Zoey smiled at the man who was patiently waiting outside her door.
“Kristen, I’m sorry that I’m late.”
“It’s okay. These beautiful women have been keeping me company.”
Zoey smothered a smile as Penni and Grace blushed from the doorway across from hers. Their red faces then paled at seeing Stump behind her.
Unlocking the door, she opened it, motioning Kristen inside.
“Make yourself comfortable, Kristen. I won’t be but a moment.”
Closing the door, Zoey saw Grace and Penni arching their necks to get a last glimpse of her client.
“He’s new, isn’t he? I haven’t seen him before,” Penni asked once the door was closed.
“No, we usually meet at a Pour and Sip in the morning. He offered to meet here because of my accident.”
“Is he a model? He looks like one,” Grace asked as if she was an expert on models.
Out of the corner of her eye, she could see that Stump was getting more and more peeved at the women’s reactions.
“You know I can’t discuss my clients.” Zoey started moving forward, leaving them no choice but to go back inside their office. “I can’t leave Kristen waiting long. I have a favor—”
“Damn, even his name sounds like a model’s. You might be right, Grace.”
Zoey snapped her fingers in front of the women’s faces. “Focus, girls. I need a favor.”
“You need me to help you into your office?” Grace’s face brightened at the thought of seeing the man waiting inside.
Penni nudged her stomach with her elbow. “You have work to do. I’ll help Zoey. She’s my new best friend.”
Zoey couldn’t help herself; she cracked up at her friends’ antics.
“Look at her. She’s having a coughing fit. You two stay here, and I’ll go get her a bottled water from her office. I don’t want my new best friend to choke to death.” Grace tried to sidle past her to get to the door.
“I’m not choking. I’m laughing,” Zoey finally managed to sputter out through rounds of giggles. Wiping tears of mirth away, she chastened the two women. “Behave before one of your husbands decides that Kristen is too good-looking. He gets nauseous at the sight of blood, especially when it’s his.”
“He’s a wimp?” Penni’s lips drooped. “Oh, well, something told me he was too perfect. So, what can I do for you?”
It took a choked sound from Stump for Zoey to remember.
“I was wondering if it would be okay for Stump to stay in your office during my office hours.”
Penni gave her and Stump a puzzled look. “I thought Ice sent him to see either me or Grace for some reason. He’s here with you?”
“Yes.” Zoey took a deep breath, hoping her plan would work. “I hired him to be my bodyguard.”
Penni’s and Grace’s faces grew ashen.
“You said those flowers and the note were nothing to worry about.”
“They aren’t. I’m just taking precautions to ensure my safety. I’m trying to be proactive. I know it will be an inconvenience having him around in your office, and I can understand if you refuse. I just won’t hire him during the day—”
“No, I don’t mind at all. Your safety must come first. Of course he can stay here,” Penni hastened to assure her. “What about the nights and weekend? Me or Grace could stay—”
“I already have that taken care of. I’ll be staying with a friend. Patrick would be more than able to handle anything that occurs outside of the office.”
“You have a boyfriend?”
“We’ve been seeing each other for a while.” Patrick was both a boy and a friend, so she technically wasn’t lying, Zoey consoled herself. “I hate to keep Kristen waiting much longer. Penni, I really appreciate you helping me out. I’m sure I’m just overreacting. If you need to put Stump to work, he’s on the clock.” Zoey couldn’t resist the triumphant look in her eyes, lowering them so Stump wouldn’t see.
Stump might not care how he behaved around her, but around Penni or Grace, he wouldn’t be so rude.
Careful not to jar her knee, she had to wait for him to move aside before she could leave. Raising her lashes, she saw the look of retribution in his eyes.
“Consider Penni and Grace your new bosses. Wow, I almost forgot.” Zoey jiggled her hand into her pocket, ignoring the apple she had stuck in there to take out her cell phone. Snapping a quick picture, she posted it before turning it around so Stump could see. “This is me happy.”
13
Stump could only watch as Zoey jauntily walked into her office, using one of her crutches to shut the door. The little mouse he took her for turned the table on him, getting her point across without having to raise her voice. In a stroke of genius, she had him out of her hair by manipulating him into sitting in Penni’s and Grace’s office to give them the constant protection that Ice and Jackal wanted them to have, without having to deal with the angry spouses’ demands to protect Zoey.