Bedazzled (The Beguiling Bachelors Book 1)

by Madison Michael

“My cousin’s son took a spill at a basketball game last month. I drove them over to see the doctor. His arm is broken, but he is a kid, so he’s enjoying the attention. The cast comes off today.”

  “That was very nice of you.” She was looking longingly toward the exit.

  How much more of this chitchat is required before this oaf lets go of my hand?

  “Sloane, what’s going on? You look like you just lost your best friend. Where is that feisty woman I know?”

  “C’mon Randall, you are not that naïve.” Sloane’s usual caustic impatience had returned and Randall smiled in spite of himself. “You know perfectly well what is going on, unless you have been out of Chicago for the last year. My world is falling apart and you know it. Everyone is blaming me for the accusations against my father. I did nothing wrong, but I am the one left to pick up the pieces.”

  “You did nothing wrong?” Sloane can hear the incredulity in Randall’s tone. “You might get away with that with other people, but this is me, Sloane, and I am not falling for your usual crap. Go bat those baby blues at someone who will buy that garbage you are selling. You have never been completely innocent of anything and we both know it.”

  “Screw you, Randall.” Sloane jerked her hand out of Randall’s and rose to her feet. He was up like a shot, grabbing her arm. She fell hard against his chest. His arms wrapped around her automatically and he left them there.

  It felt surprisingly good.

  “Sloane, seriously, something happened tonight, didn’t it, something to upset you all over again?” His expressive eyes were looking at her softly, but with concern, not pity.

  I must really be a mess if Randall is being this nice to me. Stiff upper lip, girl.

  “What do you care? Just let go of me Randall.” She twisted as if to break from the embrace, but not forcefully.

  “I know you Sloane. You can play tough girl all you want with these other people,” using his head he nodded toward the few people still loitering in the large space, ”but I think you are about to cry. And frankly, I am not sure I believed you were even capable of tears; so I thought I would stick around to watch.”

  “I got kicked off the benefit,” she whined in a low voice. “Nothing worth crying over, so show’s over. Let me go now.”

  “They kicked you off the benefit? But you are the chair. You have been working on this for months.” Randall seemed shocked by Sloane’s news. “Can they even do that?”

  “They can and they have. They don’t want my tainted name on the invitations, bad for business, I guess. I get to collaborate with the hotel caterers and that is it. Allyson Riley is in charge.”

  “Well, she is good,” Randall acknowledged while Sloane flashed him a malevolent look. “But it was pretty unfair to you,” he quickly backpedaled.

  “Pretty unfair? Pretty unfair?” Sloane’s voice rose in indignation. “It was unforgiveable.”

  “But Sloane, face facts. You have to understand that people around town might think twice before handing you money right now. You may not be the one charged with wrongdoing, but the suspicion is there.”

  “Thanks for reminding me, asshole.”

  “Just calling it like I see it,” Randall had finally moved back from her, giving her breathing room that had been strangely lacking. “You can survive this Sloane. You can survive all of this. You are a tough broad. One of the toughest I know.”

  “Randall, no one calls a woman a ‘broad’ anymore. It’s not PC,” Sloane tossed back, starting to feel like herself again.

  “Well, no one calls me an asshole either,” Randall lobbed back at Sloane quickly. “Besides, I meant ‘tough broad’ as a compliment.”

  “Oh, well then, of course, my sincerest thanks,” Sloane answered, her tone anything but sincere.

  “You are hopeless, Sloane. It is time to stop feeling sorry for yourself and move on. It’s been months since your father’s arrest. It will be years before he gets out. In the meantime, you need to make a life for yourself. You are yesterday’s news. Act like it. Show these snobs that you are made of tougher stuff.”

  “But what if I am not?” Sloane surprised herself and Randall with the insecure and hurt-laced question.

  “Who is this mealy mouthed woman? Seriously, I have seen you cut a person to shreds with a look. Get your act together already and start walking on people again.”

  “Hey wait a minute. I do not walk on people.” Sloane was indignant, but her voice had regained some strength and power at last.

  “Do not bullshit a bullshitter, Sloane. You have made a career out of walking on people. You would have married my best friend for his name and his money. You tried to get his girlfriend fired. You are unscrupulous, but at least you are really good at it.”

  Damn Randall, he isn’t wrong about any of this. I would have married Wyatt for his money, and when Keeli spilled salad on me, I tried to have her fired even though she seemed sincerely sorry. I would do it all over again too. She had no right to make me look foolish, damn her, or to steal my man.

  “What the hell? Stop impugning my character,” Sloane was standing taller, indignant at being so accurately sized up.

  “Just calling it like I see it,” Randall said again.

  “Stop saying that!” Sloane said in irritation.

  Randall was moving away from the bench and walking toward a woman and child coming from the elevators.

  “Gotta go,” he lobbed over his shoulder without a backward glance. Sloane stood there fuming.

  Even if he was right about me, who the hell is he to talk? Just a stupid, womanizing oaf. On the other hand, no one ever had the nerve to say to my face what I know they say behind my back. Not even Wyatt.

  Sloane started moving toward the exit, her tears completely forgotten. She felt like her old self – imperious, elitist and entitled to anything she wanted. She tried not to think too hard about the fact that Randall had set her back on course, kept her from embarrassing herself. She tried not to think about the fact that she had been unable to decide whether to punch him or kiss him.

  For an oaf, his hands felt incredibly good on me, strong and large and manly. Too bad he is so damn good looking. And smart. And successful. Yeah, and mouth-wateringly sexy.

  Beholden available now in eBook or Paperback.