Tacked to Death Read Online Free PDF Page B

freaking bind, lady,
and you know how life can be unfair sometimes. I think your friend
Camden in there might have a nervous breakdown if I
walk."
    She had one thing right: Michaela was
in a bind. She still felt the models could apply goop to their own
faces, but she thought about Camden and how much this meant to her.
"Fine. I'll double your pay."
    "Give it to me now."
    Michaela sighed. "Tell you what. I'll
go back in and ask Sterling to dress elsewhere. You can get started
on the next model and I'll write you a check."
    "Fine. Here's my card. My last name can
be hard to spell." She took a card out of her apron. "Oh sorry,
there's an address on the back, but I don't need it anymore.
Anyway, that's my last card."
    "No problem." Michaela took the card
and marched back in to confront Camden. "You need to get Sterling
Taber out of here now."
    "No! What? Why? I already told you that
he's the star of the show."
    "Here's the deal, sis. Your star said
some disrespectful things to the makeup girl and she's ready to
walk. I've convinced her to stay as long as she doesn't have to
deal with him, along with some extra cash on top of it."
    "Why, that little bitch," Camden
replied.
    "That little bitch is extremely
offended by Mr. Taber. And, as you mentioned, she is the best and
you seem to think we need her."
    Camden looked mortified. "What am I
supposed to do?"
    "I don't know. You and Sterling seemed
to be buddy-buddy. I think you can figure it out."
    "What does that mean?"
    "Nothing, really. I just noticed during
the course of putting this thing together over the last few months
that you got along well with him."
    "Everyone gets along with him. He's a
great guy."
    "Whatever you say." From what she had
seen, not everyone got along well with Sterling at all.
    "Michaela, are you implying something?
I'm engaged, for goodness' sakes. I would never cheat on
Dwayne."
    "I know that. You better not anyway.
Why even say something like that?"
    Camden's face softened. "I don't know
why I'd say something like that. Of course you know that I would
never cheat on Dwayne."
    "Didn't cross my mind. For one thing,
Sterling is just a kid, what twenty-five or something?"
    "Twenty-six."
    "Right. Get him out of here. I've done
what I can to make this go smoothly. It's time for you to use your
finesse."
    Camden shrugged. "Okay, I'll get him
out of here. Now, can you tell Erin to get in here and get the
other models finished?"
    Michaela watched as Camden approached
Sterling, who was talking to Tommy Liggett. After a few minutes,
Camden had succeeded in luring Sterling out of the area and Erin
came back in to finish her work.
    Michaela needed to grab a quick shower
and wash the perfume à la equine off her. There wasn't much time,
but it was necessary.
    On her way to check on the silent
auction items, she spotted Robert Nightingale and his wife, glass
of wine in hand, engaged in conversation with Ed Mitchell. Robert
must have changed his mind about coming to the event. Interesting.
She'd be sure to avoid him. She didn't want to answer any questions
about what she'd spotted on his desk. Facts were, it really was
none of her business. Though she did wonder if it had been Sterling
who'd written the unpleasantry across the invoice, or maybe Robert
had written it in anger because the bill hadn't been
paid.
    She wound her way through the crowd and
entered the back room of the tack shop. The storage area was a mess
with discarded clothing, purses, and backpacks scattered all about,
the remains of the flurry to dress the models and get them ready to
strut their stuff up on the catwalk.
    Michaela headed to the private office
area that she shared with Camden and set her purse and mallet down.
She'd already hung up the outfit she wanted to change into when
she'd gotten there this morning—a teal-colored sheath dress, simple
and casual but also classy. She brought it with her to the bathroom
off to the side of the office and kitchen, and took a quick shower.
Getting out,