Kristin Hardy - Bad Influence

So if Gloria wanted a burlesque museum, a burlesque museum she would get, and Paige Favreau could just be the way to make that happen. She had Lyndon’s ear and she looked like the type who could change his mind. And if, in the process of getting her to loosen up and get behind the museum, Zach could get her to loosen up and spend some time with him, well, so much the better.

Yeah, he could do worse than stick around to look after things for a few weeks. And he could put off figuring out what the hell he was going to do with his life.

After all, figuring out how to convince Paige Favreau she wanted him in her bed was bound to be a lot more fun.

Shaking his head, he rose to go to the main house to check on Gloria. They’d always been a likely pair, with the same irreverent sense of the world and exasperation with the rules.

He walked in to find her at the kitchen table, drinking coffee and doing the crossword puzzle.

“You’re up and around bright and early,” he observed.

“I figured I had to make my move while you weren’t here giving me the hairy eyeball.”

“How are you feeling?”

“Not bad,” she allowed. “I think I’ll live.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” He walked past her, squeezing her shoulder before going after coffee.

“Nona can get that for you,” Gloria said.

“I can get it myself.” Zach got out a mug and filled it.

“How about a little car shopping today?” Gloria suggested. “I feel like doing a few test-drives.”

“Don’t see why we couldn’t. I like the idea of you in one of those Mini Coopers.”

She snorted.

“A pink Ferrari?” he suggested.

“Better, but I’m still going to pass.”

“Just a Bentley gal at heart, eh?”

“You know me well.”

“That I do.” He took a drink of coffee and came back over to sit down. “You know, I’m the last person to tell you to blend in, but have you really thought through this museum thing?”

“What do you mean? You know I’m committed to pulling this off. It’s not just for jollies. There are people out there from the business, old people who don’t have a pot to piss in. This museum can help.”

“Not if you keep going out of your way to rile people up. Right now you’ve got a whole lot of really excited folks on your hands, and I don’t mean in a good way. Maybe it’s time to rethink things.”

She eyed him. “You’ve been talking to that stiff-necked old coot next door, haven’t you.”

“His granddaughter, actually, but I was thinking about this anyway. If you want this thing to come off, you’ll be better off playing nice. Why set it up in a way that’s calculated to piss people off? Do it somewhere else.”

“I locate it somewhere else and I have to pay rent, which cuts into profit. I’ve got so much room here I’d never even notice.”

“You’re going to have a fight on your hands to get that variance.”

“I don’t mind a fight.”

The corners of his mouth tugged into a grin. “I know you don’t.”

“And I like twisting their tails.”

“I know that about you, too.”

She laughed. “You know it because that’s how you are.”

One thing he’d come to grudgingly accept over the years, though, was that sometimes you had to give a little to get a little. “Come on, you’re smart enough to know that you’ll probably have an easier time getting it through if you play it soft.”

“I know, but I can’t stand that superior look Favreau next door gets on his face. He turned me in for not having my trees trimmed to the exact right height under the power lines on the property frontage. The city came in and practically shaved my jacarandas. And his fool gardener is always chopping on my bougainvillea.” She glared out the window at the long, low wall between the two properties, covered on her side with a profusion of greenery and blooms that ended abruptly at the top of the fence as though shaved off with a chain saw.

“Maybe he needs a hobby.”

“The man’s already got one—being a pain in the neck.”

“Is that a hobby?”

Gloria snorted. “For him, it’s a career.”

P AIGE SAT AT HER desk in her home office, talking into her headset while she simultaneously packed files into her laptop case.

“Yes, I know it’s going to be a big delay, Alma. I know you were planning to have everything redone by June in time for Peter’s graduation. But it’s a family emergency and I don’t have a choice.”

“I hope you realize what an imposition this is to me,” a tart voice said into her ear.

Next time I’ll have my grandfather plan his accidents better, Alma. “Yes, of course. If you’d prefer to take the project to another designer, I’ll understand,” Paige said and crossed her fingers. A few seconds ticked by.

“I don’t think I’d feel right doing that,” Alma said grudgingly, as though granting a favor. “After all, he is your grandfather.”

Toothaches were nothing compared to this, Paige thought. “Great. Okay, I’ll keep you posted, but we should be able to get rolling again in about six weeks. In the meantime, we can stay in touch by phone and e-mail and I can have some samples sent to your house.”

“Don’t forget to give me your cell phone number,” Alma said.

Not a chance. “Don’t worry, Alma. We’ll still be working together, it’ll just move a little more slowly. Thanks for your understanding.” With a few more pleasantries, Paige disconnected.

And cursed like a sailor until the air in the room turned blue.

“Wow, I didn’t know you knew how to talk like that.”

Paige glanced up to see Delaney in the door, looking at her inquiringly. “Clients,” she said dismissively, pulling off her headset. “The ones I wanted to keep asked to change to avoid the delay. The one I really wanted to get rid of has decided she’ll do me a favor and wait.”

“Dontcha just hate it?” Delaney asked cheerfully, crossing the room to give her a quick hug. “How’s your granddad?”

“Better. Still hurting, and he can’t do much for himself, but I think he’s past the scary stage. Thanks for asking. And for keeping an eye on my place while I’m gone. You’re the best.”

Delaney waved a hand at the sleekly opulent room. “It’s no hardship to hang out here, trust me. So you didn’t hear the rest of Kelly’s announcement the other night.”

“Oh, God, right, Kelly. So what’s the deal?”

“She and Kev talked it over and they’ve decided to go ahead and have it. They’re getting married.”

Paige’s eyes widened. “Little Miss Footloose and Fancy-Free?”

“They have been living together for a couple of years now. That’s kind of serious.”

“Yeah, but there’s serious and there’s serious. ” Paige thought for a moment and a slow smile spread over her face. “Kelly with a baby. That means we get to be aunties.” Her eyes widened. “Baby shoes,” she shrieked.

“Definitely.” Delaney grinned. “The wedding’s in two months.”

“Kelly and Kev—who would have guessed?”

“Maybe Kev.”

“They’re going to make great parents,” Paige said dreamily.

“You know it. Anyway, we’re cooking up a party for them, so I’ll let you know. Assuming you’ll be here.”

“I’ll have to play it by ear right now.”

“Where’s your grandpa today? Did you just leave him on his own with a few crackers and a bottle of Coke within reach?”

“Oh, he’s got a housekeeper to keep an eye on him. Anyway, I’m just down here for the morning so I can get some stuff together. After that, I head out.” And, galvanized by the thought, she began moving around her office in hyperdrive, gathering things together.