she simply smiled and shrugged. “You know what they say about all of us having a twin.”
“I’m sorry, Suzie. This here’s Annie,” Cash introduced, pointing his cake fork at her.
Annie. Not Annelise. And she blessed the gods she’d not stuck to her guns about the nickname earlier.
“Happy birthday, Suzie,” she said.
“Thanks.” The teen twirled a dark brown curl around her finger. “Well, I’d better get back.” With a wave, she was gone.
Lounging in his chair, long legs stretched out in front of him, Cash took a pull of his beer. “You know, if I’m gonna pay you, sugar, you need to fill out some forms for me.”
“There’s no hurry with that, is there?” she asked.
“Not if you’re in no hurry for a payday.”
She thought about her cash reserves, now stashed in the apartment’s old refrigerator. She could use her mother’s maiden name in a pinch, but it would still be risky. “Actually, I’m okay. For now.”
He said nothing for a few seconds, then, “You want a coffee?”
“I’d love one.”
“Mitzy’s pretty busy. I’ll mosey on up to the bar and get them. Save her a trip.”
The second his back was turned, she snagged the paper from the table next to her. She’d spied the article on the lower left half of the front page when Suzie had brought their cake. It had been driving her nuts, and she’d prayed like never before that Cash wouldn’t spot it.
Oil Baron in Remission. She skimmed the words, assuring herself that all was well with her grandfather, that his condition hadn’t changed in the few days she’d been gone. Her mother had told her he was okay, but she sometimes sugarcoated things.
And then, there it was. At the very end of the article.
The entire Montjoy family attended the reopening of their newly renovated office branch in New York City. Montjoy’s granddaughter Annelise, second in line to inherit the company, was conspicuously absent. When asked about her nonattendance, the family had no comment as to her whereabouts or the reason for her no-show. This is the second event Annelise has missed this week. What is the M o ntjoy heiress up to?
Shoot! She rubbed weary eyes, opening them in time to see a sexy blonde, dressed in a white, frilly see-through top, a red, barely-there skirt, and matching stilettos move up behind Cash at the bar and snake an arm around him, her hand caressing his shoulder.
Somebody obviously thought of Cash as her private property. Annelise wondered if maybe she should slip out unobserved. She didn’t want his offer of dinner to cause trouble.
But she hesitated. That dance they’d shared. He hadn’t felt committed to anyone else while they’d been on the dance floor. Had held her way too close for that. And she’d held him right back. And that was trouble enough for anyone—and a good enough reason to hit the road, to move on to Lone Tree.
She couldn’t start anything with him. It would be totally unfair to both of them.
As she slid her chair away from the table, Cash turned. Met her eyes.
He gave a slight shake of his head, and she stilled.
Too far away to hear what he said, she saw his lips move, the tightening of the blonde’s jaw. With a pat to her hand, he picked up the coffees and walked back to the table.
The blonde’s gaze followed him, flicked to Annelise.
“Here you go, sugar. Should be strong enough to stand your hair on end.”
She nodded toward the woman. “Who is she?”
“My grandma,” he answered, deadpan.
She laughed, almost spurting her first sip of the ungodly strong coffee.
His eyes held steady. “I’m serious.”
“Oh, God. You are, aren’t you?”
“Yep.”
She shook her head. “Your family might be more screwed up than mine.”
Chapter Five
A nnelise and Cash drank their coffee in silence. The fans whirled overhead, but they’d long since waved the white flag, admitting defeat. The room grew hotter, closer. A quick glance at the Howdy Doody bar clock showed a
“I’m sorry, Suzie. This here’s Annie,” Cash introduced, pointing his cake fork at her.
Annie. Not Annelise. And she blessed the gods she’d not stuck to her guns about the nickname earlier.
“Happy birthday, Suzie,” she said.
“Thanks.” The teen twirled a dark brown curl around her finger. “Well, I’d better get back.” With a wave, she was gone.
Lounging in his chair, long legs stretched out in front of him, Cash took a pull of his beer. “You know, if I’m gonna pay you, sugar, you need to fill out some forms for me.”
“There’s no hurry with that, is there?” she asked.
“Not if you’re in no hurry for a payday.”
She thought about her cash reserves, now stashed in the apartment’s old refrigerator. She could use her mother’s maiden name in a pinch, but it would still be risky. “Actually, I’m okay. For now.”
He said nothing for a few seconds, then, “You want a coffee?”
“I’d love one.”
“Mitzy’s pretty busy. I’ll mosey on up to the bar and get them. Save her a trip.”
The second his back was turned, she snagged the paper from the table next to her. She’d spied the article on the lower left half of the front page when Suzie had brought their cake. It had been driving her nuts, and she’d prayed like never before that Cash wouldn’t spot it.
Oil Baron in Remission. She skimmed the words, assuring herself that all was well with her grandfather, that his condition hadn’t changed in the few days she’d been gone. Her mother had told her he was okay, but she sometimes sugarcoated things.
And then, there it was. At the very end of the article.
The entire Montjoy family attended the reopening of their newly renovated office branch in New York City. Montjoy’s granddaughter Annelise, second in line to inherit the company, was conspicuously absent. When asked about her nonattendance, the family had no comment as to her whereabouts or the reason for her no-show. This is the second event Annelise has missed this week. What is the M o ntjoy heiress up to?
Shoot! She rubbed weary eyes, opening them in time to see a sexy blonde, dressed in a white, frilly see-through top, a red, barely-there skirt, and matching stilettos move up behind Cash at the bar and snake an arm around him, her hand caressing his shoulder.
Somebody obviously thought of Cash as her private property. Annelise wondered if maybe she should slip out unobserved. She didn’t want his offer of dinner to cause trouble.
But she hesitated. That dance they’d shared. He hadn’t felt committed to anyone else while they’d been on the dance floor. Had held her way too close for that. And she’d held him right back. And that was trouble enough for anyone—and a good enough reason to hit the road, to move on to Lone Tree.
She couldn’t start anything with him. It would be totally unfair to both of them.
As she slid her chair away from the table, Cash turned. Met her eyes.
He gave a slight shake of his head, and she stilled.
Too far away to hear what he said, she saw his lips move, the tightening of the blonde’s jaw. With a pat to her hand, he picked up the coffees and walked back to the table.
The blonde’s gaze followed him, flicked to Annelise.
“Here you go, sugar. Should be strong enough to stand your hair on end.”
She nodded toward the woman. “Who is she?”
“My grandma,” he answered, deadpan.
She laughed, almost spurting her first sip of the ungodly strong coffee.
His eyes held steady. “I’m serious.”
“Oh, God. You are, aren’t you?”
“Yep.”
She shook her head. “Your family might be more screwed up than mine.”
Chapter Five
A nnelise and Cash drank their coffee in silence. The fans whirled overhead, but they’d long since waved the white flag, admitting defeat. The room grew hotter, closer. A quick glance at the Howdy Doody bar clock showed a
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