the chair and handcuffed his hands behind his back. Then he turned toward Jack. “You. Outside.”
Once they were in the hallway, Ben read Jack the riot act. “What is your deal? You’ve been a grumpy bastard for weeks now.”
“I’m fine.”
“No, you’re not. Not since that romance convention ended. Have you called her yet?”
“Who?”
Ben fumbled inside his desk drawer and produced a business card. He handed it to Jack. “You know who.”
It was Chastity Rollin’s card. Kamaria’s agent. “It didn’t work out between us. Leave it alone, Ben.”
“If you don’t call, I will.”
“Fine.” He had never gotten Kamaria’s phone number. Sending her an email through her author website felt too creepy. Chastity had all but thrown them together. Maybe she would help him find her. He grabbed his suit jacket and headed for the door. “You look like you can handle it without me.”
Ben called out after him, “Yeah. Now get your shit together.”
Jack stomped down the hallway toward the employee parking area. He slammed the door behind him. Once he was in his truck, he loosened his tie. He was done with these part-time weekend security gigs anyway. He was at a point of turning away home renovation jobs during the week.
He pulled his cell phone out of the inner lining pocket of his jacket. He didn’t want to think about Kamaria anymore. Or her big brown eyes. Or her seductive smile. Or how, despite his resemblance to the hero on her book, he failed to be the hero she needed him to be in real life. He wanted to hold her. Use his hands and his mouth to show her how sorry he was. He hadn’t been able to think about anything else since she left town. And, damn it, he missed her.
His cell phone vibrated in his hand. It was his sister Sofia. He swiped the screen to answer it.
“What?” he barked into the phone.
“Hello to you too, big brother.” Sofia sounded way too cheery.
He took a deep breath. “What can I do for you?”
“I just wanted to remind you that my graduation is coming up in a few weeks. Since you handled most of my tuition, I wanted to give you first dibs on tickets. But it sounds like you’d rather not be bothered. I’ll let you go.”
“Wait. My bad. You just caught me at a bad time. Your graduation is important.” Jack forced his voice to soften. “Of course I’ll be there.”
“What’s her name? Should I put you down for two tickets?”
“What makes you think there’s a ‘her’?”
“It’s me, Jack.”
“Okay, fine. She’s one of those romance authors…”
“Which one?”
“Her name is Kamaria…”
“Oh my God, you met Kamaria Wilson? Why didn’t you tell me?” Sofia made a high-pitched “ee” sound. Jack had to hold the device away from his ear until she finished.
“Yeah, her.”
“Why’d you say ‘her’ like you’re PMSing?
“Sofia,” Jack warned.
“Oh my God, you’re sprung, aren’t you? This is so freaking cool. My brother is in love with Kamaria Wilson. You totally have to bring her to my graduation. I’m telling Mama.”
“Sofia!”
“I gotta go anyway. Whatever you did to screw it up with her, fix it. I can’t wait to meet my future sister-in-law. Bye!”
Jack threw his phone onto the passenger side seat. Great. Knowing Sofia, she and their mother would have a wedding all planned and booked by the time he saw them at graduation. He started the ignition and pulled out of the parking space. Traffic exiting the property onto the Strip was backed up. It looked like it wouldn’t be moving anytime soon. Chastity’s business card was still sitting on his lap.
He imagined Sofia’s pout if he showed up at her graduation without Kamaria on his arm. So he had to invite her, right?
Besides, he could see Kamaria becoming fast friends with his sister. She would adore his tough-as-nails mother. Mama didn’t let anyone push her around anymore, either. And then his grandmother… He could see Nonna giving Kamaria the secret
Once they were in the hallway, Ben read Jack the riot act. “What is your deal? You’ve been a grumpy bastard for weeks now.”
“I’m fine.”
“No, you’re not. Not since that romance convention ended. Have you called her yet?”
“Who?”
Ben fumbled inside his desk drawer and produced a business card. He handed it to Jack. “You know who.”
It was Chastity Rollin’s card. Kamaria’s agent. “It didn’t work out between us. Leave it alone, Ben.”
“If you don’t call, I will.”
“Fine.” He had never gotten Kamaria’s phone number. Sending her an email through her author website felt too creepy. Chastity had all but thrown them together. Maybe she would help him find her. He grabbed his suit jacket and headed for the door. “You look like you can handle it without me.”
Ben called out after him, “Yeah. Now get your shit together.”
Jack stomped down the hallway toward the employee parking area. He slammed the door behind him. Once he was in his truck, he loosened his tie. He was done with these part-time weekend security gigs anyway. He was at a point of turning away home renovation jobs during the week.
He pulled his cell phone out of the inner lining pocket of his jacket. He didn’t want to think about Kamaria anymore. Or her big brown eyes. Or her seductive smile. Or how, despite his resemblance to the hero on her book, he failed to be the hero she needed him to be in real life. He wanted to hold her. Use his hands and his mouth to show her how sorry he was. He hadn’t been able to think about anything else since she left town. And, damn it, he missed her.
His cell phone vibrated in his hand. It was his sister Sofia. He swiped the screen to answer it.
“What?” he barked into the phone.
“Hello to you too, big brother.” Sofia sounded way too cheery.
He took a deep breath. “What can I do for you?”
“I just wanted to remind you that my graduation is coming up in a few weeks. Since you handled most of my tuition, I wanted to give you first dibs on tickets. But it sounds like you’d rather not be bothered. I’ll let you go.”
“Wait. My bad. You just caught me at a bad time. Your graduation is important.” Jack forced his voice to soften. “Of course I’ll be there.”
“What’s her name? Should I put you down for two tickets?”
“What makes you think there’s a ‘her’?”
“It’s me, Jack.”
“Okay, fine. She’s one of those romance authors…”
“Which one?”
“Her name is Kamaria…”
“Oh my God, you met Kamaria Wilson? Why didn’t you tell me?” Sofia made a high-pitched “ee” sound. Jack had to hold the device away from his ear until she finished.
“Yeah, her.”
“Why’d you say ‘her’ like you’re PMSing?
“Sofia,” Jack warned.
“Oh my God, you’re sprung, aren’t you? This is so freaking cool. My brother is in love with Kamaria Wilson. You totally have to bring her to my graduation. I’m telling Mama.”
“Sofia!”
“I gotta go anyway. Whatever you did to screw it up with her, fix it. I can’t wait to meet my future sister-in-law. Bye!”
Jack threw his phone onto the passenger side seat. Great. Knowing Sofia, she and their mother would have a wedding all planned and booked by the time he saw them at graduation. He started the ignition and pulled out of the parking space. Traffic exiting the property onto the Strip was backed up. It looked like it wouldn’t be moving anytime soon. Chastity’s business card was still sitting on his lap.
He imagined Sofia’s pout if he showed up at her graduation without Kamaria on his arm. So he had to invite her, right?
Besides, he could see Kamaria becoming fast friends with his sister. She would adore his tough-as-nails mother. Mama didn’t let anyone push her around anymore, either. And then his grandmother… He could see Nonna giving Kamaria the secret
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