Sizzle in the City Read Online Free PDF Page A

the Beautiful Brit,” Calla pointed out. She handed over an armload of dirty serving platters. “I didn’t get a whole lot out of Max.”
    “Of course you didn’t,” Victoria said drily, storing the last of the warming trays on the rack installed in the back of the van. “He’s a swindler. He’s an expert at deceit and misdirection.”
    “But I’m a professional information gatherer.” Calla frowned. “He bragged a lot, which I expected, but refused to set up a time for my City Magazine interview, even though he’d agreed to do it.”
    “Empty promises,” Victoria said.
    “And,” Calla continued, “he never gave many details about his plans or his partners of this new venture, if there are any.”
    “We did overhear the information about the investors’ meeting scheduled for next week,” Victoria reminded them.
    “Investors for what, though?” Calla asked.
    “Whatever his backup plan might be after he screws up this hotel thing.” Victoria dusted off her immaculate black pantsuit as she climbed out of the van. “It’s obvious he doesn’t have a clue about the business. I talked to him for three minutes and knew that much. And he had cold eyes, dismissive, arrogant.”
    “I didn’t see that,” Shelby said, surprised by her friend’s assessment.
    Victoria waved off her concern. “Not important. I’m just put off by the subterfuge of this whole thing. I prefer the direct route, as you know.”
    Calla fisted her hand at her side. “We need to get invited to that investors meeting.” With a sigh, she sat on the tailgate of the van. “Somehow.”
    Shelby heard her own frustrated reflection echoed by her buddies, but her regrets were more personal. She knew she should be focused on Max, but Trevor dominated her thoughts. She’d all but thrown herself into the man’s arms at one point. “Why did I blab to him like a starry-eyed gossip?”
    Calla stared at her. “Max?”
    “Trevor,” Victoria answered before Shelby could. “And you didn’t. You gave him your cover story.”
    Shelby resisted the urge to sink onto the floor of the van. “And my business card, my last name and, oh, yeah, yours and Calla’s names and what you were doing at the party.”
    “What we were allegedly doing,” Victoria insisted.
    Shelby recalled the gleam in Trevor’s eyes—and not just the carnal one. “He knew we were up to something.”
    “So?” Calla countered. “ He’s probably up to something, and Max definitely is. We’re going to find out what. Remember, to think like a shark, you have to swim with the fishes.”
    Victoria planted her hands on her hips. “That metaphor is all wrong.”
    “Do sharks even think?” was Shelby’s instinctive question.
    “Don’t sharks eat fish?” Victoria added.
    Calla waved her hand. “Doesn’t matter.”
    “It does if you’re the fish,” Shelby said.
    “Which we are not.” Calla helped Shelby out of the van, then they closed the doors. “We are women, hear us holla. ”
    “That’s roar,” Victoria countered.
    Calla shook her head. “Trust me, it’s holla. I recently did a piece on urban slang.”
    “It doesn’t matter if we bellow, shriek or wail,” Shelby said, leaning against the van. “We’ll still be two steps behind, and I still won’t know anything about that Trevor character.”
    Calla patted her shoulder. “Don’t worry about him. I’m all over that.” She cocked her head. “I’ve seen him somewhere before. I just can’t place the circumstance.”
    “And I’ll start asking around about the investors’ meeting and what it’s for.” Victoria slid her arm around Shelby’s waist in a rare show of physical affection. “Max will need money for this new project, so my family will be high on the list. Don’t stress out. We’re going to get this guy.”
    Shelby leaned against Victoria and at the same time grasped Calla’s hand. Her friends’ support meant everything. They’d been through bad breakups, job losses and family