“Do you have a card?”
“No. I’m not an author, just a reader. I love these conferences.”
“Here then.” Stacy handed Mary one of her business cards. “Write down your full name and your email address, and I’ll be in touch.”
Mary hastily jotted down her information and handed the card back to Stacy.
“Thanks, Mary.” She gestured to the freebies on her table. “Don’t forget to take some book marks and other goodies, okay? Thanks so much for stopping by.”
“Not a problem,” Mary gushed. “Not a problem at all!”
As Mary left the table, her hands full of Stacy’s bookmarks, Stacy took a long drink from her bottle of water. She checked her watch. One more hour of book signing. One more hour. Her bags were packed and waiting at the front desk. Once the book signing was over, she was off to the airport to catch the next flight home on standby. She wasn’t waiting until tomorrow.
She just couldn’t.
She took another sip of water and swiped her hand across her brow. Damn, it was hot in here! It wouldn’t hurt to get up for a few minutes. Take a quick walk to see if she could cool off. If nothing else, she could splash some cool water on her face in the restroom.
She stood and hurried away before anyone else came to her table. Once in the bathroom, she turned on the faucet and filled her palms with the co
ol liquid. She splashed it on her face and then regarded her reflection. Her eyes were still puffy from all the crying last night.
Well, nothing could be done about that. The cool water would help, at least.
She splashed her face again and then once more still before turning off the faucet and drying her skin gently with a paper towel.
Eyes were still a bit swollen, but at least her cheeks were rosy and healthy looking. She quickly took a lipstick out of her handbag and applied it.
Not too bad, she thought, and headed back to the book signing.
Just as she was about to turn the corner to head into the ballroom where the signing was held, someone gripped her shoulder.
She jumped and soon found herself backed against the wall.
“It’s just me, Stace.”
That voice. That voice that had moaned her name.
“We need to talk, baby.”
Chapter Eight
“We have nothing to talk about. I’m in the middle of a book signing.” Stacy started forward, but Michael held her, wouldn’t let her go.
“You have to listen to me. I—“
Stacy seethed, gathered all her strength, and pushed against his chest as hard as she could. “The only thing I have to do is get back to my signing!”
Michael didn’t budge. Geez, he really was one solid mass of muscle.
“Have you talked to Ronnie?”
What the hell was he talking about? “Ronnie? I haven’t seen her since last night. What does she have to do with anything?”
“Thank God.” Michael’s face softened a bit. His hazel eyes scorched her skin. “You look beautiful.”
Now she knew he was full of it. She’d just seen her puffy brown eyes in the bathroom mirror. “Thanks. I’d like to think you mean that, but you’re a known liar.”
“I never lied to you.”