She grabs his shoulder, yelping as her stomach pulls. “You can’t do that, Seth. That’s my job.” She stands on tiptoes beside him, cursing his tallness as he holds the phone up and out of reach.
“Yeah, it is, and you don’t need this shit right now.” He thumbs through the messages. “Pick up linens? Buckets of flowers? Stuff gift bags?” Concern etches itself across his handsome features. “This is heavy liftin’. You can’t do any of this. What did your boss say when you told him you were mugged?”
Propping her hands on her hips, she meets his eyes. “I didn’t.”
“Didn’t ...” He inhales, shakes his head. “Lacey.”
“Prentiss won’t understand. He doesn’t take breaks.”
“Sounds like a swell guy.” Seth frowns down at her. “What would Sal say if she knew what you were doin’?”
She glares. “Don’t you dare use my sister against me.”
Without a word, Seth cracks the window.
The phone pings in his hand.
Lacey sets her jaw. “Do it, and I’ll scream, Seth.”
They stare at each other, defiant. Stubborn.
A knock on the door has her stiffening. Seth, surprised, turns, the phone bobbing in his hand. Smoothly, she inches forward and snatches it away. Seth sighs. In response, she sticks out her tongue.
“Real mature,” he says, not hiding his irritation.
“You started it,” she snaps, heading for the door.
What Lacey sees when she peers through the peephole has her swearing.
It’s Autumn. Autumn with her over-plucked eyebrows and extremely tinsled Christmas sweater.
Of course, Prentiss sent his crony to check up on her. She glances at Seth over her shoulder. “Get in the bedroom,” she hisses.
Seth scowls but trudges off, muttering something about hardheaded women being the death of him.
When Seth’s disappeared, she runs a hand through her hair, hopefully combing it into something presentable. She wishes she were in anything but pajamas. Like a power skirt with big 1980s polka dots.
Inhaling a steeling breath, Lacey swings the door open, a smile plastered on her face. “Autumn, hi,” she says brightly.
“Lacey.” Autumn raises a salty brow. “Poor thing. You look so tired.”
Lacey lets the comment slide. Decorum, too. “What do you want, Autumn?”
“Prentiss sent me over to let you know that I handled Colin’s errand. I take it you’re feeling better?”
“Right as rain,” Lacey chirps. “The whole stomach issue’s a thing of the past.”
“Good. Because we have a problem you need to handle.” Autumn stoops and drags an enormous cardboard box out of the hallway through Lacey’s doorway.
“What’s this?” Lacey blurts, her chest constricting.
“The linens for Saturday night.”
Oh God.She stares in horror.
Already she sees the problem. A very big problem.
Lacey closes her eyes.