Google your way home.”
“How can you leave me? I’m in the middle of a crisis.” Drama poured off her in waves.
“Of your own making,” Scott said.
“But Scott, I need you.” She touched his arm.
Scott stepped away. “Get back in your car and go home, Miss Parrish.” Pretty as a picture and crazy as a loon, that was Anastasia Parrish in a nutshell.
“Let me come with you.” She looked dejected. “You’re the only one who understands me. You saved me from that stalker.”
“And your stalker is in jail, you’re safe, and my job is done.”
“What do I do if he escapes?” She turned desperate eyes on him.
“Tell your dad and he’ll hire protection. The company I used to work for will be happy to help you again.”
“But I want you.”
“I don’t work for them any longer.”
Tears gathered in her eyes and dripped down her cheeks. “You can work for me privately.”
A lot of the guys he’d worked with would have been happy to be Princess Anastasia’s sex toy. Scott wasn’t one of them. Behind that gorgeous face, beautiful body and designer wardrobe was a lost little girl with major daddy issues and his job wasn’t to find her.
“But, Scott,” she pleaded.
“Go home, Miss Parrish, call your therapist and talk to him.” He opened the car door.
“Please, don’t go. Daddy needs you. I need you. I think I love you.”
What she needed was a good psychiatrist. Though he was probably better than the rock singer, the polo champion, the reality star or the football player she was frequently seen with—at least he wouldn’t take advantage of her.
He took her by the arm and led her back to her car, rain pouring down on them. “Go home, Miss Parrish.” He opened the car door and pushed her inside. He closed the door and walked back to his car.
She stared at him for a moment, then started the car, put it in gear and drove off.
He stood in the rain watching her drive away. Water dripped down the back of his jacket, plastering his shirt to his skin. He felt sorry for Anastasia Parrish. She had everything money could buy, but she didn’t have what she needed, a father who cared about her and a mother who didn’t brush her off and tell her to make an appointment.
He got in his SUV, started the engine and backed out of the carport. Time to get on the road. Miss E. was waiting.
Nina had never been to Reno. The closest she’d been was Lake Tahoe, where her parents used to rent a cabin during the summer months for a family getaway. From the moment the cab deposited her in front of the hotel, she knew she was going to love Reno.
The challenge of bringing a casino back to life excited her. She loved the thrill of new jobs. Though her previous jobs had been in the arena of up-and-coming actors or new movie releases, the idea of taking on a casino was another door opening in her career. Another opportunity that put her a step further away from her ex-husband who’d weighed in on not taking this job. Nina had ignored him. He had no say in her future, not anymore, not after he dumped her for Tiffani.
As a media expert, Nina traveled the world, though her base of operations was Hollywood. Hollywood was home and she loved the energy and excitement the city had. In Hollywood or any other place she’d worked in before, she could just pick up a phone and invite a dozen people to lunch. But in Reno, she knew no one except her best friend, Kenzie Russell.
At her feet her dog whimpered. The tiny affenpinscher had been a gift from Carl and she loved the little dog. King Kong pressed his tiny black nose against the mesh of his carrier. She reached down to gently stroke it.
“We’re here.” She kept her tone soothing and calm as she walked into the cool hotel, happy to be out of the heat while the bellhop trailed behind her hauling a trolley piled high with her luggage.
“Nina,” Kenzie called, waving.
“It is hot here.” Nina placed Kong’s carrier on the floor next to her feet.
“But you’re going to love it.” Kenzie laughed and reached over to hug Nina. “Welcome to Reno, Nevada, the biggest little city in the west. You look fabulous. That is an original Alexander McQueen.”
Nina smoothed a hand down the black-and-white houndstooth pattern of her silk dress. “You look pretty fab yourself.”
Kenzie wore a mint-green sheath with matching shoes that perfectly accented her dark brown eyes and mocha skin. Her long brown hair was swept up into a casual ponytail.
“What do you think?” Kenzie asked, spreading her arms wide.
“I’m still taking everything in.” Nina’s first impression of the Casa de Mariposa Hotel was one of sedate beauty of an old-world kind. It had good bones, but it needed something more. Something dramatic.
As she walked through the reception area into the casino she studied the clientele. She was struck by the lack of people under the age of thirty. Most of the stools in front of the slot machines were occupied by older men and women.
Nina tried to keep her mind open, but a stroll out to the pool showed only a couple families with young children, a few teenagers splashing in the deep end of the pool and older couples sunning themselves on the decks.
She strolled back inside, her thoughts churning, only half listening to Kenzie’s chatter.
After checking in and arranging for her luggage to be delivered to her suite, she allowed Kenzie to take her out to the pool. Nina parked herself on a stool at the bar. Kong whined from the depths of her tote bag. Nina absently patted him as she sipped the iced tea the bartender brought her. He also brought a small bowl of water for Kong.
“I know you haven’t unpacked yet, but...what do you see?” Kenzie parked herself on the stool next to Nina.
Nina took her time answering. “I see a lot of people in their forties, fifties and older, but not many younger. If you want to make this hotel casino attractive to young, hip people you need to offer the activities they want.”
“Which would be...?”
“You’re young and hip, what do you want?”
“To eat ice cream and not worry about my thighs.” Kenzie glanced down at her legs.
“I’ve seen your thighs,” Nina said with a laugh. “You don’t need to worry about them.”
“As a young woman racing toward thirty, I want to go to a nightclub. I want to have fun.” Kenzie frowned as she considered Nina’s question. “I want trendy shopping, high-energy shows with A-list celebrities, along with luxury, great food, glitz, glamour and cool.” Kenzie paused.
