but envy her spunk. Yet,
admitting he appreciated Cameron’s attributes would be extremely
dangerous. One look at the no trespassing warning on Max’s
face said it all. Hawke opted for non-response.
Max didn’t seem to be bothered by his
silence. “You’re still in one piece.”
“Actually, it wasn’t too bad.”
“The ass or the conversation?”
Hawke snickered. “The conversation.”
“Anything I should know?”
Hawke opened his mouth to tell Max about
their bargain and then decided against it. “She agreed to help me
with Rachel.”
Max snorted. “Not too sure that was smart,
Hawke.”
“You might be right.” Especially since now
Hawke was sure Max wanted Cameron. “How about we discuss it over
lunch and a beer?”
Max frowned. “You’re not gonna get plastered
and share your feelings, are you?”
“No. I just thought we both needed to
unwind.”
“You want to stay in or go out?”
“Out. I need some air.”
“Agreed.” Max led the way out the door.
While they waited for the elevator, Max
called ahead to clear their exit from the hotel.
“Back door,” he said as they stepped off the
elevator.
Security waited at the back door and quickly
shuffled Hawke into the waiting Suburban. Max opened the driver’s
door and then reached to remove a baby pink card from under the
windshield wiper. He tossed it across the seat before sliding
behind the wheel. “You have mail.”
Hawke flicked the card open with one thumb
and read the message:
I WON’T DENY YOU, HAWKE
Max steered out of the parking lot. “What
flavor?”
Hawke smudged the familiar lipstick print
with his index finger. “I’m thinking Wild Cherry.” He licked the
lipstick from his finger. “Yeah, Wild Cherry.”
“Want me to check it out?”
“Nah.” Hawke tossed the card to the seat
beside him. “It’s harmless.”
***
Cameron sat cross-legged on the sofa in the
reception area and erased the last name from Rachel’s appointment
book, almost labeling herself a traitor. Rachel would kill her if
she knew about the deal Cameron made with Hawke not more than three
hours ago. She released a long breath and blew the eraser crumbs to
the floor. Too late now, she wasn’t about to undo all her hard
work. Not after she spent all afternoon lying through her teeth to
convince so many people Rachel was actually taking some time
off.
She paused for a brief moment to analyze her
motives behind this whole zany scheme. Never for a moment did she
regret agreeing to help Hawke. After the short amount of time she’d
met with him, she felt confident he was sincere about his feelings
for Rachel. And realistically, Sean Pirelli had nothing to do with
it. Especially since his earlier phone call when he agreed to work
her in.
Cameron reached for the phone beside the sofa
and dialed Hawke’s number. Rachel just needed a gentle push, for
her own good. She worked an earring loose as she waited for Hawke
to answer.
“Hi, Rachel.”
She stuck her tongue in her cheek. “Not
Rachel, Zippy.”
“Cameron?”
Cameron tossed the earring to the table in
front of the couch. “Well, duh. Don’t you have caller ID?”
“Yes.”
“Well then, who else do you know at Newberry
& Tremaine except me and Rachel?”
“No one. What did you call me?”
“Zippy, your codename.”
She heard him release a long breath and she
took the opportunity to continue. “Since you’re so anxious to zip
right through this, I did what you asked. There’s just one
catch.”
“What now?”
“You’re out 25 pairs of concert tickets, six
backstage passes and fourteen french kisses.”
“Pirelli was the trade.”
“Well, I hit a snag and had to do some fast
talking. Rachel’s a pretty hot item, Hawke.” She gave an
exaggerated sigh. “She has a waiting list a mile long, but if you
want, I’ll call everybody back and explain the circumstances.”
Hawke gave a half laugh. “No, Cameron, I’ll
have Greg make the arrangements. But
admitting he appreciated Cameron’s attributes would be extremely
dangerous. One look at the no trespassing warning on Max’s
face said it all. Hawke opted for non-response.
Max didn’t seem to be bothered by his
silence. “You’re still in one piece.”
“Actually, it wasn’t too bad.”
“The ass or the conversation?”
Hawke snickered. “The conversation.”
“Anything I should know?”
Hawke opened his mouth to tell Max about
their bargain and then decided against it. “She agreed to help me
with Rachel.”
Max snorted. “Not too sure that was smart,
Hawke.”
“You might be right.” Especially since now
Hawke was sure Max wanted Cameron. “How about we discuss it over
lunch and a beer?”
Max frowned. “You’re not gonna get plastered
and share your feelings, are you?”
“No. I just thought we both needed to
unwind.”
“You want to stay in or go out?”
“Out. I need some air.”
“Agreed.” Max led the way out the door.
While they waited for the elevator, Max
called ahead to clear their exit from the hotel.
“Back door,” he said as they stepped off the
elevator.
Security waited at the back door and quickly
shuffled Hawke into the waiting Suburban. Max opened the driver’s
door and then reached to remove a baby pink card from under the
windshield wiper. He tossed it across the seat before sliding
behind the wheel. “You have mail.”
Hawke flicked the card open with one thumb
and read the message:
I WON’T DENY YOU, HAWKE
Max steered out of the parking lot. “What
flavor?”
Hawke smudged the familiar lipstick print
with his index finger. “I’m thinking Wild Cherry.” He licked the
lipstick from his finger. “Yeah, Wild Cherry.”
“Want me to check it out?”
“Nah.” Hawke tossed the card to the seat
beside him. “It’s harmless.”
***
Cameron sat cross-legged on the sofa in the
reception area and erased the last name from Rachel’s appointment
book, almost labeling herself a traitor. Rachel would kill her if
she knew about the deal Cameron made with Hawke not more than three
hours ago. She released a long breath and blew the eraser crumbs to
the floor. Too late now, she wasn’t about to undo all her hard
work. Not after she spent all afternoon lying through her teeth to
convince so many people Rachel was actually taking some time
off.
She paused for a brief moment to analyze her
motives behind this whole zany scheme. Never for a moment did she
regret agreeing to help Hawke. After the short amount of time she’d
met with him, she felt confident he was sincere about his feelings
for Rachel. And realistically, Sean Pirelli had nothing to do with
it. Especially since his earlier phone call when he agreed to work
her in.
Cameron reached for the phone beside the sofa
and dialed Hawke’s number. Rachel just needed a gentle push, for
her own good. She worked an earring loose as she waited for Hawke
to answer.
“Hi, Rachel.”
She stuck her tongue in her cheek. “Not
Rachel, Zippy.”
“Cameron?”
Cameron tossed the earring to the table in
front of the couch. “Well, duh. Don’t you have caller ID?”
“Yes.”
“Well then, who else do you know at Newberry
& Tremaine except me and Rachel?”
“No one. What did you call me?”
“Zippy, your codename.”
She heard him release a long breath and she
took the opportunity to continue. “Since you’re so anxious to zip
right through this, I did what you asked. There’s just one
catch.”
“What now?”
“You’re out 25 pairs of concert tickets, six
backstage passes and fourteen french kisses.”
“Pirelli was the trade.”
“Well, I hit a snag and had to do some fast
talking. Rachel’s a pretty hot item, Hawke.” She gave an
exaggerated sigh. “She has a waiting list a mile long, but if you
want, I’ll call everybody back and explain the circumstances.”
Hawke gave a half laugh. “No, Cameron, I’ll
have Greg make the arrangements. But
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