Page 105 of Just for Tonight

She eyes me. “That’s awfully nice, Jake.”

“Go figure.”

“I always thought you were a jerk.”

“Don’t let word get around.”

She smiles then, a real smile. “When does this go down?”

“Give me your banking info and I’ll give you Devon’s phone number.” I snap my fingers and beckon.

Madison jumps out of her chair and hoots in triumph, seizing Mackenzie in a hug that nearly topples her over. Then she comes around the desk and gives me a similar hug, wiping a tear from her eyes. “Thank you,” she whispers into my suit jacket, and I give her a little hug, even though it’s against my better judgement.

“I like to reward initiative,” I say, but that’s only half of the truth. The real reward is the way Mackenzie’s eyes are shining.

I can live on the memory of that for a good long time.

30

Mackenzie

I thought Jake would stonewall Madison.

But he didn’t. He listened to her. He offered a solution. She’ll have to work to make it succeed, but that’s true of any business. Jake gave her a chance and I’m feeling so proud of him, like we just made magic together. (And did it outside of the bedroom.)

Then Madison almost derails it all.

“But that’s not enough money,” she says and Jake turns a cool gaze upon her, the way a dragon considers the merit of a lunch option. I swear he almost exhales smoke before he replies.

“Isn’t it?” he asks so softly that the hairs prickle on the back of my neck.

Madison, oblivious to his response, charges on. She could be a reckless knight in very thin armor, charging toward doom with no idea of what will happen. “Well, if that’s the price for the collection, there’s not enough left to rent a truck to move it all to Empire, let alone to hire a driver or get some storage.” She lifts her gaze to Jake finally, who is very very still, and the fact that she retreats a step proves that she’s smarter than I’d feared.

“Oh well,” he says. “Want to forget the whole deal?”

“No!”

“Then you’ll have to make it work.”

“But you could help.”

“I just did.”

“But you could…”

He leans closer to her, his voice dropping low. “If I wanted to start a vintage clothing resale business, I would, but I don’t. That’s your dream, which means you’re the one who needs to make it happen.”

Madison’s mouth opens once, then closes again. She very wisely thanks Jake, and we head for the door. Jake beats me to it, opening it for us. “Are you in town tonight?” he asks. “I think I owe you dinner.”

“Do you?” I ask then smile at him. “Not tonight, though. We’re headed back to Empire.”

“Drive carefully,” he says as if it doesn’t matter. I can read him better now, though. I know he’s disappointed. Why? Because he wanted sex? Well, so do I. Maybe he wanted to talk about Madison. Maybe he wanted to talk to me.

But I have a quick sales call to make and a long drive ahead of me before girls’ night at the Carpe Diem Café. Having Madison with me means I can’t revise the plan.

No matter how much I’m tempted.

I give Madison a nudge and she thanks Jake again.