Behaving Badly in Vegas (Vegas Love #3)

16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Hunter

I woke up in my wrinkled pants and the rest of my clothes strewn about, feeling like demons had taken over my body and dragged me through hell. Last night was a blur. It wasn’t the first time I’d come home drunk, and it wouldn’t be the last. I’d stopped at The Rabbit Hole for a drink. One drink turned into two, and two turned into three. Before I knew it, the bartender cut me off. The only good decision I’d made was calling an Uber to take me home.

After a shower and a protein shake, I crept into Carina’s room. I should have come home right after work yesterday. It was one thing to blow off the nanny; it was another to blow off my daughter. Despite the vow I made to change my ways for her, the selfishness I’d embraced for the last thirty years reared its ugly head. I was determined to show her a leopard could change his spots. Unfortunately, it wasn’t going to happen overnight.

“Good morning, princess.” I rubbed her tummy. Her eyes fluttered open. It hadn’t been my intent to wake her, but I wasn’t sorry it happened. She kicked her little legs, cocooned inside her pink pajamas, and her face scrunched up as she started to cry. Carina was such a happy baby that the crying scared me a little bit. Whoever decided I should be responsible for another human being was an idiot.

I picked her up and cradled her to my chest and she quieted instantly. “Shhh, princess. Let’s get you changed, then Daddy will get you some breakfast.” I hoped to God she was only wet. With the hangover I was sporting, I didn’t think my stomach could handle a poopy diaper. Once I got her legs out of her jammies, I peeked inside her diaper. Seeing the all clear, I praised her, “You do love your daddy, don’t you?”

I never aspired to be an expert diaper changer, but like every other challenge that’d been thrown my way, I mastered it quickly. You’d never see it on my résumé, but I still counted it as a win. With a clean baby in my arms, I headed to the kitchen and prepared a bottle. My sleepy girl rested her head on my shoulder peacefully.

“Was she crying?” A groggy Charli came down the hallway, rubbing her eyes.

“No. I went in to see her and accidentally woke her up.” I screwed on the top of the bottle with one hand and began feeding Carina.

“Do you want me to take her?” Charli offered.

“I got it,” I said, sitting on a stool at the granite island. “You can go back to bed.”

“I’m up now.” She shuffled to the coffee maker and inserted a pod, then pulled a mug from the cabinet. “You got home late.”

I didn’t owe her an explanation, but since lately I was handing out apologies like candy at a parade, I tossed one her way. “Sorry for making you worry.”

“You’re a grown man; you can do what you want. A call or a text would have been nice though.” The last of her coffee sputtered into the mug. She added creamer to the brew and took a sip. “I found you passed out in Carina’s room with her grasped in your arms.

The picture she painted was pathetic. “Jesus.”

“No worries. I put you both to bed.”

That explained waking up with my pants on. “Thank you for taking care of us. ”

She shrugged. “It’s what you pay me for.”

Only half of that was true. “I’m going to do better. That doesn’t mean I won’t fuck up again, but I’m going to try.”

“You’re doing your best. I’ll give you a pass for becoming an instant parent and starting a new job all in the same week.”

“I appreciate that.” Carina’s little hands reached up in an attempt to hold the bottle. It was the first time I’d seen it happen. Such a little thing, but I’d already missed so much I felt like it was a big thing. “She ever do this when you feed her?”

Charli shook her head. “Nope. That’s a first.”

Not wanting to seem overexcited, I simply nodded.

“How is the new job going?”

My lips twisted to the side. “Not as well as I hoped. A lot has changed, and I haven’t received the warmest welcome.”

“It’ll get better,” she encouraged. “I mean, you’re family; they can’t hate you forever.”

“Actually, they could, but I’m working on it.” The family dinner Gia insisted I bring Charli to sat in the back of my mind. I hadn’t yet decided if I was going to acquiesce to the demand, so I didn’t mention it. “How’s your new job?”

Charli took another sip of her coffee and tapped her nails on the counter as she thought about her answer. “The accommodations are amazing, and Carina is about the sweetest baby I’ve ever seen. I’d say I lucked out, except my boss is a dick sometimes.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “What a coincidence, so is mine.”

“Yeah. He’s a bit ridiculous with the daily agendas and perpetual lists. No offense, but he can also be a grumpy fuck.”

That made me really laugh. I appreciated a woman who told it like it was. “I’ll speak to management and see what I can do. No promises.” Charlotte Bently was a pleasant surprise. The doubts I had about hiring her to care for my daughter were gone. There was no way I’d be having this conversation with Ms. Peters.

“Thanks. Since I don’t see an agenda for the day, is there anything you need me to do? ”

Carina finished her bottle, so I leaned her over my shoulder and tapped her back with my palm. “I can’t think of anything.”

“You really should put a towel on your shoulder when you do that in case she spits up.”

A few more taps and Carina let out a belch that would challenge a college frat boy. Instantly, I felt the wetness soaking into my back. “Too late.”

“Let me take her.” Charli took Carina and propped her on her hip while grabbing a dish towel. “Look what you did to your daddy, you silly girl.” Carina laughed and buried her head in Charli’s neck.

I waved the towel away and stripped out of my dress shirt. Baby spit-up wasn’t as gross as the squash from the other night. This I could deal with.

Charli looked away from my naked chest and her cheeks turned pink. Interesting. The woman was full of sass. I didn’t expect a bit of bare skin to make her blush, not that I could say I minded much.

“There is one thing you can do for me today. I was going to drop my dry cleaning off before work, but I’m getting a later start than I planned. I know it’s not part of your job, but would you mind doing it for me? I’ve been going through shirts faster than chicken wings at an all-you-can-eat buffet.”

Charli held out her hand. “Sure. You need me to pick them up too?”

“Thank you. I’ll pick them up on my way home,” I said, handing her the shirt. “There’s a bunch more in my hamper. I’ll text you the dry cleaner I use.” I glanced at the clock. “Shit. I gotta get going, or I’ll be late.” I still had to stop at The Rabbit Hole to get my car.

Charli followed me to my bedroom as I went to get a clean shirt. “I’ve been meaning to ask you… I’m going to look for a gym around here that will allow me to bring Carina. Any suggestions?”

I stepped into my walk-in closet and pulled a pale-blue shirt from the hanger. “There’s a fitness center with a pool on the first floor of this building. A perk of living here. Feel free to use it.”

Her eyes lit up. “Really? Can I take Carina swimming? ”

I grabbed a tie and knotted it around my neck. “Only if you protect her with your life,” I said, heading back down the hallway to grab my wallet and keys.

Charli scurried behind me, with Carina still on her hip. “I will. I promise. Does she have a bathing suit?”

“No. Order whatever you need and have it delivered. Bathing suit. Floaties. Life Jacket. Don’t you need special diapers too? Charge it to the card and don’t skimp on quality. I don’t want my daughter drowning because you wanted to save a few bucks.” My keys were on the hall table but not my wallet. “Damn it! Where is my wallet?” I patted my pants pockets, knowing damn well it wasn’t there.

“Maybe in Carina’s room.” Charli hurried to Carina’s room and came back waving my wallet in the air. “It was under the crib.”

I sighed. “Thank you.” More evidence of my debauchery last night. I quickly pulled up the Uber app and ordered a car. “I gotta go. My ride will be here in four minutes.”

“Have a good day.” She picked up Carina’s hand and waved at me.

I kissed my smiling daughter on the cheek. “Bye, princess. Do Daddy a favor and poop while I’m gone.”

Charli swatted me on the shoulder. “Get out of here.”

Backing out the door, I headed to the elevator while Charli and Carina waved at me. “I’ll be home earlier than yesterday.”

“Don’t threaten me like that!”

The elevator opened and I stepped inside. Not until I was five floors down did I realize I was smiling.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Moroski.”

Leonard glared at me through his wire-rimmed glasses. “What do you need, Hunter? ”

The use of my first name didn’t escape me. His constant need to remind me of my place grated my nerves, along with his fancy Harvard diploma hanging on my office wall. “I wanted to let you know payroll is finished and awaiting your approval.”

“Already?”

“Yes. I was wondering what you’d like me to work on next?”

Leonard looked at his watch. “You can get my lunch. Go to the deli downstairs and get me a club sandwich and dark roast coffee with a hint of chocolate.”

He had to be joking. I wasn’t his personal assistant. “Excuse me?”

“Lunch. Are you capable of getting lunch? Also, I’m almost out of sticky notes. I’ll need you to go buy some.”

My fists clenched. “I’m sure there are plenty of sticky notes in the supply closet.”

“Not the blue ones.” He held up a stack to show me. “I only use the blue sticky notes for finances. Being organized is essential to doing this job efficiently. You could learn a thing or two.”

Leonard Morosk-hole was walking a razor-thin edge with my patience. I took another step into his… my office. The only thing that kept me from pummeling him was my father. I’d never prove myself to my family if I punched my boss during my first week. There were other ways to prove myself. Leonard and I might have had the same degree, but he didn’t have a clue how my mind worked. With each condescending comment, it went to a darker and darker place. “My time and skills would be better spent dissecting the profit and loss sheets to investigate why Mystique is losing money.”

He took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “When I took this job, the books were a mess. It’s taken me a year to straighten everything out. I’ll let you know if I need them fucked up again.”

That was it! Every word out of his mouth was a damn lie. The books were immaculate when I left. Say what you wanted about me, but I took pride in my work. Insinuating my work was shoddy was the last straw. The gloves officially came off .

I smiled at him. “Whatever you think is best. Would you like me to get your lunch first and then get the office supplies?”

“That would be excellent.” He pulled out his wallet and handed me twenty dollars. “That should cover lunch and the sticky notes.”

Barely. It didn’t matter. I’d pay for the sticky notes myself just to get out of the office. When I was the CFO, I regularly bought lunch or coffee for my staff, something I doubted Leonard ever did. “I’ll be back in a jiffy with your lunch,” I said, taking the money.

I headed down to the deli and ordered a club sandwich and dark roast coffee, minus the hint of chocolate . I also got a sandwich for Daniel. Then I stopped into the convenience store where we stocked toiletries, snacks, books, and other last-minute items guests might need and grabbed a box of chocolate-flavored laxatives, which I happily paid for myself. Mr. Morosk-hole was going to get his hint of chocolate. I stirred them into the coffee until they fully dissolved and headed back upstairs.

“Your lunch,” I said, setting the bag and coffee on his desk.

He looked at me skeptically. “Did you remember the chocolate in my coffee?”

“Absolutely. I watched it go in the cup.”

Leonard picked up his coffee and took a sip, closing his eyes as he savored the flavor. “Perfect. You might have finally found your calling.”

“I aim to please. If there’s nothing else, I’ll head out to get your sticky notes.”

He waved his hand at me dismissively.

I took my time and wandered through the casino, pulling the handle of a slot machine a few times before getting to my car. Then I drove down the Strip, windows open and radio blaring, for once not bothered by the congested streets. I’d barely begun my attack on Leonard, and I already enjoyed it more than anything else in the last year. Funny how a stupid college prank could bring so much happiness. Immature? Yes. Satisfying? Also, yes.

After stopping at the office supply store and my favorite electronics store, I made my way back to Mystique. When the elevator opened on the second floor, my body buzzed with excitement. An hour was plenty of time for the secret ingredient I added to Leonard’s coffee to kick in.

As I walked toward his office, the smell got stronger and stronger. I held a hand over my nose to keep it from infiltrating my nostrils. Daniel and my father stood outside Leonard’s door, holding their own noses. “What’s going on?” I asked.

“Mr. Moroski is shouting something about food poisoning,” Daniel answered.

“That’s impossible. I got his food myself. From our deli. It must be something else.”

“That’s what I said,” my father agreed. Loud moans and sounds of flatulence echoed throughout the office. “This is ridiculous.” He braved the awful smell of the office and knocked on the bathroom door inside. “Leonard, you’re sick. You need to go home.”

“I’m not sick. I was poisoned,” he yelled.

“Not in my hotel, you weren’t. I don’t appreciate you saying otherwise. Go home, Leonard. I’m not asking; I’m telling you. Go home!”

There were several flushes and some swearing behind the closed door. Leonard came out red-faced and sweating, buckling his belt. The smell was even worse, and I brought my arm up to cover my nose. I’d take Carina’s dirty diaper over this any day, but it was worth it.

Leonard marched over to me and shoved his finger in my face. “You!”

“Me? All I did was run the errands you sent me on.” I grabbed the sticky notes out of my pocket and held them up. “You’re welcome.”

“Oh, fuck off!” Leonard stomped down the hall.

I shook my head in bewilderment. “Okaaay.”

My father stared at me. “Hunter, I’m going to ask you this one time and I want you to be honest with me. Did you have anything to do with this?”

“Absolutely not. All I did was what he asked. He sent me to get his lunch from our deli, which I did. Then he sent me to get him sticky notes from the office supply store, which I also did. I wasn’t even here. ”

“It’s true,” Daniel piped up. “He sent Hunter on errands all afternoon. It wasn’t the sandwich because I ate the same thing. My club sandwich was excellent, and I don’t have any intestinal distress.”

My father looked at me and rubbed his chin. “I’m sorry, but I had to ask. I don’t know what’s more disturbing, the fact that Leonard thinks he was poisoned or that he’s treating you as his errand boy. You have a master’s degree, for God’s sake.”

I held up my hands. “I don’t like it either, but I’m trying to be a team player.”

“This isn’t what I had in mind.” He sighed. “Okay, I guess go back to work.”

“I don’t have anything to do. I finished payroll this morning.”

“Payroll?” He looked at Daniel. “Don’t you do payroll?”

Daniel shook his head. “I did until Hunter came back. Mr. Moroski wanted him to do it.”

My father rolled his eyes. “Daniel, call janitorial and have them do a thorough cleaning of Leonard’s bathroom and office. I don’t want anyone else to get sick. Hunter, come with me.”

I followed behind my father with a shit-eating grin on my face. Stage one of getting my job back was complete.