His smile widened. “You seem to be having a goodday.”
Tossing her hair to the side, she plopped on the bench in front of them, arms folded. “I wish. Just found out it’s easier to schedule an appointment with Madonna’s hairstylist than the mayor.” She had to promise one of her kidneys for an appointment with the fantabulous Andre, and luck had been on her side. Andre had seen her and hadn’t cashed in on her promise.
Sitting next to her, Hoyt scratched his chin. “What do youneed?”
“To convince him to forgo the red tape and expedite my permit.”
“I can talk to him if youwant.”
A spark of excitement started in her, but she cooled it to avoid the fire. In silence, she stared at Hoyt, and recognized in him the kindness and compassion she’d used her whole life as sturdy emotional crutches. She chewed on her lower lip until it hurt. “Thanks, but I’d rather talk to him myself. The man is so freakingbusy.”
“Why don’t you persuade him at his annualball?”
“Annualball?”
Hoyt rose to his feet and produced his car key from his pocket, starting to play with it. “It’s tomorrow. I RSVPed yes, but I need to head out of town tonight and doubt I can make it back intime.”
A sense of empowerment sprinted within her, the excitement making her stand. “I’d be glad to take the ticket off your hands.”
He gave her a bump on her arm. “Aren’t you a gooddoer?”
She pouted her lips. “It’s my mission.”
“Okay. I’ll have my assistant deliver them to your house,” he said, stridingaway.
“Thanks. And Hoyt… I’m sorry too, I didn’t tell you about me and Jack. And the marriage.” She raised her voice slightly.
“It’s okay. I talked to my sister, turns out he never lied to her even though that doesn’t make him a saint.”
Her heart contracted. She had some explaining to do to Mel too, even though technically she held the wife title and Mel, the so-called other woman. Christ. Her life had turned into a telenovela. A crappy one. “Does she really like him?” she asked, her voice clipped. A woman like Mel seemed exactly like what Jack needed—they probably enjoyed the same things, shared similar values, the whole shebang. Plus, Mel could give Jack the family he wanted.
He waved her off. “She’ll find a guy who deservesher.”
No kidding. We all want that guy, she thought, but decided on nodding. She didn’t want to give Hoyt the wrong idea. Her life was too messy for any man to be init.
“Hey, Mr. Canyon.”The handyman waved as Jack crossed the upstairs hallway. The tall, slanky blond wiped the sweat from his forehead. Jack doubted that clown was older than twenty. Twenty-one, tops. “Have you seen the first bedroom down the hall? Starting to lookgood.”
“No, notyet.”
Cody was about to open his mouth again for another trivial comment, when Jack nodded at him and headed downstairs. Where the hell was Lola? Wasn’t she supposed to manage the handyman’s work on the first day? With a long, deep sigh he glanced at his cell. One p.m. She’d left a few hours ago, but he fought the urge to call her. What she did was none of his business.
Business. Already, her presence at his house made him less productive. He should be in Houston, going to meetings, or foreseeing the farms he owned in Texas, and California. Not babysitting the woman he’d been stupid enough to agree to be friendswith.
The front door creaked open, and his eyes followed the direction to find Lola sauntering in, cheeks blushed as if she’d been running.
“Hi.” She offered him a neutral smile, like the one she had in the morning when she’d dashed out of the house.
“There is a handyman here. Cody something.”
“I know, I already talked to Cody on the phone and told him to get started.” She wriggled out of the light pink jacket and placed it on one of the recliners in the living area. The silky white blouse underneath strained for a moment, and his cock stirred. A need hit him hard to open each pearl button and touch her soft skin. Kiss her perky breasts.
“Jack?” she called.
He blinked. “Yeah?”
“I asked you if you’re going to the mayor’s ball tomorrow.”
“Oh.” He swallowed the desire lodged in his throat, hoping it’d dissipate somewhere in his body. And never return. Not for her, anyway. The woman who planned to turn the place he loved into an attraction, a circus for tourists then leave and hire a manager, a stranger, to take care of what should have been theirs. As if he’d allow it. “Yes.” The confident smile on her ripe lips hinted she expected him to invite her. He opened his lips, but clamped them closed. Taking her to the coveted ball didn’t count as friendship. And the last thing he needed was the entire town to think of them as a couple. Dodging the questions Consuelo and Earl threw his way proved enough of a nuisance.
