Chapter One
“The Z-Box Five is the most comprehensive gaming system on the market, and I sound just like the instruction pamphlet,” Jennifer Wilde said, tossing her pen back to her desk. Reaching up, she pulled her hair out of its ponytail and shook it loose, hoping that it would somehow free her thoughts up. “I might get more done if I just beat my head against my desk.”
“I wouldn’t advise it,” Rose said, even as her secretary set a Frappuccino on Jennifer’s desk. “Maybe a sugar and caffeine jolt will do the trick.”
Jennifer snorted and, despite her better judgment, picked up the treat. “This is going to go straight to my thighs.” Of course, what hadn’t these days? The stress of working on the account for Zedmore Electronics was getting to her. She’d always been a bit curvier than she’d wished, but in the last three months, she’d jumped to a fourteen dress size. It wasn’t optimum for her at least, but she promised herself that she’d hit the gym in double time once she figured out how to sell the company’s newest video game console. Her first proposal had been submitted two weeks ago. She just hadn’t been sure what she presented really hit the mark. Even now, she was still reworking copy, trying to come up with the one slogan that would get guys all over the country to open up their wallets. It was just hard. She’d grown up with a single mother and a little sister, and none of them had been gamers, to say the least. Jennifer wished she had a guy’s view on some of this, and if she didn’t get the account just right, it wouldn’t be a problem for Stonewall Marketing. They would just replace her.
So, yes, if she had a five-hundred-calorie coffee that was more sugar and whipped cream than actual java, at least she had her reasons.
“Have you ever played a Z-Box?” Rose asked. “Maybe just digging into some games would help inspire you?”
She looked back at the brunette and sighed. “I tried, but I kept dying during one of their alien invasion games. It’s not my talent, but I’ve sold toasters and foot fungus remover. I can sell anything. I just need to get the right angle to make the Z-Box more exciting. I’ll find it.”
“And a java explosion should help,” Rose replied, winking back at her.
“Or…” a cheery and familiar voice rang out. It only took a few more seconds for her sister, Sydney, to round the corner. Her baby sibling was dressed in a cute minidress with sparkly silver heels. Her short blond bob gathered back with a few, well-placed faux-diamond-crusted barrettes. “You could keep your promise to your favorite sister and actually go out with me.”
Jennifer massaged her temples. When she finally checked her cell phone’s time, she groaned. It was close to 10 p.m. God, no wonder her loyal secretary had brought her caffeine. It was winter so the sun set by four forty-five here in New York. She knew she’d been here for hours, running things over in her brain, but Jennifer had been clueless about how late it truly had gotten. It was more than time for her to quit, and to fulfill her promise to her visiting baby sister.
“You’re my only sister,” she said, standing and then rubbing at the tight muscles of her back. One thing she needed to give herself this Christmas was less fourteen-hour days. “But I did make a promise, and it would be crappy of me to invite you from Kentucky and trap you in my apartment.”
“Well, there was the spare key. I saw Chinatown today, but I want to see that cool club you took me to last time. The Wild Orchid. It was awesome!” her sister finished, her blue eyes gleaming with enthusiasm.
“I don’t know if I can go in a business suit,” Jennifer said, biting her lower lip. “Oh, and Rose, do you want to come? I had no idea it had gotten so late!”
“Nah, and you didn’t make me stay. I’m avoiding my apartment since Tony and I broke up. This gives me a place to be that doesn’t give me a million grating memories.”
“Then maybe you can come too?” her sister said. “You have a cute enough black dress on, just take off the jacket and you’ll be Wild Orchid ready, you know?”
“I could definitely use the booze,” Rose said, smiling at both of them.
“And you did try to save me with that java infusion,” Jennifer said. “I think that means I owe you your first drink.”
“Believe me, after this breakup week from hell, I could use it,” Rose said.
“But,” Jennifer said, “that still means I have nothing to wear.”
“I got you covered,” her sister said, gesturing to the duffle bag over her shoulder. “I brought a dress and some shoes. You can be glammed up in no time.”
“Well, my brain is not going to come to any great revelations tonight, that’s for sure,” Jennifer said. “So let’s do this, but on one condition and you know it, Syd. Can you repeat it after me?”
Her sister’s expression soured for just a moment, and when she spoke, that bouncy tone was more subdued. “I won’t drink. I promise. I happen to be an expert at getting club soda to be interesting. I think the big secret is adding in some maraschino cherries.”
“Great, then nothing is stopping us from being some wild and crazy girls on a Friday night.”
***
Okay, so maybe one thing would have normally stopped her if Rose hadn’t been so desperate for some time out and if her sister wasn’t her house guest and the duty of entertaining her fell squarely on Jennifer’s shoulders. But next time she wanted the option to pick her own attire. Her sister might have meant well, but this was the last time she needed a twenty-two-year-old postgrad, with tastes still like that of a teenager, diving through her closet. The tight red shift was something she’d had since college about seven years ago. Jennifer had been meaning to dump it at Goodwill. Considering she wasn’t a twelve anymore, it was a miracle it fit at all. Of course, maybe that was adding to the problem with how tight (and short) it was. It didn’t leave anything to the imagination and wasn’t her usual taste. But they didn’t have time to go back to her midtown apartment anyway, and she hated to disappoint her companions.
It was a good thing no one ever looked twice at what went on in New York City. She almost felt that if she stayed too long on a street corner, she might be getting offers.
On the other hand, there was something freeing in being so different (though she’d never cop to it even if Sydney asked). Usually, when she went to a bar or a club—a rare event after her promotion—she wore jeans and clingy tops. This was so different that she felt like a sultry siren even as they entered The Wild Orchid.
The three of them sidled to the bar, and Rose ordered a huge cosmo. For herself, Jennifer ordered a Diet Coke and rum, and she eyed her sister carefully as Sydney dutifully ordered a water. God, she was glad her sister was complying with the advice of her doctors. Her mother would kill her for letting her sister go out and dance. If even the sugar from the alcohol went down Sydney’s gullet, then there’d be hell to pay.
Some days, she wished she could wrap her sister up in that bubble packing people used while moving. She and her mother just wanted to kee
p Sydney close and safe. Then again, Jennifer wasn’t stupid. She knew the more they tried to coddle Sydney, the more her sister would rebel. So while her sister was in town for Christmas vacation, they both had to work together. She had to trust her with some freedoms, which was exactly why she forced a smile to her lips when her sister said she was off to dance.
“Have fun,” she said, even if her heart was pounding. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
Sydney winked back at her again. “Oh, you need to do all the things I would. Have some fun before you go back to the office tomorrow, since I know you will.”
“I might have a social life,” she muttered.
Rose shook her head as Sydney hurried off. “I help manage your schedule, so I know you don’t. She’s going to be fine. You don’t have to mother hen.”
“Easy for you to say. You haven’t been in and out of the hospital with her,” Jennifer said. “I just am not used to relaxing.”
“Well, then you are in luck,” Rose said, gesturing to the bartender and ordering a double shot of Jägermeister for her. “First, you start by downing that. No delicate sips.”
“I know my sis is in town, but I’m not even close to being a college girl.”
“But we all need a little fun,” Rose said, her tone teasing.
Jennifer rolled her eyes but took the shot, letting the amber liquid burn down her throat. She had to admit that the warmth spreading from her mouth to the rest of her body did feel nice and helped take her mind off of the account she wasn’t sure how to deal with currently. In fact, it felt downright pleasant. Grinning back at her secretary, she asked the bartender for another double. Maybe she could think of it as drinking Sydney’s share, just this once.