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“You know the saying,” Sug said. “‘Money is the root of all evil’.”
Where had Rob gotten his money? He was never off her mind for long. Kitt had always believed in his basic goodness. And she still did. If evil wasn’t involved, however, who or what was? Rob Harrison had come a long ways from his roots and she was happy for him. She just hoped another woman hadn’t helped him get where he was today.
Suzette stretched her long limbs out in front of her, displaying a lot of leg. Every motion she made was designed to titillate men and Rob wasn’t immune to her catlike beauty but noticing was as far as it went. Suzette liked to be admired.
Handing Rob her lighter even though he was driving the limo, she pulled out a long thin cigarette for him to light. She’d chosen to sit in the front seat with him tonight. In daylight when she might be seen, she sat in the back. She maintained that it didn’t look right for her to sit next to the chauffeur. But she liked to chat and she’d grown tired of Rob asking her to repeat herself. He’d told her to speak louder but she said she’d paid a voice coach to cultivate her speaking voice and she wasn’t going to ruin it.
He flicked her silver lighter and she leaned closer. She always wore low-cut dresses to tantalise her would-be suitors. Rob didn’t fall into that category but it was a practiced motion. “Thank you, doll,” she said, sitting back to inhale off the lit cigarette.
Rob wore many hats, figuratively speaking. He was Suzette Gold’s all-around helper, and though he grumbled about it, she insisted he wear a chauffeur’s hat when he drove her. “My man” was what she called him when talking to others. She liked living like a celebrity and he liked the variety in his work. Sometimes chef, year-round pool boy and oftentimes butler, he did whatever she wanted. Fortunately, that didn’t include anything more personal than rubbing her back on occasion. He would never perform sexual favours for money. Even for a beautiful woman like her.
She was a show-off in some respects, but he understood. Suzette was an aging model who had been a popular cover girl at one time. She’d been in such demand, she’d banked enough money to live well for the rest of her life, plus she’d been married twice to wealthy men who’d showered her with fabulous gifts. But she wasn’t satisfied lunching with ladies or playing bridge. She wanted her career back and had hired a new agent because the old one wasn’t getting her any decent jobs nowadays. He’d gotten lazy, Suzette had confided to Rob.
Rob had other ideas about her lack of work. To be fair, she was still lovely for a woman in her late fifties but she was such a prima donna—he’d seen her working—photographers probably found her to be a pain in the ass. When she was a lovely young thing at the height of her career, they were all so hot for her body, they jumped to meet her requests.
“Stop here,” Suzette said, laying a slender manicured hand on his arm. “Pull over and I’ll get in the back seat.”
“So what difference does it make if a valet sees you riding up front with your chauffeur?” Rob had once asked her, but by now he knew the routine. He’d been working for her the past six months, and at first he’d lived in a couple of rooms over her carriage house. But when he learned Kitt might be coming to Summerfield, he’d made up his mind to move somewhere else. He’d saved his money over the years. The only foolish spending he’d done involved the woman he’d been married to briefly. He’d been drunk when he made that mistake. The only woman he’d ever really cared about was Kitt.
Rob pulled up at the hotel entrance, hopped out and opened the door for Suzette.
“Wait in the bar and put your dinner and drinks on my tab,” she told him, even though that was also standard.
He relinquished the keys to one of the eager young guys waiting for the opportunity to drive a silver limo.
Gaylord Palms was a fantastic resort hotel and he’d entertained himself here before by checking out its lavish features and watching the patrons. He’d grown up never even dreaming such places existed or that so many people lived these kinds of lives. There were multiple restaurants in the hotel and he could choose any one of them as long as he was waiting for Suzette at the bar she’d designated on previous trips. He wasn’t hungry yet and couldn’t drink much since he had to drive, so he strolled the lobby feeling invisible even though he was wearing a custom tux that Suzette bought him.
“Rob Harrison?”
Rob came to a surprised halt and found himself face-to-face with Joe Pringle, the guy that used his class ring on Rob’s face like a brass knuckle. “Joe.” Laughing, Rob pumped Joe’s hand like he would any old friend’s. Running into someone from high school when he was here in a tuxedo felt good. “How are you doing, buddy? Want to knock back a few and catch up on old times?”
“Damn. I wish I could, but Amy’s in the ladies’ room and we’re meeting her parents for dinner.”
Rob took a quick look at Joe’s left hand and saw the wedding ring. “So you two got married?”
“Yeah. Can you believe it?”
“Are you treating her right?” Rob narrowed his eyes. He still remembered the way the big guy treated his petite girlfriend.
Joe smacked a fist in his palm. “I thought you and I had moved past that. She’s okay. What about you? Did you marry any of your horny little playmates?” He smirked. “Or did love-struck Kitt Maxwell finally catch you?”
Rob ached to hit the bastard again but he’d risen above that. “I haven’t seen any of them since graduation.”
“I heard Kitt’s in town visiting her aunt. Amy said she looks hot. Maybe you should give her a tumble.”
“Hello, Rob.” Amy appeared on the scene with a swollen belly. “Number three,” she said, patting her baby bulge. “You should call Kitt. I’ll bet she’d like to see you. You look wonderful, Rob, even without your curly hair. The shaved head is…sexy.”
Joe shuffled his feet and took her arm. Looking at Rob, he loosened his grip.
“Thanks, Amy. I might do that but I don’t have her number.”
“I’ll write it down for you. She and I talk on the phone occasionally.”
Pulling a paper out of her purse, Amy scrawled a number and handed it to Rob before Joe dragged her away.
Hot damn. Rob headed for a quiet corner of the lobby.
Chapter Five
