Free The Valentine’s Day Disaster by Lori Wilde

deep breath. “It’s why we split up in the first place.”
    “So stop kissing him.”
    “I don’t think I can.”
    “Sure you can. It’s called self-­control, and you’ve got more than a monk in a monastery.”
    Sesty paced her way around the room, skirting the new teddy bear cutout with his pristine face. “I can’t get involved with Josh.”
    Jana plunked down in the desk chair and watched her like she was the lead actress in a telenovella. “So don’t.”
    “My home is here. His life is on the road. It would never work out.”
    “Who are you trying to convince? Me or you?”
    “It’s just Valentine’s Day fever. I’m falling under the spell of the hype.”
    Jana’s dreadlocks trembled again “Easy enough to do around this place.”
    “It’s ridiculous. Just say no, right?”
    “Unless you want to say yes.”
    “I don’t . . . want to say yes.”
    “Then don’t.”
    “I’m lying, I do.”
    “Then go to it.”
    “Aren’t you going to give me any useful advice?”
    Jana pantomimed kicking Sesty’s butt. “Quit obsessing about him and get back to work.”
    “Thank you. I needed that.”
    “You’re welcome. I fully expect you to kick my ass if I ever fall for this sop.”
    “Will do.” Sesty straightened, dusted off her hands. “Did you get the issues straightened out with the stage manager?”
    Jana pressed her lips together as if suppressing a smile and her eyes lit up. “It’s handled. No budget increase needed.”
    “The cleavage worked, huh?”
    “That and my natural charm.” She fluttered her eyelashes. “I convinced him to get creative and find a way around the union rules.”
    “You are my hero,” Sesty said. “What’s on the agenda for today?”
    Jana consulted her tablet computer. “We need to select the music that will be playing for each bachelor as he steps onto the auction block. I’ve already got a few suggestions.” She passed the list she’d made on the tablet to Sesty. “Ain’t No Other Man,” “Wild Thing,” “Hot Stuff,” and “Burning Love.”
    “Ugh.” Sesty sighed. “More romantic stuff we have to wade through.”
    “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.”
    “After this event is over, I’m going to be bulletproof. Teflon. Love will bounce right off me.”
    “That’s the spirit.”
    “Is it hot in here or just me?” Sesty slipped off her jacket, moved to open the window.
    “Weatherman says it’s supposed to be freakishly hot today. Seventy degrees or something weird, and humid to boot.”
    “In February?”
    “Crazy, I know.”
    “That’s good I guess, if the warmth holds out. ­People will be more likely to show up for the auction if it’s not cold. What does Saturday’s weather forecast look like?” Sesty tapped her chin.
    Jane pulled a face that looked as if she’d bitten down on aluminum foil. “You’re going to hate this.”
    “Rain?”
    “Into each life some rain must fall. Although I think the exact words the weatherman used were ‘winter thunderstorm.’ ”
    “Seriously?” Don’t whine. You’re not a whiner. “Okay, it’s not a big deal. All the more reason for ­people to come in out of the weather and ogle our bachelors, right?”
    “There you go. That’s the spirit. The old Sesty is back. Looks like Josh’s lips gave you the attitude adjustment you needed.” Jana pumped a fist. “Rock on, Josh.”
    She didn’t have the heart to tell her assistant her new attitude was just a big dose of fake it till you make it.
    “Hey,” Jana said, her voice dry but her eyes full of mirth. “I think I have the prefect song for you to play when Josh gets up to strut his stuff on stage.”
    Sesty fell for it. “What’s that?”
    “Prince. ‘Kiss.’ ” She belted out an off-­key rendition. “Perfect lyrics, iTunes here I come.”
    “You’re enjoying my misery aren’t you?”
    Jana laughed with wicked glee. “Immensely.”
    S ESTY SPENT THE rest of Thursday morning dealing with the logistics of