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“Gwen, what are you?—”
“I came as soon as I heard,” she panted, shoving a manila folder at Paisley with a wild grin. “Here ya go, darlin’.”
“What’s this?” she asked, opening it.
“An application,” Gwen replied.
“On paper?” Paisley asked. “You know?—”
Shushing noises hissed through the air as the whole crowd warned Paisley against making any helpful suggestions to the woman who’d decide if she got the new job.
I covered my laughter with a cough.
“Just fill that out,” Gwen told her, unphased. “Then we’ll get you into the background process, and then as far as I’m concerned, if you pass all that, you’re hired.”
I took in the determined set to Paisley’s jaw, the excitement lighting her gaze. She was committed to this idea. She was looking forward to helping people in this way, and I had to admit it was admirable... and unsettling.
She lifted one delicate eyebrow at me in question, and I leaned instinctively toward her before I caught myself and straightened my back.
“Are you sure y’all trust her to answer the phone on your worst day?” I asked in a last-ditch effort to stop this ball from rolling.
“Yes,” everyone hollered without an ounce of hesitation.
I wasn’t sure why they would, though, considering they’d been complaining for weeks about the woman being unable to leave well enough alone. Did they really want her all up in their business? If they called 911, she’d probably walk them through fixing their own problems before bothering to type in the address.
And when I looked at Paisley, even though her shoulders were back and her chin was raised, something in her eyes told me she was just as confused as I was.
“Look, honey, no one in this town would disagree with me if I said you were a strong, smart, capable young lady,” Gilly said, patting Paisley’s shoulder over the counter between them. “It’s just... we like the way we do things here, and we have no interest in upgradin’ our systems or reorganizin’ our menus. But if I needed help, I’d know I’d get it in a flash with you over there workin’ on it.”
“Thanks, Gilly,” she replied with a soft smile.
Her smile made my gut twist again. There’d been a time when that smile had lit up the room for me, drawing me in like a moth to a flame.
Refocusing, I tried to be objective. Everyone knew Paisley was a force to be reckoned with, and dispatching seemed tailor-made for her. It was a wonder she’d ever left.
But… just because taking this job might be the perfect thing for her to sink her teeth into so she’d leave everyone else alone, I couldn’t shake the feeling that it spelled trouble on my end.
3/
paisley
take it back now, y'all:?
New Year’s Eve: The Night We Met
The air hummed with excitement as I made my way through the crowded party. The New Year’s Masquerade Ball was the latest in a long line of events designed to promote Laney and Riley’s latest duet. The song was a fun country ballad about fresh starts after loss, and the accompanying music video was set at a Masquerade party like this one in the 1800s.
All of the guests were decked out like they’d just stepped off that video set, and I had to hand it to them, they looked fantastic. It never ceased to amaze me how much celebrities loved a good theme party.
Well, I would, too, if I had people on my staff whose job was to deck me out in the perfect outfit to fit the theme.
But tonight wasn’t just about promoting my client’s latest song or about ensuring another piece of promotional artistry went off without a hitch. My little brother, Tyler, was also herewith me. ?Incostume, no less, dressedlike a flamboyant gambler from the Old West.
I’d never thought of my brother as the type to get into the spirit of a theme party, and it was strange to see him without his signaturelook of a wrinkled flanneland wornjeans. But tonight? He fit right in with his long black coat, emerald green waistcoat—complete with a silver pocket watch on a long chain—and tailored black pants.
Oh, and then there was the best part: the shiny boots he’d borrowed from Laney’s costume team boasted ornate silver spurs that jingled with his every step.
Tyler waved, catching me scouringthe crowd for him for thetenth time in as many minutes. He gave me a rueful shake of the head before goingback towinking, flirting with, and generally charming every girl at the party who would give him the time of day.
