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Chapter 1

Mia Cade had two goals in life. One, to put as much distance as possible between herself and the manipulation, irritation and, most of all, interference of her family. Two, to help raise millions of dollars for charity.

She figured both goals were a direct product of her upbringing.

She’d spent her formative years as a Navy brat, her family packing up every couple of years to relocate to a new place in the world. With every move, Mia’s older sister, Megan, threw another fit about leaving her friends, and her younger sister developed some new ailment that ensured their mother’s full attention. Leaving Mia to organize and handle the details of unpacking and getting the family settled in their new home.

Their mother toured them through every new city or country, ensuring that they saw the good and the bad. The rich and the poor. Her purpose was to instill appreciation in her children, along with as much culture as possible.

In London, they’d visited Buckingham Palace, watched Macbeth onstage at the Royal Opera House and organized a Fill Your Boots charity campaign, collecting money on base for the Royal National Lifeboat Institute.

In Shanghai, they’d prayed in the Jade Buddha Temple, toured the Shanghai Museum and spent a few hours a week reading to disabled orphans.

Megan had gotten in trouble for shoplifting in London, had a screaming match with their mother in the Louvre and had tried to run away in Tibet. Marley, on the other hand, developed migraines in Virginia, violent allergies in Tokyo and pneumonia in Alaska. And so it went in Honolulu, Bahrain, Venice and New York. Every new station was a sea of unfamiliar faces, cultural education and charitable works, combined with high drama, hospital visits and Mia desperately trying to organize her life into some semblance of sanity.

By the time she’d finished college, she’d seen enough of the world to know she wanted to stay as far away from travel and her family as possible.

She’d chosen San Francisco.

All the way across the country from them.

Too far away for drop-in visits. Yet no distance was too far from nagging phone calls.

“Mia, you should listen to your sister. She warned you about that girl.”

“Jessica is my roommate and she’s twenty-six, Mother. A year older than me. It’s okay to call us women now.”

“Girl. Woman.” Her mother pshawed. “You’ll always be my baby.”

God help her.

“But that isn’t the point. Your sister’s concerns are the point. I told you, she thinks this Jessica girl is mean and nasty and vindictive. She’s a bad influence, a backstabber and someone who surely has it in for you.”

“Because I was crowned homecoming queen instead of her? Mom, that’s ridiculous.”

“Don’t forget that you were valedictorian, too. Marley said this girl holds grudges. There’s no way she forgot that you swept into that school and knocked her right off the pedestal.”

And off she went, in the style only Anne Cade could. Ranting with half facts, high drama and a heaping helping of guilt. Mia let the words roll over her while she went back to searching for a way to fit an extra fifty seats into a dining room for the upcoming charity ball. She’d managed to squeeze in thirty by the time her mother wound down.

“Look, Jessica is fine. She’s nice. She’s safe. She has a good job. She pays rent, helps with the bills. She’s not luring me into bars or doing drugs. No wild parties, no illicit affairs, no disreputable men.”

And just like that, her mother turned on a dime.

“You could do with meeting some men, Mia. You’re a good-looking girl, smart and fun, and your table manners are exquisite.”

“Can’t forget those table manners.”

“Speaking of, I know the perfect man for you. He’s good-looking, six foot six and very clever with languages. He fixed my computer last week. Remember the trouble I was having with it? It’s so handy to have a man around who can fix things, don’t you think? And didn’t you say you needed a new computer?”

Not enough to want a man to go with it.

“What’s his rank?”

“Petty officer,” her mother replied, biting off the last word in obvious frustration. “Now don’t be silly, Mia. Your bias against military men is ridiculous. Are you going to throw away the opportunity to meet the perfect man just because he serves his country?”

In a heartbeat.

“I don’t have time for dating, Mother,” Mia sidestepped, knowing her perfectly justified arguments always fell on deaf ears. “I’m super busy with work. And speaking of—”

“Fine, fine. If you want to refuse to meet the perfect man, that’s your choice. That’s not why I called, anyway,” her mother said dismissively. “Your uncle will be in town later this month, meeting with donors and attending a climate change event. I can count on you to be a proper hostess, can’t I? Show him around, keep him company?”

Of course she’d take care of her uncle, US Senator Luis Penz, who’d spent as many years in California as she’d been alive, show him around and keep the poor, bored-with-nothing-to-do man company.

A part of her wanted to offer that sarcastic thought aloud. To point out that she was an independent adult, a professional with a good head on her shoulders, solid social skills and a strong sense of responsibility.

But that wouldn’t stop the nagging interference. It’d only irritate her mother into bringing in backups, usually in the form of Mia’s siblings. Or worse, her father.

So she kept her thoughts to herself, settling for a roll of her eyes and an innocuous, “Of course, Mother.”

“As you can see, it’s poor timing for you to have that woman living with you.”

“It’s not like Uncle Luis would stay in my apartment, Mom. There’s not enough room for his suits.” To say nothing of his security detail.

“I don’t want him meeting this woman, Mia. She’s bad news.”

“Because she lost the homecoming crown?”

“No,” her mother snapped. “Because she works for a criminal.”

Mia grimaced. “Actually, she works for a businessman. Santiago Alcosta is totally on the up-and-up, Mom.” Not an idiot, Mia had researched the man as soon as she heard who Jessica worked for. “He’s built his business in real estate, and Alcosta International is above reproach. Sure, he has a few family members who got in trouble, but who doesn’t? Your own sister was arrested last month.”

“A few family members? His father was considered a drug lord. His brother was arrested for smuggling. Mia, your Aunt Phoebe shoplifts cat toys to donate to the local shelters.”

But Alcosta wasn’t his father or brother, Mia wanted to point out. And being a smart businesswoman, she had done her due diligence. Not only had she done a standard background check on the man, she’d asked around. She’d used her resources, she’d checked with other event coordinators, with her social contacts and best of all, she’d grilled her roommate. As the man’s personal assistant, Jessica was a font of information. She’d not only filled Mia in on Alcosta’s preferences and tastes as it applied to possible events, she’d discussed his work habits, his feelings about his criminal relatives and his hopes for helping others.

But Mia knew, just like any protests she made pointing out her own independence and maturity, the words would fall on deaf ears.

So before her mother could launch into one of her lectures on the depth of family roots, Mia changed the subject. “I have to go now. I’ve got a lot of work to do. Why don’t you call Megan? I heard she’s having the twins tested for ADD.”

“ADD?” Anne snapped. “They’re not even a year old yet.”

“I know, right.” And with that, Mia sicced her mother on her sister and ended the call with a grin.

The key to winning a battle, her father always said, was knowing the enemy’s weakness. In her mother’s case, that weakness was a chance to boss people around.

Yet another reason for putting a country between them. A great choice, she decided yet again, resting her elbow on the table to support her chin as she stared out the wide plate-glass window of her apartment at the misty view of the Golden Gate Bridge.

She loved it here—the weather, the people, the variety of things to do and, most of all, the generous altruism of the charitable community. It was an event coordinator’s dream. The Bay Area—and Northern California, in general—was home to some of the wealthiest people in the country, many of whom loved to give back. To their community. To the needy. To research, to civil servants, to causes, and to people and charities.

That’s where Mia came in.

All those years with her family made her especially aware of how much need there was in the world and how impossible it would be for her to fix it all by herself.

So she’d turned her organizational skills, people savvy and gift for smoothing the waters, combined with her bent for out-of-the-box thinking, into a career as a premier freelance event coordinator, serving some of the top international charities in the country.

And she was kicking butt.

Okay, she thought, looking at the files stacked like walls around her laptop, which was sitting on the kitchen table, maybe she wasn’t quite kicking butt yet. But after three years, she was definitely getting closer. Was there any such thing as nudging butt?

But a little more time building her reputation and event portfolio, a few more big clients on retainer, and a handful of successful, high-dollar fund-raisers, and she’d be there, dues paid, success in hand.

Before she could pay those dues, she had to pay the bills. Mia sighed, looking at the tallest stack on her desk. So, so many bills.

Okay. So maybe she was struggling a little financially, but she hadn’t chosen this career to get rich. And sure, she’d had to give up her tiny office and take in a roommate to help make ends meet, but that made her resourceful. And yes, she’d chosen to settle in one of the most expensive cities in the country, but she knew if she could make it here, she could make it anywhere.

So she focused on that.

She had a few other events coming up this month to handle, as well: a local ladies’ club holding a tea party to raise funds for a veterans’ memorial, a high school jamboree focused on building a new football field and an author event raising money for literacy.

She’d just lifted her cell phone to start those calls when it chimed in her hand.

Forever Families, the readout said. Mia’s biggest client to date, and her biggest challenge. Not in terms of her ability to handle things—she knew the organization so well, she could plan its events with her eyes closed—but because the director was incredibly determined to hire. And as appealing as regular hours, reliable paychecks and health care sounded, Mia was determined to make it on her own.

To prove that she could.

But Lorraine Perkins didn’t like to hear the word no.

The wife of one of the biggest real estate developers in the state of California, Lorraine was a social maven and one of the best-connected women Mia had ever met.

“Mia, darling, I’m just checking on the progress of our gala,” Lorraine said in those rounded tones only the wealthy seemed to pull off. “Not that I doubt for a second that you have it all well in hand.”

Of course she didn’t. Four phone calls a day was a sign of absolute faith. Mia silently waited for Lorraine to continue.

“As you know,” and she did know because Lorraine had insisted on mentioning it in each of those four daily calls, “if this weekend’s fund-raising goals are met, there’s a good chance that I’d put you in charge of our Winter Ball.”

The Winter Ball. Mia’s holy grail. A luxurious, complicated, multifaceted event spanning ten days, necessitating clever and innovative fund-raising techniques, savvy organizational skills, and, if rumor was true, the ability to juggle fire, water and ice all at the same time.

She knew this weekend’s event was the last in a series of what were essentially interviews testing her abilities. She knew, too, that Lorraine would rather handle the event in-house than bring in an outside coordinator.

But if Mia impressed her enough, she’d get the contract, she’d continue to freelance and she’d be able to bill herself as one of the top charitable-event coordinators in the country.

Best of all, she’d have done it all on her own.

“We’ll meet that goal,” Mia vowed. “Actually, things will be so amazing that I’ll bet we surpass it.”

“Oh, Mia, you’re such an optimist. But if anyone can do it, I’m starting to think you could.” Before Mia could revel in that compliment, Lorraine’s friendly tone turned pure business. “Now, you got my note about adding another fifty seats to the dinner, yes? Where are you at with that?”

“I’ve already spoken with catering and the location staff. The florist will add two more bouquets to the table,” Mia said, running her finger down her list as she recited check-marked items. “Because we’re losing square footage, the string trio will set up on the balcony just outside the ballroom.”

As she continued to recite her progress, she made a quick mental note to add extra space heaters to that balcony. Even though it was summer, evenings in San Francisco could get chilly.

“Perfect. It sounds as if you have a solid handle on it all. You’re one of the best planners in the Bay Area. And speaking of, I heard a rumor,” Lorraine said, her voice dropping with hushed excitement. “A wonderful, too-good-to-be-true rumor.”

“What’d you hear?” Mia scooted into a more comfy position in her chair and smiled, ready for some fun. She’d discovered the only thing the wealthy loved more than seeing their names written next to the word altruistic and the promise of tax deductions was gossip.

“It’s come to my attention that a certain young lady we both know and love has hidden connections.”

Oh, no. Mia cringed. Lorraine had been nagging her to convince her uncle to one of her events, claiming he’d be a huge draw. But before Mia could think of the right excuse, Lorraine continued in an giddy rush, “International real-estate connections, ones with very deep pockets.”

Mia frowned. It didn’t sound like Lorraine was describing Senator Penz. Thankfully the woman kept dropping those juicy hints.

“This connection is, as I hear it, very distinguished, cosmopolitan and charming. A man who rose above his juicy, scandalous family. In other words, just the kind of guest to add such a delicious panache to my ball.”

Ahhh.

Not her uncle. Mia was torn between relief and frustration as she realized whom Lorraine meant.

“Santiago Acosta?” Why was everyone bringing up Alcosta today? “I’m not sure he’d be available at such short notice. I do know a number of other people we could invite, though. Dignitaries, celebrities, even politicians.”

“No, no, no. It has to be Alcosta. Everybody has been talking about him at the club, but he’s not taking invitations. He even turned down the Grangers.”

He did? The Grangers counted a congressman, a US diplomat and a Tony winner among their numbers. They were a group high on Mia’s event-organizing wish list.

“But if I could put word out that Alcosta is attending the gala, attendance will go through the roof. And by attendance, I mean donations, of course.”

“Of course.” Mia blew out a breath. “Let me see what I can do.”

“I knew I could count on you, Mia. You are so efficient and dependable. Your association with influential people like Alcosta does carry a lot of weight in considering you for my biggest events,” Lorraine declared before saying goodbye.

Mia hung up with a sigh.

To pull off getting a man like Alcosta on board—to say nothing of getting the man’s business—meant doing something Mia abhorred. Something she’d vowed to avoid at all costs.

Using a friend.

Her family was big on offering help and opinions, and thanks to years of military service all over the world, it had tons of connections. All of which she’d availed herself of when she’d started out.

But her brother-in-law’s bookkeeper pal had garnered her penalties by forgetting to file quarterly taxes. Her sister’s BFF snuck a strip show into a simple fund-raiser for firefighters. And her parents’ start-up loan offer had come with so many strings, Mia would have owed them 50 percent of her profits, along with her firstborn, before she’d have been able to untangle the mess.

Half the setbacks and problems she’d had with her business were thanks to her family’s “help.” Which was just one of the reasons why Mia now insisted on doing it all on her own. She’d even refused her uncle’s offer to bring her onto his senatorial staff for a year so she could garner government creds, something that might have gone a long way toward making her job easier.

For Mia, asking for favors for charity was simple. But asking for personal ones was akin to being poked in the eye with a burning stick, since no personal favor came without a few sticky strings.

The trick was going to be asking Jessica for help without making it obvious that she needed it.

“Why the long face?”

Speak of the devil.

Jessica Alexander posed in the doorway. The petite, curvaceous blonde looked like a cross between a china doll and a centerfold.

Mia shot a fast glance at the clock in the corner of her computer screen to make sure she hadn’t lost a few hours. Nope, only one o’clock in the afternoon.

But like Mia, Jessica didn’t have normal work hours. As an administrative assistant to Señor Alcosta, some days her roommate was home at five o’clock, some she waltzed in at two o’clock in the afternoon and others still she swept out at nine o’clock at night, wearing evening wear.

Their work schedules—or lack thereof—was pretty much the end of the similarity between the two women.

Despite measuring in at a lean five foot ten, Mia knew her sharp features gave her the look of a fairy. She wore her ebony hair in a pixie cut, the long bangs sweeping in a curve over eyes the color of bittersweet chocolate. She leaned toward textured fabrics, rich colors and avant-garde jewelry.

Jessica, on the other hand, was petite and built with enviously lush curves. She accented her fluff of blond curls, cornflower-blue eyes and a Cupid’s bow mouth with delicate fabrics in pastels and lace, skyscraper heels, and—in her only departure from her baby-doll style—flashy diamonds.

They were complete opposites in every other way, too. Mia was quiet. Jessica was flirtatious. Mia had cut her teeth on diplomacy. Jessica thrived on excitement. Mia was an introvert who loved nothing better than peace and quiet; Jessica was an extrovert who needed crowds and noise and attention. Jessica reveled in a secret love affair, sharing every detail—every detail—but the man’s name, while Mia had no more interest in a relationship than she had in dancing naked over hot coals.

And yet somehow they’d become friends. And despite Mia’s family’s concerns, she thought Jessica was good for her. The other woman brought spice and energy and excitement into her life, something she hadn’t realized was missing until she and Jessica had run into each other on the street two months ago.

It’d been the first the women had seen of each other since they’d attended the same boarding school. She’d been surprised Jessica even remembered, let alone recognized, her. But Jessica had swept her into a hug, taken her to lunch and—as soon as she’d found out Mia had a two-bedroom apartment—begged to move in for a few months.

“I thought you were working today,” she said as Jessica leaned one arm against the doorframe and propped the other on her tiny waist.

“I decide to take a half day,” Jessica said in a husky voice that made men melt. “Fridays should always be half days, don’t you think? Besides, I have a date tonight.”

Jessica hadn’t lived here long, but Mia knew from experience that a date night meant spa time, a Victoria’s Secret binge and a juicy morning-after story hot enough to singe Mia’s imagination.

What must it be like to have that kind of love life? Mia wondered. Incendiary passion, breathtaking excitement. Heck, she’d take enduring interest, something she’d yet to have with a man, much to her mother’s disgust.

“You didn’t answer my question.” At Mia’s frown, Jessica added, “Why the long face?”

Mia thought of Lorraine’s mandate that she get Santiago Alcosta to attend the gala. The best way to get something done was straight out, her father always said. Just do it, find it or ask for it.

She opened her mouth to do just that.

“Just thinking about the business of, well, my business,” Mia heard herself saying instead. “I have three smaller events this week to deal with, plus the gala next weekend, and I still need to find an assistant.”

Preferably an assistant who thought raising funds for charity itself was an ample paycheck.

“I can help you out,” Jessica offered, crossing the kitchen to start pulling out ingredients. “I’ve got a little extra time on my hands after tonight. My hottie is heading out of town for a week, so I’d love a project to keep me busy.”