Whatever You Like by Maureen Smith Read Free Book Online

“Are you gonna eat that or stare at it?”
    Laughing, Lena slid her plate across the table. “Buon appetito.”

Chapter Five
    L ena’s cell phone rang as she stepped through the front door of her downtown Chicago condo. She dug the phone out of her handbag and answered, “Hello?”
    â€œHello, there,” Zandra Kennedy’s smooth, friendly voice greeted her. “Did I catch you at a bad time?”
    â€œNot at all. I just got back from visiting my grandfather.”
    â€œHow’s he doing?”
    â€œHe’s doing great,” Lena replied, setting her handbag on the foyer table and stepping out of her stiletto boots. “When I left, he and his friend Abraham were about to play chess. I warned the staff to be on standby in case they get into one of their blood-pressure-raising arguments.”
    Zandra chuckled. “Isn’t Abraham the feisty old Jewish guy who always begs you to sing ‘Stormy Weather,’ then critiques your performance by pointing out whichnotes you should hold longer to sound more like Lena Horne?”
    Lena laughed. “That’s him.”
    Thanks to her grandfather, she’d been named after the late, legendary songstress and had grown up listening to her music and watching her films. When she was a little girl, she’d enjoyed donning a wig and regaling her grandparents with her off-key but heartfelt rendition of “Stormy Weather.” Though her singing had improved over the years, she now limited her “performances” to the annual holiday party at the retirement home, where most of the attendees wore hearing aids anyway.
    â€œI’m glad your grandfather’s doing well,” Zandra said warmly. “I know how much you worry about him.”
    Lena smiled. “No more than he worries about me.”
    As she stepped down into the living room, her feet sank into plush carpeting. Carpeted floors had been a requirement when she’d first begun her apartment search after moving to Chicago. Though she appreciated her condo’s spacious rooms, high ceilings and scenic view of the downtown skyline, she couldn’t have survived her first Chicago winter without carpeted floors, as well as a fireplace and heated parking.
    â€œSo,” Zandra said, getting to the reason for her call, “how’d things go with Roderick last night?”
    Lena gulped hard, dropping weakly onto the sofa. She’d hoped to put off talking to Zandra for as long as possible. But she should have known better. Zandra had been unusually excited when she’d contacted Lena about going out with Roderick. She’d been so eager to reach Lena that she’d even broken protocol by calling her at work after leaving two messages on her cell phone. Lena had chalked up Zandra’s urgent behavior to Roderick’sbillionaire status, though he certainly wasn’t the agency’s first billionaire client, nor would he be the last.
    â€œLena?” Zandra prompted. “Are you still there?”
    â€œYes, I’m here,” Lena said, striving for a normal tone. “Things went well last night.”
    â€œReally?”
    â€œReally. We, uh, had a great time.”
    â€œThat’s wonderful!” Zandra exclaimed. “I knew you and Roderick would hit it off!”
    You don’t know the half of it, Lena thought with a grimace.
    â€œI told him you’d be perfect for him,” Zandra crowed.
    â€œYeah, he may have mentioned that.”
    â€œClearly I was right.” Zandra sounded way too pleased with herself.
    Lena swallowed. If she weren’t such a damn coward, she’d tell Zandra the truth about what she and Roderick had done. After all, she’d violated the agency’s policy—again—by having sex with him. Her lack of self-control could cost Zandra her business, her reputation—hell, her freedom—if the agency ever came under investigation for prostitution. She owed