Manaconda (Hammered #1)(44)
When anyone asked him about me, he gave a careless smile and gave a few different versions of an excuse I would have written.
“Nothing serious.”
“We had a fun night, but we both are working too much.”
Nothing that painted either of us as anything other than two busy professionals.
Perfectly adequate.
I didn’t remember throwing my blush Dior heel at the television, but Carter had informed me that it would cost me a hundred bucks to fix it.
Since they were my favorite pair, they were currently sitting in a cobbler’s shop. There were a surprising number of them in Los Angeles. Women loved their expensive shoes.
And now I had to go to a Love & Paws charity benefit without my lucky shoes, and hope I didn’t run into him.
I was the one charity that he supported without fail, but I still had his itinerary. He and the band should be at a showcase concert for Ripper Records.
If I went early enough, I should miss him.
“Here she is.”
I turned away from my vanity and smiled. “How’s my baby?”
Sammy, my Australian Border Collie rescue, put her paws on my lap. I scratched his ears pressing my forehead into his as he whined. He wagged his tail so hard he lost his balance and tumbled to the carpet.
“Did Uncle Carter and Aunt Felicity spoil you rotten?”
Carter dropped into one of my club chairs. “He led Felicity on a five mile chase through the state park.”
“I’m sure she loved that.”
“She’s still cursing me and Sammy.” Carter grinned. “New hiking boots.”
“Ouch.”
“Yep. Blister city. You owe her a pedicure.”
I huffed out a laugh. “Send her for a Spa package at Willow’s.”
His eyebrows shot up. “Man. I’ll walk Sammy more often if I’m getting pampered like that.”
I turned back to my vanity. “Make it a couple’s retreat. On me.”
“Okay, now I know you’re really in a state.”
I blew out a calming breath and made a perfect line with my liquid brush. “I’m fine.”
He stood behind me in the mirror. “When’s the last time you slept?”
“Last night.”
He gave me a deadpan stare.
“I did.”
He didn’t need to know it was only two hours, but I had slept. I dabbed concealer under my eyes and finished off with a light powder. I gave Sammy a quick rub down and shrugged out of the button down I as wearing.
He frowned. “Where’d you get that?” He fingered the material and checked the label. “Since when do you have anything by Hugo Boss?”
“It’s just a shirt.”
“You’re the girliest girl I know. The only thing you would have by Hugo Boss is a jacket. Definitely not a men’s shirt.”
“I’m not a nun, Carter. No matter how you like to infer otherwise.”
“Oh, boy. The teacher voice is coming out. You’re seeing him tonight, aren’t you?”
“What? No.”
Please God, no.
“Yeah you are.”
I shook my head. “I’m going to the Love & Paws benefit to make sure Bethany doesn’t do anything stupid like adopt four dogs again.”
“You have to babysit Babbles tonight?”
“Bethany and Michelle will be there.”
“The gruesome twosome. Awesome. Do you want me to come for backup.”
I shook my head. “I’ll be fine. We’re just going to make an appearance, donate some money, and listen to a few speeches. No big deal.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive. Early night and everything. Thanks Felicity for taking care of Sammy. My schedule was nuts this week.”
“Sure. You know she loves him.”
“I do.” I slicked on another layer of crimson lipstick and tucked a lock of hair over my ear, into the braid I’d spent twenty minutes de-constructing so it looked messy. Oh, what a woman did for fashion.
“Do I pass muster?”
“You’re going to make him eat his tongue.”
“Hunter isn’t going to be there.”
“Sure he isn’t,” Carter said. “The front desk called. Your car is here, too.”
“Great. Thanks.”
We both took the elevator down and parted ways in the lobby. Carter to head to the parking garage, me to the front door where a black BMW idled.
The trip across down was interminable. A mix of traffic and Saturday night partiers made for a longer than normal travel time. By the time I got to the event, a second speaker was making a plea for donations.
I spotted Bethany in with the designer dogs that were abandoned by the Los Angeles elite when they weren’t fun anymore. She was sitting cross legged in a Nicole Miller dress with a half litter of puppies on her lap.
At least those pictures on Instagram wouldn’t require me to do any cleanup.
I made small talk with people I knew, fielded questions from a few of the reporters I knew. Three of my clients had been former ambassadors for Love & Paws so I knew a lot about them.
I ended up sitting with a few friends for so long that my wine went down the wrong way when I heard Hunter’s voice.