“I’m sorry. I just couldn't help myself. You sound kind of into this woman.”
“Oh, I was into her alright,” I said. “Eight inches into her.”
Carson laughed. “I didn’t need that visual, thanks. Is there anything else you need?”
Film of her performing so I could replay her leg kick over and over again. The very thought of it made my mouth water. “No, I’m good.”
“I got that information you wanted.” Carson gave me a look and side-eyed my secretary, Pam.
That wasn’t obvious or anything. We were in my office on Wednesday going over my schedule. “Great, thanks. Pam, that’s all I need right now. Can you order me my lunch?”
“Of course, Mr. Macnamara.” She stood up, holding her phone. She gave Carson a look of disapproval.
For whatever reason they didn’t like each other. Pam had a mom-ish quality to her. She was around fifty-five and seemed to resent that Carson thought he was her boss. It was something I needed to sort out. Later. First I had to deal with the fact that Dakota was a very hot, very tempting cheerleader.
When Pam left, I sat back in my chair. “What did you find out about her?”
“Her last name is Tanner, in case you were wondering.”
I rolled my eyes at Carson. “Got it, thanks.” Maybe it wasn’t such a shocker that Pam didn’t like him. He could be a dick.
“She’s twenty-eight years old, originally from Cleveland.”
“Ha, I knew that!” I said, feeling triumphant about the fact. “She told me she was from Cleveland.” I swiveled my chair, taking in the view of the playing field from my office window. It was a killer view, one that I didn’t want to lose. I swiveled back.
“One point for you.” Carson adjusted his tie and read his notes off of his phone. “She has quite a few dance credits, four music videos, one candy bar commercial with a flash mob scene, she auditioned for a dance reality show but got cut at the last minute. She quit the cheerleading team last season but then jumped back on this year when one girl got injured and the alternate was arrested for DWI. She lives in Harlem at fifteen—”
I interrupted him. “I know where she lives.”
Carson lifted his hand and drew me another point with his finger on an imaginary chalkboard. “Two points.”
“You’re a bitch,” I told him.
He looked unconcerned with my opinion. Carson was probably all of twenty-six, and wound tight. He also dressed like he was due to have brunch in the Hamptons at any given second. Or at least what I pictured you’d wear to brunch in the Hamptons. I had never been, personally. Today he was wearing a slim fitting lilac-colored suit, pant legs landing north of his ankles. He had on sneakers with no socks.
“She’s working with the cheer coach and our social media team here to have the cheerleaders visit a children’s hospital. It looks like she has been involved in organizing several events during her time on the team. She also volunteers with several children’s charities on her own time.” He looked at me. “She loves kids, apparently. And hey, don’t you happen to have two kids?”
Wow, he was just fucking hilarious today. I put up with him because he was great at his job, was a steel trap, and normally I found him amusing. Today, he was grinding on my nerves. “You’re really starting to annoy me.” I was also annoying myself because I was starting to think I could really like Dakota. Except she hadn’t called me, so obviously the feeling wasn’t mutual. “The charity thing gives me a reason to talk to her. Have her brought in for a meeting on Thursday afternoon.”
“Got it. I have her credit report here, do you want me to read the highlights?”
I dropped the pen I was holding on my desk, not even sure why I had it in my grip. Had I subconsciously planned to take notes on what Carson told me about Dakota? That wasn’t fucking weird or anything. “You have her credit report? No, I don’t want you to read that. It’s none of my business.” Even if I was curious.
“There is something really noteworthy.”
“I don’t want to hear it.”
“She’s being evicted,” Carson blurted out, clearly unable to stop himself.
So much for being a steel trap.
“Oh, shit.” I rubbed my forehead. “I didn’t need to know that.”
I didn’t. Because I couldn’t get emotionally involved with Dakota. I couldn’t catch feelings for her. It would be a total disaster. My life was busy and complicated. Hers appeared to be falling apart.
No. It couldn’t happen.
But then I said, “Find out how much she owes in back rent.”