She flashes a dazzling smile. I know many guys who wouldfall at her feet, but my gaze doesn’t linger long. Instead, my eyes go back toHadley with her soft brown hair the shade of coffee or mocha, and those eyes.Those fucking green eyes that are impossible to forget. No matter how much I’vetried.
“I’m Melanie.” the redhead extends her hand.
I flash my signature smile and return the gesture. “It’snice to meet you.”
Hadley makes a gagging noise. “Don’t fall for it, Mel. Thatsmile has felled many women.”
“You would know,” Melanie says under her breath, but not lowenough I didn’t catch it.
“So, you talk about me?” I ask a little playful, but alsocurious.
“Only what an ass you are and how you think your shitdoesn’t stink.”
“I never said that, and I’m not an ass. If I were, I wouldn’tcome here with flowers and coffee. I would’ve just annihilated you innegotiations rather than try to work it out like adults.”
Hadley shakes her head. “You forget, I know you, Cay. I knowyour tricks and your charms.”
“All I keep hearing is that you think I’m charming.”
“I recall the word was ass.”
Melanie’s eyes volley back and forth as we bicker. “You knowwhat?” Her cousin claps her hands and we both turn to her. “I just rememberedthat I have to go to work and fix a few patterns before the seamstresses getin.”
“Tonight?” Hadley asks.
“Yeah, I meant to do it before I left and…just totallyslipped my mind.”
Hadley’s eyes narrow and she speaks through a fake smile.“Can’t you go tomorrow?”
“Nope. It’s super important. You wouldn’t want me to mess upthe line, would you?” Melanie turns to me. “It was great meeting you, Cayden.You are everything I hoped you’d be.”
Not sure what that means, but her leaving is clearly makingHadley uncomfortable, and while my goal isn’t that, it should make the negotiationa little easier if she’s off her game.
“The pleasure is all mine.” I lay it on thick by grabbingher hand and kissing the top of it.
“Oh, please!” Hadley grumbles.
Melanie laughs, seemingly immune to my game. She leans in towhere Hadley can’t hear. “A little less on the asshole and more on the fun withthat one.”
“Thanks for the tip.”
She pats my chest. “Good luck.”
“Traitor,” Hadley mutters as Melanie grabs her purse andheads out the door.
After she leaves, Hadley and I stand there, in the awkwardsilence. It’s a good thing I planned ahead a little bit.
“Did you eat yet?”
She shakes her head. “Not really.”
“Good.”
I take a step back into the hallway, and grab part two of myplan. Pizza.
There is nothing in the world that makes this woman happierthan pizza. I happen to know this as we shared many of them in college andworking on cases when we were both interns.
She eyes the box dubiously. “This is your plan?”
