But as the week went on, I could see she was treating Tevin a little better than the other clients. She’d had me call in the best girls for his mixer. Katarina, the model. Josephine the attorney who looked like a model. And Alexis, the neurologist who was not only intelligent and cultured, but also taller and more beautiful than both Katarina and Josephine. There would be a couple of other men at the mixer as well, but those three girls were reserved for him. They were given specific instructions before the men arrived.
Me, I did what I always did, check all the rest of the girls to make sure they were all looking as good as possible, following up with the caterer, to make sure everything was ready, and making sure any last minute details hadn’t been forgotten. Because I was so busy, I barely realized when the event started.
But I knew the moment Tevin entered the room. I felt his presence before I saw him. Felt it deep inside. The sensation was like a warm tingle.
When I spied him, my heart raced. He was looking right at me. And wow, did he look amazing. He was wearing a sweater that showed off his body to the fullest and a pair of pants that fit him to perfection. Our gazes met. His lips curled into that smile that made my insides get warm.
And then Josephine sauntered up to him and stole his attention away.
I’d barely recovered when Katarina elbowed herself in between them and was fluttering her false eyelashes at him.
I hated them both right now.
“Things are going great, don’t you think?” Marguerite said as she scurried up to me.
“Yes, great,” I said with a flat voice.
Coming to stand next to me, she followed the direction of my gaze. “He’s a remarkable man.”
“Yes, he is.”
“Where did you say you met him?”
I’d already told her three times. Why she kept asking was beyond me. “At the Red Hawk.”
She tsked. “I can’t imagine a man like him going there. A man so successful, so intelligent.”
Maybe this was my chance, an opportunity to find out what she knew about him. “He told me he owns a landscaping business and dabbles in real estate.”
“That’s true. He does. And he has been extremely successful in both.”
Extremely. That explained the shoes. “He also told me he inherited some money from someone.”
“Yes, I do believe he did. But what has impressed me the most about Mr. Page is what he has managed to accomplish on his own. In a very short period of time. It’s remarkable.”
“Really?”
“Oh yes. You know I don’t share the specifics about our client’s finances with anyone, including my staff, but I will say that appearances are a little deceiving in Mr. Page’s case. He doesn’t dress like the man he is.”
“Funny you should say that because when I first met him, I had a pretty low opinion of him.”
Marguerite’s drawn on eyebrows lifted as she laughed. I’d never heard her laugh before. “That doesn’t surprise me.”
I motioned toward him. “He wasn’t even dressed as nicely as tonight. He was wearing old crappy jeans and a t-shirt.”
Marguerite shook her head. “Some men just don’t realize what their clothes say about them.”
“Either that or they don’t care. I thought he was the kind of landscaper that hauled around his beat up lawnmower in the bed of his rusty old pickup truck.”
“Well, I’m glad you took the time to investigate further. He’s a great addition to the agency. He’s already paid in full for a six month membership.”
Six months. My heart sank. I pasted on a smile. “That’s great.”
Marguerite gave me a nudge with her bony elbow. “You, my dear, are getting a nice check next week. Don’t spend it all in one place.”
“You can bet I won’t.” Deciding I should get back to work, and happy to put an end to this awkward conversation, I took a step away.
Marguerite caught my elbow. “Just one question.”
I swiveled to face her. “Sure.”
“I see the way you look at him. Why didn’t you keep him for yourself?”
A pang of emotion ripped through my belly. Was it that obvious? Was I staring at him all doe-eyed like a silly little girl? “For the same reason I don’t keep any of them for myself. I don’t need a man in my life right now. It’s too complicated as it is.”
My boss shook her head and strolled away.
Evidently, she wasn’t buying my explanation.
Thankfully, my paycheck didn’t depend upon it.
Three hours later, things were wrapping up and I was ready to call it a night. I’d played referee a few times, heading off fights between the girls before anything got too hairy. Thanks to the new girls we’d brought in, who happened to be the ones causing all the trouble, I’d been fairly busy for most of the event. But that didn’t stop me from catching a glimpse of Tevin every few minutes or so. And every time I looked at him, and saw him flashing one of those traffic-stopping smiles at another girl, it felt like someone had jabbed a hot poker into my belly.