“I guess you’ll have to be extra nice to him at work today.” Logan winked at me then moved away to correct someone’s position on the chest press.
Marcus set the weights down and looked up at me. He caught my eye and a big grin spread across his face, but then it faltered, settling on a look of concern. I wasn’t sure whether to approach him or not. I was dripping with sweat and stank like a pigsty. My skin was probably blotchy and red—it always did that when I worked out. I stared down at the industrial carpet beneath my sneakers, trying to make a decision.
Marcus’s worn shoes came into my line of sight, and I looked up with surprise.
“Hi.” I caught a running drip of sweat with my hand towel then pressed it against my upper lip.
“I didn’t know you came here. Isn’t it a little out of the way for…you?” I knew what he was implying. Why did a snobby rich chick like me attend an out-of-the-way gym like this?
“For your information, I like working out here. My best friend’s fiancé owns this place.”
“Wait, Isla. From school? No way.” He chuckled. “I never put two and two together. He talks about her all the time, but she’s never here at the same time as me. That’s cool.” His grin was getting kind of adorable.
I jerked my eyes away from it.
“You looked like you were having fun doing the class.”
My cheeks flushed, and I wiped a bead of sweat off my forehead. “I was just filling in. Isla’s sick, so…” I cleared my throat.
“Are you okay?” His voice was tender and sweet, making my insides rattle again.
“I’ve been sick this weekend,” I lied.
“Glad you’re feeling better. I called you a couple of times just to check on you, but…”
He let the sentence hang, and I didn’t correct his lie. A couple of times? The guy had been stressing for me, and I’d let him sweat it out. Man, I could be such a bitch sometimes.
I swallowed. “Bryce dumped me.”
Marcus’s nostrils flared. “Idiot.”
My lips rose with a smile before I could pull them into line. I liked the way his eyes flashed when he got indignant. The flecks of green kind of sparkled.
“Anyway, I’m not really looking forward to work today.”
“Well, you’re in luck. The guy’s away this week. Renegade’s playing in New York, and he wanted to be there to support them.” Marcus shrugged. “It was a late decision. He texted me last night.”
“Right.” I nodded. “So, I guess I can’t use him to get out of work today…and you know I’m not sick, so I’m basically screwed.”
Marcus laughed, crossing his arms and making his biceps pop. “Come on, it’ll be a quiet day at the office. If you like, we can even skip out early to go on our date.” He winked.
Shit! The deal.
My eyes bulged. “Um, are you still serious about that, because I don’t know if I’m in the mood to…”
“Kelly.” He stepped into my space. With us both in sneakers, he was only a touch taller than me and I could look straight into his eyes. “I’m not going to force you to do anything you don’t want to do. You did shake my hand.” He grinned. “But I’m not an asshole.” His nose wrinkled, a pleading smile flashing across his face. “One date. Just one little, itsy-bitsy date. I’ll even have you home before your glass slippers fall off, I promise.”
There was that charm again.
I opened and closed the cap on my water bottle as I tried to think of a plausible reason to turn him down. I had a dozen, but they were all lame and couldn’t outshout the quiet voice in my head that wanted me to go.
“Tonight,” I whispered. “And then you’ll never ask me out again?”
He nodded. “Not unless you want me to.”
I pressed my lips together, my heart skipping softly. “Okay, fine.”
“Excellent.” Marcus flashed me his goofy grin, and a flurry of doubts scuttled through me. “Make sure you wear something comfortable. We’ll leave straight from work.”
“Comfortable?” My head jerked back. “Where are you taking me?”
“It’s a surprise.” He winked.
I narrowed my eyes and pointed at him. “It better not be embarrassing.”
His laughter was rich. “Trust me, you’re going to love it.”
“I’m highly doubting you right now.”
“Don’t make that mistake. I’m not going to let you down, Kel.”
His words clung to me as I raced home to get ready for work.
I had no idea what he meant by comfortable clothing, but I chose a charcoal pantsuit and married it with a fitted, ruby-red shirt. I went to wear a pair of stilettos but changed my mind last minute and slipped on a pair of black flats. They were my most comfortable shoes and I usually reserved them for casual meals with my friends, but Marcus had said comfortable.
I rolled my eyes, white-hot uncertainty doing a number on my brain as I walked out the door to work. A date with Marcus Chapman. I was out of my freaking mind.
Chapter Twenty-One
Marcus
“She what?” I snapped.
Justin stood in front of my desk, looking apologetic. I couldn’t take it out on him. The poor guy had only been working with Torrence for half a year. He’d arrived fresh out of college and wasn’t even a qualified lawyer yet. I didn’t envy him, but he was in my line of fire and I didn’t have anyone else to yell at.
“You have got to be joking.”
“I-I’m not. Um, I-I’m s-sorry.”
I sighed, feeling bad for making his stutter worse. Stress makes it even more noticeable than usual.
“I didn’t mean to yell. Sorry, man.”
He shook his head with a kind smile before scratching his black curls.
“You know, I’m not usually a violent man,” my voice shook, “but I want to maim that freaking princess right now.”
Justin laughed, then swallowed. “Understandably, but unfortunately that st-still won’t change the fact that T-Torrence is being sued.”
“Okay.” I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Does the big guy know yet?”
“You’re the first person I’ve told.”
“So, there’s still a chance we could make this work. How much damage did she do to that hotel room?”
“It’s tr-trashed.”
“Of course it is,” I muttered, reaching out for the legal notice in Justin’s hand. He passed the pages over and talked me through the jargon. The hotel wanted compensation for damages and emotional stress to the cleaning staff. “That’s pushing it a little.” I made a face.
“They’re going t-to try and milk this, of course. To-Torrence Records is a big company and they know it.”
I slumped back in my seat. “Is there any way around this? How can we get them to drop the suit?”
Justin worried his lip. “Well, w-we could try striking some kind of free advertising deal. Chaos is touring the country for the next few months. Maybe w-we could get this hotel chain some ex-exp-exposure.”
I nodded, liking that idea. But I couldn’t approve it without Everett Torrence’s say-so. I looked sideways at Justin, wondering if I could send him into the lion’s den for me. After all, he was the guy’s son-in-law. I couldn’t do it to him, though. Justin was a stress bucket, and I didn’t have it in me to pile on any more pressure.
“All right, if you could just double-check with legal that we’re allowed to do this, then I’ll run it past Mr. Torrence as the best solution.”
“Do you think he’ll drop Caris?”
“Let’s hope so.” I sighed.
Justin made a face. “Don’t tell him I-I said this, but mules have nothing on his st-stubborn ass.”
I laughed and nodded. “Thanks.”
Justin shrugged and walked for the door, leaving me the photos of Caris’s handiwork. Empty bottles of booze were scattered across the bed and carpet; yellow stains marked the bedding. She’d even drawn on the walls with lipstick. What was she? Five?
&nbs
p; I tossed the photos off my desk and watched them scatter across the floor. My light mood from earlier was turning into a black cloud. Pitching this to the CEO was going to suck. He wouldn’t congratulate me on my smooth solution. If anything, I’d get another firm word about how important keeping her was for the company, and that I’d just have to work a little harder to control her.
Control her?
Impossible.
What she needed was a short stint in juvie. I rolled my eyes. That princess probably didn’t even know what the word discipline meant. It pissed me off. I was supposed to be taking Kelly out on a date, showing her a good time and making her laugh. How the hell was I supposed to do that when I was up to my eyeballs in Caris bullshit?
My only real choice was to cancel on her. She’d probably be relieved. She was only going out with me because we’d made a deal, and even though I’d given her an out, she was too nice to take it.
Pushing away from my desk, I headed out of my office to look for Kelly.
“She’s just getting a coffee.” Marcia pointed down the hallway.
I shuffled in that direction, reluctant to bail on my one chance. As I neared the lunchroom, I could hear someone humming. I popped my head in the door and spotted Kelly at the counter. She was singing “Downtown Girl” and jiggling her hips. Lifting the teaspoon out of the mug, she held it up to her mouth and sang, “Her lips are red…”
I ducked back into the hall before she could see me. Leaning against the wall, I listened to her sweet voice and grinned. Like hell I was canceling. Caris could stick it. This entire job could stick it!
I was taking Kelly DeMarco on a date!
The heavy blackness evaporated, and I loped back to my office with a goofy grin.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Kelly
I glanced at my clock. It was nearly four pm. Marcus said we’d leave for the date early, but he’d been in meetings most of the day, and I had a suspicion he was going to cancel on me last-minute. I was kind of relieved. I wasn’t a huge fan of surprises, and Marcus no doubt had something wacky planned. It was probably best that we didn’t pursue this. After Bryce, I was crazy to even consider dating someone else from the office.
So, why had I been in such a good mood all day?
And why did the idea of going home alone make me feel sad?
Relief, Kelly. You feel relief.
My firm reminders weren’t working.
“So, it’s one minute to four.” Marcia spun in her chair to face me, a playful smile on her lips.
“Ugh.” I dipped my head. “I wish I hadn’t told you.”
She giggled. “I’m glad you did. This is fun.”
“For who?”
“Me.” She shrugged and laughed. “Come on, stop being so antsy. It’s Marcus. He’s a nice guy. No matter what you do, it’ll be lovely.”
“I know,” I whined. “I guess I’m just worried it’ll be embarrassing. The guy has no shame.”
My inbox dinged with a new message, and I moved to clear it. It was from Marcus, marked urgent and important. I bit the corner of my mouth and clicked on it.
The opening guitar riff for “Live While We’re Young” came out of my speakers. I made a face and reached for the volume, but Marcia grabbed my wrist.
“Don’t you dare.” She grinned, pointing to the corridor behind me.
I spun in time to see Marcus walking into the room, lip-syncing the words. He moved his hips and started dancing toward the front desk. I groaned and covered my face with my hand while Marcia laughed beside me. The chorus kicked in and I glanced up. Marcus was going for it, swinging his arms and shuffling across the floor like a cowboy before pulling a few robot moves then going old school with the running man.
A smile was aching to spread across my face. My cheeks burned trying to hold it steady, and eventually I lost the battle. He looked hilarious. His tie kept flicking him in the face as he worked his hips.
Surprisingly, he had pretty good rhythm, but he was too busy being a goofball to let that fact shine.
People from bordering offices poked their heads out to watch him, some cheering. I cringed and leaned down to grab my handbag.
“I’m going to regret this,” I muttered to Marcia.
“Or you’re gonna love every second.” She was near giddy with excitement for me then started singing the words to the second verse. “Hey girl, it’s now…”
I stood on shaky legs and moved away from my desk. As I rounded the counter, Marcus spun toward me and grabbed my hand. Raising it to his lips, he kissed my knuckles then winked at me.
“Just…let’s go.” I pointed for the elevator and he danced across to it, doing another spin before punching the button. Another cheer went up as we stepped in. I pinched my lips together, trying to be unaffected by his playful grin.
I cleared my throat and trained my eyes on the control panel. “So, where are we going?”
“You want me to ruin the surprise?”
“Just please tell me you’re not going to throw another Saturday Night Fever in my face.”
He tutted. “I can’t. I’m not wearing the right pants.”
I giggled as he tried to pull a few John Travolta moves then pointed at his crotch. “See, not tight enough, right?”
“Or white enough.” I laughed.
He chuckled with me, stepping aside to let me out first. I followed him to his car. He opened the door for me and I slipped inside. The vehicle was pretty old and didn’t have that new leather smell I was used to, but it was immaculate. I settled the bag at my feet and prepared myself for whatever came next.
*****
“Disneyland? Really?”
We walked toward the ticket booth, and I couldn’t hide my uncertainty.
He pulled out his wallet and looked at me like I was the weird one. “It’s a first date. I had to do something special.”
“But we’re not kids.” I smiled awkwardly at the ticket lady while Marcus paid for one evening pass then flashed his annual passport at her.
Seriously? How often did the guy come?
“You don’t have to be a kid to enjoy Disneyland. This is way better than some fancy-schmancy restaurant.”
I tipped my head with an unimpressed frown. “Please. A three-course meal, nice wine, candlelight. That is romantic. This is…” I waved my hand at the entrance gates, unsure what to say.
“The happiest place on earth. It’s the perfect location for a first date. I’m telling you.” He walked toward the large floral display of Mickey’s head and beckoned me over.
“I’m not really a Disney girl.” I wrinkled my nose as we stopped to admire the display. Even so, a small, childish buzz of excitement sparked inside of me.
“Wait a second.” Marcus turned to face me. “Have you never been to Disneyland?”
I shook my head then shrugged at his horrified gasp. “My family doesn’t do this kind of thing.”
“Even when you were a kid?”
“We grew up in different worlds, Marcus.” I gave him an “I told you this wouldn’t work” look, but he just smiled and shook his head. Turning for a brick archway, he placed his hand on my back and gently propelled me forward.
“Well, let me introduce you to mine.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Marcus
I led her through the archway, keeping a close eye on her face as we walked down Main Street. Her lips twitched and her eyes kept darting from one store to the other. I couldn’t tell if she was impressed or not. I had to wonder if she was forcing herself to think it was dumb and immature. My stomach knotted. Maybe bringing her to one of my favorite places was a stupid idea. I so desperately wanted us to work and fit together, but Kelly had a point. Our upbringings had been miles apart. Was this just some foolish dream I couldn’t get out of my head?
My heart and soul rebelled against my questioning. I couldn’t ignore the fact that after all this time, she’d walked back into my life. That had to mean something, and I refused to
waste the opportunity.
We started with the Indiana Jones ride. The wait time was around forty minutes. I thought about doing the fast pass but decided against a frantic race around the rides like my sister and I always did. Standing in line would give me more time to chat with Kelly. That suited me just fine.
My hot assistant gave me a droll look as I led her under the swinging sign and up the walkway that had been staged to look like a jungle.
I grinned. “You have to trust me on this. It’s going to be worth it.”
She made a face and crossed her arms as we stepped onto the winding path. People around us were buzzing—raucous teens, a cute couple gazing at each other, a large family of tourists. I studied them all as we inched our way closer to the ride. I loved this place. The variety, the people-watching. The lines never bothered me.
Kelly checked her watch and sighed.
“Okay, let’s play a game.” I nudged her elbow with mine.
“Excuse me?”
I ignored her frown and pointed at her. “Would you rather…”
She rolled her eyes. “We’re not in high school anymore, Marcus.”
“Come on, Kelly. Play with me.” I winked.
“It’s silly.” She winced and pressed her lips together.
Doubts charged through me as I looked away from her. She was so different from Allison. My college girlfriend loved my games. I could always win her over with a wink and smile…which was why she’d become more like a sister than a lover. Hanging out with her had been so easy. Kelly made everything hard work, yet I wanted her more than anything. I must have been completely insane. What guy in his right mind would relentlessly chase after a woman who wasn’t interested? Was it honestly just her beauty that captured me?
No, I refused to believe that. Kelly had been love at first sight for me, but the feelings had only grown the more I’d spied her unguarded smiles and quiet intelligence. She was a loyal friend and had a strength and dignity that was compelling. There was so much beneath the protective layers she’d wrapped around herself, and I wanted to discover it all.
Troublemaker (Songbird #6) Page 11
