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As she walked, she kicked a crushed soda can. She picked it up, along with a piece of plastic wrapping that had come from who knew what. Shetsked. This wouldn’t do at all.
“You pick up litter too? Full-service wedding planner.”
She turned to find him filming her. “What are you doing?”
“Documenting.” He kept the camera pointing in her direction.
“Notme. The venue.”
“You said I could record at my discretion. Besides, you’re the planner, Rylee. Everything and everyone goes through you. You’re the star of the pre-show.” He lowered the camera and checked the footage. “How did I not notice your dimples yesterday?”
“I don’t know. They’re a bit much.”
“I must’ve been dazzled.” He glanced up from the camera screen. “I can’t think when you smile.”
She shook her head, still trying to weigh the Trick who, well,trickedeveryone for views online, and the man she’d gone to dinner with who had been both polite and kind.
“There’s no need to lay it on this thick,” she said as she walked to a refuse bin. “I get it. You’re charming, engaging. The life of the party.”
“You think I’m buttering you up?”
“Aren’t you?”
He seesawed his head as if he was considering. “I guess that depends. Is it working?”
She didn’t deign him with an answer. “Speaking of work, I have a lot of it to do. Stay out of any room marked private. The TCC has added extra security so you’ll need this to walk around.” She reached into her purse and pulled out a guest pass. “Everywhere else is open. I work better alone.”
He accepted the pass and nodded. “Meet up with you in a few hours?”
“Text me if you can’t find me.”
He lifted the camera, pointing it at her again. “I’ll look for the dimples. Can’t miss ’em now.”
He walked off, and she admired his tight backside for a beat before recovering her professionalism. She had a job to do and not a single item on her itinerary readbe charmed by Trick MacArthur.
The fans were blowing on high on the covered porch at the rear of the club. Rylee sat in a rocker, leaned her head back and shut her eyes. She had been outside in the heat for most of the morning, walking the property as she made phone calls. She’d double-checked that the Chiavari chairs for the ceremony had arrived, which was important as they couldn’t ask the guests to sit in the grass. Gold chairs had been harder to track down than white, as were many of the items required to match with Xavier and Ariana’s theme. The old Hollywood glamor theme had been augmented, as had many other details over the last few months, to incorporate the state flower, the blue bonnet. A rich blue-purple shade had been added to the gold, black and cream color scheme.
Rylee had also called to the officiant to quadruple-check he’d be on time and that he’d received his payment. His assistant assured her that he’d arrive ready for the midmorning ceremony. An outdoor venue in Texas in June required an early ceremony, or else the guests would melt. Kind of like she was doing right now.
“There you are. I was about to give up.” Trick stepped onto the porch from inside the club, a plastic bag in one hand and a pair of crystal flutes in the other. “This place is enormous.” His tripod was tucked under his arm. He carefully set it aside as he placed the bag onto a side table next to her. He handed her a flute. “Peach Bellini.”
She accepted the sweating glass, her mouth watering. “Seriously?”
“I figured one wouldn’t hurt.” He set his own glass down and extracted a Styrofoam container from the plastic bag. He cracked the lid and showed her the contents. “Crab and avocado eggs Benedict. The other box is full of pancakes.”
“You brought me brunch?” She was touched. Had anyoneeverdelivered her brunch?
She hadn’t had much male attention since she’d split up with Louis—the other reason for her fleeing Texas to live in LA—and that’d been over two years ago. She knew she should resist Trick’s advances, but a bigger part of her saidgo for it. It was just brunch. What was the harm? Then she heard herself resist anyway.
“This is so nice, but—”
“C’mon, Peaches. I brought you your favorite drink and the meal you are typically unable to enjoy before nine o’clock at night. Indulge.”
Well. Who could say no to that? Besides, shewasthirsty.
She took a dainty sip of her drink, the bubbles tickling her throat. It was sweet and delicious and perfect. Trick pulled his shoulders back like he was proud of himself. He should be. No one had successfully wooed her away from her self-enforced work rules.
“That’s more like it.” He unrolled a set of silverware, sliced off a bite of the eggs Benedict, and offered it to her. She accepted the fork and fed herself, aware of him watching her closely.
