So I had Torture Dawn Time.
Since I wanted to get to the second one, as well as ruin Dawn’s day, I hauled my ass across the office so I could see to the first one.
I hit the hall, moved across it and entered Ren’s office.
Dawn looked a little freaked, which made me smile and greet enthusiastically, “Hi, Dawn.”
She stopped looking freaked and glared at me for a nanosecond before her mask slipped into place.
“Hey, Ally,” she replied, sugar-sweet.
I stopped at her desk. “Did you see Lee?”
Her nostrils flared but she answered, still in her sweet voice, “Yes. He’s in with Ren.”
“Cool,” I stated. “Did he tell you the good news?”
“No,” she forced out, the sweet faltering.
“Indy’s expecting. How awesome is that?” I asked.
“Brilliant news.” She was now sounding strangled.
“So, let me see,” I said, lifting my hand and counting it off. “Jules had Max, but I figure they’re due to start trying again.” I leaned toward her and smiled huge. “Not that they aren’t trying—just that they aren’t trying, if you get what I mean.”
She stared at me, lips thin.
She got what I meant.
I added another finger. “Jet’s due in a few months. Indy’s knocked up. Ava and Luke got married a little over a week ago, and the way they go at it, who knows when she’s gonna have a baby on board. Mace and Stella aren’t married yet, but she’s a rock ‘n’ roll goddess. They could decide to start before they’re legal.” I dropped my hands. “All this happy, I’m beginning to feel maternal. Maybe I’ll talk to Ren about trying. Do you think it’s too soon for us?” I queried chattily.
“I wouldn’t know,” she replied coldly, sweet gone, pure Dawn all I could hear and see.
“No,” I shook my head, inwardly giggling my ass off. “I want him all to myself for a while.” I leaned into her again and dropped my voice, “Seeing as there’s so much to enjoy. You with me?”
Her head made a weird jerk that I decided to take as Yes.
“Anyway,” I started to move away. “Thanks for the chat.”
I hit the hall and Dawn said nothing.
I so could not wait to invite the girls over for Dawn Torture Sessions. My office was perfectly located for hitting Dawn with Rock Chick verbal drive-bys.
On this thought, I really hoped my next meeting would go well, and I’d already really been hoping it would.
There were a number of doors off the hall, the Zano offices way bigger than mine, and I had to guess which one was his.
But I knew he was in because I saw his Caddy in the parking garage.
I made my choice, tapped on a closed door, heard an impatient, “What?” and found I chose right.
I opened the door and stuck my head in. “Hey, Mr. Zano. Got a second?”
He’d looked up from his desk looking ornery when I’d opened the door, but the minute he saw me his face was wreathed in smiles.
“Ally,” he called, getting up and throwing his arms out. “A pleasant surprise. Of course I have a second for you.”
I entered, closed the door and turned back only to have Vito on me, hands firm on my biceps. I made a mental note that the old guy could move when he pulled me in, kissed one cheek, then the next, then pushed me back and jiggled me.
“And you don’t call me Mr. Zano. Uncle Vito!” he declared.
“Right,” I murmured.
He let me go with one hand and pulled me deeper in the office with the other. “Now, why do I have this pleasure?”
“I was just across the hall checking out the progress on my offices and thought I’d pop by.”
Lie.
It was totally planned.
I then stopped lying. “Ren’s busy so I needed to wait and I didn’t want to wait in reception. Dawn…” I trailed off as we stopped by one of the chairs in front of his desk and I gave him a look.
“Ah, Dawn,” he mumbled, indicating a chair with his hand so I sat. He moved around the desk and continued talking. “Not hard to look at.” He sat behind his desk and leveled his eyes on me. “But sometimes something pretty on the outside can hide…” he paused and stated extremely diplomatically, “interesting things on the inside.”
He had that right.
And he had Dawn’s number.
