Page 2 of Secrets & Desires
“Sadly, yes. Listen, I can be there in ahalfhour.”
“Good,” Sandor replied. “And, afterward, I’ll spot youlunch.Deal?”
Nox smiled down the phone. “Deal. Seeyouthen.”
Livia Chatelaine balancedthree plates expertly along her left arm and carried them to the table. The two women and the child seated at the table smiled gratefully at her as she laid their food in front of them and returned their grins. “Enjoy, folks. Let me know if you needanythingelse.”
She skirted back to another table that was waiting for their check and settled up with them quickly and with her innate friendliness. She had been working atLa Chat Noircafé in the French Quarter for three months now, ever since she had packed her whole life into her battered old Gremlin and driven across the country from SanDiego.
Moriko, her best friend from college, had been in New Orleans for a year and had gotten her the job at the café—it didn’t hurt that the owner, a handsome, dark-haired Frenchman called Marcel, had a huge crush on Moriko and would have hiredanyoneshe recommended. Thankfully, though, Livia and Marcel had become good friends and Livia showed up early, stayed late, and worked her ass off for him. In return, he gave her the shifts that fit best with her studies and paid her enough that she could afford the tiny apartment she shared withMoriko.
Livia had decided as she left San Diego that she wouldn’t return to her hometown again. It held no interest for her now, and there wasn’t any family left there that she cared about. An only child, her mother had died when she was young and Livia had brought herself up. She’d worked hard at school and at various jobs to put food on the table, while her father drank himself into a stupor every night and screamed at her if she disturbed him. Livia had stopped caring years ago about the man. As far as she was concerned, he was merely the sperm donor. What she remembered of her mother were warm, happy memories. Cancer was a fucker and it stole her happiness away when she was five. Livia’s last memory of her mother was of the beautiful woman kissing her goodbye one day before school, and that was the last time she had seen her. Her father hadn’t let her see her aftershedied.
Livia had put herself through college on a scholarship and by working three jobs, and it had become second nature to always fight and scrape for everything. It gave her energy, reason, and when she graduated top of her class, it had all been worth it. Her tutors had been loath to let her go and had championed her to apply for post-graduate research scholarships but it had taken Livia four years to finally secure an offer from the University of NewOrleans.
“Hey, dreamer.” Moriko nudged Livia out of her reverie and her friend smiled at her. Moriko, a tiny Japanese-American of exquisite beauty— and she knew it—hoisted herself up onto the counter. “Marcel needs afavor.”
Livia hid a grin. When Marcel sent Moriko to do his dirty work, it meant that whatever the favor was, it would be a big—and probably inconvenient—one. “Whatisit?”
“Well, he’s been asked to cater the Renaud party on Saturday. You know which oneImean?”
Livia shook herhead. “Nope.”
Moriko rolled her eyes. “It’s an annual thing Nox Renaud does. He throws a Halloween gala party and gives a ton of money tocharity.”
“Never heard of him, or it. So, what’s the favor?” Livia thought she could guess—Marcel needed waitstaff. A moment later, Moriko confirmed hersuspicions.
“He was going to hire in silver service staff, but apparently they don’t want anything but canapes and cocktails. Silver service staff would cost him more than he’smakingso…”
Livia smiled at her. “It’s no problem. Usual uniform?” She pulled down on her too-tight white shirt and tucked it back into the black mini she wore to serve. It barely contained her lush curves, her full breasts and softly curved belly. Her legs, long and slender, were encased in black tights and she wore flat pumps, absolutely refusing to wear heels to wait tables. Livia wasn’t the tallest but her long legs made her look taller than her five-five height, and her long tawny waves were her crowning glory. Almost waist length, she had pulled her hair into a bun, but it was forever escaping the clips. Moriko grabbed it now and twisted it up for her. Livia shot her a grateful smile. “Thanks, boo. I really should cut italloff.”
“No way,” Moriko said, her own shiny black hair falling in a straight curtain down her back. “I’d kill for yourcurls.”
“So, Saturday night, waitressing for the rich mukety-mucks?”
“I’ll be there too. Hey, at least we get to snoop around the rich guy’shouse.”
Livia sighed to herself. She honestly didn’t mind helping Marcel out but she had very little time for rich boys with too much money. She’d had to wait on them enough inhertime.
She went back out to the café and grimaced. Two regulars had just come into the restaurant.Talking of rich mukety-mucksshe thought, and plastered a fake smile on her face. The woman, an icy looking blonde with bright red lipstick and cold blue eyes, looked at her dismissively. “Egg-white omelet with spinach and a mango-tini.” She didn’t look at the menu once. Her companion, a suave looking man who at least smiled at Livia and said please and thank you whenever he was in,nodded.
“Same for me please, Liv. Good to see youagain.”
Livia smiled at him. She judged him for the company he kept, but if she was fair, he was always polite to her. She knew his companion was called Odelle, and her father was one of the richest men in the state. It didn’t impress Livia. “You too, sir. Sure I can’t interest either of you in some french fries to go with yoursalad?”
Odelle looked horrified, but her companion grinned. “Whynot?”
Livia grinned and disappeared into the kitchen. Marcel slunk in and smiled at her. “Thanks for Saturday, Livvy. I’ll pay youdouble.”
She kissed his cheek. “Noproblem,pal.”
Marcel, his eyes so dark you couldn’t see the pupils, nodded to the restaurant. “I see Elsa and Lumiere are in therestaurant.”
Livia laughed. “You’re getting your Disney all mixed up, and anyway, he’s okay. But, yeah, she is the IceQueen.”
“Don’t let their wealth get to you. It was all inherited, notearned.”
“Oh, I know, and it doesn’t both me. Money can’t buy breeding,” Livia shrugged off the woman’s rudeness. “I can honestly say these people and their ways don’t keep me up at night,Marcel.”
