Page 9 of My Favorite Mistake

The purse buzzed, causing Liza to jump slightly, and then she recovered and fished out her phone.

“Liza Hardin,” she answered.

The line was silent for a beat, and Liza pulled the phone away from her ear to check if the call was connected.

“Oh,” a man on the other end said before giving a hearty laugh. “I don’t know why I got it in my head that you were a guy.”

Liza furrowed her brow. “I beg your pardon?”

“Sorry. I’m Jimmy Hall.”

“Ohhh.” She held the phone to her ear with her shoulder as she zipped the purse closed and slung it over her shoulder. “Hi, Jimmy. I’m sorry for the miscommunication. I go by L. on all written communication so I don’t get dismissed immediately. This industry isn’t very kind to women.”

“Yeah, I can see that.” He paused and she heard paper shuffle. “So your name is Liza?”

“Yes, Liza Hardin.”

“Well, good to talk to you, Liza. I’m Jimmy. We’ll get your paperwork all settled when you get here so we’ll all be on the same page. I’m guessing you’re somewhere in my hometown right now?”

“I am indeed.”

“You free to head on over here? I know it’s earlier than we mentioned in the email.”

“Oh yes,” she said, stepping away from the railing and waving her arm at a cab that was puttering along down Decatur. “I’m available and ready to hit the ground running.”

“There ya go. We’re at the corner of Frenchmen and Burgundy, across from the sushi joint. It’s an old, yellow house,” he said just as the cab eased up to the curb, and a leggy woman in a tight red dress and tall black heels stepped out. “If you take a cab or something the driver should know where we are.”

Liza switched the phone to her opposite hand as she slid into the backseat and closed the door. “I just got in one.” She glanced out the window at the clock on St. Louis Cathedral. “I expect I’ll be there in fifteen minutes or so.”

“Right on. See you soon.”

“I need to go to Frenchmen Street Records,” she told the driver as she continued to look out the window, admittedly scanning the sidewalk for the fortune teller. “It’s at the corner of—”

Someone cleared their throat, and Liza whipped her head around to see that a man was still sitting in the backseat.

Her eyes widened slightly, and she blinked.

Scratch that.

Areally attractiveman was still sitting in the backseat. In fact, he was probably the most attractive man she’d ever seen in real life. He had striking, chiseled, aristocratic features, and tousled, model-esque, dark-as-night hair that hung slightly over his eyes. A strong, square, stubble-covered jaw that was so sharp you could probably slice cheese with it. Eyes the color of rich, potent mocha. He wore an expensive, yet slightly disheveled gray suit, sans tie and top few shirt buttons unfastened, and an amused smirk.

“Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry,” Liza blurted out. “I thought the cab was vacated after that woman got out.” She pitched forward to address the driver. “You can let me out. It was my mistake.”

“No need for that,” the man said to the driver. He turned to Liza and offered his hand with his palm upturned. “Brennan Riley. I’m actually on my way to the record label.”

Liza’s gaze shifted, and then she raised an eyebrow skeptically. “Are you really?”

He retracted his hand that he’d offered to her and slipped it into his jacket pocket. Seconds later, he produced a business card and held it out.

She took it and, sure enough, there was the label’s name and his. She looked back up at him with delight. “Well, how about that? What a small world.” She offered her hand, and he shook it. “I’m Liza Hardin. Mr. Hall… I assume you know Mr. Hall, right?”

Brennan nodded. “Jimmy.”

“Right. Jimmy. He just brought me on as his new brand manager and digital marketing lead.”

“Oh yeah. Yeah, I heard him mention this week he was bringing someone on.” Brennan paused as a funny look crossed his face. “I don’t know why I got it in my head that you were a guy.”

Liza had to laugh. “That’s okay. Mr. Hall literally just said the same thing. We seem to have had a breakdown in communication.” She offered him her friendliest smile. “I can assure you both that I’m definitely a lady.”

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