Sleepless in Manhattan (From Manhattan with Love 1)

Five minutes later Paige bounced back into the restaurant, her spirits restored to a reasonable altitude. “We are on our way!”

This was why people ran their own businesses, she thought. Because when it went right, you knew it was down to you.

The buzz and excitement was incredible.

Even the fact that Jake had joined them at the table couldn’t spoil her evening.

Matt had finally put his phone down and was tucking into a bowl heaped high with pasta, as was Jake. “On your way where?”

“Downtown Manhattan. A group of lawyers want us to arrange a bachelor party for one of their colleagues who is over on a business trip from Europe. Our first piece of business. Hopefully it will lead to more.” She understood the importance of word-of-mouth recommendation. She was fine with that. It wasn’t the same thing as asking for favors.

Matt ground pepper over his food. “Is it a company you’ve worked with before?”

“No, which is great! I sent follow-up emails to some of the people who wouldn’t take my calls—this lead must have come from that.” She wondered what had happened to Bambi, but asking Jake would show that she cared and she had no intention of showing him that she cared.

“So you don’t even know if it’s legit?”

Paige, who’d been expecting him to be pleased, felt a flicker of frustration. “You want me to do a police check on everyone I work for?”

“No.” Matt stuck his fork into his food. “But I want you to be careful.”

“I can look out for myself. I’m emailing venue suggestions and once we’ve agreed on that, we’ll arrange catering and all the extras. We’re in business.” She waited for him to say something encouraging, but he carried on eating in silence and she looked at him in exasperation. “We have to start somewhere. Jake? What do you think?” At least he wouldn’t protect her.

Jake reached for his wine. “This time, I agree with your brother.”

“You’re both ridiculously cautious. If we do a good job here, hopefully they’ll recommend us to others.” And right now she was willing to take any business she could if it meant not asking Jake for help. “Does it make you feel strong and macho to fix things for me, is that what this is? Is this about your ego?”

Jake laughed. “Honey, my ego is bulletproof. You couldn’t take it down with a rocket launcher.”

“If I had one right now, I might be tempted to try. And I’ve told you before not to call me honey.”

“I’ll try and remember that, honey.”

“Enough, both of you.” Matt was trying not to smile. “Jake is looking out for you, that’s all, as any good friend would.”

“I don’t want him to. I don’t need him to.”

“How about a compromise. You’re going to need extra help. Jake and I could disguise ourselves as butlers.”

“Bow tie and bare flesh,” Jake drawled. “Shame it’s not a bachelorette party.”

Paige’s irritation rose. “You want to hover over us like bodyguards? No, thank you!”

Her brother put his fork down and reached for his beer. “At least promise me you won’t go alone. All three of you together at all times.”

“It’s a job.” She wondered what she had to do to stop Matt being so overprotective. “Everything is going to go like a dream, and then I can say I told you so, and you and Jake can crawl at my feet on your hands and knees and apologize for seeing catastrophe on every street corner.”

Jake’s gaze locked on hers. “Let’s hope that’s the way it goes.”

CHAPTER SIX

When you make a mistake, don’t be afraid to eat humble pie. It’s calorie-free.

—Eva

JAKE STARED AT the screen.

It had been a while since he’d done this. A while since he’d looked.