this?”
“If we can’t, then we know someone who can. I’ve already started a spreadsheet for suppliers, venues, etc. We have a lot of contacts and several people have been in touch, wanting to work with us. Turns out Star Events had irritated more than a few people.”
“Wasn’t there a noncompete clause in your contract?”
“Only if I resigned. I didn’t. Matt already checked that for me. I’ve gone through all our competitors and looked at their biggest events over the past year. I’ve added those names to another list.” She leaned across and opened another file.
“You’re all about lists.” Frankie glanced at it. “And that’s a long list.”
“I started with all the companies that have given Star Events business, and then listed their competitors and companies linked with them. So far I have seventy names. Clear your diaries because we’re going to be busy.” She raised her coffee mug. “To us.”
Frankie lifted her mug. “Urban Genie. Your wish is our command.”
Eva lifted hers, the contents sloshing over the table. “May the wishes overflow.”
“Like your coffee mug,” Frankie said, and reached for a cloth.
* * *
L ATER THAT DAY in his offices in Tribeca, Jake emerged from one client meeting and was preparing for another when Matt strolled into his office.
“I need to talk to you.”
“I’m busy.”
“It’s about Paige.”
He didn’t want to think about Paige.
He was careful never to touch her, but last night he had.
He could still feel the slight shake of her hand under his and smell the light summery perfume she always wore. Her perfume always messed with his senses. It made him want to strip her naked, throw her down in the nearest field of wildflowers and do very bad things.
“I won’t take her on the bike if it bothers you so much, but you should let her make that decision on her own. You’re overprotective.”
Matt sprawled in the nearest chair. “This isn’t about the bike. It’s about the business. The business you told her to set up. What the hell were you thinking?”
“I was thinking she needed more control over her life. You saw her—she was feeling powerless and scared. I reminded her that she could take back some of the power, that’s all.”
“You made her angry.”
“Yeah, I made her angry. Better angry than crying.”
“She wasn’t crying. I have never seen my sister cry, not even when she was going through all that trauma when she was ill. Not once.”
Jake, who had trained himself to spot female tears at a thousand paces, wondered how Matt could be so clueless. “She was on the verge of losing it. And if she had, she would have been mortified. She was already feeling bad. She didn’t need to feel worse. What she needed was to be galvanized into action, and there is no better motivator than anger. You should be thanking me.”
“You made her angry on purpose?” Matt ran his hand over his jaw and swore softly. “I didn’t see that. How come you know so much about women?”
“Extensive experience along with an extraordinary gift for driving women crazy.” His phone rang and he silenced it with a stab of his finger.
Matt eyed the number on Jake’s screen. “Brad Hetherington? You really are moving in illustrious circles. You need oxygen up there?”
“No, I need shovels to dig my way out of the bullshit.”
“You’re not taking his call?”
“I would, but you’re sitting in my office. And sometimes it pays to be a bit elusive. I have something he wants. Make him wait and he’ll pay more.”
Matt shook his head. “How does it feel to have everyone queuing up at your door?”
“It feels busy.” Jake leaned back in his chair, looking at the man he regarded as a brother. “So did you just come here to punch me for making your sister angry or was there something else?”
“Something else. I want you to help her with her new business.”
Jake stilled. Caution seeped into every bone of his body. “Why would I do
“If we can’t, then we know someone who can. I’ve already started a spreadsheet for suppliers, venues, etc. We have a lot of contacts and several people have been in touch, wanting to work with us. Turns out Star Events had irritated more than a few people.”
“Wasn’t there a noncompete clause in your contract?”
“Only if I resigned. I didn’t. Matt already checked that for me. I’ve gone through all our competitors and looked at their biggest events over the past year. I’ve added those names to another list.” She leaned across and opened another file.
“You’re all about lists.” Frankie glanced at it. “And that’s a long list.”
“I started with all the companies that have given Star Events business, and then listed their competitors and companies linked with them. So far I have seventy names. Clear your diaries because we’re going to be busy.” She raised her coffee mug. “To us.”
Frankie lifted her mug. “Urban Genie. Your wish is our command.”
Eva lifted hers, the contents sloshing over the table. “May the wishes overflow.”
“Like your coffee mug,” Frankie said, and reached for a cloth.
* * *
L ATER THAT DAY in his offices in Tribeca, Jake emerged from one client meeting and was preparing for another when Matt strolled into his office.
“I need to talk to you.”
“I’m busy.”
“It’s about Paige.”
He didn’t want to think about Paige.
He was careful never to touch her, but last night he had.
He could still feel the slight shake of her hand under his and smell the light summery perfume she always wore. Her perfume always messed with his senses. It made him want to strip her naked, throw her down in the nearest field of wildflowers and do very bad things.
“I won’t take her on the bike if it bothers you so much, but you should let her make that decision on her own. You’re overprotective.”
Matt sprawled in the nearest chair. “This isn’t about the bike. It’s about the business. The business you told her to set up. What the hell were you thinking?”
“I was thinking she needed more control over her life. You saw her—she was feeling powerless and scared. I reminded her that she could take back some of the power, that’s all.”
“You made her angry.”
“Yeah, I made her angry. Better angry than crying.”
“She wasn’t crying. I have never seen my sister cry, not even when she was going through all that trauma when she was ill. Not once.”
Jake, who had trained himself to spot female tears at a thousand paces, wondered how Matt could be so clueless. “She was on the verge of losing it. And if she had, she would have been mortified. She was already feeling bad. She didn’t need to feel worse. What she needed was to be galvanized into action, and there is no better motivator than anger. You should be thanking me.”
“You made her angry on purpose?” Matt ran his hand over his jaw and swore softly. “I didn’t see that. How come you know so much about women?”
“Extensive experience along with an extraordinary gift for driving women crazy.” His phone rang and he silenced it with a stab of his finger.
Matt eyed the number on Jake’s screen. “Brad Hetherington? You really are moving in illustrious circles. You need oxygen up there?”
“No, I need shovels to dig my way out of the bullshit.”
“You’re not taking his call?”
“I would, but you’re sitting in my office. And sometimes it pays to be a bit elusive. I have something he wants. Make him wait and he’ll pay more.”
Matt shook his head. “How does it feel to have everyone queuing up at your door?”
“It feels busy.” Jake leaned back in his chair, looking at the man he regarded as a brother. “So did you just come here to punch me for making your sister angry or was there something else?”
“Something else. I want you to help her with her new business.”
Jake stilled. Caution seeped into every bone of his body. “Why would I do
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