Page 44 of Courting Gossip (Courting)
She perked up. ‘I’ll do anything.’
‘All right, well, ever since that break-in happened to you, we’ve been trying to compile a list of clients who might have a grudge against you or Luxxor.’
‘You think somebody was trying to get back atus?’
‘At this point I really don’t, but the exercise exposed a lot of holes in our database.’
Genieve bit her lip. She didn’t like where this was going. ‘You know I’m not a paperwork girl, Nina.’
‘No, no. Here’s my idea. I’ll give you a list of people, and you compile everything you know about them: their likes and dislikes, passions and interests, known associates, affiliations, any quirks, etc. Record them on your phone if you wish. Rielle can transcribe them later.’
Genieve rolled on her side and pulled up her knees. ‘I could do that.’
If she had to stay…
‘It would be such a help.’
She stared out the bedroom window as Nina went through her plans. It was overcast and drizzling today, but her boss sounded good. Almost upbeat. She was on top of things, and she sounded calmer than she had the last time they’d spoken – especially when the subject of Detective Morgan came up. Genieve bit her thumbnail. The big tough detective was still out there, poking around on the case.
‘So…you and the detective have been talking?’ she asked cautiously.
‘Yes, we’ve been…talking.’ Nina’s voice sounded odd.
‘I’m really sorry he got dragged into this. I know he’s been lingering around Luxxor, looking for…’ Genieve rolled onto her back and dropped her hand over her head. ‘Never mind. I just know my luck could not have been worse.’
Talk about an understatement. She’d been caught with a client, and the one man she might have been truly interested in had seen the tape. Depression sank back in. He was attracted to her, but he couldn’t get past her job…her job where she slept with men for payment.
Genieve took a heavy breath. She’d thought she’d gotten past making excuses for what she was.
‘It’s all right, sweetie. It wasn’t your fault.’
But her involvement had brought the detective back to Luxxor’s door. ‘Morgan hasn’t been giving you a hard time, has he?’
Nina cleared her throat and evaded the question. ‘Speaking of difficult men, did Brody mention to you the discussion he and I had last night?’
Nina had been at the event? No, they hadn’t gotten around to it. There had been other revelations last night. ‘What discussion?’ Genieve asked hesitantly.
Nina sighed. ‘I told him you can’t remain in hiding for ever.’
‘Well, hallelujah for that. Thank you.’
‘Don’t thank me just yet. His solution was a bit…creative.’
Genieve let out an unladylike snarl. Weren’t they always? ‘What did he do?’
Nina hesitated until finally just giving it to her square. ‘He told me to sign you to an exclusive contract –with him.’
‘What?’ Genieve jackknifed straight up in bed. Tension rang through her body until it twanged loose. She broke out in laughter. ‘You can’t be serious.’
‘I am. He’s willing to pay for your full time.’
Of course he was. ‘To keep me away from the spotlight until the election is over,’ she said dryly.
‘So…I should tell him we decline?’
‘I didn’t say that.’ They shouldn’t decide too quickly. Genieve pushed back the covers and got out of bed. Her own plans began forming as she paced around the room. ‘I’m not opposed to taking his money. It would behismoney, right? Not the campaign’s or his company’s?’
‘I can make it a stipulation of the contract.’
