Hot Property

CHAPTER TWELVE

“SO WHAT’S GOING ON?” Amy asked Micki. She held the phone to her ear and mouthed an apology to Hannah.

“Cassandra Lee has camped out at my office and refuses to leave until I tell her where Roper is. I couldn’t believe how attached she is to him until I found out the real reason she’s parked herself at the Hot Zone.” Micki sighed.

“Which has something to do with Harrison Smith?” Not a difficult guess, Amy thought.

“He followed her here and now they are both seated on my couch. Both wearing full-length furs. Cassandra has a matching hat.”

“Oh, Lord.” Amy held her forehead in her hand. She could just imagine the sight. “Do you have a plan? Short of divulging our whereabouts, I mean.”

“As a matter of fact, I do.” Micki’s laugh let Amy relax a bit. “Uncle Yank is going to take them out to lunch. Or should I say Uncle Yank and his guide dog, Noodle, are going to take them out. Cassandra thinks he’s going to explain why we have Roper secluded, which he will. And then I am sure she believes she’ll charm him into giving out the phone number.”

Micki’s laughter gave away the fact that her plan wasn’t as simple as Cassandra obviously believed.

“But…?” Amy asked.

“But once they order dessert, Uncle Yank plans to suggest Harrison choose someone more suited to play the role he wants for Cassandra. Someone more worthy. Someone who will come cheaper. Someone named Lola.” Micki snickered.

Amy shook her head, glad she wasn’t anywhere near New York City during this lunch. “Go on.”

“Harrison, who is infinitely wiser and more cunning than Roper’s mother, and who has a stake in the outcome of this lunch, has agreed to agree with Uncle Yank. At which point we expect Cassandra to scream, become offended that he’d give her role away to someone unknown, and then take the role back on principle,” Micki said, sounding pleased with herself.

“But as soon as Cassandra comes to her senses, she’ll walk away again.” Amy massaged her suddenly aching temple.

“Not so fast,” Micki said. “Harrison’s assistant is waiting for the phone call that it’s a done deal and she’ll immediately ‘leak’ the news to the press that Cassandra Lee is back, making it impossible for the woman to dispute it or back out without looking foolish. Especially when Uncle Yank confirms Harrison’s claim that she agreed.”

Amy chuckled at the absurdity of it all. “You know, it’s so crazy that it just might work. Anything else I need to know about?”

Micki exhaled loudly into the phone. “Well, if the role ties Cassandra up the way we hope, she’ll stop booking twelve-piece bands and let her daughter and soon-to-be son-in-law plan their own small wedding.”

“Twelve pieces?” Amy yelled loudly until Hannah placed her finger over her lips, reminding her she was in a quiet restaurant.

“Twelve pieces and Barry Manilow, but Cassandra claims he’ll do it for free, as a favor for an old flame,” Micki said.

Amy cringed. “Eew. Too much information.”

“Harrison said she was full of it. And Sabrina isn’t answering her phone until her mother sees reason,” Micki said.

Amy raised a finger to Hannah, indicating she’d only be another minute. “Listen, you need to make sure this plan works or Roper will have a coronary,” she whispered to Micki.

“I know. But I think I have it under control…except for one teensy little thing,” the other woman said.

“How little?” Amy asked.

Micki grew alarmingly silent.

Amy stiffened in her seat. “What is it?”

“The stalker is at it again, except now he’s turned to threats. He sent a generic baseball in a brown box to Roper’s apartment. It was forwarded to the Hot Zone. Untraceable and untrackable, of course. The inscription on the ball read, ‘Whack the ball or you’ll be whacked instead.’”

Amy’s stomach churned. “Did you-”

“Report it to the police? Yes, along with all the other incidents. At least the ones Roper told you about. They want to talk to him, but I managed to stall that for a while. And I let Vaughn know what’s going on. He’s hired extra security for the lodge just in case. The good news is that since the stalker sent the package to Roper’s apartment as usual, we have no reason to believe he knows where Roper is.”

Amy exhaled long and hard. “But the papers are quiet?”

“Just a mention by Buckley that Roper’s lying low, probably hiding out in embarrassment. Roper would be pissed if he knew, but since he doesn’t, all’s well.”

“You weren’t kidding when you said everything’s wrong.”

“As long as you tell me everything is right there, I’ll be happy,” Micki said.

Amy glanced around at the dark wood decor and her peaceful surroundings. “Everything here is perfect. Roper is relaxed, baseball focused, rehabbing and he isn’t worried about home. It’s going exactly the way we wanted it to,” Amy said.

“Excellent! I have to go, but I’ll check in again soon.” Micki hung up and Amy turned back to her breakfast companion. “I am so sorry about that.”

“Hey, I understand when business calls. Everything okay?” Hannah asked.

Amy nodded. “Nothing my boss can’t handle.” Which was true. Except for the escalation in the stalker’s actions, which Roper wasn’t around to deal with, everything was status quo. His family was as needy and crazy as usual, but they had another audience to perform for, at least for a while.

The waiter had cleared the plates while Amy was on the phone.

Hannah leaned forward on her arms. “Then why do you look upset and worried?”

“I do?”

Hannah made a show of studying Amy. “Wrinkled brows, pursed lips, frowning…yup, you look worried.”

Amy laughed. “I guess I’m just preoccupied.” And concerned about how Roper would feel if he found out about the news from home. He’d want to know everything. But as long as she could shelter him, he could continue to relax, something he desperately needed to do. But she couldn’t share his personal troubles with Hannah because he was her client.

So instead she decided to be up-front about her own issues-getting involved with a famous baseball player who came with a load of baggage of his own. She asked Hannah for advice.

“As someone whose life is a media mess, I’m not going to lie and tell you it’s easy. I’m also not going to tell you what to do, because I’ve seen too many celebrity marriages break up because public life interferes.” Hannah signaled for the check.

“You sound older than your years,” Amy said.

“Not older, just more jaded.” She glanced down. “I believe in going after what you want in life, but I also believe in weighing the odds. What’s the point of getting involved with someone if it’s doomed from the start? Or if you think it is?”

A shiver raced down Amy’s arms. She had no answer, nor did she want to think too much about it right now. “For as long as we’re up here, it isn’t something I have to worry about.”

Hannah inclined her head. “Good point. You might as well enjoy what you’ve got while you’ve got it.”

Amy smiled. Truer words were never spoken.

She’d enjoy the here and now. Tomorrow would show up soon enough.

THERE WAS NOAWKWARD morning after. For the next few days, Amy and Roper fell into a routine that included sharing the same bed, then going their separate ways after breakfast while he worked out. They’d meet up again for a quickie or just to hang out and talk. She enjoyed their conversations, which ranged from politics to sports and even music. There were never silences that weren’t meaningful or comfortable. There were never issues between them that couldn’t be resolved with a quick discussion.

Amy could hardly believe this was a job, that she was being paid to watch over Roper. Once they returned home she was certain things wouldn’t be so easy, but for now, life was good.

After a swim, Amy returned to her room, showered and changed for the day. Since Roper had an appointment with the physical therapist, she knew he’d be tied up for a while.

She lay down on the bed and memories of last night washed over her in full Technicolor detail. Every stroke, every caress replayed itself in her mind until she was as aroused now as she’d been then. By the time she realized someone had been knocking on her door for a few minutes, her entire body was on fire. She swung her legs over the side of the bed, rose and headed for the door.

On the other side was a lodge employee with fully loaded shopping bags in his hands. “These are for you, Miss Stone.”

She narrowed her gaze. “Are you sure? Because I didn’t order anything,” she said, confused.

The young man nodded. “I’m sure. There’s a note here for you. Mind if I put these inside?”

“Of course not. Come in.” She pushed the door open wider and he walked in, unloading his bundles in the entry area of the room.

She tipped him, and once he was gone, she opened the note he’d left with her. “I promised you a day in the snow. Get dressed and meet me at the lobby entrance at noon. John.”

She tore into the packages and discovered a winter wardrobe filled with items she’d never had a reason to buy for herself before. She examined the goodies one by one: a white down winter jacket with brown piping and matching snow pants, a ski hat with a pompom on top, brown gloves and thermal underwear. She checked the sizes and was shocked to discover Roper had gotten it right. Another bag revealed fur-lined snow boots and a pair of white-rimmed polarized sunglasses, especially designed for winter glare.

Excitement surged through her and she was instantly reminded of her childhood and Christmas mornings past, when she’d open all the wild and extravagant gifts beneath the tree. Thanks to her father’s life insurance, her mother had been well-off enough to support them, but her uncle Spencer had always made certain she was spoiled, too. He thought of Amy as the daughter he’d never had. When Amy had found out that he was gay, but that he’d had a son, Riley, whom he’d allowed another man to raise as his own, Amy truly understood the depth of the void she could only partially fill in her uncle’s life. He’d given up so much and had only begun to forge a relationship with his son now.

She turned her attention back to the gifts from Roper. She couldn’t believe how he’d managed to have all these things picked and sent over so quickly, but she supposed fame and money had its perks.

And he’d chosen to bestow it on her. She marveled at his thoughtfulness and generosity, as gratitude and much more filled her heart.

A couple of hours later, she was dressed and headed for the lobby, ready for her first adventure in the snow.

ROPER’D HAD A GREAT SESSION with the physical therapist and then an appointment with the orthopedist in town. His time at the lodge had been rejuvenating. He was feeling an overall natural high. He still didn’t know if he’d be ready in time for spring training, but for the first time, he could live with that because he knew he’d be back. He felt good about his life and career.

Amazing what some self-indulgence could do. He felt like himself again, in no small part thanks to Amy. He could think of only one way to show his gratitude, and now he waited for her by the front of the lodge, curious to see how she liked his surprise.

The shock was on him when she finally strode into the lobby, ready for a romp in the snow. Her brown curls contrasted beautifully with the white North Face down jacket he’d ordered, and her face glowed with excitement.

She caught sight of him and smiled, waving as she joined him. “I can’t believe you sent me all of this!” She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close, her hug of gratitude so warm and genuine, his heart beat even faster in his chest.

“My pleasure.” He held out his hand and she placed hers trustingly in his.

Amy’s reaction to her clothing was the same as another woman might react to diamonds or jewels. A gift from the heart, he thought. And he refused to ponder deeper.

The snow fell softly as they made their way outside. One glance at Amy in her winter gear had him on fire. It didn’t matter how cold the temperature, nor did it matter that they’d made love last night. Nothing stopped the wanting. Her bright smile and genuine appreciation for the simple things was something he needed. Something he’d been unaware of until she took control.

He trusted her.

She said his family was being taken care of and he believed her. And thanks to that trust, he sensed a shift in his own outlook on the future, in his devotion to his career and his craft. All because he’d taken a time-out from his life. He no longer fought the guilt, no longer felt the desire to find a phone and check on his mother and sister. His own needs had to come first, and for once he was putting his priorities in order.

“Wow, this is way better than looking at things through the window,” Amy said, bringing him back to the present.

They’d reached the back of the lodge, the place they’d viewed from the solarium where they’d also…He yanked his thoughts away from their first sexual encounter before he tackled her into the snow and had his way with her here. She pulled her hand from his and spun in circles, laughing and appreciating the cold winter air and the snow around their ankles. Coming to a stop, she waited while the dizziness wore off, then turned and stared off at the expanse of pure white landscape behind them.

“I can’t believe I missed out on this growing up.” She shook her head, staring in awe.

“Definitely something everyone should experience,” he agreed.

She nodded. Without warning, she took off running-or running as best as she could run while laden down with winter wear.

“Very graceful,” he called out wryly.

She paused and stuck her tongue out at him. Then, laughing, she bent down and picked up a handful of snow, packing it into a ball. “The snow is so much softer than I thought it would be,” she said.

“And harder to keep together. It depends on the kind of snowfall you get, whether or not you can pack a solid snowball,” he explained. “Ben and I used to build forts and have snowball fights all the time on our Colorado vacations. We’d be outdoors for hours on end.”

Funny, but he hadn’t thought about Ben as his fun-loving little brother in a long, long time. Age had divided them, Roper thought. Age and talent-or lack thereof.

Amy stepped closer. “Hey. What’s on your mind?”

He shrugged. “I’m just thinking about how relationships change.” And not for the better.

She placed her hand on his shoulder in understanding. “They could change back if you wanted them to. Or at least you could try to reach out to Ben without any expectation and see what happens. Maybe you need to try an approach you haven’t used before. One that doesn’t make him feel as if he’s second-best.”

He met her gaze. Her cheeks were flushed red from the cold, her eyes hidden behind the sunglasses he’d chosen. She looked hot enough to melt the entire field they stood on.

While he was lost in thought, she had trudged through the snow until she was a decent way from him, then she wound up, took aim and threw the snowball, hitting him squarely on the shoulder.

She wiped her hands together, obviously pleased with herself. “Not bad for a rookie.”

He bent down for some snow and packed a weapon of his own. “You’d better watch out because I’ve had a lot of practice at this,” he warned her.

“Throwing or making snowballs?” she asked as she stepped backward. And back some more.

He grinned and narrowed his gaze. “Both.” He pitched his ball at the same time she took off at an awkward run, so he ended up hitting her squarely in the back.

He took off after her, catching up in no time. He tackled her to the ground, bringing both of them onto the soft but thick snow. He rolled her onto her back to discover she was laughing. Having fun. Doing exactly what he’d wanted for her when he’d purchased all this winter apparel.

She gazed up at him, smiling.

His heart swelled even bigger. He cleared his throat. “Hey. Do you want to make your snow angel before you get too cold to stay out here much longer? After all, your blood is much thinner than mine, what with you being from down South and all.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing. You northerners and your pasty skin, you make a pretty pathetic sight if you ask me.”

He shook his head and laughed. He liked teasing her because she took it so well. “Pasty skin, huh? You say that like I’m unattractive and don’t turn you on. Don’t forget I have seen, felt and tasted some pretty distinct evidence to the contrary.” With each word he spoke, he leaned closer, until his lips pressed down hard on hers.

Warmth surged through him, licking at him like flames on logs in a fireplace. She opened her mouth, letting him slip his tongue inside to delve deep and swirl around and around, devouring her because he couldn’t get enough. Making him wonder if he ever would.

By the time they broke apart, panting and out of breath, he was ready to curse the confining clothing.

But she wasn’t finished playing in the snow. She gave him a playful shove so he fell onto his back, carving out more room for herself. She lay down on her back and began to swipe her arms and legs in broad strokes, creating the snow angel she’d talked about earlier.

He watched her, realizing she was his angel. And despite how much time they’d spent together here, he wasn’t ready to let her go just yet.

AN HOUR LATER, AMY AND Roper had showered-together-and redressed, heading down to the coffee shop for something hot to drink. Amy needed to pick up a few personal items in the shop, while Roper went ahead to get a table and put in their order.

Once seated, Roper ordered himself coffee and Amy a hot chocolate, and settled in to wait for her to return. He barely had time to take in the rustic interior when Hannah stopped by.

“Mind if I join you?” she asked, and in her usually friendly fashion, didn’t wait for an answer before sliding into the booth beside him.

The waitress place their drinks down.

“Do you want something?” Roper asked Hannah.

She shook her head. “No, thanks. I just was hoping to give you a message for Amy.”

“If you wait five minutes you can tell her yourself. She’ll be back anytime now.”

The other woman shook her head. “I need to make myself scarce.” She glanced around as if looking for someone. Nervously looking for someone. “Just tell Amy that Big Mama’s here and it isn’t pretty. She’ll understand,” Hannah whispered right into Roper’s ear. “Tell her to use my personal cell to reach me. I need to talk.”

Roper nodded. “Who’s Big Mama?” he asked, obviously too loud for Hannah’s liking, because she smacked her hand right over his mouth.

“Shh. Ask Amy. She’ll explain.”

Women. He would have rolled his eyes but he didn’t want to insult Hannah. “Whatever you say,” he told Hannah.

She smiled. “You’re as great as Amy thinks you are.”

Amy thought he was great? Now, that was something Roper could live with, he thought wryly.

“Thanks, Roper.” Hannah leaned in and placed a grateful kiss on his cheek.

At the same time a small cell-phone camera captured the moment.

Everything that came next happened in a fast-moving blur. A security guard tried to grab the phone, but the woman holding it, an Amazon by anyone’s definition, ducked and ran toward the door.

Hannah yelled and took off after the woman, shrieking for her to come back. By the time security had stopped the female photographer and her phone, Roper had a hunch the photo had already been sent to the highest bidder or whoever was in place ready to receive and run with it.

He didn’t plan on sticking around to find out. He had to do damage control. He groaned and swiped his hands over his eyes. Drawing a deep breath, he reached the door, coming face-to-face with Amy, who appeared stunned by the commotion around them.

“What in the world is going on?” she asked.

He explained the situation as quickly as he could, hoping she’d take it in the spirit in which he relayed the tale. He wasn’t worried about himself. He was worried about Amy and her reaction to photographers. To one catching him with Hannah in what the tabloids would call a “canoodle.” To their idyllic time here being over.

“Typical photographer bullshit,” he said. “Hannah and the security guard went after the woman. Hannah seemed way more upset than I was.” He was so used to the unwanted photographs and the way reporters twisted reality, he could ignore it with the best of them.

And the lighter he made the situation, the lighter Amy would hopefully react. Because as he’d come to realize earlier today, he wasn’t ready to give her up yet. Or for his lifestyle to intrude and yank her away before he’d had a chance to cement the bond building between them.

Amy bit down on her lower lip, obviously upset. “Do you think Hannah was worried that Mike might think the two of you are more than friends? Is that why she was so upset?” Amy asked.

She was worried about Hannah and not them? Typical Amy, caring for others almost to a fault. He assumed the realities of their situation hadn’t hit her yet.

“I’m not sure what had Hannah so crazy, considering she’s as used to the press as I am. But she did have a message for you right before the photographer took that picture.”

Amy raised her eyebrows. “What did she say?”

“She told me to tell you that Big Mama’s here and it isn’t pretty. Or something like that. She wants you to call her on her private cell,” Roper said.

And then he remembered something else. “When Hannah ran screaming after the woman who took the picture, she called her Mama.” He narrowed his gaze. “That big woman photographer was her mother?”

“Sounds like it. They do call her Big Mama. I guess now we know why. Was Hannah okay?” Amy asked.

“Last time I saw her she was running after her mother, so I’m really not sure.”

“Do you think anyone retrieved the camera before the picture was sent?” As she spoke, Amy was pulling out her BlackBerry from her purse.

Funny how, now, she was the one in contact mode. Or maybe it wasn’t so hysterical after all, Roper thought. “You do realize it doesn’t matter whether or not the photo was retrieved before it was sent,” he said.

Amy’s eyes, which he’d grown used to seeing full of laughter and delight, now dimmed. “I know. Big Mama knows where her daughter is and that she’s been with you. It won’t be long before the world knows it, too.”

Her voice dropped along with the light mood he’d been savoring for days. They were both keenly aware of the fact that their idyllic time together was at an end.