“Sebastian, you need to get moving,” Veronica barks. “I’m going to head back to my office and see what my guy was able to find out about the blackmail letter as well as the verdict about the printers in your office.”
* * *
I ringthe doorbell of the apartment in Chelsea where Veronica told me to pick Arianna up and wait, hoping I don’t get a ticket for double-parking out front.
A few moments later, the door opens and an attractive brunette with brown curly hair and blue eyes steps out onto the stoop. She smiles at me and introduces herself. “Hi, I’m Arianna.”
“Sebastian,” I reply, a little uneasy, I’m not really too sure how to handle this situation. “Thanks for agreeing to help.”
Looking at her, there’s no doubt she could be the woman in the photo with me, but up close, despite her beauty, she’s not Devin. Her smile isn’t as bright, the color of her eyes doesn’t remind me of warm melted chocolate, and she doesn’t have the spattering of freckles on her nose that I love to kiss when she’s sleeping.
Arianna grins at me as we move down the stairs and toward my car. “I may have some ulterior motives.”
My stomach drops. Please tell me Veronica’s niece isn’t some extortionist who is going to set a whole other slew of issues into motion. “Oh yeah? What might they be?”
“There’s a guy in my study group at law school who I’ve wanted to ask me out since the beginning of the semester, but he’s not taking the bait. I know he digs me. He walks me home from the library, saves me a seat in class, and notices when I change my hair. Maybe if he sees me out and about with you, it’ll be the kick in the ass he needs to ask me out.”
I cock a brow. “What if it keeps him away since he’ll think you’re taken?”
She shakes her head. “That won’t be an issue. My aunt is great at what she does. She’ll have this mess cleared up in a few weeks, we’ll break up, and I’ll be back to my normal life. I’m hoping that’s when he’ll bite the bullet and finally ask me.”
I laugh. I can’t help it. This woman is exactly like her aunt. She wants what she wants, and she won’t stop until she gets it. At least she hasn’t called me “darling” yet or invaded my personal space.
“Well, in that case,” I say, pushing the button to open her car door, “I hope this works out the way we both want it to.”
Half an hour later, right on time, we arrive at the restaurant and pull into the valet line. It’s a controlled chaos as I take a look around. There are cameramen taking pictures as people walk along the roped-off entrance ofLe Deux.Flashes light up the darkness while shouts can be heard from inside the car.
“You ready?” I ask, glancing over at Arianna, who’s smoothing her silver cocktail dress.
She grins. “Let’s save your girlfriend’s ass.”
