Romeo for Hire Read online

  Table of Contents

  Romeo for Hire

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Chapter 50

  Chapter 51

  Chapter 52

  Chapter 53

  Chapter 54

  Chapter 55

  Chapter 56

  Chapter 57

  Chapter 58

  Chapter 59

  Chapter 60

  Chapter 61

  Chapter 62

  Chapter 63

  Chapter 64

  Chapter 65

  Chapter 66

  Chapter 67

  Chapter 68

  Chapter 69

  Chapter 70

  Chapter 71

  Chapter 72

  Chapter 73

  Chapter 74

  Chapter 75

  Chapter 76

  Chapter 77

  Chapter 78

  Chapter 79

  Chapter 80

  Chapter 81

  Chapter 82

  Chapter 83

  Chapter 84

  Chapter 85

  Chapter 86

  Chapter 87

  Chapter 88

  Chapter 89

  Epilogue

  Want More?

  Want to read more…

  Insider Group

  FIND LEXY TIMMS

  FIND ALI PARKER

  Romeo for Hire

  Romeo for Hire

  By

  Ali Parker

  &

  Lexy Timms

  Chapter 1

  Ryan

  There was only one sure fire way to make my morning great: bacon. Crackling, sizzling, wafting up my nose, filling my mouth with saliva. Bacon was my constant. Bacon and Paisley.

  “Daddy!” Paisley jumped into my arms, her own flying around my neck.

  “There’s my girl.” I hugged her tightly before she slid to her feet. “I was worried you would sleep all day.”

  “No way!” Paisley’s green eyes, a mirror image of my own, narrowed sharply as she shook her head from side to side.

  “That’s good,” I said. “Because the bacon is almost ready.”

  “Bacon again?” Paisley rolled her eyes and skulked over to the kitchen table. “We have bacon every morning.”

  “And eggs.” I pointed the spatula at her. “Bacon and eggs and pancakes and fruit. All the makings of a great breakfast.”

  “Whatever you say, Daddy.”

  Smiling, I turned back to the stove. The bacon was almost done, the eggs scrambling perfectly in a pan beside it. I poured Paisley a glass of milk before starting on the pancakes. By the time everything was ready, Paisley was tapping her foot impatiently.

  “Hold your horses,” I said over my shoulder. “It’s done, it’s done.”

  “You know,” Paisley said, her tone too mature for a four-year-old. “Maddy’s parents let her have cereal every morning. And Tiffany’s parents give her Pop-Tarts.”

  “Ugh.” I shuddered. “That sounds disgusting.”

  Paisley’s eyes widened. “You’ve never had a Pop-Tart?”

  I winked and piled Paisley’s plate high with food. She narrowed her eyes at me again, her face falling into her signature scowl.

  “You’re teasing me,” she said firmly.

  I shrugged. “Maybe.”

  Paisley tried to keep the scowl on her face, but all it took was a splat of ketchup on her plate to wipe it away.

  “Now is it better than Pop-Tarts?” I asked as Paisley dipped her bacon in the ketchup.

  She grinned, bacon seeping out between her lips. “Yup.”

  “That,” I said, “is also disgusting. I actually think it’s worse than Pop-Tarts.”

  “It’s delicious!”

  “Whatever you say, Pea.”

  “Are we having a movie night after school?” Paisley asked.

  “Of course,” I said. “It’s Friday. You know what that means.”

  Paisley grinned. “You. Me. Anna, Elsa, and Olaf.”

  “Exactly.”

  I picked up my fork and stabbed a bite of eggs. Before it reached my mouth, my cell phone vibrated on the counter.

  “Don’t answer it,” Paisley said darkly.

  “I have to,” I said, already rising to my feet. “It might be Uncle Max.”

  Paisley didn’t say anything as I crossed the kitchen to grab my phone. Looking down at the screen, I felt my stomach drop to the floor.

  “Well, if it isn’t my favorite boss,” I said as I placed the phone to my ear. “What can I do for you, B?”

  “Ryan Winters.” I could hear the smile in Beatrice’s voice. “Have I told you lately that you’re my favorite Romeo?”

  “B.” My eyes fell closed. Turning away from Paisley, I forced them open with a sigh. “Tell me you’re calling about some mix-up with my paycheck or because you need someone to babysit your dogs or something, anything other than what I think you’re calling about.”

  “I need you tonight, Ry.”

  Groaning, I ran my hands through my dirty blond hair and shook my head. If I was in Beatrice’s office, she would have batted her too-long eyelashes and plastered a wide smile on her too-red lips. Instead, she was reduced to base flattery.

  “You know you’re my highest earner,” B said, her voice light and flirtatious. “Women always point to your picture and say, ‘Him. That’s the one. That’s the man who will get me over my dirtbag ex.’”

  “It’s my day off,” I said firmly. “I’m with my kid, B.”

  “I know, I know, I know.” Beatrice paused. “Ry, you know I would never call you in, but honey, I am desperate.”

  “Desperate?”

  “Beyond.”

  “Ask Kason,” I said simply.

  B laughed, the sound piercing my ear and making me jerk the phone back. “That brute?”

  “He’s sexy as hell,” I said. “The girls love him.”

  “If you’re into that sort of thing,” B said. She sucked in a rattling breath that told me she was smoking.

  “Come on, B,” I said softly. I took a step away from Paisley. “Don’t do this to me, please. Not today.”

  “Ryan, I need you,” B said firmly. “It’s as simple as that.”

  Glancing behind me, I saw Paisley watching me like a baby hawk. Those same, intense green eyes were narrowed again, her face pulled back down into her signature scowl.

  As I turned back around, the phone pressed against my ear, I prepared myself to say no. I was ready to tell B
to stick it up her ass and never call me on my day off again, but just as my mouth opened, my eyes fell on the stack of bills piled up on my kitchen counter.

  “What time?” I asked, defeated.

  “Oh, Ryan.” B cooed. “I knew I could count on you. You’re the only reliable man in my life. Did you know that?”

  “I already agreed, B. You can lay off the compliments.”

  “Five,” she said. “I’ll text you the details, baby. Do me proud.”

  “Always.”

  With a click, B was gone. I stood in my kitchen, staring down at the stack of bills in front of me, frozen in place. My daughter’s disappointed eyes burned a hole in the back of my head.

  “Pea …” I plastered a soft smile on my face and slowly turned around. “That was Daddy’s boss. She needs me to work tonight.”

  Paisley shook her head. “You can’t. Tonight is movie night.”

  “I know.” I sighed and walked over to her. “But Daddy can’t say no to his boss. Sweetheart, I’m really sorry.”

  “You promised.”

  Sitting down, I let my eyes fall to the table. Paisley was right. And the worst part was, we’d been here before. More times than I wanted to admit.

  “Uncle Max will have a movie night with you, okay?”

  “It’s not the same.”

  Without another word, Paisley hopped off her chair and hurried into the living room. I listened closely as she put on her shoes and grabbed her backpack off the couch. After a few minutes, she reappeared in the kitchen.

  “I’m ready,” she said simply.

  “What if you skipped pre-K today?” I asked, the idea suddenly popping into my head. “We could have a movie day instead.”

  Paisley thought about it, her forehead creased. With a tug on her dark brown ponytail, she shook her head and marched toward the back door.

  “Hey,” I called out. “P?”

  She stopped but didn’t turn around.

  “I’m really sorry, sweetheart.”

  Paisley slowly turned around. Her face softened. With a shrug, she ran back to me for a hug. I held onto her for a second longer than usual.

  “I love you,” I said when she pulled away.

  “I love you too, Daddy,” Paisley said. “But I don’t want to miss school today, okay? Mrs. Tucker said she would bring in her pet snake. His name is Timothy, and I really want to meet him.”

  Chuckling, I nodded and grabbed a handful of bacon off my plate.

  “I understand,” I said, getting to my feet. “Timothy is a great name for a snake.”

  ***

  At three o’clock, Paisley slid into the back seat of my car with her ponytail falling out and her face flushed from the day.

  “How was Timothy?” I asked.

  “He was huge!” Paisley threw her arms out. “This big!”

  I shook my head. “No way. I don’t believe you.”

  “I’m serious!” She bounced up and down on the seat. “He was so big. Mrs. Tucker let me hold him.”

  “She did?” Frowning, I craned my neck around to look at her.

  “Well, not really hold him,” Paisley said quickly. “Just like, hold part of him and stroke his scales and stuff.”

  “That’s awesome.”

  Paisley told me all about her day as I drove her to my brother’s house. I only had a couple of hours before the new client was expecting me. As much as I didn’t want to go, I’d never kept a date waiting, and I wasn’t about to break my record now.

  “Am I spending the night with Uncle Max?” Paisley asked as we pulled into his driveway.

  “Not tonight.” I grabbed her backpack and helped her out of the car. “I’ll be back later, but you’ll probably be asleep when I pick you up.”

  “I’ll stay up,” Paisley promised.

  I pursed my lips and turned my head. “Hmm. I don’t think so.”

  “I will!”

  Shaking my head, I led the way to the front door. “No way. You’ll be too tired. I think you’ll pass out before you even get through one movie.”

  “Nu-uh!”

  Paisley ran to the door and rang the bell. When Max answered, she darted inside and immediately claimed his attention.

  “Uncle Max,” she said. “Tell Daddy I’ll stay up all night, and I won’t go to sleep until he gets back!”

  “Hmm.” Max put his finger to his chin. “I don’t know about that. I just bought two new movies, so I think you’ll be pretty tired after we watch them both.”

  “I won’t!” Paisley shook her head firmly. “What movies did you get?”

  Max jerked his head toward the living room. “See for yourself.”

  Paisley sprinted away from us, her tiny footsteps fading into nothing as she reached the living room. Once she was gone, Max’s smile instantly disappeared.

  “Thanks for doing this,” I said.

  Max nodded. “Uh-huh.”

  “I won’t be too late,” I said. “It’s a new client.”

  “Right.”

  I shifted my weight from one foot to the other, finding it hard to hold my brother’s gaze. His brown eyes were always full of disdain when focused on me.

  “I’ll see you later then.” I sighed and turned to leave. “Thanks again.”

  As I stepped outside, Max followed quickly. He pulled the door closed behind us with a snap.

  “Today was supposed to be your day off.” He accused me firmly.

  I turned to face him. “Things change, Max. Beatrice called and she—”

  “You should have said no.”

  At six-four, Max only had two inches on me but somehow, it always felt like more. He towered over me, looking down his long nose with eyes that said he wanted to punch me.

  “I couldn’t say no,” I snapped. “I have to pay bills, Max.”

  “You had other options.” Max reminded me. “When Kason brought you this bullshit opportunity, I told you—”

  “I’m not doing this again.” I held my hands and turned on my heel. “Take care of Paisley. I’ll be back tonight.”

  Max didn’t try to stop me again. He watched as I climbed behind the wheel of my car and whipped out of his driveway. When I reached the end of the street, I glanced in my rearview mirror, and he was gone. Back inside, ready to hang out with my kid for the night.

  My mood was nothing short of miserable when I got back home and dressed for the evening. Whoever this client was, she would be waiting. I had less than an hour to find my way to her, and when I did, I couldn’t be pissed off. I couldn’t be sad. I couldn’t be anything other than charming, welcoming, happy.

  And when I stepped out of my car that night to see a short redhead walking toward me, that’s exactly what I was.

  I stuck out my hand and smiled my best, calming smile. The girl blushed when our fingers touched, her nervous eyes flitting to the concrete.

  “Don’t be shy,” I said, taking a step forward. “I’m Ryan, and tonight, everything is about you.”

  Chapter 2

  Candice

  “I want the logo facing out,” I snapped, pointing to the bottle of moisturizer in Amelia’s hand. Amelia, our usual model, quickly adjusted and raised her eyebrows for approval. “Perfect. Tilt your head. Twenty degrees, Amy. Yes. That’s perfect.”

  Amelia smiled. Roberto began snapping pictures like lightning. I faded into the background and let my photographer do his thing, but my eyes never left the live feed on his computer screen. From my seat, I could see every shot that came through Roberto’s camera. And none of them made me happy.

  “Stop.” Shaking my head, I got to my feet and marched forward. “Something’s missing.”

  I eyed the shot. Amelia, tall and flawless as ever, was perfect. The bottle of moisturizer in her hand held the label I’d carefully selected myself. Our background was exactly like I’d envisioned. Yet, I hated everything.

  “This isn’t working.”

  “Maybe if I …” Amelia began.

  Holding my hand up,
I stopped her short. My eyes roamed over the shot, imagining it on the cover of Smart Cosmetics Magazine.

  “Your hair,” I said suddenly. Stepping forward, I ran my fingers through Amelia’s brilliantly blond hair.

  “What’s wrong?” Insecurity flashed through her icy blue eyes.

  Smiling, I dropped my hands. “You’re gorgeous, Amy. Relax. I just want it up. We need to highlight your face.”

  A team of hair and makeup artists swarmed Amelia. I retreated again, falling into my seat and fixing my eyes once again on the computer screen.

  “How’s this?” The lead hairstylist asked.

  “Shoot something, Roberto,” I ordered.

  Everyone slipped out of the shot as Roberto refocused his lens. After the first click, I knew we’d struck gold.

  “Do I look okay?” Amelia asked nervously. Roberto’s clicking stopped.

  Looking up, I saw Amelia staring at me, her eyes darting side to side and her fingers curling at her sides. I could never understand how someone who looked like her could ever be self-conscious.

  “Amy.” I laughed. “You look flawless. Roberto, keep shooting. This is a goddamn gold mine.”

  After we finished shooting the moisturizer ad, another model swapped out with Amelia, and we began our shoot for Smart Cosmetics’ latest eyeliner. Mascara came next. Lipstick. Foundation. Blush. Eyeshadow. It was the start of the new season, and everything had to be perfect.

  “Thank you for today,” I told the team as we wrapped up with our final model. “I think we got some great stuff. Now, get out of here. See your families or your fuck-buddies, whatever you have waiting for you at home.”

  Everyone laughed and filed out of the studio. As always, I was the last to leave. Shutting off the lights, I pulled the doors closed and made my way toward the elevator.

  My office was on the top floor of the Smart Cosmetics building. New York City never looked so beautiful as it did from my office window. I could have stayed in my chair, gazing out over the city lights for hours, but a sharp beep told me my time was up.

  “Where are you?” my mother wrote. “Dinner is in fifteen minutes!”

  “I’m fucking coming,” I hissed under my breath.

  Typing out a quick, reassuring response, I jumped to my feet and charged across the office. Before I reached the door, it creaked open, and a familiar face appeared.

  “James,” I said. “I thought everyone was gone for the day.”