As Didi ducked out of the office, Parker and Dean quickly exchanged a look of panic, which Jack didn’t miss.
“I thought you said the Shotelle job was off because the lady told him to take a hike.”
Parker grimly rose from his chair. “She did.”
Jack’s blue eyes narrowed. “You know this for a fact?”
Parker and Dean nodded.
Jack glanced at each one of them, then let out a groan and jabbed his finger at them. “Oh, for fuck’s sake. You two are such assholes! You slept with—”
“Shut it,” Parker hissed, glancing at the open door.
Jack lowered his voice to a barely audible whisper. “You slept with her? After you gave me so much shit about not hitting on those sexy damsels who hired me to play DD at their stagette? Oh, I’m getting you guys back for this. Mark my words.”
“Right this way, Mr. Shotelle.” Didi’s voice.
A moment later, Phil Shotelle entered the office. He was decked out in another fancy suit, dark hair groomed and face clean-shaven, and seeing him again sparked Parker’s ire. He suddenly pictured this creep putting his hands all over Lynn’s delectable body, and had to fight the urge to slug the guy.
“Mr. Shotelle,” he said, his voice harder than he intended. “I was about to phone you.”
“With an update about the date you’re planning, I hope,” Phil said coolly. “Which you neglected to do yesterday.”
“That’s what we wanted to talk to you about.” Parker hesitated, wondering how to proceed.
Fortunately, Dean took over in his typical no-bullshit fashion. “We can’t do it.”
Displeasure instantly filled the man’s eyes. “What are you talking about?”
“Part of our job is to do a little digging about the likes and dislikes of a client’s partner, so we can better plan the date,” Dean explained. “And in our digging, we got confirmation that you and Ms. Davidson are no longer together.”
”Nonsense. Of course we’re still together,” Shotelle snapped.
“We don’t feel comfortable planning something when the lady clearly isn’t on board with the relationship,” Parker said in a polite tone. “If your situation changes, we’d be happy to work with you again and—”
“Go fuck yourself.”
Shotelle’s abrupt exclamation caused all three men to raise their eyebrows. The F-bomb was unexpected, and Parker didn’t miss the note of desperation ringing in the man’s voice.
“I hired you to plan a date for this weekend.” Shotelle’s cheeks reddened. “If you can’t do it, you’re of no use to me.”
“We’re sorry to hear that,” Parker said carefully.
The other man looked him up and down for a moment, his lips curling in a sneer. “I expect my deposit will be returned to me immediately?”
Parker offered a pleasant smile. “Our receptionist already has a bank draft waiting for you at her desk.”
“Good.” Shotelle stalked to the door, then halted. “I’d like to say it was a pleasure, but I don’t make a habit of lying. So…good day, sirs.”
The second he was gone, a huge grin stretched Dean’s lips. “Good day, sirs? What is he, a character on Downton Abbey?”
Jack snorted. “Charming fellow. Can’t say I’m disappointed to see him go.”
“I’ll walk him out,” Dean offered, heading rapidly after their ex-assignment. “I want to make sure he doesn’t give Didi any grief before the front door hits him in the ass.”
After Dean vanished, Jack opened his mouth again, probably intending to finish berating Parker for their little faux pas the previous night. But before he could, the phone went off, and Parker leapt to answer it, grateful to Didi for the distraction.
He clicked on the speakerphone. “You can give Shotelle the refund.”
“Thanks for your permission, but I ain’t got no Shotelles, nor refunds, big brother. Just little ol’ me and one shiny new diploma.”
Holy Christopher. “Pepper? Is that you?”
“Don’t sound so surprised. It’s not as if I fell off the face of the earth or anything. I’m in college, not outer space. Jeez, you’d think I never called, but it’s only been a couple weeks.” His little sister spoke with the same rapid-fire cadence she’d always used, as if trying to get in as many words as possible before he made her stop.
“It’s been long enough, especially since I seem to remember you hung up on me in the middle of a sentence last time.”
“Oh, that.”
A flash of movement crossed his peripheral vision, and Parker glanced over at his best friend. Jack had lowered himself onto the couch, his arms crossed as if waiting to finish Parker’s lecture.
“Yes, that,” Parker said into the speaker. “I even remember what we were talking about, in case you need to be reminded.”