Page 21 of Flirting with Trouble

She looks a little surprised by the question. “It’s kind of a long story.”

“Can you give me the condensed version?”

“I can try. This all happened years before I met Harvey and before he opened Blank Space. Harvey was one of the biggest entertainment agents around. He loved scouting what he called underdog talent, or people who don’t have the resources or direction to make it on their own, and helping them make it in the industry.”

“Why underdogs?”

“Because Harvey knew what it was like to have big dreams and little support. He was raised by a single father who had substance abuse issues, and he was in and out of the system until he was fifteen, when his father got clean and was finally able to take care of him. And it was important to him to build relationships with them, like family.” She pauses, and her tone turns wistful. “That ended up being something we had in common. It’s how I got started in this business before I met him. But that’s a story for another time.”

Treating people like family is something we have in common, too. “I look forward to hearing it. Do you still scout underdogs?”

“I wish I had time. I’d do it every night if I could, but I’m too busy running the business. Anyway, Harvey saw this video on YouTube of Charlie Evers, who now manages Bailey Bray and a handful of other top musicians, but twenty years ago, Charlie was just a guy who played music. In the video, Charlie and his buddy were talking about what song they were going to play, and there was a teenage boy playing guitar in the background. Harvey said he knew right then that teen would be a star, and he tracked him down. That was Cage’s brother, who goes by Boone Stryker—”

“The lead singer of Strykeforce? Holy shit. That band is amazing.”

“Yeah. It turned out their mother was on the janitorial staff at the Epson School of the Arts. She was raising Cage and Boone, and their brother and sister, Lucky and Maggie, on her own. She couldn’t afford daycare, so they’d been going to work with her from the time they were little. Boone fell in love with music, and they got to know students and teachers, who showed them a thing or two. Eventually, Boone ran into Charlie, who taught him more. In the end, Harvey paid for Boone, and a few of his equally talented friends, to attend the Epson School of the Arts. But as you know, Cage was a different beast than Boone, and his forte was fighting, so Harvey hired a trainer for him. Blank Space was born not long after that.”

“That’s incredible. Harvey sounds like he was a great guy.”

“Greater than most people know.”

“I hope you’ll share that with me, too, sometime.” As I say it, her gaze warms. “You really do rub elbows with some very cool people.”

“Does that surprise you?” She smiles. “I mean, I rub elbows with you, right?”

I lift my glass in a silent toast, loving the compliment, and I can’t resist leaning in and saying, “You have no idea how much I want to kiss you right now.”

She holds my gaze. “Who ever said flattery will get you nowhere?”

“When you’re the one doing the flattering, it’ll get you everywhere.” I tap her glass with mine, and she gulps hers down.

She looks out at the crowd and draws her shoulders back. “Come on, troublemaker. I need to make an appearance with some important people. I might as well introduce you to a few rock stars while I’m at it. Think you can behave?”

“I didn’t kiss you, did I?”

“You get a gold star,” she says as a waiter takes our empty champagne flutes.

“I’d rather have the kiss.”

She gives me a look that I swear says she’d rather have it, too.

Or maybe that’s wishful thinking.

As we make our way around the lounge, Victory is the epitome of grace and professionalism. She introduces me to her colleagues and business associates and Cage’s brothers and sister, not as her friend but as a restaurateur—Wells owns the hottest restaurant on Silver Island, and he’s in the process of expanding to the city. It’s easy to see how well respected she is, as celebrities and other elite guests light up when they see her. She’s clever and sexy, and she gives each person her full attention, doling out heartfelt compliments and graciously accepting just as many. I listen intently as she discusses the entertainment industry, gleaning what I can about Victory and the glamorous world she lives in.

I should probably be starstruck by some of the guests, but they don’t hold a candle to Victory. The way she goes from one conversation to the next without so much as a sigh is impressive. As a guy who takes personal service to the next level with my customers, I know how exhausting it is to be on for hours at a time. I love that part of my job, and I can tell Victory enjoys doing it, too, but as the night wears on, I grow protective of her and try to make sure she has what she needs.

She hasn’t stopped smiling all night, but I’ve learned the difference between her practiced smiles and her genuine ones. I dig them all, but it’s the secret smile she gives only me when couples joke about relationships or fawn over each other that twists me up inside. Like the one she’s giving me now as we stand by a firepit with Jillian and Johnny Bad and Boone Stryker and his wife, actress Trish Ryder, listening to them talk about their kids. It takes everything I have to stick to my word and fight the urge to slip my arm around Victory and draw her into a kiss.

Victory

As Trish talks about motherhood, Wells leans closer to me and whispers, “Do you think they can tell I’m silently fanmanning about talking with two of the world’s biggest rock stars and the rest of the in crowd?”

I smile. “I think you mean fanboying.”

His brows slant, and he whispers, “Do I need to take you home and remind you there is nothing boyish about me?”

Yes, please.