“Do you need some help with that?” I nodded to the strip of fabric. He didn’t seem to hear me. His eyes roved over the dress as he put a hand in his pocket and jangled the loose change there. “Marv?”
His head shot up. “What?”
I laughed, putting the eyeliner down next to the mascara and walked over to him. My fingers trailed around his collar, popping the white fabric as I quickly knotted and tied his bowtie. He watched me as I fixed itappropriately.
“You’d make a good wife,” hemumbled.
“Hmm.” I pretended to be absorbed in my task, not letting on just how that statement, coming from him, rattledme.
Any girl who could tie a tie or a bowtie correctly probably seemed like a good candidate for a wife, I assured myself. It was helpful that I managed to hold things together under certain situations such as spying on his peers. I folded his collar back down and smoothed it out. He looked dashing, his light-gray eyes a contrast with his dark hair. Stubble spread over his jaw line, giving him a little rougher edge than usual. It heated my blood all thesame.
Marv took my hand as we exited our room. I was getting used to that. The hallways were empty and it wasn’t until we descended the staircase again that we heard laughter and music down a long, navy-blue carpetedhallway.
The dining room was grand with globe chandeliers lighting the arched ceiling. Three candles, ranging from tall to nearly burnt out, sat in the middle of each table. The concierge gestured Marv and I to our table as I observed the room, the women in their dresses, the men ignoring the women in their dresses for other, prettier, younger women. My mouth grew dry. I clutched Marv’s hand like a lifeline. If he noticed, he didn’t showit.
A shadow fell over us and a waiter in black and white dropped off glasses of water and white wine. He paused behind Marv and me before setting our glasses down, knocking my napkin off the table with the flick of his hand. If I wasn’t so high strung, I wouldn’t have noticed that it was purposefully done. I looked at the waiter as he bent over and retrieved the scrap offabric.
“I apologize, Miss,” he mumbled setting the napkin on the table next to me. I memorized his face, the arc of his brows, the dull, doe-brown eyes and the sharp, slightly-too-large-for-his-face nose. He flicked a glance at the napkin once more before scurrying off. I reached for it as Marv leaned over and placed his lips in my hair, a hand on the back of mychair.
“Hand it to me,” he whispered. It was then I realized that this was preplanned. The guys must have either paid the waiter or he was part of their team, part of Iris. I slipped the napkin into my lap and twisted my body towards him, scooting it to his knee. He opened the flap and retrieved something before passing it back. “Put it in yourear.”
I waited a few moments as Marv stretched, groaned, and rubbed at his ear as he put in his own device before striking up a conversation with an older brunette across the table. She seemed flattered by his adoration of her jewelry. She fluttered her eyelashes and blushed, causing her husband to fawn over her and agree. Eyes turned to assess her necklace andearrings.
I slipped in the hearing device and Texas’ voice came through, muted and hard to hear. It was as if he were far away maybe yelling across a long, crowded room. Thankfully, I could still make out the words without much concentration. I agreed with Marv about the other woman’s jewelry as she told everyone where she purchased it and who the designerwas.
“Space Man to Earth Princess, come in Earth Princess.” I was reaching for a glass of water and snorted at Texas’ teasing. Before I could draw every eye back to me, I jerked the water in front of my face to hide myreaction.
“Oh my god, Texas!” I hissed quietly. “Stopit.”
“Just making sure I got you. I requested you, but Knix said I would get who I would get. I’m glad I gotyou.”
“Tex–” I interrupted myself as the brunette’s husband glanced my way and I put the glass to my lips andsipped.
“Alright, listen up, Princess. I’ve got some information for you. Marv is getting the run down from Knix now,” Texas said. “Bellamy’s been pulled.” I bit my lip as I tried whispering through unmovinglips.
“Pulled?” I whispered. “Why?”
“Whoever’s in charge of staffing wanted to change a lot, and a whole bunch of employees in non-essential positions were dropped last minute. Luckily, I’m way more than essential. I’m their king guru of tech. Guess that makes both of us royalty. The King of tech and the Earth Princess. Wanna get married?” I could picture Texas waggling his eyebrows. I smirked, coughed into my hand delicately interrupting him as he attempted to list the ways of kings andprincesses.
“Right, right,” he replied. “So, you’ve got me and whoever Knix and I manage to bribe to drop equipment with you and Marv. He should have a cell phone now, but you won’t need it until later. Marv will explain the plan. For now, just sit tight, eat some good food and listen to everything.” I hummed in agreement as our first course arrived and Texas grew quiet, only asking me embarrassing questions every now and then to make me blush. I hoped the others at our table just assumed I was shy and naturallypink.
“Planting drinks tonight?” I inquiredlowly.
“Nope. Oh! And no drinking on the job, Knix’sorders.”
“I’m not old enough, yet,” I argued. I could picture him shrugging at me, but he just repeated that it was under Knix’s orders and wentsilent.
“So, Marvin dear,” the brunette said. “Who is your lovely acquaintance?” My eyes widened as the attention at the table suddenly turned tome.
“Mrs. Foster, this young lady is more than just an acquaintance. This is Harley, my girlfriend.” The older woman flapped a bony hand athim.
“Maya, darling. Call me Maya, and is she now?” Her eyes danced over me, analyzing me. “Harley, it’s so very nice to see our boy Marvin with someone. He hasn’t come out in ages!” She reached for the stem of her wine glass and brought it to her dark paintedlips.
“I’m happy to be wherever he is.” I smiled, reaching to grasp his hand in front of our audience. Marv’s fingers intertwined withmine.
“So, what do you do?” sheinquired.
“I’m sorry?” Panic edged along my nerve endings. Had the guys already put out a background on ‘Harley’? Was this just a test from her? I looked at Marv, who merely raised an eyebrow at me expectantly. I took that to mean that he either didn’t have any idea what she was talking about or he was more than willing to let me make it up as I wentalong.