Page 100 of Trouble Walked In

Della squeezed her hand. “Want me to help you find him?”

Lizzie shook her head. “I know where he’ll be.”

The last time she’d been in this lobby, she’d stormed right through it on her way to Renic’s office without actually looking at it. In between the people, she could make out comfortable leather couches lining the photo-covered walls. Several of the photos featured Della at various concerts. The warm wood floor spilled into a large open space that looked like an industrial living room with overstuffed chairs and lights that doubled as art hanging from the ceiling.

Floor-to-ceiling windows provided a sparkling view of the Manhattan skyline. A bar had been set up in one corner, while a table filled with food surrounded the reception desk. Another hallway led to the offices on the right.

Lizzie threaded her way through the party crowd and down the hallway. Renic’s office was at the end. The corridor was a lot longer than she remembered, with at least a dozen offices along the way.

The door to Renic’s office was open, and she could hear several voices drifting out from inside. Though she couldn’t make out what they were saying, she thought she recognizedMorgan’s Boston accent, and there was a male voice she thought sounded familiar but couldn’t place, and Renic.

Lizzie hesitated. If she went much further, one of them was bound to see her coming. Her heart pounded, and it felt hotter than it had a few seconds ago.

Maybe she should come back some other time.

Another familiar voice, this one male and heavy with country twang, grew louder. “Can’t wait to see where you take this. Oh, and that Jacob kid…got a chance to hear his demo and damn. You sure can pick ’em. Keep at it, Renic.”

Nate Edwards stepped into the hall and stopped short when he saw Lizzie. His smile was warm and crinkled the corners of his eyes. “Lizzie Bellamy. It’s been way too long. I’m glad to see you.”

She returned his smile and reached out a hand for him to shake, but he pulled her into a hug instead.

“I sure hope this means you’re back helping out. Things run a lot smoother with you around. Always have.”

She shook her head, but gave him a fond look to soften the blow. “I’m just here for the launch. I head out tomorrow. Besides, you don’t need me. Morgan’s a superhero.”

“Well, I hope you’ll reconsider. I miss seeing your face.”

Morgan and Renic both appeared in the doorway behind Nate. Lizzie flashed them a smile before returning her attention to Nate. “Come to Belhurst Castle next time you want a break. It’s a little slice of heaven, I promise.”

“I’ll do that.” Nate glanced over his shoulder at Renic and Morgan. “I’ll let you all get to it.”

Nate strolled away down the hall, leaving nothing between Lizzie and Renic but Morgan and a few feet of space.

“Hey, glad you came! I know Della really wanted you here.” Morgan glanced at Renic, then moved toward Lizzie. “We should catch up some other time. I’ll just give you two some quality alone time.”

“Hi, Morgan,” Lizzie said. “You know you’re welcome at the inn anytime.”

Morgan pulled her in for a half hug as she walked by. “I’ll take you up on that. Renic brought me a case of wine which is obviously not going to be enough. I’ll need to come for regular injections.”

Lizzie laughed. “Mark will be happy to hear that.”

Morgan leaned close and whispered, “Make him tell you why he did this deal.” She winked, then sauntered away with a lazy wave. “See ya.”

Lizzie watched her go, a little confused, then turned to face Renic.

She was in his space now. She felt out of place and unsure. She’d spent all that time practicing what to say and now couldn’t remember any of the words.

Finally, she blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “I brought my checkbook.”

Renic looked confused, then seemed to catch on. His expression froze into one of practiced neutrality. “Come in.”

She berated herself for being a clumsy idiot all the way past Morgan’s desk and into his office. Renic closed the door.

His office took up the entire corner of the building, with floor-to-ceiling windows on two sides and a fantastic view. A sizeable L-shaped desk took up space on the right, while a pit of couches lounged on the left. The wall behind his desk was covered in framed gold and platinum albums, while the remaining wall featured enough TVs to make any sports bar jealous.

Most of the room was sleek, with modern industrial steel and glass. It was practical and creative, just like the man whoused it. It fell somewhere between geek fantasy and high-end lawyer.

His desk, though, was a crime scene. It was covered in papers, pens, and coffee cups. A laptop perched precariously on top of a stack of books, and a pair of hi-tech headphones dangled off one corner of the monitor. A half-empty bottle of Mark’s Tetrick signature label sat on a corner of the desk, but there were no wine glasses anywhere.

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