Zoe pressed the down button for the elevator. It dinged and the Hilton logo on the doors split open to a blissfully empty elevator. It had been a long day with little to do in her far, far, far corner at the expo. By the time most people reached her booth, they’d already found a wedding planner.
She stepped inside and chose the level that her van was on before leaning back, her head falling against the mirrored wall. A ding rang out as the doors slid closed, followed by a yelp.
Her eyes flew open in surprise to see a hand poking through the nearly closed doors. They jerked apart again, and Levi stood on the other side, his guitar bag strapped to his back. He looked as tired as she felt, but when he saw her, his face reanimated.
“Hey.”
“Hi,” she said. “I thought you went home already. How was the rest of your day?”
“It was great,” he said. “I started working the room. You know, wandering around the place, serenading random people. Got a few contacts, some interested customers. How was it for you?”
She blew out a breath, watching the floor numbers light up as they descended. “I didn’t sign a single contract today. I need a new plan. Today was a complete bust.”
“That’s not true,” Levi said. “You got to see me again.”
“Of course.” She smiled. “How could I forget that? Considering you were strangely assigned to the table next to me. Somehow. Randomly,” she fished.
But he wasn’t biting. “It’s true. I’m unforgettable,” he said humbly.
“You are that. But mostly because you don’t ever seem to go away.” She grinned mischievously as they got out of the elevator to let him know she was kidding. Which was a first, really.
Mostly when she told men to screw off—and that was often—she meant it. But Levi was different from most guys who hit on her. Sure, he was a flirt, but in an entertaining way. It wasn’t the smarmy propositions that she got any time she and the girls went out on the town.
“Well, you’d better get used to it,” he told her. “Because once you listen to my CD, you’ll discover how amazing I am and you’ll have to hire me.”
“Don’t hold your breath. I won’t be calling you any time soon.”
She started heading for her van and he walked with her. She doubted they happened to be parked next to each other—unless he’d somehow set that up too.
“I’m a patient man,” he said.
“Well, you’ll be waiting a long time, my friend,” she threw back at him.
“I know when something’s worth waiting for.”
Zoe laughed. “Do those lines work on the girls at your gigs?” She imagined that for some girls, all he had to say was “I’m in the band” and their clothes just magically fell off. Well, Zoe was not one of those girls.
She didn’t want to hurt Levi, but he just didn’t seem to be getting the hint. She wasn’t interested. In anyone. Sure, she’d considered doing the no-strings attached thing on more than one occasion. In fact, Levi had been making her reconsider that as an option. But maybe that was just her built-up sexual frustration talking.
Just because she chose to be single, didn’t mean her lady parts had any say in the matter—in fact, they were downright pissed with her. But then she’d bust out her toys and the urges would disappear. No one knew her body better than she did. She didn’t need a man. Just batteries.
Well, that usually worked. But ever since she’d met Levi, things had changed. Just one more reason to leave the guy in the dust. So things could get back to status quo.
“Come on. Just give me a shot,” he said. Not in a desperate way, but in a “you don’t know what you’re missing” way. He must have forgotten she’d seen him without his shirt on. So she had an inkling of just what she was missing.
“Nope. Sorry.”
“Are you saying no to the musician? Or the man behind the music?”
God, he just couldn’t take a hint. How cold did she have to get? She pulled a face. “I have to be honest. Your music is a bit amateur.”
His smile widened, like she’d just given him the best news. “So the man has a chance.”
She snorted, but smiled despite herself. “I didn’t say that. It was more a comment about your music skills.”
“Honey,” he said, undeterred, “I’ve got skills you’ve never seen before.”
“Trust me,” she shot back. “You’ve got nothing I haven’t seen before. Besides,” she said with finality, “we don’t need a musician. Just the entertainment. We’ve already hired a DJ.”
Levi shrugged, but she could sense the disappointment as he turned away. She wasn’t sure if it was because she was rejecting his services or him. Either way, she felt a pang of guilt.
“Well, keep me in mind if your DJ breaks a leg too,” he said.
While he’d acted overconfident and persistent with her since they met, the look of hurt made her wonder if his intentions weren’t more sincere than she’d first thought.
Zoe wanted to say something, but she wasn’t sure what. When they rounded the corner where her van was parked, it seemed too late. Besides, what would she say that wouldn’t give him the wrong idea, wouldn’t lead him on? Maybe she’d been too harsh, but obviously he’d taken the hint. That’s what she wanted, wasn’t it?
She shook it off. Of course it was. She’d been sure of it for years. That didn’t change just because some sexy musician walked into her life. Or just because she hadn’t been able to make herself climax without imaging them back inside that vestry with the door locked. It didn’t change a thing.
“Well, this is me,” she said, already taking her keys out.
But her escape was hampered by a group of hotel guests lingering in the middle of the parking area, blocking access to her van.
After a long day of being stuck in the perfect ogling position next to Levi, she wanted to put some distance between herself and the rocker. To get some perspective. Out of sight, out of mind, right?
“Excuse me. Excuse me.” She tried to maneuver through the crowd, weaving through them. They didn’t seem to be doing anything. Just standing around.
Then a woman on her phone noticed Zoe and covered the mouthpiece. “Is this your van?” she asked.
“Yes,” Zoe replied a little hesitantly, because she wasn’t sure she wanted it to be yet. A bad feeling crept over her.
“Don’t worry,” the woman said. “I’m calling the police now.”
“Calling the police about what?” Frowning, she pushed forward to get a better look.
People began to move out of her way, kicking up something white that fluttered over the pavement like fresh snow. When she looked down she saw it was silk flowers. Her silk flowers, she realized. They were scattered over the pavement like a flower girl had passed by.
Her heart began to race as she followed the trail. The last of the gathered looky-loos made way for her, opening up the scene like curtains drawing. But it was a tableau of a tragedy.
Her van’s back doors had been pried open, the windows smashed in. The contents spewed out as though it had vomited a wedding day.
Her ivory aisle runner draped out of the back, mud and old oil stains soaking through the delicate fabric.
Zoe’s mouth dropped open, and she stepped closer. Something crunched under her heel. She glanced down to find broken glass. No. Not just glass. Crystal. Her vases and candle holders lay in bits and pieces on the pavement, shattered beyond repair.
Décor, spare fabric, table runners, photo props. All smashed or torn. But that wasn’t the worst. What made her heart stop dead in her chest was the white gossamer and lace fabric hanging out of the back and down the bumper like a dead body.
“Oh, my god.” Zoe automatically reached out for it.
Someone grabbed her hand and held it back. It was Levi. She hadn’t even realized he was still there.
“Don’t touch it,” he said. “The police are on their way. You don’t want to disturb the crime scene.”
Instead of pushing him away, her own hand tightened around his. “But the dress,” she breathed. “It’s ruined.”
“It’s okay,” he said. “You can order another one.”
“No. You don t understand. Wedding dresses are ordered months, sometimes a year in advance. The wedding is in two weeks.” What bad luck. Why did the dress have to be ready that day? Why did she have to send Natalie to pick it up?
Piper’s dress drooped lifelessly, the tattered shreds dangling on the greasy pavement. It had been perfect. A Marchesa. There was no replacing that dress. Not with only two weeks left to go. To get a dress in that time frame, Zoe’s best friend, who was marrying one of the richest men in San Francisco, was going to have to resort to getting a dress—she gulped—off the rack. It was a disaster.
There was the telltale click of a camera going off on someone’s phone. Zoe turned to the sound and found Holly Hart taking a photo of the wreckage.
“That wouldn’t be Piper Summer’s dress, would it?” She grinned like a kid with a bowl of ice cream. “Delicious.”
Zoe swiped at the phone, but Holly danced away before she could grab it. Her fingers were already moving in a blur as she typed something on the screen—probably a new post about how Zoe just ruined her best friend’s wedding.
Zoe’s fists clenched as she marched after her, but Levi blocked her path. “Just ignore her. She’s going to write about it either way.”
She glared at the reporter, but relented. “You’re right. I don’t want to give her more material against me.”
When she glanced back at Levi, he had this passive look on his face as though he was just hanging out. She checked her watch. It was past eight o’clock. Surely, he had some gig to get to or band party to attend.
“Don’t feel like you have to stay,” she told him. “The police are on their way.”
He shrugged, his usual easygoing response. “I thought you could use a ride.”
She stared at him in surprise. It was only five minutes ago that she’d been rejecting him, and here he was being so nice. “No. That’s a really kind offer, but after I answer their questions, I might just wait for the cops to finish up so I don’t have to bring a taxi here tomorrow.”
“They could be a while, and you look like you could use a coffee.” When she shook her head, he said, “Dinner? How about that drink?”
She laughed humorlessly. “I could definitely use a drink, but I think it will take more than a couple to end this day on, so I’d best wait until I get home.”
“Great. I’ll drive.” He proffered his arm for her to take.
She let his arm hang there “You don’t give up, do you?”
“Should I?”
She frowned. “What?”
“Do you want me to give up?” he asked. “Because you pretend like you do, but I can’t tell if that’s just an act. You strike me as a pretty direct person. So give it to me straight.”
He stiffened, shoulders drawing back, chest out like he was waiting for her to hit him with it. But hit him with what?
She opened her mouth, unsure of how to answer that. Hadn’t she been cold to him? Hadn’t she basically rejected him both personally and professionally? Wasn’t it obvious enough? But for some reason, she couldn’t find a simple answer. Like “Yes. Give up.”
Zoe’s phone rang in her hands. “Hold that thought.”
She read the screen. It was a number she didn’t recognize, which made her worry all the more. It was just one of those days. “Hello?”
“Hello. Is this Zoe Plum?” a male voice on the other end asked.
“Speaking.”
“You’re listed as the emergency contact for a Junko Plum.”
The name rang in her ear for a second as she tried to think of any other Junko Plum that she could possibly know. Anyone else at all. Anyone that wouldn’t make her heart clench as a torrent of worst-case-scenario visions flashed through her already-overwhelmed mind.
When she could think of no other Junko Plum, she took a steadying breath and said, “Yes. She’s my mother. What’s happened?”
“She’s had an accident. She’s in the emergency department at SF General Hospital.”
“I’ll be there right away. Thank you.” She threw her phone into her purse and, without thinking, headed to her van, but the sight of it brought her up short.
She hesitated, shifting from foot to foot as she thought what to do next, but all that she could focus on was that her mother was in the hospital. The hospital. She needed to get to her right away.
When she turned around, for the first time since she’d met Levi, he looked dead serious.
“How about that ride?”