” She playfully glared, pointing at him. “Do you know how many people pay to come to this little soiree? Butyouget a free ticket and decline.”
Declan snorted. “Not my thing.”
“Free food is everybody’s thing, Dec.” Roxanne winked, stopping a few feet away. She folded her arms. “Are you here to kidnap your wifeagain?”
The inside joke was old, but she never missed an opportunity to use it. His brows furrowed, settling into a deep scowl. His entire presence was intimidating. A glare from Declan Lockwood would have most people running for the door.Not me though.
