Playing with Piper (Menage MfM Romance Novel) (Playing for Love Book 3) by Tara Crescent Page B

grand, minimum.”
    Piper winces. “Right now, I’m breaking even, but not for long. Mr. O’Connor raised my rent by three thousand dollars.”
    “O’Connor?” My voice sharpens. “Is that your landlord?”
    She looks faintly puzzled by my interest. “He lives upstairs,” she explains. “I think he liked Aunt Vera. Even with the rent increase, I’m still paying less than market rate.”
    O’Connor is an Irish name. Is he mixed up with the mob? My spine stiffens. “How long has he been your landlord?”
    “Since the place opened,” Piper answers. “The last twelve years.”
    I sigh inwardly. Mendez might be right after all. If her landlord is involved, Aladdin’s Lamp could be the site of mob activity without Piper’s knowledge. This has the potential of being very bad.
    Wyatt gives me an irritated look. He knows I’m thinking about Mendez, and he’s not interested in my suspicions. He’s got a determined light in his eyes. I’ve seen Wyatt Lawless like this before. He’s in problem-solving mode. “Our marketing budget is razor-thin,” he says. “ Aladdin’s Lamp is getting some buzz with restaurant industry insiders, but you aren’t doing anything to attract the public. We’ll need to get you some exposure.”
    Help her first, Owen, I rebuke myself. Investigate the landlord later. We fall silent, trying to think of a solution to our problems. “Wait a minute,” I say slowly, as the seed of an idea forms in my mind. “What about Maisie’s contest?”
    Wyatt straightens. “That could work.” He turns to Piper, his lips curving into a smile. “How do you feel about being on TV?”
----
Piper:
    “TV?” I stare at them, my mouth agape. “What are you talking about?”
    Wyatt explains. “You’ve heard of Maisie Hayes, the food blogger?”
    “Of course.” Maisie’s New York restaurant blog is very entertaining. She’s witty and funny and she knows her food. I’m not the only one in the business who reads her blog every day.
    “Well, Maisie is organizing a reality-TV-style contest for restaurants in Hell’s Kitchen called Can You Take the Heat?. I can probably get you in, but the contest starts in a month, and we have a thousand things to do before then. It won’t be easy.”
    No, it won’t be easy. But Wyatt is right — we have no marketing budget. Given the constraints, this is probably our best option. I sit up, my spine tingling with excitement. I want to win, damn it. I want to show my parents that despite their best efforts to thwart me, I can succeed. “Yes.” My voice comes out loud and enthusiastic, and I flush. Well-behaved Southern women don’t raise their voices.
    “I’m in,” I say in a quieter tone. “Whatever you want to do, I’m in.”
    “Excellent,” Wyatt says. “Let’s get to work. Here’s what we need to do.”
    An hour later, we have a plan. Several plans, actually.
    First, we’ve decided to rename the restaurant. It’s now going to be called Piper’s . “A bit vain, don’t you think?” I ask Wyatt and Owen doubtfully. “Naming the place after myself?”
    “People are going to flock here for your food, Piper,” Owen says grandly. “Of course it has to be named after you.”
    I giggle, charmed by Owen’s statement. We’ve made significant inroads into the bottle of vodka, and we’re all feeling the effects. I’m tipsy. The alcohol plays a role in my light-headedness, but so does the relief of knowing I don’t have to face this alone.
    I’ve misjudged Owen and Wyatt, the same way they’ve misjudged me. Today feels like a renewal of sorts. New beginnings.  
    “Okay,” I agree. “What kind of food should Piper’s serve?”
    “Not Middle Eastern,” Wyatt says at once. “I love Middle Eastern food, but that’s not your strength. Why on earth did your aunt decide to open Aladdin’s Lamp anyway?”
    “It’s a family secret.” I lean forward, lowering my voice to a whisper. I can’t seem to stop smiling. “When she was in her