Page 26 of See You There
Luke narrowed his eyes at the phone. “Fine. But you owe me. Text me the details.”
James let out a noise that was somewhere between a gag and a groan, forcing Luke to reconsider whether his twin was faking.
Four hours later, Luke found himself standing in the lobby of Channel 3 waiting for his new client. He tapped his foot, consulting his watch. She was late. He hated when people were late. A small, white sedan pulled up to the curb, and the back door opened.
Luke pushed open the glass doors and walked to greet the woman getting out of the car. He got a glimpse of sleek auburn hair hanging loose to the middle of her back before she ducked into the rear seat and pulled out her phone. Luke appreciated the view of a round ass, stretching the narrow dress as she bent over. With a laugh, she shut the door, turned to face him, and froze.
Cinnamon brows met above sparkling moss green eyes, but her laughter melted from her face as she stared at him, alarm briefly flashing across her features.
Luke had seen her picture, but nothing did justice to the energy that radiated off of Lia Everton. His eyes traveled down her lavender, sleeveless dress, to the black heels that showcased her legs. When her frown deepened, he realized he hadn’t been as subtle as he'd hoped.
James hadn’t mentioned how stunning the woman was. And by the look on her face, she wasn’t happy to see him.
“Where’s James?” Dahlia looked suspiciously past him toward the building.
Luke’s eyes widened. He and James were identical, from their dark brown hair to their too wide feet. He glanced down at his conservative blue suit. His clothing shouldn’t have been a giveaway. A smile formed.Interesting.
“I’m Luke Bloom, James’s brother. James isn’t feeling well this morning, so I’m filling in.”
Unhappy eyes met his. That’s a first, he thought. Did he have something in his teeth?
“It’s my firm. I promise I can oversee a press interview, Ms. Everton.” He wasn’t sure why he’d added that the firm was his. Pride? Her obvious preference for his brother? He’d never cared before.
Her mouth flattened a little, but then she sighed. “Dahlia. I guess it won’t matter for today.”
“Dahlia. That’s an unusual name.”
Her face paled, and for a split second, she looked appalled. Recovering, she said, “He’ll be back tomorrow, right?”
Luke grit his teeth. The novelty of Dahlia being able to tell them apart instantly was swiftly becoming irritating. “Once he gets out of the bathroom, he’ll be at your service.”
Her mouth fell open, and Luke wanted to kick himself. That was unprofessional, and he wasneverunprofessional. It was something he prided himself on.
She blinked at him for a second and then walked past him without another word. He did his best not to watch Dahlia’s hips sway. She was a client, and as a general rule, he tried not to ogle his clients—but he was finding it remarkably difficult to pull his eyes away.
Luke followed Dahlia into the television studio lobby, as she slipped a black crepe blazer over her dress. A production assistant came forward to meet them with a smile.
“Hi! I’m Jeri. We arethrilledto have you here today, Ms. Everton.”
“Call me Lia, please.”
Not Dahlia?
“And, Mr. Bloom?” Jeri looked at Luke. She obviously recognized him. Luke gave her a tiny nod. “We’ll just have Monique retouch your makeup, and then we’ll get you on set.”Jeri continued, leading them to a small room where a makeup artist applied heavier makeup to Dahlia’s face.
Luke thought it was a shame. She was beautiful, and the heavy makeup covered her natural glow.
Jeri stuck her head through the open doorway. “We’re ready for her on set.”
Luke had hoped for a moment to speak with her alone. He wasn’t sure what James had told her. Luke reached out and touched her elbow, an electric spark traveling up his arm. She jerked away from him as if she’d felt it, too.
Luke blinked.What the hell was that?“One moment,” he said to the production assistant. The assistant took several steps away to give them some space. “Did James tell you what to say,Dahlia?” Luke emphasized her name, and then hid a smile when she glared him.
“We discussed the basics. I was at a party, and I couldn’t leave before the robbery happened.”
Luke nodded. “Okay. Be honest but be vague. Don’t offer any details they don’t ask for. I’ll stand behind the camera, and if you get into the weeds, I’ll do this.” He scratched his ear. “So, if you get nervous, just look at me.”
Dahlia gave him a slightly bemused smile and arched a brow. “I’ve done this a hundred times.”
