A Friendly Engagement (3 page)

“Although our walk has done wonders for my mood, and your singing is quite awe-inspiring, I need to head back to the office. I don’t care if it takes me all night, I’m going to find a way to get invited to Bartow’s. Once I’m in, he’ll see I’m the right man for the job.” His jaw tightened as he stared off into space.

“I’m sure you are, but you said yourself he’s all about family first. If you aren’t in the family way he’s not interested. Give it up, O. I wish I could give you an easy fix, but sometimes the lesson to be learned is you can’t win ’em all. Time to drown that frown in a frothy mug of brew.” She nudged him playfully in the arm with her shoulder.

Her stomach knotted when he didn’t even crack a smile. If only she could provide the answer to his dilemma. She hated seeing him defeated and disappointed. If anyone deserved to get what they wanted, Omar topped the list. She glanced at the signs littering the sidewalk outside one of the more popular hotels on the boardwalk.

What do you have to lose?

She yanked Omar by the arm, pulled him inside the large hotel’s turnaround, and pushed him ahead until they exited in the brightly lit silver and white lobby with pops of red. “How about we find your answer with a fortune teller? According to the signs outside there’s a convention, and they’re holding readings in the Ocean View conference room.”

Omar’s body stiffened. “Not a chance. I don’t believe in that crap.”

“Give it a try.” She invited him with a playful crook of her finger and a smile, but he stood his ground.

“Hey, Devi.”

Devi jerked toward the voice calling her name. She spun around as a group of her friends spilled out of the hotel’s bar. Some arm in arm, one piggyback on another, and the rest trailing behind in deep conversation. Cass, the tiniest of the bunch who always dressed the part of a ’50s pinup girl, sauntered over to give Devi a quick hug.

“Girl, I haven’t seen you in weeks.” Cass eyed Omar. A blush crept up her neck, and she threw Devi a wicked grin. “He must be the reason why, eh? You got a new stallion in the stable.”

Devi laughed. “Only when he makes me work overtime. Cass, this is my boss, Omar. Omar, Cass.”

“Nice to meet you, sexy.” Cass shook Omar’s hand, dragging her fingers across his palm. She’d never been able to control her flirtatious side. Good thing her boyfriend took it all in stride.

“Nice to meet you, too, Cass.” Omar pasted on his reserved smile.

Even though she could see the discomfort in the straight line of Omar’s shoulders, Devi had no plans to rescue him. Omar wasn’t used to someone as direct as Cass. Well, unless you counted Devi herself.

Cass scanned him from head to toe, then turned her attention back to Devi with a wink. “Are you here to enjoy the nightlife or to get a reading? Even though it’s early, I don’t recommend the bar. A total yawn.”

“No plans for the bar. But I’m all about the reading.” Devi shot Omar what she hoped was a do-it-or-die look.

“I had mine read. Everything she said was right on the money.” Cass flung a section of her near waist-length purple and red striped hair over her shoulder.

“See, O.” Devi cocked her head to the side and threw her hands on her hips.

“Anyway, how about you join us at Remy’s on the pier?” Cass laughed and waved away the comments from the others who were coaxing her to hurry up.

“Is your band playing there tonight?” Devi loved Cass’s music. A little bit of soulful blues and a few soft rock tunes thrown in for good measure.

Cass shook her head. “Not tonight, but Trev’s band is headlining. Which is why I want to get down there. I plan to dance while the love of my life owns the stage.”

Although Cass and Devi were a lot alike, their similarity ended when it came to relationships. Devi didn’t believe love happened for everyone, but Cass and Trev had found something real and were cupid advocates. Over five years running and they still shared soulful glances and tender touches. Although anything on paper had been deemed off-limits, their commitment was heartfelt.

“What do you think? Want to join us?” Cass backed away slowly, waiting for Devi’s answer, but at the same time letting her know that the natives waiting were getting restless as they called out a second time for Cass to hurry.

“Sounds great. I would love to get my dance on.”

“The best part is Trev said that margaritas are half price ’til ten.” Cass tipped back her imaginary glass and licked her lips.

“Even better.” Devi’s taste buds went on alert as she anticipated an ice-cold fruit drink.

“I’ll see you when you get there, then. Oh, and bring your boss.” Cass scrutinized Omar from north to south and then back up again. “He’ll definitely add amazing to the atmosphere.”

Devi’s eyes widened as she glanced up at Omar. “You guys would eat him alive.”

“And I bet he’d taste delicious.” Cass winked and gave them her back as she strutted across the lobby to rejoin her friends. The group of boisterous women piled into one stall of the turnaround. Before they filed out into the street they turned and blew a group kiss at Omar.

Omar blew them a kiss back, and Devi caught her breath in surprise. She laughed as her friends’ shouts and excited catcalls met her ears. “You might regret encouraging them.”

“I don’t believe in regret.” He crossed his arms and turned his focus toward her. “And you know Cass how?”

“Before I landed my dream job with you, we waitressed together at the Tarantula.”

He frowned. “The Tarantula?”

“You wouldn’t know it. Not your type of hangout.” She flicked her wrist. “Anyway, they closed a few years back.”

“Well, she’s definitely not shy.”

“Can you imagine any of my friends being shy?”

He acknowledged her question with a lift of his chin and a lopsided smile.

“So, how about reconsidering? You’ve just gotten a taste of what to expect. Fun.”

What did he think of her friends? Had they scared him off, or did he like their playfulness? What if he found them immature and annoying? She opened her mouth to ask, but he beat her to the punch.

“Why don’t you catch up with them? I’m going back to the office.” He made a move toward the exit.

Devi’s stomach clenched, and she grabbed him by the arm. “Nope. You’re going to talk to one of these psychics first.”

“You don’t really believe in psychics, do you?” He waved his words away. “Never mind, forget I said that. Of course you believe.”

Devi shrugged. She might not believe whole-heartedly, but who knew for sure? “Why not? The earth is a mysterious place with mysterious and interesting people. What makes you think some of them can’t see the future?”

“Not happening.” He positioned his hands on her shoulders and propelled her toward the exit.

She turned, and he had no choice but to stop in his tracks. “No. You come on. What have you got to lose?”

“My rep.”

“I doubt that.”

“I don’t want to risk it.” Omar guided Devi toward the exit with firm pressure on her back. Once they stepped outside, he turned in the direction leading to their office building and moved down the sidewalk with purposeful strides.

Devi skip-ran to catch up and fell into step beside him. “You could really be missing the ticket here. Maybe it’s not me who’s supposed to show you a whole new world but one of the mediums hidden inside the Ocean View conference room.”

“I like to follow my own path, not one laid out by some psychic.”

“But what if she told you all you needed to do was forget about work for a minute, find a life, maybe meet a special woman, fall in love, get engaged, and you’d have an in for Bartow’s meet and greet?” Devi’s words came out rushed. She raised her brow in a challenge, biting her lip at the same time to hold back her laugh as her teasing took effect.
Like anyone could accomplish that list within a week.

Omar’s lip twitched as he held back a glimmer of a smile. One brow raised in a perfect arch. “I’d say she was a hell of a lot more than psychic.”

“Or maybe she’d tell you that if you joined me and my friends for a night out, you’d meet that lucky lady. Or at least have some fun.” This time Devi couldn’t stop the chuckle that escaped. What was it about teasing Omar that she enjoyed so much? Definitely had to be the shock value that she gleaned on occasion. Or the way he’d loosen up for a few minutes with a genuine smile or laugh.

“By the way you’re acting, I’d say you already had a few drinks in you.” Tiny laugh lines around Omar’s eyes betrayed his humor.

Devi might as well go for broke. She straightened her shoulders and tugged at his arm so he’d slow down. A fluttery sensation filled her chest. “I guess we’ll never know how the medium could’ve affected your future, will we? She might have given you a love potion, or something else otherworldly to make it happen. If nothing else, we’d have had a good time. Maybe even a laugh or two. And who knows, maybe if you loosened up enough a few answers about securing Bartow might come your way.”

Omar came to an abrupt halt and she stumbled into him. The look on his face—bright-eyed with a hint of mischief—eased some of the tension from her back.

“You changed your mind? You’re going to talk to the medium?” She clapped her hands, bouncing on the balls of her feet. This might not be a night of dancing and sipping on an umbrella drink, but chatting up a psychic would be fun. And maybe if he had a little fun, he’d change his mind and join her and her friends.

Omar looked down at her with an odd twinkle in his eyes, almost as if he’d forgotten she stood beside him.

“No, but you’ve given me a great idea, Devi Boss. One that’s been staring me in the face all day, and nagging my ass down the sidewalk all evening.”

She ignored the second half of his comment and grinned. He looked downright self-assured. More so than he had since they’d begun this conversation. “I did?” she squeaked, swallowing a ball of trepidation.

“You did. You’re game for anything, right?”

She compressed her lips and studied Omar through a narrow gaze, taking in the way his overly bright eyes concentrated on her face as if memorizing every pore. Her gaze traveled south to the non-existent rise and fall of his chest and how he pushed his suit jacket aside as he placed his hands low on his hips. He’d stopped breathing while he waited for her reply. That made her more nervous than anything.

“Normally I am game for anything, but considering the man asking the question, I’m a little nervous.” She licked her lips.

Omar shook his head, swallowing her hands in the warmth of his. “No. This is a great idea. I can’t believe I didn’t see it before.”

“I’ll hold back on saying I’m glad I could help until I know what you’ve got pinging around your brain.” She tried to pull free of his grip, but he only grasped her fingers tighter.

Her inner voice told her whatever plan he’d cooked up included her and she wouldn’t be thrilled with the role.

“Bartow wants a family-first firm. He wants a planner who is married, blah, blah blah.” He dismissed his unfinished words with the thrust of his chin.

Devi nodded, her mouth going dry. Was he planning to hire a wife, or about to propose?

“I might not be married, but what if I were engaged?”

She didn’t want to jump to conclusions about the proposal so she pasted on a tight smile. “Do you have a serious girlfriend hidden away I don’t know about?”

The thought unsettled her, but she pushed aside the heaviness in her gut. Omar and relationships mixed like fire and ice. Not that women didn’t find him attractive and vice versa, but his true love would always be work. Most sane women wanted something more than a workaholic commitment-phobe.

He shook his head a bit too vigorously. “No. No.” His grip tightened, and she flexed her fingers so he’d loosen his hold. “Hear me out before you shoot me down.”

“I’m more curious than ever.” Again, she threw sand over that niggling feeling in her belly. She never jumped to conclusions. Living by the seat of your pants didn’t allow it, but…

Why start now?
She rolled her shoulders in an effort to relax.

Omar pulled her off to the side and out of the crowd moving past them on the sidewalk. His hands shook with excitement, and he swallowed hard before clearing his throat. Always calm and collected, his buildup unsettled Devi, and she tugged one hand from his grip and pressed it against the gurgle growing in her stomach.

“How about
we
announce our engagement? I could pull in some favors and have it in the press Monday morning. That’d still give Bartow enough time to invite us to the meet and greet. And—”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” Devi’s stomach did a nosedive, and she yanked her other hand from his death grip and stepped back. She twisted one of the bangle bracelets on her wrist. “
Our engagement?
First off, I didn’t even know we were dating. And second, I am not going to help you get ahead by lying.”

Omar’s laugh hit her ears with an uncomfortable ting. Her head throbbed. She didn’t like this one bit.

“I know this is a hard pill to swallow, but hear me out.”

“I think I’ve heard all I want.” She took another step back.

“Come on, Devi. Why the panic? You’re always up for anything. Always.”

“I’m up for dancing on a bar top, singing karaoke, wet T-shirt contests, hijacking Ferris wheels at three in the morning, or even skinny-dipping at Marci’s going away—”

“You skinny-dipped in the office building’s pool?” His eyebrows rose, tiny lines skating across his brow.

She shrugged, refusing to let him sidetrack her. “Marci dared a group of us. And you know me. I was the first one in.”

“Hmm, I must’ve left before things got good.”

“Yeah, I think you were home tucked in bed before the streetlights came on.”

“Aren’t you funny?” He crossed his arms and settled his weight on one leg.

“Usually.” She shot him a Cheshire cat grin. “Anyway, this is different. You want me to lie so you can get ahead. I. Am. Not. A. Liar.”

“But—”

“And what do you think will happen once our wedding date rolls around and we don’t buy the cow? Plus, I know me. I’ll end up liking Mr. Bartow and before you know it I’ll break down and confess.” She dug deep for any excuse, because even though she wanted to help Omar this crossed the line.