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Clearing his throat, he gestures to a folder of papers sitting on a nearby bench. My brow furrows in confusion as I glance back at him trying to figure out where they came from. “See to it that Knox gets those.”
Before I can get a word out he turns and quickly disappears leaving me standing there staring after him with more confusion and desire running through my body than I know what to do with.
“What the hell just happened?”
Chapter Eleven
DANTE
Lizzie didn’t disappoint, as usual. From the moment I stepped off the plane back in the city to the time I arrived at the private rooftop elite club for lunch with John McKinnon, everything was taken care of. I didn’t even have to tell the driver where to go. It was one of the things I liked about her, she got shit done without having to be told what to do.
Unlike some people I know.
Stepping out of the elevator at Starlite Elite Gentlemen's Club, I prepare myself for meeting McKinnon. I don’t have time to think about my brother or Willowcreek. I have to get back on track, even if a pair of emerald green eyes continue to haunt me since the moment I left that damn town.
The tall vaulted ceilings, crystal chandeliers, and large floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the city greet me with elegance. Even the cute blonde at the hostess stand knew how to act the moment I walked through the doors. Her hair is pinned back without a strand out of place as she sashays towards me in her royal blue pencil dress with a smile on her face.
“Mr. Lewis, it’s a pleasure to see you again.”
“Is he here?” I say quickly, completely ignoring her greeting. I did most of my business with high-end clients in this facility and with the amount of money I spent in the place, they knew I didn’t have time to mess around.
“Yes, sir. Right this way.”
Following behind her, I make my way past the array of circular tables with black leather armchairs. Men from the city sit either alone or in quiet conversation, with crystal glasses filled with an array of colors depending on what type of liquor suited their pallets.
And there, at my usual table, next to the large waterfall feature on the backside of the club, sat McKinnon. His dark hair, as perfectly pristine as his botoxed smile, stood out against crystal clear blue eyes.
“Lewis, good to see you. That business in Maine turn out?” he asks, pounding my back the moment he pulls me in for a hug. I have never been one for people touching me, but when it comes to McKinnon, I was fine with whatever gesture would make him happy.
“Unfortunately, a family friend died. I went back to see if my help was needed, though they already had things taken care of.”
McKinnon’s smile falters for a moment as we take a seat. “I’m sorry to hear that. We could have postponed this…”
I smile, shaking my head as I lift my water glass to my lips and take a swig. “No, no. It’s fine, honestly. I was eager to get back to the city. Plus, I wouldn’t miss a chance to have lunch with you. I enjoy our conversations.”
John laughs as he slugs the rest of the amber liquid from his glass before gesturing to the waiter for another.
“Did I tell you about that deal I completed?”
I grin at him. In this business there are no real “friends,” but he’s someone I work well with when our paths cross. And when we end up fighting over the same deal, it’s always an entertaining challenge.
“Nope. Must be recent, ‘cause normally you brag about every shit you take,” I say, ribbing him.
“I just closed the deal on a bunch of sweet, sweet properties in an up-and-coming district in New Jersey. It’s the perfect investment to rent out for businesses. And I snapped them all up,” he boasts, puffing out his chest.
Right. He did tell me about that.
By the time our food order is put in and it's placed in front of me, I’m starving. I didn’t bother with breakfast and the entire flight home I was working. But I manage to contain my excitement over the lemon glazed chicken that quickly became an addiction from the first time I came to this place.
Our conversation takes a turn to other avenues while waiting, but something in the back of my mind about his deal in Jersey kept nagging at me.
“So,” I drawl. “How did you manage the efforts in Jersey?”
I’m not one to fish, but perhaps John has some information that I could use to help with my efforts in Willowcreek.
“There was a small-time developer that held the deeds but I helped them see that they didn’t have the funding to remodel. Apparently, they had a couple properties promised to other buyers, but I made it clear. All of it, or none.” He laughs as he lifts his beer. “You can guess what option they took.”
After being stuck in a loop with Knox, Kylie, and their friends with their sanctimonious sentimentality, I can’t help it. I burst into laughter, before raising my water glass once more to my lips.
