Chapter 6
ZINA
The next morning I arrived at the warehouse just after dawn.
I needed to check on the dogs and make sure they’d all survived the night.
By the time I’d taken them out a few at a time and filled everyone’s bowl with breakfast, I didn’t have time to run home and change before my meeting with Lacey.
It wouldn’t be the first time I showed up at the mayor’s office looking like a hot mess.
As I slid the key under the flowerpot, tires crunched on the gravel.
What was Alex doing here? He got out of the truck looking like he’d just hopped out of a magazine spread.
His hair curled up at the edges, still damp from his shower.
Faded jeans molded themselves to his thighs and he’d pushed the sleeves of his shirt up, giving me a chance to appreciate his strong forearms.
I patted at my hair and tried to adjust the topknot that had shifted to more of a side knot and sat lopsided on my head.
“Good morning.” Alex headed my way, two cups of coffee in his hands. “I figured I’d find you here.”
“I had to check on the dogs.” I longingly glanced over my shoulder, wondering if I had enough time to duck back into the warehouse and try to freshen up. Or at least shove a stick of gum in my mouth. I’d barely even had time to brush my teeth.
“Coffee?” He held a cup out.
“Yes, please.” Grateful, I took it, letting the scent of the strong brew bolster my spirits. “I hoped I’d have time to run home and get cleaned up before our meeting with Lacey, but . . .”
“I think you look great.” One side of his mouth quirked up in the most adorable way.
“I think you knocked your head harder than you thought yesterday.” I might joke, but inside I glowed at the compliment.
I shook off the shivers running up and down my spine.
The only thing I wanted from Alex was for him to come through on the wedding plans.
That was all. I just needed to keep reminding myself of that.
It was too easy to get caught up in his smile.
“As long as we’re both here, do you want to ride over to the mayor’s office together?” Alex gestured to his truck. “The cab’s still warm.”
“I’ve got to pick up some dog food from the feed store on my way back.”
“I don’t mind. I’m meeting with a contractor out here this afternoon, so I’ve got time.”
“Who did you decide to go with?”
“Toby Townsend. Lacey recommended him. You know him?” Alex asked.
“I know everyone around here. One of the joys of living in a small town.” I pulled my jacket tighter around my shoulders and walked around to the passenger side door.
He did a good job of making small talk and by the time we turned in to the parking lot at city hall, we’d discussed the weather, the unfair misconceptions about pit bulls, and whether Alex should look to South America or Latin America for his next job when he left Ido.
As we reached the door to the mayor’s office, Lacey’s assistant stepped out, her eyes rimmed red.
“Chelsea, what’s going on?” I immediately went to comfort her while Alex looked on.
“I’m just running to get some tissues. We’re all out.” She swiped at her eyes with the back of her hand.
“What happened? Why are you so upset?” I asked. Chelsea wasn’t the kind to wear her heart on her sleeve. Something or someone had to have upset her.
“It’s that wedding planner Lacey’s talking to on the phone. I accidentally dropped the call, and she wasn’t happy about it.”
I put an arm around the younger woman’s shoulder. “I’m sure Lacey knows you didn’t mean to. Things like that happen all the time.” I glanced at Alex, hoping for confirmation.
“Yeah, all the time.” He nodded.
“I’ll be okay. But y’all might want to get in there with Mayor Cherish. She’s got that woman on speaker, and it sounds like she wants to climb right through the phone and wring her neck.”
Alex passed through the doorway into the reception area. I gave Chelsea one more pat on the shoulder before I followed him. A loud voice came from behind the closed door of Lacey’s office.
“Should we go in?” Alex asked as he stepped toward the door.
I pressed my ear against the thick slab of wood and held up a finger.
Lacey said something about working together.
Her voice was calm, even toned. That’s right, rein her in.
Don’t let her get the best of you. I smiled, nodding as I pulled my head away from the door.
“Sounds like Lacey’s got it under control. ”
Alex reached for the handle. “But we should still go in, right? I think we’re supposed to be on this call.”
I stepped back. “Go for it.”
He turned the knob and pushed the door inward.
As he did, a screech came from the speakerphone. “You’ve got to make this happen. If you won’t work with us, we’ll find someone else.”
I tried to peer around Alex as he filled the doorway.
Lacey sat behind the desk, her hands clasped together, the whites of her knuckles showing.
“I can assure you, we’re doing everything we can to accommodate you.
In fact, our penguin handler just came in to join us on the call.
” Lacey gestured to the chair opposite her desk.
Alex sat down, relaxing against the back of the seat.
“Alex Sanders, meet Chyna Daniels, Ms. Munyon’s wedding planner.” As she made the introduction, she rolled her eyes. I recognized that look. It meant Lacey was holding on by a thread. A thread that might unravel soon.
“Hi, it’s nice to have a chance to talk to you.” Alex glanced to me and nudged his chin toward the chair next to him.
“So you’re the man in charge of the penguins?” The screechy tone shifted and came through the phone like honey sliding over a piece of warm cornbread just out of the oven.
“That’s right.” Alex’s lips quirked up into a half grin. I waited for the fallout. Surely, he didn’t think he’d charmed the banshee solely with his baritone.
“We’ve got a problem. My client wants to move up the wedding.”
Lacey cleared her throat. “I’ve been explaining to Chyna that we need more time than what she’s proposing. Surely, we can find some common ground . . . a compromise?”
Alex’s shoulders rolled. “I’m sure we can figure something out. The bride is entitled to her special day, isn’t she? Whatever you and Ms. Munyon need. We’ll make it happen.”
“That’s more like it. I knew there had to be someone reasonable in town. Why don’t you give me a call later, Mr. Sanders, and we’ll work out the particulars?” Chyna suggested.
Alex beamed.
But Lacey looked like she wanted to reach across the desk and smack that smile right off his face. “I’m not sure you understand, Alex. Ms. Munyon wants to move the date up quite a bit, she’s asking for—”
“Whatever it is, we’ll make it work.” He shrugged.
Lacey leaned against the back of her chair and crossed her arms over her chest. She shook her head. “Alright then. The two of you seem to have things under control.”
“I think we do,” Chyna said. “I’ve got to go. Big meeting with another bride this afternoon. Of course I can’t say who it is, but do the initials O. W. mean anything to you?”
Alex treated us to a deep chuckle. “You go take care of your business in LA. I’ve got it all under control here.”
“Please text my assistant to arrange a call for later. I’m looking forward to meeting you in person, Alex.”
Lacey bit her lip while Alex glanced between us, a smug grin on his face. “Will do. You have a nice day now.”
The call disconnected and Lacey eyed Alex like he was public enemy numero uno. “What the hell was that?”
“What?” He glanced from Lacey to me.
I felt a sliver of pity for the man because I knew what was coming.
Lacey was about to go WWE on him. She might not drop Alex into a gutwrench powerbomb, but she was about to give his ego a badly needed bruising.
For a moment I wished for popcorn and a longneck so I could further my enjoyment of the show that was about to go down.
“Not only did you undermine my authority, but you just made a promise to someone regarding my town.” Lacey rose to her full height, her movements slow and deliberate.
“You said we needed to do whatever we could to keep Ms. Munyon happy. Based on the way the conversation was going it seemed like you were about to lose us both a very valuable client.” Alex crossed his arms over that broad chest of his, totally unaware of the verbal thrashing headed his way.
Lacey rounded the large desk and then stopped in front of him. “You sure you want to stick around for this, Zina? It’s about to get gory.”
I scooted to the edge of my seat. “Wouldn’t miss it.”
With a nod, Lacey turned her attention back to Mr. Smug and Stupid. “Do you have any idea what you just promised?”
Alex shrugged. “She wants to move the date up a bit. No big deal.”
“A bit.” Lacey leaned against the desk and crossed one foot over the other. She might look calm and cool on the outside, but I could tell there was an internal volcano about to erupt.
“What’s the problem? I’m meeting with the contractor today. He’ll probably only need six to eight weeks to install everything. I just need a month or two to after that to get them trained and we’ll be fine.”
“So that’s two months to get the dome installed, say, another two months to train them, and then you’ll be ready?” She held up four fingers.
“Yeah. Sounds about right.”
“Well according to what you just committed us to with Chyna, the wedding will be happening in a little over six weeks.” Her eyes narrowed. She was going in for the kill.
Alex sputtered. “What? I didn’t say we’d be ready that soon.”
“Unfortunately, you did. Now, can you answer one question for me?”
Alex looked to me, his eyes sending an obvious silent cry for help.
I gave him a sweet smile, then turned my gaze to the bulletin board behind Lacey’s desk.
Tons of images from magazines, printouts, and photos covered the large surface.
Looked like the wedding business was becoming the mayor’s sole focus.