“How’s your new job going?”
They’d been back for a couple weeks now. Shades had put the word out in the club as soon as they got back that Skylar was looking for a job. Tink had told him her uncle, who was a partner in a realty company, had a training program for people interested in becoming realtors. She’d gotten Skylar an interview, which had gone great, and she was now in the program.
“I really like it.”
“That’s great, baby.”
“Yes. Everybody is really nice. I really like the idea of finding people homes.”
“Happy for you, sweetheart.”
“One thing worries me, though.”
“What’s that?”
“Well, they had this photographer there today. He was taking professional head shots of all the realtors. They told me they use them for business cards, yard signs and such.”
“Yeah, so?”
“They went ahead and took my picture, too. Put me in this gold jacket and everything. Shades, I’m worried about those pictures.”
He frowned. “What do you mean?”
“I really don’t want my picture on yard signs. Of course, it’ll be a while before I actually have any clients of my own. The training program lasts a long time. It’ll probably take me six months before I’m licensed.”
“Let’s not worry about that now. I’m sure the DK problem will be taken care of by then.”
She snuggled back against him, her arms covering his. “How?”
He kissed the top of her head. “Let me worry about that, baby. That’s my job now. Takin’ care of you. Keepin’ you safe and happy.”
She sucked her lips into her mouth, and he could tell he hadn’t eased all her fears. He rolled her to face him. Taking her face in both his hands he brought her eyes to his. “Hey, look at me. You’re everything to me, Sky. I’m not gonna let anything happen to you. No one’s taking you away from me again. Not your dad, not my club, and sure as fuck not the DKs. You hear me?”
She nodded, her throat closing.
“Okay, then. Get some sleep, my baby.” He pressed his lips to her forehead and then pulled her to him, tucking her head in his neck.
****
Frank Bowman and his partner Gary Jenkins, had owned Progressive Realty for about ten years now. It was a damned competitive business, and they were always looking for any edge they could. Frank leaned back in his executive chair and said, “So we need to decide who to put up on the billboard.”
Gary stood on the other side of Frank’s desk staring down at their options. He shuffled through the photos, his hand pushing them around on the desktop until he stopped on one.
“I think we have a winner.” He twirled it around and slid it towards Frank.
Frank looked down.
“The others on the team are going to have a jealous fit if you put this newbie up on the sign. Hell, Janice has the highest sales. She’s going to expect—”
“Janice has a horse face. Who’d want to look at that billboard? No. This is the face that will bring in business. She’s gorgeous. Look at that smile. Hell, I want to buy a house from her.”
“All right. Fine. We’ll go with her.”
“How soon will the billboards go up?”
“Should be able to get them up right away.”
CHAPTER THIRTY ONE