Page 16 of Inviting Trouble
“Gracious as ever, Mad,” Hailey said. “You’ll be kissing my feet with gratitude by the time the weekend is over.”
“You wish!”
“This is going to be so fun!” Hailey exclaimed. Her smile dropped suddenly. “It’ll be good for me to focus on you. I’m a little nervous about the wedding.”
“Why?” It wasn’t like Hailey was planning it. She just had to show up.
“I guess I should say I’m nervous about leaving for the wedding. There’s been some break-ins in town and Ludbury House doesn’t have a security system.”
“Really?” she asked, shocked. Clover Park had a very low crime rate. “Are the police going to keep an eye on it for you?”
Hailey folded her hands tightly together in her lap. “Yes. They’re cruising the downtown area regularly, keeping a close eye on the situation. I just worry. Ludbury House is the cornerstone of my business—the ceremony, the reception, even my office are all there.” Ludbury House was a historic mansion owned by the town of Clover Park. The two-and-a-half-story white clapboard house was impressive with white columns and a wraparound porch. The inside was even more impressive with crystal chandeliers, a grand staircase, and antique furniture that was original to the house.
“Don’t worry,” Mad said reassuringly. “Chief O’Hare will have the situation locked down tight. You just focus on my makeover.”
That got Hailey right back into happy-helper mode. Mad wasn’t worried at all. The local police were excellent.
By the time Mad left, she was torn between hopeful and nervous about the makeover. Because if all of Hailey’s best efforts failed, Mad had to face facts—Parker Shaw would never be hers.
Chapter Five
Park was up at the crack of dawn as usual and headed to the resort’s gym. He and Ty had arrived last night to the fancy resort in Maine where Jake and Claire’s guests were staying all expenses paid. In fact, Jake and Claire were so loaded from their respective businesses—Jake a global tech CEO and Claire a movie star with her own production company—that the entire ocean-side resort had been booked just for the wedding. A full staff was on hand, though most of the rooms were empty. Claire needed privacy for her wedding. The actual ceremony would be tomorrow on Christmas Eve at her log cabin, which he’d heard was huge, and the reception would be in the ballroom of the resort.
He pulled open the glass door of a well-stocked workout room with weights, elliptical machines, treadmills, and stationary bikes. The morning news blared from a few wall-mounted TVs in front of the treadmills, but all he could see was the petite woman running on a treadmill in a midriff top that was little more than a bra and tiny shorts, skin glistening with sweat. Mad. He quickly averted his eyes, crossed to the small counter where a guy in the hotel staff shirt stood, and signed in.
He rolled his neck, considering his options. Just about any piece of equipment was going to put her in his line of vision. How many guys saw her working out like that?
Get to work, he told himself.It’s just Mad. That shouldn’t deter him from his usual morning run. He’d say hi, set the treadmill for a hard run, and watch TV.
He strolled over, casual as could be, as if he had no problem working out next to a nearly naked Mad. He got on the treadmill next to her. “Hey, little bit.”
Her head whipped toward him. “Hey, little twit.” She didn’t break stride, a perfect runner.
“Little twit?” he asked, pressing the button for his warm-up. He started running at a slow pace. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Whadda ya think?”
Nothing good. He turned to the TV and did his warm-up run, but he couldn’t focus on the news. He kept catching glimpses of slick skin moving in perfect athletic strides next to him.
What the hell was she even doing here? She’d never been a morning person. He cranked up the speed a notch and glanced at her. Her hair stuck out in back like a bad case of bed head and he had the strangest urge to grip that mass of hair in his hand.
“What’re you doing up so early?” he asked in a harsh tone because she was screwing up his focus.
“I couldn’t sleep,” she said, not even out of breath.
He grunted and fixed his eyes on the TV, feeling unreasonably irritated. He worked out all the time with other people, men and women. He just needed to work harder. He cranked up the speed on the treadmill.
She cranked up her speed.
He glanced over at her. She raised a brow in challenge.
He cranked it up again.
She cranked hers up again.
They ran full out in a race to nowhere. His heart pumping, breathing hard, making him feel fully charged, awake and alive.
She finally slowed it down with a laugh. “Too bad—” she huffed and puffed “—it’s too cold out for a real race.”
