by A. C. Arthur
“Or should I wait until after you’ve ordered some dinner?”
Korey also thought he was a comedian.
Riley turned to him ready to frown, but her stomach made the sound again and she felt the beginnings of a headache. Crap!
She turned her wrist and looked at her watch. It was almost seven. She’d been in the office since six this morning and her last meal had been at noon.
You need to make time to take care of yourself. Eat. Rest. Live outside this office.
The words rolled through her mind as if her mother were standing right in front of her. Marva Gold was a stern but loving mother. She’d had to be to raise four children—three boys and one girl—in the shadows of the glitz and glamorous world of fashion. She was also the commanding force behind the Gold Foundation, which provided scholarships and other programs for marginalized youth throughout the US.
“Schedule a call for first thing tomorrow morning. I want to speak with him before my meeting with RJ. We have huge orders for this collection and if he hears Sigmund isn’t sure how many of those orders he can fill on time, he’s gonna flip.”
Riley circled back to her desk and sat in her custom-made ergonomic chair. Two years ago during an annual physical, her doctor mentioned how much she worked, and when she hadn’t been able to promise to cut down, he’d suggested she make work as comfortable as possible. A chair that didn’t have her back and neck aching every day was an improvement. Not a big enough one, but at least she was trying.
“Does that mean we’re getting out of here before nine tonight?”
“Is that a complaint I hear?” Riley didn’t bother to look up. She’d dropped the report on her desk and immediately started looking at the sketches that had been scanned into the presentation for tomorrow’s meeting. These were the designs that would be featured in her segment of their first show of Fashion Week. RJ and the rest of the production team would be studying them for the umpteenth time tomorrow. Then they’d look at the models wearing the gowns and make the final decision for which ones would be in the show. Nervous didn’t quite explain how she was feeling right now.
“Not a one,” Korey continued. He held his tablet in one hand and typed as he sat in the chair across from her desk. Probably sending Sigmund an email about tomorrow’s phone conference.
“But I was thinking I could probably make it to at least drinks for the dinner party I’d planned to attend.”
She did look up at him then.
“Why didn’t you say something? You didn’t have to stay here with me tonight. I could have managed without you.” Despite her reputation, Riley was not coldhearted and she didn’t treat people like they were trash or beneath her.
She was friendly and easy to work with. At least, that was what Korey said after being here almost six months. The two of them had hit it off during the interview, on a day that had begun horribly for Riley. The fact that Korey had been able to make her laugh and focus on something else besides whatever headline had been floating around at that time sealed his fate as her new assistant.
He was essentially the closest thing she had to a friend.
“Nope, my job is to be here when you’re here and it pays me well.” Korey finished the email and looked up at her with a pointed smile.
Riley grinned but then sighed as her temples throbbed. “I need an aspirin.”
“Maybe you need to have dinner and go to bed. We’ve been in the office past nine every night since you came back from Milan.”
“It’s crunch time.” That was the excuse she’d been giving herself these past seven days each time thoughts of that night in Milan crossed her mind.
“True.”
She’d expected him to say more, but instead he continued to stare at her.
“What?”
He shrugged. “I’m just debating where the line is at this moment.”
Because she knew what he was referring to, Riley gave him a reassuring look. “You’re safe.”
Korey looked relieved as he leaned forward, resting an elbow on his knee. “What happened in Milan? You left focused and intent but came back a little...off.”
“What?” Panic sliced through her with a sharp edge. “I’m the exact same.”
Korey’s hands were up immediately, waving back and forth. “No. No. Not in a bad way. Absolutely not, you’re always on point. Always. There’s just a little difference. Like how quickly you were able to admit you’ve been here too long tonight. If this were last month you would have been determined to push through.”
Milan hadn’t changed her.
One night did not make a difference to her life.
“I can admit when I’m tired.” It was the safe reply. “That’s all it is, Korey. So you can go get your drinks. And I don’t care how drunk you get, I want you here tomorrow at six. Not a second later.”
“Now, that’s the prevacation Riley talking.” Korey chuckled and jumped up from his chair because prevacation or not, he knew it was only safe to cross the line temporarily.
“See you in the morning. Have a fun evening.”
Fifteen minutes later she was still sitting in the same spot.
Had she changed because of the night she’d spent with Chaz? Because that was the only thing that had been different about this year’s vacation. After thinking on it another few seconds Riley slammed her palm on the desk and shook her head. It was just sex, damn!
She shut down her computer and grabbed her bag and purse before leaving the office. She wasn’t different. Korey was overreacting, something he did frequently. He was lucky she liked him like a little brother and that he was so organized and knew a great pair of thigh-high boots when he saw them or she would have definitely fired him a thousand times by now.
Minutes later Riley stood at the elevator feeling smug because that last thought sounded much more like her. If she were acting any different, that was. But she wasn’t. Everything was the same as it had been before she’d gone to Milan. All she had to do was keep telling herself that and it would be true.
By the time she made it to the garage Riley was shaking her head. She was pitiful and she hated to admit it. She wasn’t the same since Milan because now she couldn’t get Chaz and the feel of his hands on her body out of her mind. And as if her thoughts weren’t traitorous enough, her phone dinged with a text message notification. When she read the text, saw who it was from, her heartbeat quickened and butterflies danced a happy little jig in her stomach.
* * *
Chaz hadn’t been his usual self today.
Or the day before, or even the day before that. In fact, he could admit that he’d been thinking about Milan—or rather a very enjoyable twenty-four hours in Milan—much more than he’d assumed he would.
It wasn’t like he didn’t have anything else to do. Chaz just couldn’t get Riley out of his mind. But when he looked up to see his uncle walking into his office unannounced, he hoped there was some business issue the man needed to discuss that would help Chaz focus on other things.
His uncle began as soon as he sat down. “I heard Ron sent his little girl to Milan to snatch Perry off the market.”
Well, this wasn’t going to go the way Chaz thought it might.
Tobias King was a big man, six feet three-and-a-half inches—two inches taller than Chaz—two hundred and eighty-something pounds. Chaz was only partially guessing. He’d gone to Tobias’s last doctor’s appointment to make sure his uncle’s blood pressure was in check. High blood pressure was a silent killer and with the stress of the company and seven ex-wives, Tobias was always borderline and terribly neglectful when it came to his health.
Now that Chaz was in New York for a while, he would make sure his uncle took better care of himself, even if it meant treating Tobias like he was a child.
“It’s not a big deal,” Chaz replied. “You’ve got a good design team and
they’re coming up with fresh and innovative ideas. This men’s collection is going to speak directly to professional millennials and they’re gonna love it.”
Chaz was certain of that fact because he’d spent hundreds of hours researching this demographic and studying the look, price and packaging of their clothes. He’d kept a few employees that were in the branding department when he came, but he’d hired half a dozen more to create a team that would produce quickly and efficiently.
“But she’s a slick one, that Riley. Polished and primped all the time and smart as a whip. I’ve heard her talk at conventions and the rare times she speaks to the press. She’s got her father’s attitude but her mother’s look. A dangerous combination.”
Tobias was going bald but wasn’t quite ready to shave his head, so he kept the remaining hair cut very low. He’d even taken to wearing fitted hats and had designed a collection of them with matching casual jackets. His low-cut beard was white, giving him a distinguished older-gentleman appeal, while his steely deep brown eyes remained as astute as they’d been when he was in his twenties.
“She’s not that bad.” The moment he said those words, Chaz regretted them.
Not actually regret—that was a word Chaz didn’t allow himself to associate with. He believed everything happened for a reason and that when things didn’t go the way he planned, he just had to reconcile himself with that reason. Still, those weren’t the words he’d meant to say and now he’d have to deal with the backlash, which he had no doubt was coming swiftly.
“How do you know how bad she is? Did you run into her while you were in Milan? I hoped you wouldn’t when I found out she was down there.”
“I’ve known Riley for a few years now, Unc.” Chaz had always called him “Unc” instead of Uncle Tobias. It was shorter, and to the nine-year-old who had been grieving his parents when he first came to New York, the less he had to say, the better.
“Yeah, well, this was the first time she’s been direct competition to you.”
Chaz shrugged. “I didn’t go to Milan just to meet up with Perry. And we actually did get a chance to talk. He was meeting with RGF this week but that doesn’t mean he’s officially working for them.”
“Oh, he is. Look at this.” Tobias slammed the fashion magazine onto Chaz’s desk.
It was open to an article naming Perry this year’s hottest and most desired designer. And first on the list of fashion houses Perry wanted to work for was RGF.
“We’re fine. PR’s getting the buzz out about the lines we’re pushing this season and the sales projections are seventy-six percent higher than this time last year.”
Tobias grabbed the brim of his red hat and pulled it off. “It’s gotta work. We’ve gotta get back on top.”
“We will. Don’t worry,” Chaz told him.
Tobias shook his head and walked toward the door. When he turned back, he extended his arm and was waving his hat at Chaz as he talked. “Keep an eye on her. She’s planning something big.”
Chaz didn’t hesitate. “You didn’t bring me here to watch what anybody else is doing. King Designs is in a class by itself and I’m going to make sure nobody forgets that.”
Tobias drew his lips into a tight line and gave a curt nod before leaving Chaz alone. Twenty minutes later when he’d deemed work impossible, Chaz drove his Mercedes GLS back to his apartment. Once he’d showered and changed he sent the text that had been on his mind all damn day.
Have dinner with me.
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAZ WAS WAITING for Riley. He sat at the table near the window and stared out at the unfettered view of Manhattan. There was a chill in the air and they were calling for snow, but from sixty-two stories up, the city looked perfect.
The white tablecloth, two long white candles, sparkling crystal and silverware and the small glass vase with two red roses were perfectly arranged on the table. He’d rented the entire upper level of the LeGrange restaurant to preserve their privacy. The lights had been dimmed and in the far corner near the bar a man played jazz on the piano.
Chaz was hungry, but he wasn’t worried. If Riley hadn’t accepted his dinner invitation, she would have returned his text message telling him so. Standing him up would have been too normal and Riley was anything but that. In fact, Chaz was almost certain she would have taken pleasure from personally declining his offer. The thought made him smile. Riley was competitive and proud and she did not like a dare. Even a subtle one such as having dinner with him. The whole suggestion was taking her out of her comfort zone, something Riley would not like but would be unable to resist for fear of being thought of as less than.
The latter part was what Chaz hated. The moments when he knew Riley was doubting herself despite the confidence that wrapped around her like a winter blanket.
A new text message from Chaz’s driver told him that Riley was on her way up. Chaz motioned for the server to pour the wine.
Because the room was empty Chaz could see straight across to where the elevator doors opened. When she stepped off, he stood.
Another server had been waiting at the elevator and he accepted Riley’s long black coat and ivory scarf. She kept her cream-colored purse with its gold chain strap and gold RG emblem on the front. Riley wore a long chocolate-brown pencil skirt with a matching jacket that was belted at the waist and fastened with a large button at her left shoulder. Her pumps were four-inch heels, increasing her five-foot-seven-inch height until she would be almost nose to nose with him.
She stopped in front of him, piercing him with her steady gaze. Chaz smiled and offered her a glass of wine. “Good evening.”
Riley accepted the glass but did not smile in return. “Good evening.”
“You look stunning as usual.”
She sipped from the glass. “Thank you. What are you trying to do?”
Candid. No-nonsense. Sexy.
“I’m trying to eat. Haven’t had anything since lunch so I’m starving. Here, take a seat so we can order our food.” He pulled out her chair and waited the few seconds while she contemplated if she were, in fact, going to have this meal with him, or if she’d just shown up to tell him his “date” was not acceptable and how far she planned to go, before she finally sat.
Chaz went to his side of the table and sat across from her. He took the black napkin from the plate and spread it over his lap.
“You know that’s not what I meant.”
He handed her a menu. “I’m aware. But I figure we can talk while we eat. I’ll answer all your questions and then you can tell me how your day went. Or I can start and tell you I’m thoroughly tired of meetings.”
The server arrived, and Riley gave him her order without looking at the menu. Impressed, Chaz followed her lead but ordered a bigger steak and a baked potato instead of asparagus. He was just finishing a sip of his wine when the server left them alone and Riley’s question came firing back.
“We said twenty-four hours. That was it. You were not supposed to contact me again.”
She sat with her back straight, shoulders squared, and her tone hadn’t gone a notch above casual. He almost smiled because there were so many things about this woman who captivated him.
“I was still at work and I had a feeling you were, too. We both need to eat.” He let his hands fall to his lap instead of shrugging.
“Before Milan we ate separately. I expected we would continue to do so.”
Chaz had expected he’d get back to work at King and take care of a few things regarding the launch of his new app. He hadn’t thought he’d want to see her as badly as he did.
“Relax. We’re having a meal. There’s nobody here to see us and run back to tell the world. It’s just you, me and the steak I can’t wait to taste.” It really was that simple. Chaz frowned as he thought about how many times he’d wanted to pick up the phone and call her or even send an email or text in the last
week but hadn’t done so because he’d known she would have this exact reaction.
They were consenting adults keeping in touch with each other—that should not have been a problem.
“You know what the tabloids would say. Not to mention our family.”
“Stop.”
The single word came out much stronger than he anticipated, but the quick close of her lips and the second of shock that flashed in her eyes was exactly the response he wanted.
“I’ve said this before and I’d really like not to repeat it again. That feud is between my uncle and your father. It’s ridiculous that you and I, or your brothers and I, or any of us for that matter, would carry it on like a torch to be passed through the generations.”
She opened her mouth to speak but Chaz held up a hand, stopping her. “I wanted to see you, Riley. I wanted to talk to you again. To spend some quiet time with you after a really long week. That’s all.”
Instead of replying she removed her napkin from the plate, opened it and placed it on her lap. Neither of them spoke for a few moments. Chaz figured she needed the time to gather her thoughts. She had two choices: get up and leave, or sit here and deal with the dinner and conversation. He was positive she would opt for the latter since he knew she’d had his driver take her home to change clothes before coming. No way would she have gone through all that if she didn’t want to see him, too.
As the music played in the background Chaz thought he saw her moving her head to a familiar song.
“You know Nancy Wilson?” It wasn’t like the musician was playing popular music. Chaz had requested jazz because it soothed him.
“My mother has all her albums in plastic on a shelf in her sitting room. Just a few years ago she finally agreed to stop playing them and let Major have the songs digitally remastered and added to a playlist for her. Now if she’s not working, she has her headphones in while she sings along to Sister Nancy. That’s what she’s called her since I can remember, as if they were long-lost friends.”