hand again. “And you’ll invoice me?”
“Put a thank you in the credits and we’ll call it even.” Mike shot a look over at Laura and she clapped.
KT would have clapped too but didn’t want to look like a girly man in front of the muscle-bound interior decorator. Instead, he nodded coolly. “We can do that.”
Mike didn’t respond but kissed Laura’s cheek and followed them out to the SUV. “See you in an hour or so.”
KT waved as he opened Laura’s door. He ignored her frown as she hoisted herself in then he closed the door and trotted around to the driver’s side. Before he made it, Mike held up a hand and leaned very close. “Before you go, I need to tell you that if you hurt her, I will not hesitate to take a quick trip out to Los Angeles to make you sorry. I drove across the state of Tennessee to beat the shit out of the last man who made her cry. I’m a lot better prepared this time.”
KT propped both hands on his hips and considered Mike’s words and the very gritty asphalt they were standing on. He really did not want to get sideways with this guy here or ever.
“Understood,” KT said with a sigh.
Mike held out his hand. KT shook it firmly and then slid behind the wheel of the SUV. Laura waved wildly at Mike who looked as wholesome and positive as could be.
Laura asked, “Everything okay?”
KT nodded as he started up the SUV. “Sure. You’ve been such a huge help. I don’t know what I would have done without you.”
Laura sighed happily. “This has been a good day. Paperwork, errands, and not one single spilled drink or impossible-to-please customer.”
KT would rather poke both eyes out than volunteer for paperwork ever again, but he could sort of understand her happiness. She was, at the very least, good at it.
He navigated Memphis’s traffic easily. “How long are you going to stay at the Rock’n’Rolla?”
She wrinkled her nose. “You say that like I’m turning my back on lucrative job prospects. I lost my job more than a year ago and I’ve been sending out resumes and interviewing since then but it’s hard to compete when there’s a line of MBAs for every job I go for, me, with my associate’s degree in ‘business management.’” She made air quotes around the last. “Besides, if I’m going to wait tables anywhere, it couldn’t get any better than Viva Las Vegas. Willodean takes good care of her employees. I’m really lucky to stay there rent-free.”
KT nodded. “Sure. Do you ever think about going back to school? With your schedule, you might be able to work in a class or two. You’d make an excellent accountant.” He couldn’t imagine another woman in the world who’d take that as a compliment but she would.
She looked like she had something heavy on her mind but finally she just shook her head.
He wanted to pick and poke and prod until she told him what that was about but he could see the signs for Graceland. They’d be back at the hotel any minute. He glanced at the clock. “Almost four. Can I take you out for an early bird special somewhere?”
She laughed. “No, if it’s all right, I need to run home for a little bit. But, if you want my help, I could meet you back at the bar to help set up.”
KT rolled to a stop at the front door. “I do appreciate a hard worker. So will Mandy and Shane. I’ll see you in an hour or so?”
She nodded and dropped out of the seat. Before she could slam the door, he said, “And change out of your funeral clothes. It’s time to get comfortable.”
She glared at him but her lips twitched as she slammed the door. He told himself not to watch her walk away but the swing and sway of her hips was impossible to ignore. When the doors slid shut behind her, he banged his head against the headrest until the feeling of the valet’s stare convinced him to wave and move on. She wasn’t the only one with lips twitching in front of the Rock’n’Rolla that day.
Chapter Five
----
L AURA TUGGED ON the edge
“Put a thank you in the credits and we’ll call it even.” Mike shot a look over at Laura and she clapped.
KT would have clapped too but didn’t want to look like a girly man in front of the muscle-bound interior decorator. Instead, he nodded coolly. “We can do that.”
Mike didn’t respond but kissed Laura’s cheek and followed them out to the SUV. “See you in an hour or so.”
KT waved as he opened Laura’s door. He ignored her frown as she hoisted herself in then he closed the door and trotted around to the driver’s side. Before he made it, Mike held up a hand and leaned very close. “Before you go, I need to tell you that if you hurt her, I will not hesitate to take a quick trip out to Los Angeles to make you sorry. I drove across the state of Tennessee to beat the shit out of the last man who made her cry. I’m a lot better prepared this time.”
KT propped both hands on his hips and considered Mike’s words and the very gritty asphalt they were standing on. He really did not want to get sideways with this guy here or ever.
“Understood,” KT said with a sigh.
Mike held out his hand. KT shook it firmly and then slid behind the wheel of the SUV. Laura waved wildly at Mike who looked as wholesome and positive as could be.
Laura asked, “Everything okay?”
KT nodded as he started up the SUV. “Sure. You’ve been such a huge help. I don’t know what I would have done without you.”
Laura sighed happily. “This has been a good day. Paperwork, errands, and not one single spilled drink or impossible-to-please customer.”
KT would rather poke both eyes out than volunteer for paperwork ever again, but he could sort of understand her happiness. She was, at the very least, good at it.
He navigated Memphis’s traffic easily. “How long are you going to stay at the Rock’n’Rolla?”
She wrinkled her nose. “You say that like I’m turning my back on lucrative job prospects. I lost my job more than a year ago and I’ve been sending out resumes and interviewing since then but it’s hard to compete when there’s a line of MBAs for every job I go for, me, with my associate’s degree in ‘business management.’” She made air quotes around the last. “Besides, if I’m going to wait tables anywhere, it couldn’t get any better than Viva Las Vegas. Willodean takes good care of her employees. I’m really lucky to stay there rent-free.”
KT nodded. “Sure. Do you ever think about going back to school? With your schedule, you might be able to work in a class or two. You’d make an excellent accountant.” He couldn’t imagine another woman in the world who’d take that as a compliment but she would.
She looked like she had something heavy on her mind but finally she just shook her head.
He wanted to pick and poke and prod until she told him what that was about but he could see the signs for Graceland. They’d be back at the hotel any minute. He glanced at the clock. “Almost four. Can I take you out for an early bird special somewhere?”
She laughed. “No, if it’s all right, I need to run home for a little bit. But, if you want my help, I could meet you back at the bar to help set up.”
KT rolled to a stop at the front door. “I do appreciate a hard worker. So will Mandy and Shane. I’ll see you in an hour or so?”
She nodded and dropped out of the seat. Before she could slam the door, he said, “And change out of your funeral clothes. It’s time to get comfortable.”
She glared at him but her lips twitched as she slammed the door. He told himself not to watch her walk away but the swing and sway of her hips was impossible to ignore. When the doors slid shut behind her, he banged his head against the headrest until the feeling of the valet’s stare convinced him to wave and move on. She wasn’t the only one with lips twitching in front of the Rock’n’Rolla that day.
Chapter Five
----
L AURA TUGGED ON the edge
Similar Books
