Damage Control

by M. S. Parker

  Feeling a curious gaze on me, I finally looked past him and found myself staring at a woman who was vaguely familiar. A smile quirked at her lips, and she inclined her head. “Hello.”

  “Hi.”

  If she wanted anything more than that, she should have waited until…I don’t know, when he and I were done.

  The thought startled me. What did I mean by done? Had I seriously been considering having a quickie with a stranger in my best friend’s father’s office while dressed as a mermaid?

  That was a bit much, even for me.

  I pulled away from him, reaching up to adjust my wig.

  “Let me help,” he offered.

  I sidestepped when he reached for me. “I’ve got it.”

  I didn’t know why I felt so put out. It wasn’t like I’d planned on coming in here and having some hot guy walk in so I could put the moves on him.

  Turning on my heel, I headed into the bathroom tucked off the side of the library. I didn’t precisely storm away, but I wasn’t exactly all grace and sex appeal, either.

  Behind me, I could hear him talking to the woman in a low voice, and I hurriedly fixed the damage he’d done to my wig. Still, even though I’d done a haphazard job, I came out just as they passed through the door.

  “Jerk,” I muttered.

  He walked in on me, kissed me–

  “All right, I kissed him,” I admitted to myself. Still, it wasn’t like he’d been an unwilling participant.

  He’d been more than into it. I could still feel the press of his fingers, the heat of his skin.

  And he’d just walked out like that?

  Like hell.

  Hurrying out the door, I moved as quick as a mermaid skirt would let me. It wasn’t very fast, but it was the least I could do.

  I caught sight of him just before the crowd in the ballroom would have swallowed him whole and locked on that position. By the time I cut through the crowds, I had a blistering comment on my lips.

  Then I saw who he was talking to and that comment died.

  He was talking to Silas. Or maybe Piety. Or both?

  Yes, definitely both.

  And the woman who’d interrupted us was also there.

  Piety caught sight of me and waved, beckoning me over in a way that made it clear if I ducked her, she’d hunt me down. Resigned, I started in her direction and even managed to smile as she gushed over my costume the moment I reached her side.

  She’d done as I’d suggested and dressed up as Belle from Beauty and the Beast, and she looked amazing.

  “Where’s the Beast?” I asked lightly, ignoring the burning gaze of my annoying mystery man just a few inches away.

  “Oh, he’s off somewhere.” Piety rolled those expressive eyes of hers. “He loves parties, but he doesn’t love this part. Can’t say I blame him.”

  This part. I knew exactly what she meant. She and I had been raised for this part, and both of us were good at getting people to open their wallets.

  “Let me introduce you,” she said, easing right back into the conversation she’d been having before. “You know Sondra Thatcher, right?”

  The name clicked, and I met the level eyes of the woman who’d walked in on me and the hot guy. “Of course, Senator Thatcher. How are you?”

  “I’m afraid you’ve got me on the name.” She gave me a polite smile without any indication of where she’d seen me before. “You look familiar, but I can’t quite place you.”

  “I imagine you meet a lot of people, Senator,” I said vaguely, refusing to feel insulted that she hadn’t realized she was at my fundraiser. Okay, not mine entirely. But Piety and I had set it up together. Granted, Piety’s name was more well-known than mine, but the Traore and Van Pelt families were both staples in Philadelphia society.

  Piety rushed to fill the silence as I looked over at the quiet man at my side, but he wasn’t looking at me. He actually was speaking to Silas. Quite intently too.

  Senator Thatcher said something to me, and I made a half-hearted response, but I was more focused on Silas and the man who’d yet to be introduced. I wanted to know why he was here, how he knew Senator Thatcher. I’d always been a curious person, but he’d gone beyond piquing my interest. He intrigued me.

  “…how many do you think you’ll have when you’re at full capacity?” Silas asked.

  “I’m hoping for thirty. It’s not much, but rehab works better when there’s time for one on one, when the people we’re trying to help can get to know each other and the support staff. That’s a crucial step in getting better, I’ve always thought.”

  Piety’s father nodded. “It sounds like you’ve put a great deal of thought into this, Dash. Shame you’re starting on the West Coast. I’d love to have a place like that near here. But make sure I get your contact information. I’d be happy to give a donation.”

  Two things hit me at once. Donation. Dash.

  His name was Dash, and he was here for a donation. At my fundraiser.

  What the hell?

  This was my fundraiser, mine and Piety’s, and some senator from California showed up with this guy and started soliciting for funds? Who the hell did that?

  “Now that you’ve gotten your hand out,” I interrupted, smiling brightly. “Are you interested in hearing about the shelter this fundraiser is actually for?”

  Two pairs of eyes turned toward me, only one set of them amused.

  Silas patted my shoulder. “I’ve already given Piety a check, sweetheart. Are you going to twist my arm for another one?”

  “You’ve thrown open your home and donated more than once, Congressman. You know me better than that.” I kissed his cheek before focusing back on the other man.

  He was finally looking at me again, his expression unreadable.

  “How about you?” With a falsely bright smile, I met his eyes. “Are you interested in what we’re doing here, or did you just come to sell your own idea?”

  There was a flash in his eyes, gone too quickly for me to identify. Then, slowly, a red flush crept up his cheeks. “I’m happy to hear about your cause.”

  That look in his eyes, followed by the blush was…disappointing. No denial, but no apology either. He’d totally just asked my best friend’s wealthy father for a donation at someone else’s fundraiser. In front of the people throwing said fundraiser.

  Without blinking, I turned and grabbed one of the flyers from the table next to us. Slapping it against Dash’s chest, I said, “Here. Have fun.”

  Then I turned and ducked into the crowd. I heard Piety saying something behind me, but I didn’t stop.

  I didn’t know why I was so upset.

  But I was.

  I most definitely was.

  Nine

  Dash

  “Astra!”

  So now I knew the name of the hot mermaid I’d been kissing less than ten minutes ago. If Sondra hadn’t walked in, I might still be kissing her. Kissing Astra.

  Or worse.

  No. Better.

  Definitely better.

  Well, it would have been better if she hadn’t just overheard me making my pitch to Congressman Van Allen at a fundraiser she’d clearly been a part of planning. That had been an asinine move on my part.

  “Should I go talk to her?”

  The low, mellow voice came from the man next to me. Congressman Silas Van Allen. But he wasn’t looking at me. He was staring off into the crowd, looking for that vibrant red wig. He knew her.

  “No.” The congressman’s daughter huffed out an irritated breath and reached into the little beaded bag dangling from her wrist. “I’ll call Kaleb, have him check on her. She hasn’t been having the best night, apparently.”

  I shot another look off into the crowd. I wanted to go check on her, and the impulse surprised me. I didn’t want to just kiss her again either, although that was definitely on my mind. If I kissed her again, maybe I could convince myself she didn’t taste that good, feel that good.

  But maybe she would–

/>   “Why don’t you tell me a little more about the facility you’re planning?”

  Jerking my head around, I met Silas’s gaze. “Is that a good idea?” I asked bluntly. “It wasn’t exactly considerate of me to talk about my facility when this event is geared toward raising funds for another cause.”

  “Don’t be silly.” Sondra leaned in and patted my arm. “You only spoke to Silas, and it’s not like he plans to announce that you’re looking for donors and backing.”

  And that told me what I needed to know. I shouldn’t have said a damn thing. I should have paid attention to where I was instead of being so focused on myself that I acted like a total ass. Irritated with myself, with Sondra, and with Mermaid Astra, I disengaged from the conversation as quickly as possible, without being outright rude.

  “Shit.”

  That inelegant comment coming from the woman in the yellow dress had both me and Silas looking at her. She made a face at her father, not really paying any attention to me. “Kaleb is helping somebody out to their car, and…well, the guy really had too much to drink. Kaleb will have to ask Miles to find him something else to wear. I better go find Astra myself. Can you handle things for me for a while, Dad?”

  “Of course.”

  She gave him a kiss on the cheek and only then seemed to notice me, giving me a polite nod while hardly glancing at Sondra.

  “Well.”

  Silas clapped his hands together, then looked at me.

  “I pissed her off, didn’t I?”

  His eyebrows went up. “Piety?”

  “Piety. Astra.” I shrugged. “Take your pick.”

  “You and Astra were barely in the same space for sixty seconds.” He waved a hand. “I wouldn’t worry about it. Piety will explain that Sondra just mentioned I might be able to help with some of the issues you’re having. Setting up a non-profit can be a pain in the ass, anybody in government knows that, including those two.”

  I wasn’t convinced but inclined my head. “Of course.”

  He gestured to the crowd. “Since Piety went to go check on Astra, why don’t we mingle? You can tell me about your problems, and I’ll meet and greet. Senator, come with us.” He pointed a finger at her. “But no fundraising. This is my daughter’s event. Her cause gets the funds.” He smoothed a hand down his tie and gave me a pained look. “I should probably double my initial donation.”

  “Give it to Astra,” I said without thinking.

  He paused and gave me a measuring look. “Had the two of you met before?”

  Sondra covered a laugh with a cough while I nudged her forward. “Come on. We should mingle, as you said.”

  We shook hands.

  I introduced myself.

  The senator made it clear I was a friend of hers, nothing fascinating, and Congressman Van Allen was happy to play her off as a fellow politician who’d come to support the endeavors of his daughter and her best friend.

  Over and over and over until my head was pounding.

  “I assume I’ll be writing a check for this shelter before I leave the city, won’t I?” Sondra said lightly as we found a quiet bit of floor.

  “You will.” Silas looked satisfied. “It’s a worthy cause.”

  They chatted more while I searched the room for Astra.

  It didn’t take long to find her. She was on the other side of the room, working the crowd with her friend Piety. Neither the sunshine yellow dress nor the brilliant red wig could easily be overlooked, though I had a feeling those two could attract attention no matter what they wore.

  The two of them chatted brightly, and the people with them smiled back and nodded. I wasn’t surprised to see the two women collecting cards. I figured it was for the charity, but a part of me wondered if Astra was getting phone numbers too.

  It would make sense.

  She was bright and cheerful and flirtatious, the picture-perfect socialite. How many women had I known like her?

  I couldn’t even recall, but I doubted there was anyone else like her anywhere.

  When she glanced in my direction, and our eyes met, I felt the connection to my bones.

  I told myself I just needed to get laid, and I wanted to believe it too.

  But I didn’t.

  “I think that went well!”

  Sondra was no longer wearing her wig.

  It sat on the seat next to her. Staring at the towering white disembodied coif, I found myself wondering about the hair under Astra’s wig. She’d said it was boring brown, but I doubted anything about her was boring.

  I hadn’t seen her for nearly an hour, and I wouldn’t have a chance to see her again because Sondra’s car was turning onto the road that led away from the Van Allen home.

  She’d avoided me all night. If she would have given me three minutes, I would have gotten the information I needed to let her know I’d be sending funds on to the shelter she was supporting. I had money to spare.

  I’d do it anyway, but I didn’t want her thinking I was some jackass who’d come in and tried to divert funds away from her pet charity.

  Immediately, I felt like an ass.

  Pet charity or not, women like Astra managed to get a lot of money flowing toward issues that would otherwise go unnoticed. That was one fact I’d learned over the past couple of years as I focused on the best way to find help for those who might otherwise end up like…

  Closing my eyes, I tried to push the thoughts out of my mind. I didn’t want to think about that right now.

  “You look tired.”

  Sondra’s voice had me opening my eyes.

  “I am,” I admitted.

  “You should be wide awake. You’re several hours ahead out on the west coast.”

  Lifting a shoulder, I said, “It doesn’t matter what time zone I’m in, I don’t sleep much in general, and it’s been less than usual lately.”

  “Oh, I hear you there.” She sighed and smoothed her short hair back, staring out at the rapidly passing scenery. “Go ahead and rest, if you need to. If you fall asleep, I’ll wake you when we reach the hotel.”

  I wasn’t about to argue with that. I doubted I’d sleep, but I definitely wasn’t up to being social.

  I didn’t sleep.

  Not in the car, and not for several hours in my room.

  I couldn’t blame the bed or even the time change though. I couldn’t even blame my over-wired brain this time.

  I was actually tired, but every time I closed my eyes, I saw Astra’s face.

  I wanted to go back and undo the evening. Make it to where I’d never walked into that office in the first place.

  Or to where I’d never walked out.

  I wished I hadn’t kissed her.

  I wished I hadn’t stopped kissing her.

  I wished I hadn’t walked away from the office without her.

  I wished I hadn’t left the party without hunting her down and talking to her.

  It was possible to hunt her down. Both women’s phone numbers had been left on the information about the shelters they were supporting, so if I wanted to be a total stalker, I could call her.

  But the last thing I needed to do was get my head twisted up over a woman.

  Still, as I lay in bed, I knew that’s exactly what I was doing.

  Getting twisted up over her.

  I wondered what she looked like without that wig.

  I wondered what she would have done if I’d asked her out.

  I wondered what I would have done if I’d asked her out. I didn’t date. Not really. I did the one- or two-night stand thing whenever I got the urge, but I didn’t do the whole dinner and movie thing. Not since...

  Despite all the questions, I wished I would have at least asked.

  But I hadn’t, and I hadn’t seen her again.

  So, it didn’t matter.

  I just needed to convince my brain of that.

  Ten

  Astra

  “I hate winter. I hate winter. I hate winter.” I had a nice rhythm going. “I hate wi
nter.”

  “It’s barely November.”

  A deep, amused voice interrupted my mantra, and I looked up to see one of my co-workers watching me with amusement. Levon Hartsfield stood sipping his coffee – and blocking the coffee machine. He was six feet five and probably half as wide as he was tall, so he was used to his height doing all the intimidating for him. Unfortunately for him, it didn’t work on me.

  “If you don’t get out of my way, I’m taking you down,” I said in warning.

  “Yeah, yeah.” He heaved out a sigh and moved away, settling his solid frame into a chair at one of the few tables our break room boasted. The table, like the chairs and the coffee maker, were second-hand. Any time we got extra funds, we funneled them into the areas that needed them the most, and there were so many areas that little things like our break room didn’t even make the list. Not even after a successful fundraiser like the one we’d just had.

  Split down the middle, Piety and I had each managed to bring in enough to cover at least most of our current necessities.

  Piety had already announced the funds at her shelter would be going to fix the plumbing and do some updates on the bathrooms. Here, we were getting beds and fixing up the kitchen.

  One of the women who worked in the kitchen was married to a contractor, and the company he ran had volunteered to do the work at cost, so we were going to save a lot on that front. Enough to make sure we could replace all the beds and not just the ones in the worst condition.

  Once I had coffee in hand, I breathed out a sigh of relief. One thing I planned on contributing to that new kitchen out of my own budget was a decent coffee machine. If I thought I could get away with it, I’d make it a high-end model, the kind that made espresso, cappuccinos, the works.

  I loved my caffeine fix.

  But while the head of the shelter let me do a lot, I’d probably get razzed over that much commitment to it.

  The focus here was the kids.

  Not fancy coffee.

  I could already hear the lecture I’d get if I even tried to go that route.