Dirty Deal (A Perfectly Matched Novel) (Entangled Brazen) Read Free Page B

family estate—the other thing her grandmother had left her—was well known in Salem and could handle a party of five hundred, if need be. A place even close to comparable would cost the hospital in excess of ten thousand dollars for a night, and she’d offered two nights.
    The auctioneer’s brows rose and she held up a finger. “I’ll…be right back!” She started to scurry backstage as the room broke into excited chatter, but she’d barely taken two steps when a sturdy, elderly woman at the table full of hospital board members jumped up and shouted, “Sold!”
    Crazy bitch from across the table squawked, but now that the spotlight had swung toward them, she ramped down the psycho and sat, fists clenched, face ruddy with rage, but quiet.
    The auctioneer headed back to the lectern and banged her gavel once, a grin lighting her pretty face. “Excellent, thank you Chairwoman Spencer, and thanks to you, Ms. Elliott, for your more than generous donation.” The closing remarks continued on, but Serena tuned them out.
    Her mission here was complete.
    Hasta la vista , baby. She smirked at her fallen competitor and grabbed Grace’s hand.
    “Oh my God, you rock!” her friend said, beaming. “That was genius. Thank you!”
    “Glad you’re happy. Now let’s get the hell out of Dodge before Loony Tunes Magee here follows us.” She pulled her friend along to the backstage, where all the winners were being ushered in to collect their prizes for the night.
    The auctioneer led them to a waiting room, and Serena glanced at her watch. “Okay, looks like my work is done here. You crazy kids have fun on your little date. And be good. Trick’s at home waiting for you, and he’ll spank you if you’re bad.” She shot her friend a wink. “I’m going to go curl up and watch five hours of Million Dollar Listing before passing out in front of my TV. I’ll see you at work on Monday.”
    She grinned at her friend, but Grace grimaced in response.
    Uh-oh.
    “What?”
    “I’m rethinking this plan,” Grace said, and then started chewing on her bottom lip.
    “You’ll be fine. You’re a great businesswoman. Once you have his undivided attention, I’m sure he’ll cave.” Her stomach was wriggling in a way that let her know some shit was about to go down. Grace might be magic when it came to matchmaking, but Serena’s instincts when it came to impending clusterfucks was legendary, and something felt seriously off here.
    Grace shook her head. “He doesn’t like me. I’m pretty sure he thinks I’m annoying. I’ve already tried a bunch of times to get this guy on board, and he won’t listen to me. I wonder if it’s time to bring out the big guns?”
    “Like torture? Because I have some pliers if you need them.” Serena raised her eyebrows, sensing where this was going but refusing to bite.
    “Not exactly. I was just thinking. You don’t have any plans tonight. Maybe he’d be more willing to listen to a young, single blonde with radiant charm—”
    “Flattery will get you nowhere.”
    And it was true. Sure, she had a way of getting what she wanted most times, but she wasn’t the one who wanted Bryan Metcalf. Surely the sheer passion and determination Grace had shown would have to net better results than anything Serena could do to convince him.
    “I’ve called him a bunch and now he won’t even answer the phone. I’m pretty sure I’ve worn out my welcome, but you’re fresh meat. Look, all I’m saying is that you have a much better shot than I do. Plus, Trick just got back from a week of training new SWAT recruits at the academy. Come on, Serena, take one for the team.” Grace’s brown eyes went soft and pleading. “How bad could it be? Five-course dinner, a limo ride, the works. It’s one night out of your life. For the business? For me?”
    Wow, the friend guilt. Hard core.
    Still, maybe Grace was right. She’d go out, have some drinks, and try to charm the doctor. Then she could go home and have her