Bodywork (28 page)

“But Shane, I wanted to see
you
.”

The hussy. The woman sounded like she had asthma, breathing so hard.

Mimi peered through the crack, being careful not to
get too close and give herself away
.
Uh oh.
Gloria Grace was a knockout. Long black hair framed a delicate face, to which artfully applied makeup turned her features from pretty to
dazzling
. Her pouting lips looked cherry red, her blush
was
becoming, and her heavily lashed eyes were so blue they must have been
contacts
. Yet they captivated as well.

She looked to be about Shelby’s age and had a terrific body that surgery or constant attention to exercise and diet kept in top shape.
A repeat of Rick and his secretary came to mind, a terrible thing for Shelby to experience
again
. If it came to that, Mimi would skewer Collins herself.

Yet Shane didn’t appear to be eager to step closer to the woman. If anything, he put his desk
chair between them. It didn’t prove much of an obstacle when she pushed it aside and backed him against the wall.
Mimi approved of aggressive women. In this day and age, if you didn’t go for it, it wouldn’t come to you. Her mantra, and one she lived by.
It would have been comical to watch this she-wolf corner
Shane
—
a seemingly healthy, strong male in his prime
—
if
he
hadn’t been the one Shelby wanted.

Shane braced his hands on
Gloria’s
shoulders when she
leaned in to kiss him
. “Gloria, I’m sorry. I like your husband very much.”

Good boy.

“I won’t sleep with you, no matter how beautiful you are.”

“Oh Shane. Johnny won’t care.”

“I will.” He took a step away, his hands out
stretched
to keep her back.
“And besides, I’m seeing someone.”

“Oh? Since when?” she asked, sounding annoyed.

He’d better be referring to Shelby.

“For about six weeks now. She wouldn’t like it knowing I threw my affections around.”

“Affections?” Gloria snorted. “Honey, I just wanted some sex. If I want
affections
, I’
ll go to
Johnny.”

It sounded as if Shane
had a conventional streak.
Affections? Please. The younger generation was all about sex. Except for Shelby, and apparently Shane.

“
L
et’s keep this between us, shall we?” Gloria fussed with her hair. “I must have misread your signals.”

To Shane’s credit, he didn’t
argue
. “I apologize if I did or said anything to lead you on.”

“Yes, well. We won’t speak of this again. From now on, you can deal with
Jonathan
on your own
.”

“Whatever you want.” Smart guy to put the power in her court, and from what she could see by Gloria’s proud stance, the woman liked it as well.

“You’re cute, Shane. And you’re talented. I think if you keep at it, one day you’ll have your own firm.”

He smiled, and Mimi could see what her daughter saw in the man.
A handsome straight-shooter with principles. A rarity in today’s world.

Gloria turned and Mimi hurriedly backed away. She swore when her bracelets jangled and stopped,
looking around her,
pretending to be confused.

The door opened and Gloria walked out with a swagger that would set most men
to staring.
But not Shane. He smiled politely,
told her
goodbye, then turned to Mimi.

He just stared at her
, his gaze
linger
ing
on her bracelets, her dress, and her face,
then gave her a broad grin. “You’re Mimi Vanzant.”

She inwa
rdly groaned. If he told Shelby he’d met her at his office, t
here would be hell to pay. Th
e girl never seemed to realize Mimi only
wanted the best for her. Never to marry someone
so unbearably wrong, like
her father. He’d been dull, but
Mimi had
been in love. All his promises in the world hadn’t changed the fact that the man couldn’t give her the adventures he’d promised, nor had he the staying power she’d wanted to help raise her daughter.
He’d crushed her girlish dreams of marriage and happily-ever-after in the same blow.

Mimi wanted true love for her girl, a love she still searched for daily. Had Shelby found it with this perceptive fellow?

“And you must be…” She squinted at the nameplate by his door and took her trendy reading glasses from her bag. After putting them on and making quite a show of it, she read his name. “Shane Collins.”

He had the manners not to
express his disbelief. Shelby would have been
roll
ing
his eyes. “Won’t you come in?”

Shane invited her inside his office. She approved of the tasteful décor. Manly, professional, but not
furnished with
stock office equipment, which she detested. “Thank you. Actually, I was looking for the ladies’ room, but my feet could use a rest.”

“Sure thing.”

He seated her across from his desk with a courtesy lost
in most young men
. “Can I get you something to drink?”

She considered Ron still busy with Justin and decided to give him time to connect with the fox who was anything but silver.
Justin looked a
little over fifty, maybe? A fitting age for Ron, as opposed to the young twinks he pretended to care about. Please. At their age, twenty-four was just too young.

She saw Shane waiting for her response and smiled.
“An espresso would be nice.”

Shane buzzed through to the secretary for coffee and returned his attention to Mimi. “S
he has your
face
, you know.” His
gaze trail
ed
to
her bracelets
and he
smiled
. “Not your eye for fashion, but it’s nice to know what she’ll look like in a few more years.”

Oh, she liked this one. Mimi chuckled. “You’re good.”

“Not as good as you. Would you really have left me in here with Gloria if she’d attacked me like she planned?”

He had heard her.
Damn.
“I wanted to see what you were made of.” No harm in being honest. “My girl deserves the best.”

“Don’t you think that’s up to her to decide?” he asked softly.

“No.”

He blinked. “No?”

“Look Shane. I love my
Shelby; I
know her. She has stars in her eyes. She’s a forever kind of woman who needs a white picket fence and babies to be happy.” Might as well feel him out about all of it while she had him to herself. If he bolted after hearing the truth, he wasn’t the man for Shelby after all. And it didn’t matter that her daughter had only known him for a few weeks. Love was love. It didn’t have time limits.

She read his stillness and looked beyond that. A part of her that Shelby had never believed in was attuned to energy, and though she couldn’t read his aura the way Ron could, she felt a good vibe about the younger man. That and his eyes were a mossy green. She liked
the color. It was vibrant, earthy, full of passion and life
.

He and Shelby would give her beautiful grandchildren.

“I’m not sure about the picket fence
,
”
he said dryly.

“A euphemism. I’m not into fences either, unless you have a dog. Have to contain the beasts.”

“Ah,
okay
.”

The secretary knocked and hustled in with Mimi’s espresso. She left it in a hurry when Mimi waved and thanked her.

“She’s skittish,” she said and took a sip. “But she makes a decent coffee.”

Shane
coughed but couldn’t hide his smile from her
. “Skittish?
Laurie
? I think she’s just intimidated by all
your
color.”

Mimi looked down at her fuchsia and orange print dress, that only a few women on this coast could have pulled off. It had more of an island zing, but she’d been in a tropical mood today.
And it pulled the deeper red highlights from her hair.

“Well, the girl is beige bland.
And she’s pretty, which is sad.
That color
she’s wearing
does nothing for her.” She sipped again. “
So my daughter.”

“Your daughter.”

“And you?” Mimi pushed.

“Yep. And me.” He leaned back in his chair and grinned at her. The smug look of a man in lust, and if she wasn’t mistaken, in love. His energy seemed to flare when he mentioned Shelby, though she really needed Ron to be certain.

“Could you ring Justin’s office and ask Ron to come in here?” she asked.

Shane chuckled as he punched a few numbers into the phone. “Justin? It’s me.” He paused. “Everything’s good. Gloria’s gone and we’re still on track for the eighteenth. I told you so.” He laughed. “Could you have Ron come down to my office? His partner in crime wants to see him.” He laughed again and hung up. To Mimi he said, “He’ll be right down.”

She nodded. “You look good in a suit. Has Shelby seen you wearing that?”

“Yeah. And jeans, and shorts. I like to run.”

“
So I hear.”

“Oh? Shelby talks about me?” He perked up.

She felt bad about bursting his bubble. “Sorry, no. I heard about your run-in with Shelby at the park a few weeks ago.”

“Maggie.” He nodded.

“I
t’s
sad my own daughter won’t share her life with me.” She sniffed. “But at least I can see she’s dating a wonderful man.” She shot him a smile.

He chuckled. “You’d like my mother. She’s a lot like you.”

She knew that. Another reason Shane would make a fine addition to the family. The in-laws were more than tolerable.
“If you break
Shelby’s
heart, I’ll string you up by your toes. I know people.” Lorraine Collins was no one to screw with either.

“I think you’d be better
off
warning her not to break mine.” His quiet words brought home how much they meant. “She’s wonderful, and I’m not Rick.”

She liked the fact he knew about the ex from hell.

“I’m loyal, honest, hardworking, and
not
a momma’s boy,” he warned. “I don’t need anyone peering over my shoulder telling me how to behave with a girlfriend.”

Mimi sagged a little. “Just girlfriend?” She’d been hoping for so much more.

His lips quirked. “Or fiancé or wife. However it happens, it’ll be between me and Shelby. She loves you, but she’s tired of you
interfering
.” He leaned closer. “And you can tell my mother the same thing
from me
the next time you talk to her.”

“How did you—Oh.” She
pursed her lips
. “Smart boy, aren’t you?”

“I try.” He sat back
,
again looking satisfied. “And for the record, I do love your daughter. But she’s not ready to hear it yet, and I’d appreciate it if you let us work it out.”

“Oh sure. Right. Of course,” she agreed, giddy to hear what she’d been praying for. She could almost see herself holding a grandchild with
Shane’s
eyes and Shelby’s smile. Mimi couldn’t have said why, she just knew it was time to hold a baby again. And God knew it wasn’t coming from her.

Ron appeared moments later with Justin behind him. “Mimi. There you are. We were getting worried.”

“I just bet you were,” she muttered and ignored
the sparkle in his eyes
. “I made a wrong turn and Shane was helping me adjust. The dear made sure I had coffee.”

“Good man.” Justin smiled.

There
was an energy
between
Justin
and Ron
that told Mimi she’d be seeing more of
him
in the future. She could handle that, she supposed. Ron’s romances never lasted long, and she liked Justin’s
positive attitude
anyway.

She nodded toward Shane. Ron looked him over and shook his hand when Justin made introductions. Sh
e felt a decided shift of power,
and then Ron took his hand away.

“Nice to meet you. Mimi, we need to finish up with Justin. He has an appointment in half an hour.”

She stood, clanging as the sweet chime
s
of brass, gold and silver
bands collected at
her wrists. “Wonderful. Thanks so much for your hospitality, Shane. I’m sure we’ll meet again.”

He escorted her out the door. In a low voice meant for her ears alone, he answered, “You can bet on it.”