Albeit for the past few days, I’ve been working manically, reviewing investor relations reports for Legacy’s major competitors for the past decade. I’ve been studying what has been working for their competitors and what hasn’t to get as close as possible to a brand strategy guaranteed to put them at the top of their market. No easy feat.
By the time I trudge into the kitchen, now doubly distracted, Lennox has filled two glasses with the bright pink cocktail. “Cheers.” We clink our glasses together and take a small sip before she asks me, “What’s your hunch?”
“Huh?” I crunch on a small piece of ice that slipped through my lips, completely forgetting about my sensitive tooth. I smack my palm against my cheek. “Ow, shit. Sorry, what?”
“Earlier in the bathroom, you said you had a weird hunch. Is everything okay with your project?”
I squint one eye at her. “You sure you want to know? I’ve been told I can drone on about work.”
I’m actually dying to talk to Mason about what I found, but right now I don’t feel like I can trust him. Four years in business together…and it’s the first time I feel like we’re working for different end goals. It’s unnerving and I hate it.
“Drone away. I’m really interested in your job. The way Finn’s studio has been going, I may need an extra job. Can I work for you?”
“Seriously?” I scrunch my face at her in surprise.
“Yeah, I mean, I’m decent with graphic design, and there isn’t anything I can’t learn. Everything I know about photography, Finn taught me…so…” She shrugs. “I’m just really impressed by you. I’ve always known I wanted to go the entrepreneur path. I just wasn’t sure what to do or how to do it.”
Hm, interesting. “If you’re serious, Lennox, I’ll help you. I’m in between things right now, but as soon as I figure out what’s going to happen with Legacy Resorts…one way or the other, I will help you.”
She shoots me a small smile. “Thank you. Anyway, sorry to digress. Please continue…”
“I dug into Legacy Resorts’ financials, and they are doing fine. Are they disgustingly profitable? No. But the business is far from failing, so why oh why would the board of directors be pushing to sell? What exactly is the problem that needs to be addressed?”
“And your hunch?” Lennox asks, raising her brows to the point they disappear behind her straight-cut, long bangs. She’s died her hair freshly purple again. It’s such a good look on her. I love the vibrancy. Maybe I should consider a little color in my mousy brown locks.
“That there’s something unsavory going on. It seems like a decision in the best interest of a specific person versus the company as a whole. Call me Magnum PI, but I’ve been looking up the entire board, individually. I need to get to the bottom of why these very well-off, business-savvy board members would want to let go of thousands of employees, screw over their shareholders, and basically bend over backward to their direct competition. It makes no sense unless the company is secretly near bankrupt. But I already turned over that stone and found nothing.”
“If you need help,” Lennox says with a sly smile, “social media stalking is kind of my specialty.”
I snort. “I wish it were that easy. But the stuffy middle-aged board members don’t seem to be active on socials. I’ve been digging through public earning reports…it’s quite riveting,” I say, emphasizing the sarcasm in my tone. “I’m actually grateful it’s Friday. I need a break and am due for some fun.”
My reward for tireless, sleepless, thankless days of work for a contract or job offer I haven’t even earned yet? Finn. Motherfucking Finn Harvey and his dirty words and rock-hard body…all night. All I have to do is get through this stupid photo shoot.
“Ah, speaking of fun…” Lennox takes another sip from her drink, enjoying the attention as I stare at her like a fish on a bait line.
“What? What’s fun?”
“You know Ruby’s?”
“The strip—I mean gentleman’s club?”
Lennox nods. “The bar manager, Cass, is a friend of mine. She hosts her birthday there every year. They shut down the entire club for a night and throw a costume party. It’s huge. All the dancers, bouncers, close friends, and even a few celebrities usually make an appearance. It’s not just fun…it’s Vegas fun. It’s the Friday after next. You should come.”
She’s wearing that pleading look Palmer wears when she wants me to change out of my sweatpants and go clubbing with her. But a birthday bash at a Vegas gentleman’s club seems a little out of my league. “If by costumes you mean pasties and G-strings, I’m going to have to throw you a ‘no’ on that one.”
“Oh, come on.”
I quirk one brow. “So I’m right about the costumes?”
“Mainly,” she mutters. “But you don’t have to get that intense. And plus, Finn’s going. I’m sure he’d love to show you off.”
Oh. Finn’s going? “He didn’t mention it.” I’ll admit that kind of hurts. It’s yet another reminder that Finn and I only make sense in closed quarters. I wouldn’t fit in with his normal friends. “I’m sure he would’ve invited me if he wanted me there. I don’t want to rain on your guys’ parade.”
“First of all, I want you there, so you’re invited. Second of all, Cass just sent out the invites two days ago. He hasn’t had a chance to ask you to go. You’ve been pretty much unreachable holed up in here.” She swivels her finger in the air, gesturing to my prison—aka Dex’s four-thousand-square-foot luxury home. “Finn even told me not to bother you while you were working.”
“Doesn’t your boyfriend want to go?”
She shakes her head. “Not his thing.”
“I don’t have a costume.”
“I’ll find you one or make you one.”
I cringe at her response.
“We’ll keep it classy. Sexy, so you fit in, but we’ll cover all your bits.”
I roll my eyes. “By bits, I hope you mean all my wiggly parts.” I pat my stomach, which admittedly is a little flatter than normal. I don’t think I’ve eaten much over the past few days as I frantically dove down the Legacy Resorts wormhole.
Lennox lets out a frustrated grumble. “I see what Finn is talking about now,” she mumbles under her breath but doesn’t elaborate. “Okay, story for you—there’s a dancer at Ruby’s named Brielle. She’s the most athletic, flexible, sexy piece of ass you’ve ever seen. She’s by far the most requested and highest-paid dancer there. Nobody works a pole or a lap like Brielle.”
“That’s lovely,” I deadpan.
“My point is that she’s nearly twice your size. And she’s fucking beautiful. I think you see the world as very black and white. I don’t know what you think you know about Las Vegas and beauty standards, but I’m willing to bet you’re making wrong assumptions.” She presses her lips together like she’s nervous to continue. “And it’s the same with Finn. He’s not patronizing you when he says he likes you, Avery. He genuinely thinks you are one of the most intriguing and stunning women he’s ever met. The more you say that’s not true, the more you’re calling his opinion worthless.”