AllFreeNovel
Share Us
No, no one would fault her, but Allison refused to let this drag her down. Neil would move on with his life in his perfect house, with his suspiciously white teeth and 3 percent body fat. Allison was not going to let him be the only one to find happiness. “I’m fine. Let’s get back to work. We need to finish this up so I can head over to my new place and meet the movers.”
“Okay. If that’s what you want.” Kianna launched into a summary of their bottom line. It didn’t take long. The upshot was too many expenses, not enough income. “All of this makes the Black Crescent account that much more important. If we nail this first assignment for them, we should be able to go on retainer. That will put us safely in the black.”
Having a new client in her hometown of Falling Brook, New Jersey, was a real boon. Allison had pulled in a favor to make it happen, but she was sure it could translate into big things. “We can do it. I can do it. I will knock their socks off. I promise.” The best part was that it would not only bring in money, she could see her brother, Scott. Allison had been there for his birthday last month, but she always looked forward to their time together.
“How soon are you planning to go out there and meet with them?”
Allison flipped through her calendar. “I haven’t booked my travel yet, but I’m thinking next week. My plan is to walk into that meeting with the three amazing candidates we’ve been talking to for the position.”
“Can I make a suggestion?”
“You think I should go sooner?”
“I think you shouldleavesooner, as in go somewhere for a few days. Relax. Unwind. Meet a hot guy and let him rock your world. Get Neil out of your system.”
“But we have so much work to do.”
“And we need you on top of your game when you meet with Black Crescent. You’re wound way too tight right now.”
Allison had to laugh. “Have you been talking to my mom?”
“Please tell me your mom didn’t tell you to hook up with some guy.”
“She didn’t. But she did tell my aunt Angelique about Neil, and Angelique called last night begging me to come and stay with her and my uncle for a few days at their resort in the Bahamas. Bad news travels fast among the women in my family.” Allison was incredibly close to her mom, so much so that she felt suffocated sometimes. So of course, they’d had many phone conversations about the Neil situation, and it was only a matter of time before her aunt found out.
“That sounds perfect. I say you do it. As long as there are men available, of course.” Kianna got up from her chair, gathered her notes in her arms and headed for the door.
“A man is the last thing I need.”
Kianna turned and cast Allison a stern look. “I’m not talking marriage. I’m talking sex. A few mind-blowing orgasms and Neil will be a distant memory.”
“I’m not much for random hookups. I’m not even sure I can do that.”
“Have you looked at yourself? Any sane guy would be psyched to take you to bed.” Kianna turned on her heel and headed down the hall.
Allison wasn’t sure about that, but maybe it was time to do something nice for herself—book a bungalow on the beach and fall asleep in the sun with a good book. She fumbled for her phone and dialed the number for her aunt.
“Tell me you’re on the plane,” Angelique said when she answered.
Allison smiled. She couldn’t help it. She loved her entire family deeply. “Not yet.”
“But you’re coming?”
“As long as you have room for me.”
“I have one bungalow open, so we have room. It’s all yours. I hope it’s okay if I put you next to one of your brother’s friends, though. Zane Patterson?”
That name started a long-forgotten hum in Allison’s body. Zane was the guy Allison had crushed on for every waking minute of her adolescence. “He’s not coming with Scott, is he?”
“Oh, no. By himself. Just for a few days. He gets here tomorrow.”
Allison’s heart was jackhammering in her chest. Visions of unbelievably sexy Zane rushed into her consciousness—thick dark hair with a hint of curl, piercing blue eyes that made her melt and a long, lean body she’d wanted to touch forever. She had a good dozen or so Zane fantasies she’d concocted over the years. Why had she never thought up the one where they both ended up on a secluded Bahamian island at the same time? “Oh. Funny. I was thinking I’d fly in tomorrow, too.”
“Do you know him?”
“I do. He’s a great guy. It’s always nice to see him.” Allison couldn’t ignore the way her voice had suddenly pitched to a higher octave. “Nice to see him” didn’t begin to cover it.
But there’d always been a massive obstacle with Zane—Scott. The only time she’d had any real physical contact with Zane was three weeks ago, when they were at her brother’s house for his birthday dinner. This was right after Allison had first found out Neil was cheating. Feeling hurt, reckless and pleasantly tipsy, she’d spent most of the evening testing the waters of flirtation with Zane. She knocked her knee into his under the table, brushed his hand with her fingertips when reaching for the butter and made a point of making eye contact when she laughed at his jokes. There was a palpable connection between them, a very real spark, and she could only play with fire for so long before jumping in headfirst. So as soon as Scott and his wife left the table to put their kids to bed, Allison had grabbed her chance. She gripped Zane’s muscled forearm, leaned in and kissed him. For a blissful instant, Zane was into it.
