THREE MONTHS LATER

"Mackenzie, Mr. Timberlake is on the phone for you." Katie, her new assistant's voice comes through the speaker phone.

"Thank you." A small smile tugs at her lips.

So much has changed in the last three months. Starting with her job. Preston has officially made her the head of all public relations for his hotels. This means more responsibility, more work, more money. It was turning out to be everything she wanted in a career. She couldn't remember a time when she had been happier.

Another change is her relationship with Preston. It had started off as what she can only describe as being courted. The diners, the little presents, the places they'd go, the theater, award banquets, openings. It was something she had never experienced before and she was really enjoying the lifestyle he was accustom to.

It did seem a little weird at first for her. The age difference. She had never dated anyone older than her, much less old enough to be her own father but he was always a perfect gentleman with her.  

"Hello." She answers the phone.

"Mack, what's this I hear your dating my old man?"

She inwardly groans at the sound of Justin's voice coming through the other line. It seems that he had finally caught wind of the relationship between her and Preston.

"What's it like banging someone old enough to be your dad?" He cackles.

"Shut up." She snaps. Instantly she feels out of control of this call. And embarrassed that he asked about the intimacy of their relationship. Not that it matters to him, but there was nothing intimate going on apart from a few innocent kisses. And she was ok with that. Sex had never held much appeal to her. "What do you want?"

He chuckles, "I need your expertise. Wanna do this huge New Years Eve thing and since you're the best, I want you."

"I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Why? I know you're not doing anything for the old man." It's true, she wasn't. But she was planning on enjoying that night. Completely alone in her apartment.  "Come on Mack, I really want this done right and you're the best there is. Please help me out."

She sighs. "Fine. But I'm doubling my fees since I'm under contract with Mr. Timberlake."

"I am Mr. Timberlake." He laughs and she rolls her eyes, tempted to hang up on him. "Don't worry about him. How'd you think I knew you didn't have anything going on? I'll give you a call later in the week to talk details."

"There's not some assistant I'm working with?" She asks, voice full of surprise.

"Hell no. Why would I pay someone to do what I'm perfectly capable to do myself?" He's still laughing and she can't help but feel slightly foolish. "Later."

He hangs up the phone before she can respond. She lets out a breath and hangs the phone back up in the cradle.

The last thing she wanted to do was plan an event for Justin. Mainly she didn't want to have to work with Justin. She found him to be obnoxious and self centered and arrogant. She had yet to find a trait in him that was commendable. And not that she would ever admit it to anyone but the revolving door of women she saw him with was something she found offensive and degrading as a woman. Not only that he would use them like socks but that the women seem to enjoy it and allow themselves to be treated that way.

"Mackenzie, there's a Grace Young here for you." Katie's voice sounds through the speaker on the phone again.

Confusion sets in her features as she stands behind her desk and makes her way to the front office. She can see the striking blonde standing by the large window that overlooks downtown Atlanta and she wonders what she's doing here.

Grace Young was a girl she met in college and they were barely friends. They had a few classes together and studied together a few times but Mackenzie never really considered them close friends. Grace, while nice was a little more outgoing and wild that Mackenzie was and she had spent many nights going out to parties and dating where Mackenzie spent those spare hours studying and doing extra credit assignments' for her teachers.

"Well this is a nice surprise." Mackenzie greets her with a smile. Grace turns and opens her arms in a hug. "What can I do for you?"

Grace glances at Katie sitting behind the desk and clears her throat. "Can we talk in private for a second?"

"Yeah, sure. Let's go to my office." She turns to Katie. "Please hold my calls."

The two women settle into their respective seats, Mackenzie behind her desk and Grace in front of her looking slightly nervous.

"I'm really sorry to just show up like this but I heard your office was in this area and figured I'd stop by for a few minutes." Grace says.

"Well I'm glad you did. It's been a few years." Mackenzie nods but has a feeling there's still an underlying reason they're sitting here. "What's new with you?"

"Not too much." She starts. "I was working in public relations for a while but didn't really like the direction the company I was working for was headed. So I quit."

"Good for you. Standing up for what you believe."

"Which brings me here." She hesitates. She shifts in the chair, uncrossing and then re-crossing her legs. "I was wondering if you're looking for any help. Even part time."

"Oh. Well, you caught me off guard here." Mackenzie laughs lightly but she can see the unease in Grace's eyes. "Tell you what, let your number with Katie at the front and I'll see what I've got and give you a call in a few days."

"Really?"

She nods. "I just booked a New Years Eve event that I will most likely need an extra set of hands for. So once I meet with the hosting party and find out what he needs, I'll give you a call."

"That's great!" They both stand and Grace reaches out to shake her hand. "Thank you so much."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The jazz music plays softly in the bedroom and Mackenzie stands in front of her mirror applying eye shadow to her lids. Stepping back from the counter she reaches for the hair clip beside the sink and pulls her hair back before fastening the clip securely at the nape of her neck.  She grabs a pair of black pumps from the closet and slides them on her feet, her legs looking longer under the blue dress.

Hurrying from the bathroom she turns off the music just as there's a knock at her front door. She smoothes out the front of the dress and fluffs her hair before opening the door.

"Hi." She breathes and smiles when she sees Preston standing in front of her, flowers in hand. Red roses.

"These would be for you my dear." He greets her. "It's a shame they are only half as beautiful as you look tonight."

She blushes and takes the flowers from him. "Thank you very much." She opens the door for him to come inside and he presses a quick kiss to her cheek. "Just let me put these in some water and we can go, alright?"

"Take your time." He wanders into the living room but not venturing too far in. "I'm a little early so we have some time."

After putting the flowers into a vase and placing it in the center of her small kitchen table, "Ok, I'm ready when you are."

"Fantastic." He turns to her. "I booked us a table at Rathbun, downtown."

"That sounds delicious." She locks the door behind her and takes his arm as he leads her to the town car where the driver is waiting for them, door already opened.

"Justin tells me that you've to plan his New Years Eve event." Preston turns to her once they've settled.

"Yes. He called the other day and I didn't have a good reason to turn him down." She tells him, the annoyance in her voice coming across loud and clear.

He chuckles deep in his chest and she can't help but shy away from him a little, mostly out of fear that she's offended him. This is his son after all. "That boy is more trouble that he knows. And I don't blame you for not wanting to do this." He grins at her and she relaxes. "But he is my boy and for that I will always love him."

"I'm just hoping it goes smoothly and without either of us killing each other." She returns the grin. "I'm meeting with him tomorrow afternoon at the venue."

"It'll go well." He reassures her in a fatherly manner. "This is the one thing he does all year that matters to him and he takes it very seriously. You shouldn't have any issues with him."

She sits in silence wondering what he met by that. She had never known Justin to take anything seriously. Except for maybe he's next conquest at a party but that's all.

"Anything else interesting happen while I was away?" His voice breaks her from her thoughts.

She bites her bottom lip, contemplating. "I had an old friend from college stop by looking for a job."

He grunts. "Working with friends is always a bad move. It never ends pretty."

"I'm still not sure what I'm going to do about it." She turns to face him fully, always open to his opinion. "We aren't really friends as we were classmates. We never actually hung out and did things together. So I don't really know her that well."

"What was she doing before coming to her?"

"She was working in public relations and she said she didn't like where the company was going so she quit. I know her reputation for work and I've heard her name here and there so she's good. And if Justin's event is going to be big, then I could use the extra help." She shrugs.

He hums as if he's in thought. "You know, you are going to need some extra help with Justin. I remember last year he changed his mind on everything two weeks before the party. The poor guy he had hired almost had a panic attack trying to get everything done in time." He pauses. "Maybe it's a good idea to bring her to the meeting with him and see how they gel. If it doesn't work out then you're off scot- free."

She nods as the car slows to a stop in front of the restaurant. "Maybe I'll do that."

"Good girl." He smiles at her before stepping out of the car.