“I don’t know for sure, but I think so. And the worst part is, he doesn’t even know I’m going to be there!”
Wendy screwed up her face. “Yikes.” Then she drew in a breath, leaned in closer to me, and said in a hushed voice, “This is going to sound so stereotypical, but maybe he’ll like fashion and you guys will have something in common.”
“What?” I asked, surprisingly amused.
She stood again and pointed to me, her face morphing into a wide grin. “Oh, and he likes dick, too, so you’ll have that to talk about as well.”
I glared at her with what I imagined was the same look my mother gave me when I was in trouble as a teen.
Wendy took a few steps back. “I’m going to go pick up lunch now.”
“It’s nine in the morning,” I replied.
“Coffee, then.”
“I gave up coffee.”
She shrugged. “Then I’m going to go visit Bob in the mailroom.”
I quickly stood and walked around my desk. “Don’t you dare say a word about Luke Morrison, Wendy.”
Glancing over her shoulder, she winked. “My lips are sealed.”
Brighton
When the Jaguar pulled up and a well-dressed gentleman who looked to be a few years older than me got out, I smiled. He was cute with his dark brown hair in a buzz cut. I couldn’t tell because it was dark out, but I was pretty sure his eyes were a light color.
“Brighton Rogers?” he asked.
“That would be me.”
He smiled and held out his arm to help me into the backseat. “My name is Hank, and I’m Mr. Morrison’s personal driver.”
“Oh, how nice to meet you, Hank.”
With a nod, he said, “You look beautiful tonight, Ms. Rogers.”
Heat washed over my face. “Thank you, Hank.”
I did feel beautiful in the satin dress that hugged my body perfectly, yet still felt airy. The soft neckline flowed into a graceful wrap that twisted around my body. I left my neck bare and went with a silver diamond bracelet. A side slit that nearly went to the top of my thigh gave it that extra sexy touch. The sales lady at Saks had tried to talk me into a dusty blue dress, but as soon as I saw this cinnamon beauty, I knew I had to have it. It cost me a cool $520, but it looked beautiful with my gold strappy Jimmy Choos.
I held my red coat in my arms. I mean, if I was going to spend five-hundred bucks on a dress, I was damn well going to show it the hell off.
Hank shut the door and made his way around to the driver’s seat.
“How are you this evening?” he asked, glancing in the rearview mirror.
“I’m doing well, how about you?”
He smiled. “Adjusting to Boston traffic.”
“Did you recently move here?” I asked.
Laughing, he said, “No, I came with Mr. Morrison from LA.”
I frowned. “I’m sorry?”
“I work for Mr. Morrison. He flew in from California this morning, and I arrived with him.”
It took me a moment to realize which Mr. Morrison he was referring to. “You work for Luke? I was under the impression he wasn’t aware I was going to be his date this evening.”
Hank laughed again. “Mrs. Morrison sent me to pick you up after she canceled the car her husband ordered.”
That made my brows shoot up to my hairline. “Oh, I see. So, Luke still doesn’t know he has a date for tonight?”
“I believe he does now, ma’am. Mrs. Morrison informed him.”
“Ah.” I looked out the window, then back at the man driving. “And you work for Luke?”
“Yes,” he said with a nod.
Christ, I had already asked him that.
“Does he always bring you with him when he travels?”
Oh my gosh, am I really grilling his driver?
Hank laughed again. “I’m his personal assistant.”
“And part-time Uber driver, it seems.”
Another laugh from Hank. “I have a variety of roles.”
“I bet you do,” I mumbled, remembering the toned body I’d glimpsed under the suit Hank was wearing.
“I’m sorry?”
“Nothing.”
He looked at me once more in the mirror before saying, “I do believe Mr. Morrison—the younger one—will enjoy your company, Ms. Rogers.”
“I do have a shining personality,” I said with a smile. If the younger Mr. Morrison was really batting for the other team, that would be about the only thing he’d like about me. “I hope he isn’t agitated that his father set him up on a blind date—and with a girl on top of that.”
Hank’s eyes flicked up and met mine in the mirror. He looked confused. “I’m sorry?”
I waved off my comment with my hand. “Nothing, just…just ignore me.” I sighed heavily and suddenly wished I’d taken that shot of whiskey I’d been considering earlier. My nerves were frayed, and I hadn’t even reached the party yet.
Hank and I drove the rest of the way in silence as I tried to think of what I was going to say to Luke.