by Karen Booth
Liam waved his hand in front of Matt’s face. “You were saying? Nadia?”
Matt needed to get his head out of the clouds. It wasn’t like him to let a woman have this kind of effect on him. “Nadia just has this way of picking up on what I’m thinking. She got me out of my bad mood.” Had she ever, although a few orgasms would do that to a guy. “Nobody else seems to care.”
“I care. I just don’t need to sleep with you to prove it.”
“Very funny.”
“I hope you’re being careful. You don’t have the best track record with women.”
Liam wasn’t wrong. Matt had a bad knack for short-lived relationships and sleeping with women with hidden agendas. His business, his personal fortune and his family made everything more complicated. His parents were always expressing their disapproval of his romantic life. “Just settle down” was a familiar refrain. “I know. I know.”
“Don’t dismiss it like that. This retreat means as much to me as it does to you. I need the Sasha project to be a slam dunk. Is this really a good time for you to be in the tabloids?”
“Look. I’m on it. Shayla is killing the story.”
“It doesn’t matter. It’s already out there.”
Matt’s appreciation of Liam’s honesty was losing its luster. “What about you and Teresa? Is your issue with her going to become a problem? I can’t pull another talented event planner out of my back pocket.”
Liam’s nostrils flared. That was never a good sign. Matt knew Liam well enough to recognize just how angry he was. “Did she tell you what she did? Did she own up to it?”
“No. She has no idea why you’re so angry with her. And frankly, it has me wondering what is going on with you.” Was the stress of Sasha getting to his best friend? Was it clouding his judgment?
“She had an affair with my dad when she was his student. That was the final straw for my mom. Teresa St. Claire is the reason she and my dad got a divorce.”
“What? Seriously?”
Liam nodded solemnly. His relationship with his parents was complicated. His mother was a ball of anxiety and his father was notoriously detached. Like so many type A moguls, Linus Christopher was so focused on the bottom line that his family was of little consequence. “We both know my dad can be an idiot when it comes to interpersonal relationships, but as far as I know, he’d never cheated on my mom until Teresa came along. The fact that she’s pretending as if it doesn’t exist makes it so much worse.”
“Are you positive they had an affair? Are you sure this isn’t a case of your mom overreacting?”
“I know what you’re saying, but I saw it with my own two eyes. They were in each other’s arms in his office.”
Matt could hardly believe what he was hearing. He didn’t know Teresa particularly well, but nothing about her suggested she’d behave in such a manner. “You two need to talk this out. It was a long time ago and maybe it’s time to bury the hatchet. Neither you nor I want a single thing to go wrong with this retreat. The Sasha announcement is hugely important to us both. Teresa does a top-notch job and more than anything, there’s no time to find someone else. I really think you need to hash this out.”
Liam pressed his lips together firmly. His mind was always going. It was one of the things Matt really admired about his best friend. No stone went unturned. But he also knew it was Liam’s undoing. Overthinking never helped anything. “Fine. I’ll talk to her. But I’m not promising a thing.”
Four
Teresa was relieved she’d made it out of her meeting with Matt without running into Liam, but she didn’t like the idea of so many loose ends. She needed to get a handle on what his problem was and smooth his ruffled feathers. She could not afford to have Matt Richmond think anything less of her. But first, she needed to reach out to Joshua and figure out what in the hell was going on. The bar was quiet, so she ducked into one of the secluded nooks, opposite a modern two-sided fireplace. She dropped down into one of the sleek chocolate-brown leather chairs and dialed the number for her brother.
The phone began to ring and she sat back, crossing her legs and gnawing on the thumbnail of her free hand. She hated feeling this anxious about Joshua. She hated worrying about him so much.
“This is Josh. Leave a message.”
“Hey, Josh. It’s your sister calling.” She debated whether she should divulge the details of the phone call from the mystery man, but she thought better of it. She didn’t want to spook her brother. “I had a spare minute between a few meetings. Thought I’d check in and see how you’re doing. I hope everything is good. I miss you. I love you. Call me back when you have a chance.”
She ended the call and looked at her phone for a minute, willing it to ring. Please call back. Please call back. It didn’t happen. She took note of the time. Ten minutes before she was supposed to meet with Nadia about catering and menus. She had enough time to call The Fixer, and although she didn’t look forward to it, she knew she’d feel better once she’d gotten it out of the way.
An attractive man wandered over and sat down a few yards away from her, near the tall windows that showed off the wooded vista and the falls. So much for her sliver of privacy in this part of the bar. She’d have to go outside to finish her errand.
But first a stop for a shot of liquid courage. “Bourbon. Up. Please.”
The bartender nodded, flipped a glass over in one swift motion, slid it onto the bar and poured her drink. “Would you like to put this on your room?”
“Yes. I don’t know the number yet, though. I arrived and walked right into a meeting.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll find it.”
Teresa took the glass in her hand and swirled the bourbon. It wasn’t like her to drink during the day. It certainly was out of character with a meeting a few minutes away. But today had already been harrowing and she wasn’t sure she’d make it if she didn’t find a way to unwind. She tossed back the bourbon, the rush burning all the way down, followed quickly by a wave of warmth. “Thank you,” she said to the bartender. She hustled back through the lobby and outside near the valet stand. She would’ve gone onto the patio off the bar, but the roar of the falls would’ve been too much. She fished her phone out of her pocket and looked up the number for The Fixer, which she didn’t dare keep in her main directory. This was in a password-protected file. Her fingers trembled as she pressed the green button to make the call.
“Ms. St. Claire,” The Fixer answered, his voice rich and calm. Teresa had never understood how the man could stay on such an even keel. He did terrible things, mopping up scandals and covering up lies. He made people disappear if necessary. “I wasn’t expecting to hear from you.”
“It’s my brother. Joshua. I got a call from a man today saying Josh is in trouble again and owes seven million dollars.”
“I see. And what would you like me to do about it?”
She nearly asked if the line had broken up while she was talking. Seven million dollars and he hadn’t missed a beat. “I’d like you to check on him and see if he’s okay. I left him a message, but he hasn’t called me back yet.”
“I’m not a babysitter, Ms. St. Claire.”
“I realize that. I... You know I can’t be there. I’m in Seattle. I can’t just hop on a plane to the east coast. My job won’t allow it. Don’t you have someone who can do it for me?”
“Always. I do want to remind you that I’m not a charitable organization. I do work for a fee.”
However much The Fixer wanted, she was sure it would be less than seven million dollars. “Yes. Of course. Whatever you want.”
“You’re working for Matt Richmond right now, aren’t you?”
The Fixer’s ability to know everything about everyone was uncanny. And a bit terrifying. “I am.”
“Keep those ties in good shape. I might need a favor.”
Teresa had no idea what that c
ould possibly mean, and the thought of owing this man anything was unsettling at best, but she wasn’t about to argue. She’d worry about that down the road. “Sure. Yes.”
“Okay, then. I’ll have one of my associates check on Joshua’s safety and look into exactly what sort of trouble he’s gotten himself into.”
Teresa felt so relieved, it was as if someone had removed lead weights from her shoulders. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I do want to point out one thing, though.”
“What’s that?”
“Your brother is the sort of person I’m usually hired to get rid of.”
A chill charged down Teresa’s spine. “Excuse me?”
“He’s a liability. Someone who could make a publicity nightmare. Let’s be honest. That’s the real reason you’re calling. You don’t want word to get out about your little brother. It could get you fired from working for Richmond.”
How dare he make such assumptions? She might doubt herself now and then, but one thing she didn’t question was whether her heart was in the right place. “You couldn’t be more off base if you tried. I love him. More than anything. Just please keep him alive and out of jail.”
“There’s no need to get upset. I was merely connecting a few dots. I will have someone check on Joshua and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.”
“Hurry. Please.” Teresa hung up the phone, unable to ignore the way her heart was threatening to pound its way out of her chest. She straightened her jacket and turned, only to see Nadia, Matt’s assistant, less than ten feet away, chatting with one of the doormen. Teresa stopped in place, her mind scrambled as she tried to remember the exact words she’d said to The Fixer. Had Nadia heard the conversation? So many thoughts had been zipping through Teresa’s brain, it was hard to know the difference between the things she’d said and the things she’d kept to herself.
She approached Nadia. “Hey there. Are you ready to sit down and have our meeting?” Teresa clung to her forced composure. Her future and the success of her company depended on it. She’d never be able to truly help Joshua if she got fired from the biggest job of her life.
* * *
Nadia didn’t let on that she’d heard every minute of Teresa’s side of the phone call she’d made. “Is it okay if I pull you into an impromptu meeting with Shane Adams and Isabel Withers? Shane is the president of the Richmond Hotel Group. Isabel is The Opulence’s concierge. She has some ideas for couples’ activities during the retreat.”
“Ooh. Couples’ activities? I’m intrigued.” She laughed quietly. If Teresa was in any way upset by her call, she didn’t let it show.
Nadia waved her inside. “Come on. I’ll introduce you. Shane is only here for a few more minutes, and I need to catch him. He’s one of those people who’s so busy it’s impossible to schedule a meeting.” The two strode back into the lobby. Ahead, Isabel was sitting at her desk near check-in while Shane was standing a few feet away, his nose in his phone. “Hi, guys. I just need to grab a few minutes of your time.”
“Good.” Shane darkened the screen on his phone but held on it to like it was his lifeline. “I have a crazy schedule today.”
Nadia didn’t bother acknowledging his statement. Shane was a workaholic. Everyone knew it and there was no use telling the guy to slow down and breathe. “I wanted to see how we can bring Isabel in on the retreat. Since she’s started working here, the resort has really gained a reputation as a romantic destination.”
Isabel smiled and stood proud. Her red hair was up in a polished twist, but a few strands framing her face softened her usually austere styling. “Actually, I like to refer to myself as a romance—”
Shane’s phone rang loudly. He glanced at the screen and muted it. “Sorry. I’ll call them back in a minute.”
Isabel cleared her throat and tried again. “Well, let’s just say that I like to play up our more romantic amenities, and Nadia had mentioned that so many of the guests are coming with a spouse or significant other. The spa is available for couples’ massages. We can have Housekeeping put out candles at night and turn down the bed with rose petals. There are romantic dinners, of course, and couples’ yoga. Really whatever people want.”
“Perhaps it would be best if we present our guests with a menu of services prior to their arrival,” Teresa offered.
“I can call them a week before the retreat and find out exactly what they want,” Isabel said.
“That sounds great,” Nadia said.
Shane looked a bit lost. “I guess my only concern is whether we have enough staff to handle these requests.”
“I have a list of massage therapists and other local vendors if we need to bring in additional help,” Isabel said. “I think it could be a real boon if we get some celebrities and A-listers talking about what we offer here.”
“Yes. The feedback we’ve received on your job performance has been quite positive,” Shane said.
Isabel’s face flushed bright pink. “Thank you,” she said.
Nadia couldn’t help but notice the whiff of romance in the air and not just because Isabel was focused on creating it. The way she looked at Shane, with both adoration and longing, made Nadia wonder if that was her expression when her gaze fell on Matt. Perhaps she’d been too hard on him earlier. Of course, they had to stop this runaway train, but she should probably stop throwing around words like mistake. “It sounds like we’re all on the same page. Teresa and Isabel, if you can coordinate and let me know if you need any help, that would be great.”
“Are we done?” Shane asked. “Sorry, I really need to go.”
Isabel’s face fell, telling Nadia her suspicions were correct. There was a major crush happening here and it was all traveling in one direction.
“Yes. Thanks.” Nadia turned to Teresa. “Is it all right if we go upstairs and meet in Matt’s suite? My laptop is up there.”
“Sure,” Teresa said.
The two women made their way upstairs, settling in the most suitable work area in Matt’s room, at the dining table near the writing desk. They went over the menus for the entire weekend and came up with a long list of questions for Aspen. Accommodating each guest’s dietary guidelines would be a challenge, but Nadia felt as though she’d successfully handed the baton to Teresa.
“Any other questions?” Nadia asked.
Teresa shook her head. “I don’t think so.”
“Everything else is going well? No bumps in the road?” Nadia stopped short of asking about Teresa’s phone conversation. She hoped she might explain it on her own. If she didn’t, Nadia had to mention it to Matt.
“I need to sort out a few things with Liam Christopher, but otherwise, no.”
“I could see how there might be issues. The Sasha announcement is going to be big. Both Matt and Liam are pretty anxious about it. Liam’s been working on this technology for years.”
Teresa cocked her head as if Nadia had taken her by surprise. “So that’s what it’s called? Sasha?”
Nadia felt the blood drain from her face. “Did Matt not tell you in your meeting? I thought he was telling you today.”
She shook her head. “He said he wanted to keep a lid on it a little longer. I guess Liam is paranoid about the news getting out.”
Nadia closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. “You can’t breathe a word of this to anyone. I need you to promise me you won’t. Matt and Liam will never forgive me.”
“Of course.” Teresa raised a finger to her lips. “Your secret’s safe with me.”
Nadia wasn’t sure she could trust Teresa. She needed to give herself a little insurance. And the only ammunition she had was the information she’d gained an hour ago. “I hope your phone call downstairs wasn’t anything too important. I’m sorry, but I couldn’t help but overhear.”
Teresa blanched, her skin pale as a ghost. “That was personal an
d I’d like to keep it that way. Surely you understand. Just like you wouldn’t want me talking about the TBG story.”
Nadia swallowed hard. Teresa was not afraid to throw a punch when needed. “That was taken down from the website right before our meeting. There’s nothing to talk about anymore.”
Teresa gathered her things. “Here’s some free advice. Women are judged for these things far more harshly than men. The world is changing, but we aren’t there yet. You need to protect yourself. Put your own interests first. You know Matt Richmond won’t hesitate to do the same.”
Nadia knew Teresa was right. Nadia had given herself virtually that exact speech in the car on her way up to The Opulence. “I hope I can trust you to keep the story to yourself.”
“Of course. Bad tabloid news is the last thing I want interfering with this event.” Teresa got up from the table while Nadia tried to ignore the way her statement made her stomach sour. “I’m going to my room to get freshened up before I head into my last meeting today.”
Nadia showed Teresa to the door. When she glanced down the hall, she saw Matt striding toward them. Her heart made its presence known, thumping wildly.
“Mr. Richmond,” Teresa said.
Matt’s sights flashed to Nadia for an instant, making heat rush through her. “Please. Call me Matt. The next month and a half is going to be crazy. We might as well get to a first-name basis now.”
“Great. Thank you very much for today. And don’t hesitate to reach out any time, day or night, if you need anything at all.” She started to walk away, but Matt stopped her.