Get Bunny Love (30 page)

“Thought I’d lost him for good.” A frail gentleman stood just behind Nate. “You’ve got to stop chasing that cat, Henry.”

The dog cocked his head, wagging his tail sheepishly.

Nate handed the man the leash. The dog danced happily around his owner’s feet. Nate couldn’t help but smile at the obvious affection.

The elderly man stooped, patting the dog’s head, but eyeing Nate. “He’s a scamp, but I’d be lost without him.”

“I can see that. He’s a beauty.”

“Schnauzer,” the man said. “His momma was a champ.” The man turned the handle of the leash, inspecting it. “Slipped right out of my hand.”

“I’m just glad I could help.” Nate smiled. At least he’d done one thing right tonight.

The man measured Nate with a watery gaze. “Ever have a dog?”

Nate shook his head.

“Damn shame,” he said softly. “Nothing better than unconditional love.”

The words struck home, ratcheting up the ache in Nate’s heart.
Unconditional love
.

The man and his dog turned to leave. “Thanks again. Your quick thinking saved him.”

“Oh, I didn’t think...at all.” Nate straightened, watching the pair walk away.

He’d done just as Tilly suggested. He hadn’t thought. He’d felt and acted on pure gut instinct. If he hadn’t been such a coward, he would have done the same tonight at the party.

Nate could have chosen Bunny over McNulty Events. He could have chosen his love for her over the expectations of Aunt Martha. He
could
have risked his comfortable life and career for the chance at true happiness with the mop-topped menace.

He could have embraced the chaos. But he hadn’t.

An idea percolated in the back of his mind—an out of character, inappropriate, chaotic idea. A grin tugged at the corners of his mouth.

Would it work?
Could
it? People would say he’d gone off the deep end.

Nate laughed out loud into the cool city night. For the first time in his life, he didn’t care what people thought.

He only cared about a blue-eyed woman named Bunny who had thoroughly and completely stolen his heart.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

The next morning, Nate waited anxiously as Bert dragged himself into the conference room. Bert took a long swallow of convenience store coffee then grimaced.

“Rough night?” Nate asked.

“Not as rough as yours.”

Nate bristled. “Did you talk to Bunny?”

Bert shook his head. “Not good.”

Nate slapped the table. “That’s okay. I have a plan.”

Bert visibly paused. “Plan?”

Nate leaned forward, his pulse quickening. “Will you help?”

Bert pressed one hand to his mouth, staring at the conference room table for several long seconds.

Nate drummed his fingers impatiently.

“Why should I?” Bert asked.

“Because this will make everything right.”

Bert’s expression grew nervous, his eyes narrowing. “What kind of plan?”

Nate shook his head. “No.” He jumped to his feet and paced the room—from the plants to the water garden and back again. “No more explaining, just doing.”

Bert let out an exasperated breath. “Okay. So you heard what Tilly said. That’s great.” He stared at Nate. “But you can tell me.”

“Not until you agree.” Nate stood his ground.

“Okay. Then tell me what’s up with Melanie?”

“It’s over.”

“Really?” Bert rubbed a hand across his face. “I thought she wanted to-”

“She doesn’t.”

“And you-”

“Want to be with Bunny.” Nate crossed his arms, his heart jackhammering in his chest. “For the rest of my life.” He held his palms out, pleading with his friend. “Will you help me?”

“What about Aunt Martha? This firm?”

“Screw them.”

Bert blinked. “
Screw them
? After all the years you’ve fought for this company?”

“I’m a changed man.”

“Why didn’t you tell us this last night?”

“Why didn’t you let me in?”

“Touché.” Bert’s eyes narrowed, carefully studying Nate. “I’m sworn to secrecy, but she’s quitting.”

“Courier already delivered her letter.” Nate gestured with his hand. “I don’t care.”

Bert blinked. “You don’t care that she’s leaving?”

Nate dragged a hand through his hair. “She can’t leave if I don’t accept the resignation. And if she’d talk to me, I’d tell her she’s not fired.”

Bert stepped close to Nate, pointing at his hair. “What happened to the twitch that went along with that rat’s nest?”

The question stopped Nate short. “Hell.” He thought back to the last time he’d had to hold his eyelid steady. He burst out laughing. “Hasn’t happened since I first kissed Bunny.”

A devilish smirk spread wide across Bert’s face.

Nate balled his hands into fists. “Are you in, or out?”

A long silence beat between them.

“In.”

Nate clapped his hands on Bert’s shoulders. “I knew I could count on you.”

o0o

Bunny rolled her eyes at the sound of Armand’s voice on the phone. “How’d you get my home number?”

“Please,” he snorted. “I can get any number I want.”

She gagged silently then steadied herself. “What’s up?”

“I understand you’re in need of employment.”

Damn
. That was fast. Gossip spread at the speed of light in this city, but this was ridiculous. Be that as it may, she had zero intention of letting Armand know he was right. “I’m not sure where you get your information, but I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Bunny,
babe
.” He drew the word into two syllables.

She squeezed her eyes shut. If she concentrated hard enough, maybe she could wish him into cartoon land.

“McNulty Events will belong to me soon,” Armand continued. “You could be my star planner.”

That got her attention—and not the star planner bologna. Been there. Done that. “What do you mean, McNulty Events will belong to you?”

“Martha’s selling.” He paused. Bunny could just imagine his expression. “To moi.”

“I think you need a new informant,
babe
,” she mocked. “Martha’s perfectly happy with Nate running the firm. The Worthington Cup sealed that deal.”

“This weekend’s events have made headlines, but not the kind Martha wants.” He stretched his last word into a hiss.

Bunny flinched. Like she needed a reminder.

“It’s only going to get worse.”

A nervous shiver trailed down her spine. “Why do you say that?”

“I have my sources.”

She frowned. For once Armand sounded as though he knew what he was talking about. “What kind of sources?”

“Let’s just say, the Cup’s total failure is guaranteed.”

Bunny’s blood boiled. She might be suffering from a broken heart, but she’d worked too hard to let Mr. I Love Myself Miller mess up this event. “
What
...did...you...do?”

Armand’s evil laugh chilled her straight through. “Call me when you’re ready to get back to work.”

The line clicked dead. She hung up and lowered her face to her palms. Think, Bunny.
Think
.

The only thing odd—well, odder than usual—that Armand had done had been picking up the dog leashes. Dread tickled her belly. He had been insistent on the leads since day one. Hadn’t Nate questioned Armand’s interest in purple leads? After all, Kitty had fired Armand over his criticism of the color.

She knew a clue lurked somewhere in that tangled mess of thoughts. She stared at her apartment’s eggshell walls. The lack of color made her brain hurt. How could her mother have upended her energy flow like this?

Then it hit her like a ton of bricks.

The paint. The plants. The slippers. Just look at the chaos she’d foisted on Nate. And he’d let her. Okay, not completely without argument, but he’d compromised. He’d embraced her chaos, and she’d done anything but embrace his control. Hell, just look at the mess she’d made of the last forty-eight hours alone. From his car, to the party, to Chardonnay and Chablis prancing right off their purple leashes in their curtain attack.

Oh my
.

The leads hadn’t worked when she tried them on Chablis and Chardonnay. The dynamic duo had skipped right out of them.

What if Armand had ordered faulty leads on purpose? She glanced at the clock. Ten fifty-five. In one hour and five minutes the festivities would begin. One thousand pooches and their handlers would be demonstrating agility and obedience skills—on their new purple leashes.

Bunny’s jaw dropped open. A vision of slimy Saslow, his half-chewed stogie and skin-tight warm-up jacket flashed through her mind. If you were in the market for sabotaged dog leads, he’d definitely be the guy to see.

She dashed for her closet. She had one hour to make it to the Convention Center if she wanted to stop the handlers from using the leads. She loved a bit of chaos, but this would be ridiculous. The time had come for control—and fast.

Tilly pushed open the front door just as Bunny made it to the hallway. “Can’t talk now, Til,” she hollered. “I need to get to the-”

“Convention Center,” Tilly finished. “I know.”

Bunny stopped in her tracks, scrutinizing her friend’s face. “How did you know that?”

“I keep trying to tell you, I’m touched.” She hoisted her arms in the air, grinning.

Bunny frowned.

“Bert called.” Tilly closed the door and crossed to where Bunny stood. “Something’s going to happen you need to see.”

“He knows about the sabotaged leashes?”

Tilly’s features scrunched into a confused mess. “No, he needs you to see the press conference.” She blinked. “Sabotaged leashes? Boy, you event planners have it all. Glamour. Intrigue. Sabotage.”

“Why do I need to be at the press conference?”

“You just do.”

Bunny chased the question out of her mind. She didn’t have time to think about it, and she planned on being there anyway.

She raced to her closet and yanked open the door. “I need to look as McNulty as possible.” She cast a desperate glance at Tilly. “Help me. It’s important.”

Tilly wrinkled her nose. “I’m in charge of getting you there. If you want to be a suit, that’s on you.”

“It’s time I meet him halfway, Tilly. Please.”

One half hour later, Bunny gazed at the finished product in the mirror. The pin-striped gray suit accentuated her figure. She’d sleeked her wavy hair back behind her ears, smoothing it flat. Her ruby red lips were her only un-McNulty accessory. After all, a girl deserved to have
some
fun while she was saving the day. She turned to face Tilly. “What do you think?”

Tilly nodded at the clock. “I think you’re going to be late.”

Bunny followed her glance.
Drat
. Eleven thirty-five. Even if she caught a cab, it would take longer than twenty-five minutes to get through midday traffic. Her heart sank. “I’ll never make it.”

“You’ve gotta skate.” Tilly nodded knowingly.

“Hurrying won’t help.”

“No.” Tilly shook her head. “You’ve got to skate,
literally
. It’s the only way. Let’s go.”

Five minutes later, Bunny stood on the sidewalk, strapped into Tilly’s rollerblades. “This is insane.” She looked down at her feet. “I’ve gone completely bonkers.”

“Sometimes that’s a good thing.” Tilly slapped her on the back. “Go!”

Bunny took off like a shot, down the sidewalk toward Market Street. It might be too late to save her career with McNulty Events, but she’d be damned if she’d let Armand sabotage things for Nate. No matter what she’d been trying to tell herself since Nate’s outburst, Bunny knew she loved him.

As far as she was concerned, skating through Center City Philadelphia on a chilly October day was a small price to pay for the man you loved—whether he loved you in return or not.

o0o

Nate waited impatiently backstage as Bert scanned the crowd. “Don’t see her.” He shot Nate an anxious look. “You’ve got to get started. Some of these reporters are doing live remotes for their noon broadcasts.”

“I’ve left her fifteen messages.” Frustration simmered in Nate’s gut. How could she not be here?

“You counted?” Bert rolled his eyes incredulously. “Control boy.”

Nate sighed. “At least she knows I want to talk to her.”

“You
fired
her, remember? Give her some space.” A furrow formed between his pale brows. “You okay?”

Sweat trickled down Nate’s back. Heat sizzled in his cheeks. Was it nerves or actual room temperature causing his problem? “Hot in here?”

“No.” Amusement mixed with the concern in Bert’s eyes.

“I’m suffocating.” Nate’s nose suddenly tickled and he batted, helplessly, at his face.

“Stop that.” Bert grabbed his arm. “You’ll mess up your face.” Bert looked at the floor, shaking his head. “I can’t believe you’re doing this.” He slapped his knee then looked back at Nate. “I’m proud of you, though. Tell me, will this be a McNulty first?”

“And probably a McNulty last,” Nate growled.

Kitty Worthington came through the door, today’s safari suit a navy blue. “Sorry I’m late-” Her last word froze on her tongue. She gaped openly at Nate. “What...what?” She pointed a shaking finger in his direction.

Did he look that ridiculous? Yes, he guessed he did.
Good
. That’s what he was going for. Ridiculous. Out of character.
Creative
. He took satisfaction in rendering Kitty speechless. The plan was working beautifully. Or it would be, if only Bunny would show up.

Kitty began stammering anew. “Why...why?”

“Publicity stunt.” Bert gripped her elbow, guiding her toward the stage door. “Nate’s going to make an opening announcement then introduce you as Master of Ceremonies.”

Kitty stared back at Nate, eyes wide as saucers, jaw hanging slack.

“Kitty.” Bert gave the woman’s arm a gentle shake. “Are you clear on the agenda?”

She snapped her mouth shut then pursed her lips. “This wasn’t in the plans-”

“No,” Bert interrupted. “But it’s going to make every news broadcast. You’ll see.”

“Was it
her
idea?”

Nate winced. Kitty undoubtedly referred to Bunny.