Twisted Arrangement by Mora Early Read Free Book Online

chuckling.
     
    “It’s amazing, really.” Emma stroked her fingers over the silk, turning slightly and marveling at the heavy swish of the fabric around her legs. She smiled. “Did you make the woman her other dress?” Emma could well imagine one of the super rich women who she planned parties for pulling a stunt just like that.
     
    The older woman nodded, standing behind Emma and tugging the halter straps a little bit tighter. “Charged her for it, too. So, miss, what do you think? I hope you’ll take it. I’d like to see it go to a good home.”
     
    Emma bit her lip. “I’ll take it,” she replied, before she could second-guess herself. “And please, call me Emma.”
     
    Half an hour later Emma left Beatrice and her shop, cleverly named Bea-spoke, with the dress and matching pair of dangerously high heels wrapped up neatly in a bag. Still, she assured herself, just because she had a ball gown now didn’t mean she was going to the ball. She just couldn’t pass up a deal, that’s all.
     
    She was humming as she popped into a local coffee shop to grab a quick latte.
     
    “I almost didn’t recognize you without the business suit,” said someone behind her. Emma froze. She knew that voice.
     
    “How are you, Miss. . . .” Josh trailed off, blinking. “I just realized I don’t know your last name.”
     
    Emma’s heart was doing its own flamenco dance as she spun to face him, trying to surreptitiously hide the bag behind her back. Which was ridiculous. It’s not like the man had x-ray vision. “Emma’s fine.” She forced a small smile, hoping he’d let it go.
     
    She breathed a small sigh of relief when he shrugged. “Emma, then. And call me Josh, please.” He flashed her that mega-watt Hollywood smile.
     
    She flushed, ducking her head to hide her eyes in case they flared with her anger. Now he was flirting with her? He must have finally realized that Clarice would be as involved in planning his party as she was with the price of tea in China. Clearly buttering Emma up, distasteful as it might be, was his next best plan. She kept her voice quiet and even as she replied.
     
    “Okay, Josh,” she said, trying to bite back the irritation she felt at his intrusion on her day off. She waited to see if he was going to say more.
     
    He motioned her up to the counter ahead of him. “What’ll you have?”
     
    “I can get my own—”
     
    He held up his hand to forestall her. “Call it a business meeting. I insist.”
     
    Of course he did. That’s what people like Josh Owens always did. They insisted. Like spoiled children going ‘mine, mine, mine’. Her back stiff, Emma nodded and turned to the teenage barista. “I’ll have a mocha latte, extra whip, please.”
     
    The girl pressed a series of buttons and called the order back over her shoulder before shooting a big smile in Josh’s direction. “What can I get ya, Mr. O? The usual, or you want to try something new today?”
     
    Josh chuckled. “I don’t know, Amber. What do you recommend?”
     
    Emma was surprised he knew the girl’s name, and even more surprised at their easy banter. She wouldn’t have imagined Josh was the type to do more than bark his order. Amber made a face, screwing up her forehead and pursing her lips.
     
    “I bet you’d like the Zombie,” she said at last, looking triumphant. “It’s two shots of espresso mixed with a Red Bull, garnished with a coffee bean ‘brain’.”
     
    “I see,” Josh said. “And it’s called the Zombie because. . . ?”
     
    Amber grinned. “One of those and it’ll take a bullet to the head to put you down.”
     
    Josh laughed. “Sold. One Zombie and one mocha latte, extra whip. Put it on my tab.” He winked.
     
    “Sure thing, Mr. O.” Amber’s fingers flew over the buttons, and then she bustled back to the coffee machines to start making their drinks. Emma watched the whole exchange with interest. She was surprised that Josh talked to the barista like a