The Love Triangle. Nic Tatano

CHAPTER FOUR

      “Well, if it isn’t the unidentified stunning redhead.”

      Lexi studied Chandler’s face. “What the hell are you talking about?”

      He handed her the day’s edition of the New York Post, open to the gossip section known as Page Six. Her eyes went wide as she saw the photo of herself with Jake Frost getting into the limo. “Holy shit!” Then a smile slowly grew. “Hmmm…. they actually called me stunning.”

      “My sentiments exactly.”

      “The holy shit part or the fact that you’re surprised they called me stunning?”

      “I’m not at all surprised at your description in the publication, as you have, since the day I met you, consistently underestimated your appeal to those of the male persuasion. As for the expletive involving excrement, since when are you being escorted about town by a professional athlete? Were you unable to log on to Ashley Madison’s website?”

      “Oh, stop it. I don’t need to visit an affair website. I met him at the Jets’ news conference the other day. He asked me out and seemed like a good guy.” She pulled off her sunglasses. “Damn, it’s bright in here.”

      Chandler moved closer to get a good look at her bloodshot eyes. “Ah, revenge of the grape.”

      “Don’t remind me. But do remind me not to drink champagne on a weeknight when I have to go to work the next day. I feel like someone’s hitting a Chinese gong in my head. I think I’ll just work on those press releases all day.”

      “Perhaps not. Mister Caruso called again with yet another emergency request for your help with one of his clients.”

      “When did he call?”

      “Five minutes ago.” He handed her a message slip.

      “Okay, let me see what he needs. This could be a very lucrative client. And he seems like a really good guy.”

      “You met him?”

      “No, we talked on the phone forever the other night. Really had a connection.”

      “Speaking of connections, what’s the story with the aforementioned professional athlete?”

      “Yeah, we had a connection as well, but I’m regretting it this morning.”

      “Since you’re wearing a different outfit than yesterday, I assumed you were not doing the proverbial walk of shame.”

      “Hey, what kind of a girl do you think I am? No, I meant that since I’m on the rebound I should be taking things slow and they got a bit out of hand last night. But not that far out of hand. Champagne on a first date is a bad idea for me. Anyway, let me get back to Kyle and see what he’s got for me.”

      “Meanwhile, I’ll work up a dossier on the weekend gladiator.”

      “He’s a football player, not a guy fighting lions in the Coliseum.”

      “Similar occupation, different era. Regardless, I wish you to know who you might be getting into bed with. Literally and/or figuratively.”

      “You don’t have to do that—”

      “I should have done it with your last paramour.”

      “Point taken, Chandler. Knock yourself out. Dig up as much dirt as you can find. Hopefully you won’t discover anything, but better safe than sorry.”

      She headed into her office, pulled her cell from her purse and dialed Kyle’s number. He picked up on the first ring. “Lexi, thanks for calling back so quick.”

      “Not a problem, Kyle, what do you need?”

      “One more athlete who needs an attitude adjustment. But at least this one’s not in trouble with the police.” Lexi took notes as he went over the situation. “Anyway, as usual I’m stuck out of town and was hoping you could knock some sense into the kid.”

      “Sure, happy to do it.”

      “Great. He can be at my office later this morning if your schedule permits you to meet him there. Oh, and I’ve told my executive assistant, Donna, to cut you a check for last week and today.”

      “Kyle, you’re my kind of client.”

      “Hey, you dropped what you were doing for me at the last minute, so the least I can do is pay you quick.”

      “Thanks, I appreciate it. So give me the address for your office.” Her eyes went wide as he told her. “Are you kidding me?”

      “Why would I kid about my address?”

      “You’re not gonna believe this, but we’re in the same building!”

      “Are you kidding me?”

      “That’s my line. Anyway, you’re one floor up from me.”

      “Damn, small world. We both share office space in the same dump.”

      “No argument here,” she said with a sigh.

      “The rent’s cheap and since I just went out on my own, I have to keep expenses down,” he explained.

      “Same story here, so I know where you’re coming from.”

      “Well, I guess I won’t have to reimburse you for a cab fare.”

      She laughed. “Yeah. Anyway, I’ll wander upstairs in a couple of hours and make your problem go away.”

      “Thanks, Lexi, I cannot thank you enough. One of these days I’ll do it in person.”

      ***

      Lexi took the stairs, since Kyle’s office was only one flight up. Besides, the elevator in the old building was always an adventure, and the standing joke was that if the hamster fell off the treadmill that powered the ancient thing you’d get stuck.

      She found the door marked “Caruso Agency”, which turned out to be right over her own office. She entered the office and found a sharp-looking thirty-something brunette manning the reception desk. The woman looked up and smiled as she stood up and extended her hand. “I’ll bet you’re Lexi. I’m Donna, Kyle’s executive assistant.”

      Lexi shook her hand. “So nice to meet you, Donna.” Though she hadn’t met Kyle, he certainly had good taste in assistants. The woman was petite, maybe five-two, with huge brown eyes, high cheekbones and long, wavy mahogany hair down to the middle of her back. Very exotic. Very Italian. “So, where’s the guy I’m here to fix?”

      “Every woman’s dream, huh? And you get paid to do it. Right this way.” Donna led her into a small meeting room occupied by a large blonde man, who was busy staring at his cell phone. “This is Franklin Jessup. Franklin, this is Lexi Harlow, the woman Kyle sent over for you.”

      The guy looked up from his phone and stood up, towering over both women, and built like a Coke machine. “Nice to meet you.”

      Lexi looked up at the hulk. “You might not think so when we’re done.”

      “Can I get you anything to drink?” asked Donna.

      Lexi sat at the small round table. “Big glass of water, thanks.” She gestured to the chair opposite her. “Have a seat, Franklin. So, you’re in trouble for your tweets and Facebook posts.”

      The guy exhaled as he sat down with a hangdog look. “Yeah. I’ve been getting into arguments with fans and I guess some people took my last tweet the wrong way and got offended. I was just joking around. Coach fined me and then called Mister Caruso. Mister Caruso told me I should do exactly what you tell me to do.”

      “Why don’t you just stay off the Internet?”

      He shrugged. “I dunno. I guess