Not Quite Perfect (Not Quite Series Book 5) (16 page)

They didn’t get out of the hotel room until afternoon the next day. Housekeeping would probably weep when they saw the suite, and the guests on either side would probably ask to switch rooms.

For the first time in what felt like forever, Mary didn’t care. She was sore and relaxed at the same time. They left the hotel in search of food, both of them wearing grins the size of Texas.

The cold wind zapped her the second they stepped out of the hotel.

“I thought it would be warmer.”

Glen signaled for a cab instead of taking the slow route. “We need to get you a coat.”

“I brought a sweater.”

Glen kissed her temple before opening the back door of the car. “That’s cute.”

They got out a few blocks later at Saks.

Mary couldn’t remember if she’d ever walked into the department store, let alone bought anything there.

A doorman welcomed them inside and several painted-on faces smiled at them as they passed the cosmetic counters. An elevator took them to the desired floor where plenty of warm coats filled the racks.

Glen went straight to a designer label and removed a three-quarter-length wool coat. “Try this.”

She didn’t see a price tag but slid her arms into it anyway. “It’s heavy.”

He winked. “You’re in New York.”

Mary faced the mirror and did a little turn. How often would she wear it? One look at Glen and she hoped it would be often.

She tried on two more before finding the prefect fit and length. Mary removed it and searched for a price tag. When she found it, she thought for certain there was a misprint on the tag. “Glen?” She waved him over from another rack he was looking for her size in. He placed both hands on her shoulders and looked at the coat from behind her. “Does that say what I think it says?”

“Huh. Yeah, I think so.”

Mary promptly put the coat back on the hanger and placed it back on the rack. “We’re leaving.”

Glen removed the coat when she twisted away. “Good, I’m hungry.”

She stopped and pointed. “Glen!”

“It fits, you like it.”

She stepped closer and lowered her voice. “I like the coat, not the price. I’ll be fine.”

He slung his arm over her shoulders and spoke close to her ear. “I’m all about chivalry, but it’s butt cold out there, and I like my coat.”

About that moment, an employee approached them with a careful smile and perfectly pressed clothes. “Did you find what you’re looking for?” she asked.

Glen said yes when Mary said no.

The clerk batted her eyelashes and smiled toward Glen. He handed the lady the coat. “We’ll take this.”

Mary pinched his ass. “Glen,” she warned under her breath.

“You’re cute when you snarl.”

Panic gripped her chest when the employee stepped behind a register and started ringing up the sale. Mary’s lips were touching his ear. “I can’t afford it.”

He returned the lip to ear favor. “You’re not paying for it.”

The panic started to spread. “Glen, no. I can’t accept that.”

“You can. You just say thank you.”

“Glen!”

The clerk smiled at them as if she saw this kind of under-the-breath argument daily.

Glen placed a finger in the air and turned his back to the employee. “Listen. I didn’t tell you to bring a winter coat. It’s my fault you’re not prepared.”

“It’s not winter. I should have checked the weather report.”

“I did check the weather report and didn’t think to tell you. My fault, therefore I pay for the coat.” His hand reached for his wallet.

She wanted to tell him she’d pay him back, but she knew a two-thousand-dollar coat was way outside of her budget. “I’m going to spank you for this.”

He did one of those once-overs men did and winked. “Is that a promise?”

“Oh, God.”

Glen laughed, turned, and handed the employee his credit card.

Snuggled into a coat that cost half of what her plumbing problem set her back, Mary walked beside Glen as they left the store. They stepped just outside the door when she swung around and clasped Glen’s face with both hands. She kissed him hard, and when she pulled away, she said, “Thank you.”

The doorman cleared his throat, bringing their attention to the fact that there were people behind them wanting to exit the building.

Glen put his now familiar arm over her shoulder and walked her toward their lunch.

And when he wasn’t expecting it, Mary slapped his ass once . . . just because she told him she would.

Chapter Seventeen

“I can’t believe you’re here.” Monica greeted Mary with a hug. “Why didn’t you tell us you were bringing Mary?” The question was aimed at Glen.

Mary assumed they were going to be leaving the hotel for the black-tie event, but instead they took an elevator ride to one of the ballrooms at The Morrison, where guests had just started to arrive.

Glen gave a quick hug to his sister-in-law, saying, “No one asked.”

Trent leaned in and kissed Mary’s cheek. “Hi, Mary.”

“You remember, Jason, right?” Glen asked.

Glen’s older brother stood beside his siblings, wearing a similar smile and the same broad shoulders. Mary couldn’t imagine the trouble these three had managed when they were younger. “Of course I remember Jason.” She hugged him. “How are you?”

“Stressed, overworked, you know . . . the usual.”

“Tell your boss you need a vacation,” Trent teased.

“Bite me.”

Mary loved the banter between the brothers. “So is this a Fairchild Charters function?” she asked.

Monica exchanged looks with her. “Didn’t Glen tell you what this is all about?”

Mary shook her head, careful not to move it too fast or undo what the hairdresser at the hotel took thirty minutes to put up.

“It’s a giant schmooze-fest,” Trent said under his breath.

Jason nudged the youngest Fairchild. “We hold an annual black-tie dinner for our premier clients. Both those whose jets we charter and those who travel with our service.”

Glen went on to say, “For the past several years we hold the event here at The Morrison and combine our efforts and
schmoozing
, as Trent put it, with The Morrison’s elite clientele.”

“There will be a lot of networking going on between these walls tonight,” Jason said.

“There will be a lot of drinking,” Monica added.

“And that.”

Mary looked around the massive hall. “Does that mean your sister will be here?” she asked Monica.

“Jessie and Jack should be here any minute.”

“Good, I can finally meet her.”

Monica looped her arm between Mary’s. “I’m stealing your date,” she told Glen. “Let’s go find Katie.”

“Who’s Katie?”

“Katelyn Morrison Prescott. She puts all this together.”

Mary glanced over her shoulder as she walked away from Glen and his brothers. His reassuring wink told her he was watching.

The second they were away from the men, Monica leaned close. “So how are things going with you two?”

Mary squeezed the other woman’s arm. “I’m having the best time.”

“You’re looking awfully content, Glen.” The comment came from Jason’s mouth.

“Well, look at her. Wouldn’t you be?”

Jason watched the two women walking away. “She’s beautiful, I’ll give you that.”

“So what’s it been, a month now?” Trent asked.

“About.”

“What’s your track record, three?”

Glen wasn’t liking where the conversation was headed. “I’m not that bad.”

Both his brothers laughed.

He couldn’t tell them things were different with Mary without a dump truck full of feedback, so he kept his thoughts to himself.

“Don’t we have some schmoozing to do?” He tugged on the cuffs of his shirt so they peeked from under the long sleeves of his tuxedo.

She was a beacon in a sea of beautiful people. It helped that she stood slightly taller than many of the women in the room, and that amazing head of hair that sat on top of her head was second to nobody in attendance. Glen spotted her the second he lifted his eyes above the crowd. She’d been away from his side for less than twenty minutes and he was slowly working his way back.

He was half listening to Chuck and Mr. Widden, a man who chartered several flights a month for his financial firm.

“With the market so damn fragile, I’m surprised any of us are doing a damn thing.” Mr. Widden’s words half registered.

“I know . . .” Looked like Jay, the newest senior broker, was stepping into the conversation with Monica and Katie. “If you’ll excuse me.” Glen didn’t wait for approval before leaving the conversation.

All Glen heard was laughter . . . Mary’s laughter, when he approached the small party. Jay saw him approach first and stood a little taller.

Glen did something he seldom did. He took the space beside Mary and Monica and slid an arm around Mary’s waist. “There you are.”

She did a little take back and grinned.

“Hello, Katie.”

Katie Prescott, or Katelyn Morrison, as the majority of the room knew her, was a true debutante. Her porcelain skin and designer everything always turned heads when she entered the room. The six-inch stilettos that were an extension of her already model-long legs helped her stand above many of the men in attendance. She pushed in and kissed his cheek. “You bear! Where have you been hiding Mary? She’s delightful.”

“Mary keeps herself in California.”

Glen extended a hand to Jay. “Glad you could come, Jay.”

“Even if it was an option, I wouldn’t miss this.” Jay glanced between Glen and Mary and excused himself. Message sent, and message received. Glen felt like he could take a deep breath. “What are you ladies drinking?”

“Something white,” Mary said.

Katie shook her head. “I’m waiting for dinner.”

“Not me, I’ll take a white wine, too.”

Glen looked around the room and signaled a waiter with a tray filled with glasses of wine.

A commotion that could only be created by someone with celebrity status focused their attention to the front of the room.

“Oh, Daddy.”

The larger-than-life Texan was a man Glen had never seen without his Stetson or his confidence. Gaylord Morrison was a force, a man he’d met briefly when his father was still alive and had come to know even more with Trent’s marriage to Monica. The world of money was smaller than one would think.

Katie lifted a hand in the air and grabbed her father’s attention.

Gaylord patted backs, smiled, and wove his way through the crowd. When he reached his daughter’s side he lifted her clean off the ground. “Look at my baby girl.”

Katie tolerated his attention and adjusted her dress when her feet touched down.

“Really, Daddy!”

“Where is your husband?” Gaylord asked.

“Dean was meeting Jack and Jessie in the lobby.”

Gaylord turned his attention to Glen and quickly skipped over to Mary. “And who do we have here, Glen?”

“Mr. Morrison, I’d like you to meet Mary Kildare. Mary, this is the iconic Gaylord Morrison.”

“Iconic? Good Lord, man, you make me sound old.” Gaylord laughed and tilted his hat in Mary’s direction.

“I’ve heard a lot about you,” Mary told him.

“You have me at a disadvantage.”

“Daddy, behave,” Katie scolded.

“Monica and I are friends.”

Gaylord glanced beyond their heads. “Where is our resident nurse?”

“She’s around here somewhere,” Katie told him.

“Such a sassy one, Monica. You.” He looked directly at Mary. “You look about as innocent as they come.”

Glen couldn’t help but think of the moments before they’d dressed for dinner . . . the shower . . . her screams.

“You can’t always judge a book by its cover,” Mary told him.

Glen let his fingers dig into her waist and she smiled up at him.

Gaylord nodded his head once. “Probably a good thing you have some fire behind you, dating this one.” He pointed at Glen.

“I’m not sure if that’s a compliment.”

“I’m not sure either,” Gaylord told him.

Before anyone could comment further on Gaylord’s assessment of Glen’s character, the rest of the Morrison clan joined them.

Glen made the introductions.

Jessie hugged her like they knew each other. “Monica has told me all about you.”

Mary told Jessie nearly the same thing and the conversation spun around to Dakota and Walt . . . How was the baby? And how was Dakota doing with a broken leg?

It didn’t take long for the waitstaff to shuffle the party into the dining room that seated close to three hundred guests. A podium sat on a small stage with a single microphone.

Once everyone was seated, Jason and Gaylord moved to the podium to welcome their guests. Luckily Jason wasn’t a rambler of bullshit, and Gaylord always had a way to cut to the chase.

Jason started before dinner was served. “On behalf of my brothers and everyone at Fairchild Charters, we want to thank you all for continuing to call on us when you need to fly. I’ll skip the PR portion of my speech and suggest everyone drink up and enjoy the evening.”

Glen leaned over to whisper in Mary’s ear. “Always had a way with words, that one.”

Gaylord took the podium. “Not a bad looking group we have here.”

The audience laughed.

“Years ago when Jason’s father and I met . . . I remember a bottle of Kentucky bourbon being involved . . . we both brought out our phones to show off the faces of our children. It didn’t occur to either of us to bring our client pool together. It took those young children to find lives of their own to bring the idea to fruition.” Gaylord slapped a meaty palm to Jason’s shoulder. “Your father would be proud of all of you.”

Jason nodded his thanks.

“Now I had some Texas beef flown in for this shindig, so eat up. Those of you who ordered the fish . . .” He shrugged. “Can’t help you there.”

The applause was minimal and the waiters descended on the room with the first course.

The tables where the Fairchilds and the Morrisons sat were spread among their guests. This was an event to make the customers feel special, not for the families to pull into themselves and ignore everyone else.

Still, Glen had a hard time concentrating on anyone other than Mary.

Their table was a mix of business executives and their wives or dates. It wasn’t uncommon for Glen’s table to house a bachelor or two, but nearly no one arrived at this event dateless. The bachelors seldom returned with the same date unless they were on the fast track to remove their bachelor status.

Hugh Darnell sat beside his flavor of the year. He’d started dating women who had sleek black hair and olive skin and who wouldn’t be caught eating pizza in public. Glen never did understand the pencil thin look, but Hugh leaned that way. Glen didn’t bother putting to memory the name of Hugh’s date. He was talking with the Lowtons, the token married couple at the table, about his dot-com, which he’d created in the frenzy and managed to keep relevant and lucrative ever since. Hugh’s date looked bored with the conversation and started talking fashion with Irvin Murray’s date . . . someone who Glen had met one time before . . . but her name still evaded him.

At one point during the meal Mary leaned close so only he could hear her. “How well do you know these people?”

“The Lowtons did business with my father. Hugh’s been a client for half a dozen years now . . . new money, spends it, and isn’t afraid of sharing it either. He’s generous with his executive management. Charters planes for his team constantly.”

“I would think most of the people in this room would do that.”

Glen did a quick shake of his head. “Businessmen are the worst about sharing. Our celebrities and sports figures, they share and play often.”

Mary reached for her wine and spoke over the rim of her glass. “What about Irvin?”

“Don’t know him well. Trust fund,” he said, as if that explained everything.

“What about Delilah?”

“Who?”

Mary nudged her head to the opposite side of the table. “Hugh’s date.”

“Never saw her before.”

The waiters moved around the table removing salad plates and replacing them with the main course.

“And Pnina?”

Glen made the deduction that Pnina had to be Irvin’s date.

“We’ve met, but I don’t know her.”

“Hmm.”

From what Glen could tell, Mary was deducting things inside her head with the little bit of information he’d given her. He wanted to quiz her on her observations but knew that would have to wait until those he wanted to talk about were more than a dinner plate away.

“Is your therapist hat on?” he asked.

“Is it ever off?”

Yes, he wanted to tell her . . . when she was in bed.

Dinner felt like it took forever to get through. Once the plates were cleared, Glen took the liberty to excuse both himself and Mary from the table with the ploy that he needed to introduce Mary to a few people. He did make a show of stopping at Jason’s table, where some of the guests were already up and mingling before the second half of the evening took place. The stop was brief before Glen pulled Mary to an outside patio.