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Bethany finally managed to blink and focus on something other than the indigo envelope.Glancing over at the alcove set into the short hallway leading to her kitchen, she counted.“Three reds, one white, one rosé.Why?”
“I’ll be over in twenty minutes.I’ll bring takeout.”
“What about Clark?”
Keely sighed.“As much as it kills me to deny myself some super-hot nerd cock, Clark can wait.This is way too important to let you do what I know you’re thinking about doing.”
“But—”
“Twenty minutes.”She hung up.
Bethany forced herself to breathe.Willed her hands to stop shaking.Taking another sip of wine, she picked up the invitation.
The Indigo Lounge—owned by thirty-one-year-old billionaire Zachary Savage, the fifth richest man in America.
The piece she’d read about Savage inTime Magazinelast year had expounded on his Midas-touch business savvy and hinted at his rags-to-riches background, but she’d known the report was largely rehashed from other articles.The very private Zach Savage had revealed almost nothing about his past to his interviewer.
The picture used in the piece had been an old one from his post-college years, but it didn’t detract from the fact that at twenty-five, Zachary Savage had been magnetic and gorgeous, with eyes that captured and held a woman’s attention and made her want to get to know the man behind the enigmatic, sexy smile.
Nowadays, all anyone knew about Zachary Savage was that he lived somewhere on the West Coast, probably San Francisco, owned several homes around the world, and had fingers in multiple entrepreneurial pies, the most renowned being The Indigo Lounge.
Operating from ten super-jumbo private jets, the lounges offered prime, private adult entertainment.Rumors said they were flying sex palaces, but the specifics were an extremely well-kept secret that only the cream of A-listers were familiar with.
The events organizing company she worked for had made overtures for his business last year and been met with a flat refusal.Bethany, as part of the bidding team, had been tasked beforehand with finding out everything she could about Zachary Savage.
Coming up near-empty had more than pissed off her bosses and made her position at Neon Events, Inc.precarious.She’d had to work her ass off after that debacle to redeem herself in the eyes of her immediate supervisor, Sheena Malcolm.
The sound of her buzzer interrupted her thoughts.Springing to her feet, she buzzed Keely in and waited by her front door.
Her blonde, green-eyed friend exited the elevator with her usual brisk, sexy stride, carrying a takeout bag from their favorite Chinese place in one hand and two Louis Vuitton weekenders in another.
Bethany frowned as Keely walked past her into the apartment.“What are the bags for?”
Keely dumped the luggage on the floor next to the nearest sofa and headed for the kitchen.“One is empty and is for you to use once I convince you you’re going on this trip.The other is for if I’ve lost all my powers of persuasion and I don’t succeed.In which case, you and I are taking off for the Hamptons for the weekend.The weather forecast says mid to high nineties.If I won’t be sweating it out on my sheets with Clark, I might as well go sweat on a beach and top up my tan while we discuss the serious issue of how you live your life.”She grabbed two plates and came back into the living room where she’d left the food on the small dining table tucked into a corner and started dishing out Kung Pao chicken and noodles.
Bethany stemmed the fierce reaction to the word beach and tried to hide her fear-induced shudder.Keely saw it anyway.
Sympathy softened her gaze.“Crap.Scratch the beach idea.In fact, scratch the whole contingency plan.You won’t be needing it.”
“Actually, about the invitation…”
Keely grimaced and pointed her chopsticks at her.“You’ve talked yourself out of going, haven’t you?”
“I don’t think I can take the time off work, Keel.”
“Sure you can.Your Aunt Melanie has suffered her second heart attack in two months.All those donuts and greasy short ribs the doctors warned her about are finally taking their toll.They don’t know if poor Aunt Mel will make it this time.”
“Jesus, Keely, Aunt Mel is as healthy if not healthier than the horses she rides several times a day.I spoke to her on her birthday last week and she’s as fit as a fiddle.”
“Iron Balls Sheena doesn’t know that.She’s approved you taking all of the vacation time you’ve accrued in the last two years to visit your aunt’s death bed in Montana.And…” Keely fished her cellphone out of a pocket and waved it at Bethany.“She just texted me back to say she’s also happy for me to keep her updated so you don’t need to check in every fucking day.”
Bethany couldn’t stop her mouth gaping.“You packed a bag, ordered food for us and texted my boss asking for time off all in what… twenty minutes?Just so I’ll go on this trip?”
“Yup.”
“And Sheena believed the excuse you made up?”
“Why wouldn’t she?She still thinks I quit Neon last year because she drove me to a nervous breakdown and not because Rubio Events poached me.Bet she’s scared spitless I might sue her ass.”Keely grinned and handed over a steaming plate.“I love it when you get that look on your face.”