Phillip grinned down at her. At that moment, one of the security guards approached him and murmured something too low for Addison to hear.
Phillip nodded briefly and turned back to her. “I’m so sorry, Addison. This is Carson, my head of security. I’ll have to go deal with this. Why don’t you order a drink from the bar? I’ll be right back.”
“Of course,” she said. “Take your time. You’re the host.”
He reached out and squeezed her hand. A pulse of energy coursed through her like he’d just transferred all his feelings into her with that one touch. He was totally into her. She just knew it.
With a grin on her face, she and Princess drifted over to the bar set up at the edge of the grass beneath a huge umbrella. Her doxie trotted next to her with the same tilt of her chin as Addison’s, the one that said she belonged there. Even among the Best of Breeds and Best in Shows, Princess knew she was just as good as they were.
Addison looped Princess’s leash onto the dog-minding hooks on the side of the counter and waited for the bartender to finish organizing his bottles. When he turned around, she scowled. “What are you doing here?”
Felix flashed a winning smile at her like he was actually happy to see her—unlike how she felt about him at the moment. “Well, hello to you too. Can I get you a drink, madam? Might I suggest a Dog’s Lunch, or perhaps a Hair of the Dog? Or maybe you’d like a replay of the other night?” He waggled his dark eyebrows at her.
She made a repulsed, throaty sound. “No thank you. I’d rather forget about that.”
“I meant the drink. What were you thinking about?” He clicked his tongue teasingly. “You should feel flattered. I’ve decided to name it after you. I’ve called it the Head Turner. It certainly seemed to turn your head.”
Her scowl faded slightly. He’d named it after her? Not that it mattered. He probably did that kind of thing all the time to impress girls.
“You mean that pink drink you probably drugged?”
Felix was already grabbing bottles and mixing them into a cocktail shaker. “Drugged?”
“That’s the only way I can explain why I lost all my marbles,” she said with the most aloof air she could manage.
“Or maybe,” he said, “it was because you’d been dying to kiss me ever since the cocktail mixer.”
Some guys just can’t take a hint. “Yeah right. I plead temporary insanity. Besides, I’m interested in someone else.”
She glanced around the veranda, hoping Phillip would come back soon. More and more of the guests were beginning to throw her sharp glances. Addison could feel the daggers. Surely no one would cause a scene if he was there.
The clinking ice in Felix’s cocktail mixer fell silent as he froze. “Who? Not Phillip Montgomery?”
“The third,” she added airily.
He pulled a face. “Is he your Mr. Perfect?”
“Yes. We’re practically dating now.” Kind of, she added in her head. They were sort of on a date now, so technically that meant they were almost dating, pretty much. Right?
He shook his head, pouring the familiar bright pink liquid into a glass. “Not that guy.”
“Yes, that guy,” she said. “He is perfect. He’s a gentleman, he’s got looks, manners, a good job—”
Felix glanced around, careful not to be overheard. “Being a rich man’s son isn’t a job. It’s lucky genetics. It’s not like he worked hard for it.”
Addison frowned. Come to think of it, she didn’t really know exactly what Phillip did for work, or much about him at all, really. But those were all just details. They would come in time. They had the rest of their lives together, after all.
“Well, he fundraises for good causes,” she said. “Which is even more impressive. It means he’s selfless.”
“Well, I guess when you have nothing else to occupy your time, you have to do something.” Felix set the drink in front of her.
She grinned over the bar. “Jealous much?”
“Desperate much?”
Her grin vanished. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“I called it the moment I met you. I knew you were desperate enough to jump at any guy who looked your way.”
“Obviously not any guy. I didn’t jump at you.”
“I know a pool table that would disagree.” The way his eyes roamed over her made her knees shake.
A flash of her visit to Joe’s Dive and the memory of Felix’s touch came to her. She could practically feel the billiard cloth rubbing against her skin.
While Felix set a gold bowl of Evian down for Princess, Addison slid onto one of the stools to hide her sudden weakness and took a gulp of her drink. She was just tired is all. Or nervous. Yes. She was nervous about seeing Phillip, not Felix. How could the two possibly compare? Felix was like the antagonist. The villain to Phillip’s hero.
“He’s not the one for you,” Felix told Addison flatly. “You just want him to be.”
Addison gaped at him like he’d just said he hadn’t seen the movie Lord of the Rings. “What are you talking about? Phillip’s utterly perfect. I’d be crazy not to want him.”
“Are you trying to convince me or yourself?”
There was that cocky, all-knowing look again, like he saw right through her. It was an uncomfortable feeling. Something new. Like someone seeing her first thing in the morning with a rat’s nest for hair, no makeup protecting her, and morning breath. It was unnerving.
She shifted uncomfortably and took another sip. “You don’t even know me.”
“You forget that I do. Remember?” He tapped the side of his head. “I hear all. I see all. And I saw you coming a mile away, sweetheart.”
“I’m not your sweetheart,” she snapped. “And you only think you know it all. But you won’t bother to use your knowledge to help me find the show dogs.”
Picking up his cloth, he began wiping down the counter. “That’s your problem. Not mine.”
She hopped to her feet, glaring across the counter. “You arrogant—”
“Addison.” Phillip’s voice brought her up short.
She quickly rearranged her expression into an innocent smile and turned around. “Phillip.”
“Sorry about that,” he said. “I’m all yours now. Would you like the grand tour of the house?”
“That would be lovely.” She leaned to grab Princess’s leash and whispered over the counter. “He’s going to give me the grand tour.” She threw Felix her best eyebrow waggle.
Phillip offered her his arm and Addison slid hers into place, feeling like a puzzle piece had just found its home. A subtle squeeze of his firm bicep told her it was a very nice home.
She gave Felix a dazzling smile over her shoulder, batting her eyelashes. “Thank you for the drink.”
“You’re welcome, madam,” he said with a surprising amount of professionalism that made her feel more than a little childish.
The chatter of the guests died down as Phillip led her and Princess inside his mansion. Once she was hidden from all the piercing stares, she realized just how on edge she’d been. But now she was all alone with Phillip.
“Where’s Baxter today?” she asked.
“Oh, probably sleeping somewhere. We went for a big run this morning before the fundraiser started.”
“You like to run?”
“Yes. But not just run. I join at least one triathlon a year.”
And it showed. She supposed that’s how he occupied his time. When was the last time Felix entered a triathlon?
Although Phillip’s home was well over a hundred years old, he had rather modern tastes in furniture and style. Addison’s expression might have displayed a serene interest—at least, that’s what she was going for—but her insides were doing cartwheels as they went from room to room, each more grand than the last.
Princess took it all in with an air of “been there, done that.” Addison wondered if she was faking it too, since she was used to running around a tiny one-bedroom apartment.
Floral aromas tickled Addison’s nose when they entered the sitting room. She inhaled deeply, recognizing the light scent in the air. She found a giant crystal vase of periwinkle hydrangeas on the table. She stopped a moment to smell them.
“Mmm. My favorite,” she said.
When she turned back, she caught Phillip gazing at her. She blushed and looked away, feigning interest in a sculpture. They wandered through halls lined with gold-framed artwork, past rooms filled with high-end furniture and a grand pianoforte or two.
“Do you play?” she asked.
“No. I just enjoy the sound. Sometimes my guests play when they’re here.”
“Well, you have a beautiful home.”
“Thank you.” He seemed less interested in his surroundings than he was in her. “I’m happy to open it to people for such a good cause. Besides it’s a good excuse to throw a party. I enjoy entertaining.”
She noticed another security guard stationed at the end of the long hall, his posture rigid, as though he was tensed and ready to tackle someone. “Are your parties usually this”—she looked for the right word—“secure?”
“Oh, you mean the security? It’s just a precaution.” Phillip barely took note of the guard when they passed him, like he was a houseplant.
“Because of the missing dogs during the cocktail mixer?”
“Yes.” He eyed her expression. “Don’t pay any attention to the media and people like Penny Peacock. They just want someone to blame.”
Addison laughed humorlessly. “So does the rest of the city, it seems.” She sighed. “But it’s good that you’re taking precautions to protect the dogs here today. I just hope the missing show dogs are okay.”
“The police are on the case, so it’s only a matter of time before they turn up.”
She didn’t exactly want to explain that a serial killer was taking up all their time and resources. That life wasn’t all pianofortes and crystal vases, and there was no reason to believe they’d simply “turn up.” But the fact that Phillip was trying to comfort her made her cheeks flush again. She sighed, giving his bicep another squeeze.
“I’m sure you’re right,” she said. “It’s not easy to keep a pack of dogs hidden without anyone noticing.”
“I’m sure it will turn out all right and everyone will stop searching for a scapegoat. Your name will be cleared soon enough. Don’t worry. And if there’s anything I can do to help in the meantime, don’t hesitate to ask.”
“Thank you.” She smiled gratefully, but she couldn’t stop thinking about the poor missing dogs and worrying about their fate.
They came to a stop at the bottom of a staircase curving up to the second and third floors. “The third-story terrace has a great view of Pacific Heights. Shall we?”
“Of course.”
He led the way up the marble staircase and through a drawing room. They had the terrace all to themselves. Princess found a spot in the sun and plopped down for a nap, sprawling out on her back like she was working on her tan.
The view really was amazing. The grounds sprawled out, the grass mowed in a perfect grid, like it was a chessboard and Phillip’s guests the chess pieces. People walked their dogs while attendants followed behind ready to clean up after them. Manicured trees stood at attention down either side of the enclosed property, giving the opulent estate a sense of privacy, of distance from the busy city.
It was all so different from the life she grew up knowing. Her mother certainly wouldn’t have left if her dad had all this. What would anyone have to complain about? To worry about?
Ever since her dad had told her that bankruptcy was a real possibility, she’d worried about his new wife Dora. Addison had been ecstatic for her father when they got married five years earlier. She was the sweetest woman, and her dad deserved no less. But as sweet as she was, Addison knew firsthand how finances could destroy a relationship. She watched it happen to her mom and dad.
Addison’s father had been through enough the first time around. She just didn’t want to see it happen to him again. Would this strain prove to be too much for him and Dora? What if he didn’t sell the corner store in time and they went bankrupt? Would their marriage survive?
She considered her surroundings again with an appreciation of what it was like to go without. What a life, she thought. And the guy who owned all of it was interested in her. It really could be a rags-to-riches story. A dream come true. They’d certainly never have to worry about money. Heck, neither would her dad or Dora. Not when even a single pianoforte would bail them out.
“It’s beautiful,” Addison breathed.
“Not as beautiful as you.”
She turned to Phillip to find him gazing into her eyes, as if all their surroundings, the opulence, the luxury was nothing compared to her. Reaching up, he held her chin as he dipped his face to hers for a kiss.
Now this, she thought, I could definitely get used to.
But just before their lips touched, there was a change in the atmosphere around them. A buzzing of agitated voices reached their ears.
The veranda was too far down for them to pick out specific words, but a woman’s shriek echoed across the yard. There was the soft rustle of quality fabric as though the entire party was moving as one, oxfords and heels clicking on the stone.
Phillip and Addison leaned over the bannister to look down on the party below. Addison was too short to see, but Phillip’s square jaw clenched at whatever he saw.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
“I’m not sure. I should go and check it out.”
Addison tugged on Princess’s leash but she resisted, enjoying her sunny nap. Bending down, Addison scooped her up and rushed to keep up with Phillip. They found the head of security at the base of the sweeping staircase to the foyer. Carson had removed his secret agent glasses, so things must have been serious.
“Carson, what’s happening out there?” Phillip called down to him as he descended.
“It’s the dogs, sir.”
Phillip came to a stop at the bottom of the stairs, his chest moving evenly. Whereas Addison’s rush through the house left her breathing a little heavier than usual, but then again, she was no triathlete.
“What about them?” Phillip asked.
“Some of them, well”—Carson hesitated—“they’re gone.”
8
Pack Mentality
“The dogs are gone?” Phillip repeated, cool and calm. But his stare was so intense, he might as well have been yelling at Carson. “As in ‘disappeared from my property’? How many?”
The tone of voice and the way he held himself, chest puffed up, looking down his nose at Carson, spoke of a quiet fury. If it had been someone else, someone not used to stress and pressure like a security guard would be, Addison thought they might have melted beneath his steady gaze.
“Three, sir.”
Phillip’s nose rose an inch. “How could you let that happen?”
Without waiting for an answer, he pushed his way past Carson and headed through the house to the backyard. Addison held Princess close and rushed to keep up in her heels, which clicked on the marble floors, echoing around the absurdly cavernous hall. Princess grumbled as the jostling slowly dislodged the fascinator from her head.
Once Addison crossed the threshold to the veranda, exclaims and excited chatter accosted her ears like an angry hive of bees. The guests huddled around the tall wrought-iron fence at the edge of the property. The wall of bodies slowed Carson and Phillip down, and Addison was able to catch up, following in their wake as the guests made way.
She couldn’t let herself fall behind. More dogs had gone missing. It had to be connected to the cocktail mixer somehow. Twice in one week couldn’t be a coincidence. She held Princess tighter, like she might disappear right out of her arms.
Phillip pressed his way to the front of the crowd as Carson updated him. Addison strained to listen in.
“I’m not sure how it happened, sir. We’re still looking into it. We ha
ve guards posted at every possible entrance. No one has left with any other dog but their own.”
Phillip wheeled on the head of security, coming nose to nose with him. “Obviously someone did. Now what are you doing about it?”
“We have the place on lockdown. No one in or out. The police are on their way.”
“Good,” he said, turning away. “Keep me posted. And find my dog, Baxter.”
Carson nodded and turned back around. He reached up to his earpiece and murmured something, but Addison missed what he said because the gathering crowd quickly swallowed him. She decided to stick with Phillip.
When she broke through the thick mass of people, she stumbled into a semicircle of open space. The commotion centered around three guests arguing with the security guards who had checked her in at the door.
“Just calm down sir. The police are on their way,” guard one was saying.
A man in a toupee wagged a finger in his face. “The police? The police? Then what are you here for? What were you doing when they disappeared?”
“Yeah, what are you doing to find them?” another man asked. He had his back to Addison, but she’d recognize that coiffed hair anywhere. Rex Harris.
A young woman with tears sparkling in her eyes ran over. “Phillip. Phillip.” She grabbed the front of his sports jacket. “He’s gone. Someone took my Lionel. You said it was safe here.”
“Don’t worry, Kayleigh.” He patted her hands and gently dislodged them. “I’m taking care of it.” He handed her his pocket square, and she dabbed at her eyes.
“You’ll be lucky if I don’t sue,” said the man in the toupee, shaking his finger at Phillip.
“This is a disaster,” Phillip muttered under his breath so only Addison could hear. “How could this have happened? I don’t understand. I took precautions.”
He looked distraught. In fact, she thought he looked the same way she probably had when the dogs had gone missing under her care. His body tensed like he wanted to take action, but it seemed there was nothing to do but wait for the police.
Beauty and the Wiener Page 10
