Page 93 of Blue Moon

It was time to go get Elene. The Blackwood team had been batting around the idea of an in-person meeting ever since her double Ds dropped into Ryder’s inbox, and after a heart-to-heart with Emmy last night, they’d decided to act sooner rather than later. Ana was available, and she’d meet Ryder in Tbilisi.

When he returned, hopefully with Luna’s money, they’d hire security that could keep an appropriate professional distance, and Ryder would start a three-month secondment with the Vegas office. Blackwood needed the manpower, and Emmy understood that both Luna and Ryder were feeling a little fragile right now. Miguel from the Vegas office was going to trade places, and he’d work on the Richmond EP team in return. It was a good compromise.

And Luna was already planning her new life in Richmond. She’d spent an hour yesterday morning plotting on the phone with Caro, chatting about dogs, mostly. Knox and Caro had also paid a visit to the shelter recently, and their new puppy, a fluffy little thing named Remington, was settling in nicely. And also eating everyone’s shoes. Blackwood had a crèche, but Emmy had been muttering about setting up a doggy daycare facility as well, and Ryder wasn’t certain whether she was joking or not.

“We’ll take care of everything,” Romeo promised.

“Did you try all the restaurants yet?” Frank asked. “We got a guest mixologist in the Luxor Lounge next week. Swiss guy, last year’s world champion. I’ll book you a table. You bringing the dog?”

“Uh, yes?”

“Alessia’s gonna be real happy about that. We’ll get him a bed, and she can pick out some toys.” Frank strode across to his desk and retrieved his phone. “Bridget? Reserve the best suite we got for the next two weeks. … Luna Maara. … Right, champagne, flowers, the works. You want a masseuse?” he asked Luna. “We can get you a masseuse.”

“Just the room is fine.”

26

LUNA

“On high-school career day, they said you should dress for the job you want, so I wore a leotard.” Luis poured the rest of the French martini down his throat. “I spent the day in the principal’s office.”

Aisha held up her hand for a high five. “But you got the last laugh, right?”

“So right.”

This was just like the old days. Well, the pre-opening-night days. Me and my dancers having fun after work, chatting and giggling and indulging in a few drinks. Except we were in my hotel suite rather than the Peppermill. And I had a boyfriend and a dog, even if the boyfriend was on the other side of the world.

Ryder had called to let me know that he’d landed in Georgia, but he’d also warned me to expect radio silence for several days. He needed to focus.

I missed him already.

The suite Frank had comped me was bigger than my apartment and far more luxurious. Three bedrooms, a small kitchen, and a vast living-slash-dining area that had a view across Vegas on one side and the mother of all TV screens on the other. Paul and Venus had found a game console, and they were having a barefoot cocktail-fuelled dance-off against pink-haired robots, even though they’d just spent the whole evening on stage.

Boy, was I going to pay for this tomorrow.

But tonight, I was having fun.

And better yet, I was having fun without anyone taking pictures.

Venus beat the robot and flopped onto the couch beside me. “Are you gonna dance?”

“Maybe later.”

The hotel staff—all female, as Frank promised—had brought up platters of snacks, and seeing as there was nobody to tell me not to eat cheese anymore, I was enjoying a tomato-and-mozzarella pastry. My costumes still fit, and that was all that mattered. Who knew that fooling around with a guy could burn so many calories?

“Aw, c’mon.”

Paul gave her a warning look. “Don’t.”

“She’s okay,” Venus hissed back.

“Why wouldn’t I be okay?”

Aisha wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “They’re just worried in case you’re feeling bad about the breakup, but I think you’re stronger than that.”

“Breakup? What breakup?”

“With your hot bodyguard boyfriend. I’m so sorry it didn’t work out.”

---