by Pamela Yaye
Chapter 9
That’s it. Keep putting one foot in front of the other, just like that, and whatever you do, don’t look into his eyes, or you’re toast!
Brianna was shaking so hard her knees wobbled. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine seeing Collin again, and certainly not at Childs International Hotel that afternoon. As Brianna stepped off the elevator she pinched her forearm to prove she wasn’t dreaming. It was a surreal moment, one she just couldn’t wrap her head around. Brianna felt unsteady on her feet, like a one-year-old taking her first step, but she followed Collin through the lobby and out the sliding-glass doors she’d passed through an hour earlier.
Outside, as they strolled, the air was saturated with the tantalizing aroma of hotdogs and freshly baked pretzels, and the streets were chock-full of wide-eyed tourists and businessmen in designer suits. Checkered cabs zipped from one uptown destination to the next. Skyscrapers loomed on every corner, and models with perfect smiles and bodies hawked everything from cell phones to sneakers in glossy, larger-than-life billboards.
Consumed by her thoughts, Brianna didn’t notice they’d wandered down Fifth Avenue and into Central Park until she saw the bronze goddess in the Pulitzer Fountain. The park was a stunning explosion of vibrant autumn colors and packed with nature lovers eager to take advantage of the unusually warm October day. Dog walkers powered along the trails with their beloved four-legged friends, seniors reclined on wooden benches sipping coffee and joggers sped through the park huffing and puffing. Shrieks of laughter carried on the breeze, drawing Brianna’s gaze to a boisterous group of children collecting leaves.
A wave of sadness washed over Brianna. The pain in her heart was constant and deep. It was always there, hovering, lingering, and on days like this, when children were around, it was impossible to keep her emotions in check. Is it always going to be like this? she wondered, staring at the children in the navy-blue school uniforms. Am I ever going to be able to put the past behind me and move on?
“Brianna, I want you and your family to know that we are taking the incident with your brother and Zoe Sinclair getting locked in the supply closet very seriously, and we’re doing everything in our power to find out exactly what happened and who’s responsible.”
Brianna blinked, shook off her feelings of despair and gave Collin her undivided attention. They had much to discuss and no time to waste. Kyle and her parents would want a full report and Brianna wanted to be able to answer their questions truthfully and honestly. “Do you have any leads?”
“Our security team has some footage from the camera directly outside of the supply closet, but it’s unclear who the person in the video is. He was wearing a baseball cap and dark clothes and disappeared into the stairwell in the blink of an eye.”
“That’s too bad. My family and I were really hoping the security footage would reveal the culprit.”
“Do you think it was an act of deliberate sabotage?”
“Yes. In light of what happened to my sister last month, we have every reason to believe that someone purposely locked my brother and his fiancée in the storage closet.”
“His fiancée?” Collin frowned. “I’d heard Kyle and Ms. Sinclair were not friendly after her departure from RHD.”
“They fell hard for each other, and the rest is history.”
“It happens to the best of us,” he said with a wry smile.
You can say that again, Brianna silently agreed, fussing with her scarf.
“Can you think of anyone harboring a grudge against your family?”
“No, I can’t,” she said. “As far as I know, no one has a personal vendetta against us.”
Collin looked at her closely in a way that made her feel he could see right through her.
“Have you managed to escape what was bothering you in Paris?”
Brianna gazed at Collin. Now that he knew who she was, there was no sense hiding anything from him anymore.
“I assume you read about what happened to Bailey Hamilton?” she asked.
Realization dawned on Collin’s face. “Of course. Bailey’s your sister.”
Brianna nodded. “Bailey’s the victim, but unfortunately the public doesn’t see it that way. They think she’s just another beautiful, spoiled model with a secret drug problem.”
“I’m not trying to offend you, but I have to ask. Does your sister do coke?”
“No, never, absolutely not,” she insisted, her voice louder and sharper than she intended.
“I never put much faith in the tabloids,” Collin said. “Every other day, they’re printing pictures of my brother with some woman, but he isn’t into the club scene and would never cheat on his wife.”
“Really? Those pictures are all fakes?”
Collin nodded. “As long as they increase their bottom line the tabloids don’t give a damn who they hurt or how many lives they ruin.”
“That’s so true, and these days the paparazzi are more aggressive than ever.”
“Something’s gnawing at me,” Collin confessed, his eyebrows raised in a questioning slant. “If Bailey doesn’t have a drug problem, what was she doing in the basement of Lincoln Center? And why did she pass out?”
Brianna bit down on her bottom lip. Her father didn’t want her to discuss the details of Bailey’s vicious attack, but her gut feeling was that Collin Childs was a good man, someone who would never betray her trust. The realization shocked her, but it was true. Brianna cared deeply about Collin and believed he would never intentionally hurt her. “Someone knocked my sister out and planted a bag of cocaine on her.”
“Oh, wow, Brianna, that’s insane. I’m sorry to hear that.”
“I feel so helpless,” she confessed. “Someone is out to destroy my family, and there’s nothing I can do about it.”
“Why would someone want to hurt your sister?”
“We think Bailey may have a stalker, but since she remembers very little of the attack there isn’t much we can do right now.”
“Your sister’s not in rehab, is she.”
Brianna shook her head. “My parents sent her out of town to recuperate.”
“Do you think the person who attacked Bailey also locked your brother and Ms. Sinclair in the supply closet?”
“It’s possible, but jimmying a lock is a far cry from knocking a woman unconscious and leaving her for dead.”
“You’re right. It is. And since there haven’t been any other incidents there’s no reason to believe the two events are connected....” Collin trailed off and his feet slowed to a stop as he looked at her. “What is it, Brianna? Why are you frowning?”
“A couple other minor things have happened.”
“I’d like to hear about them.”
Who is out to get my family? Brianna wondered, wrapping her arms around her chilled shoulders. What have we done to deserve being threatened? Is Bailey’s attacker going to strike again? And if so, how in the hell do we stop him?
“Tell me, Brianna. What is it?”
Brianna cleared her throat, then forced the truth out of her mouth. “Someone destroyed a shipment of couture gowns, and a few days later the tires on Kyle’s truck were slashed.”
“That proves it, then. Someone is out to destroy your family.”
Brianna winced. She wanted to refute what Collin said, but she had a lump in her throat.
“I’m sorry. That came out all wrong.”
Brianna looked everywhere but at Collin’s face. She feared he’d take one look at her and see the pain, the anguish that threatened to consume her.
“I didn’t mean to be insensitive,” Collin said, wearing an apologetic smile. “I just want to get to the bottom of things, and the sooner the better.”
Glancing around the park, Brianna couldn’t help but wonder if someone wa
s watching her, eying her every move. Knowing that a devious, calculated mind was plotting to destroy the people she loved made Brianna sick to her stomach. Sweat soaked her skin, drenching her as the detective’s words came back to her. My hands are tied, Ms. Hamilton. There’s nothing I can do until the culprit strikes again.
“I’m sorry about what happened to your sister, and to Kyle, and if there’s anything I can do to help just let me know.” Reaching out, he took her hand in his and gave it a light squeeze. “You’re not alone, Brianna.”
Her heart beat loud and fast in her chest. Central Park was packed, filled with hundreds of people taking advantage of the balmy fall afternoon, but when Collin stared deep into her eyes, Brianna felt like they were the only two people in the world.
“The past few weeks have been incredibly stressful for you, and I think we should do something fun to take your mind off your troubles,” Collin said, his tone matter-of-fact. “Are you free tomorrow night? I’d love to take you out.”
Brianna swallowed hard and racked her brain for an excuse. The last time she’d been on a date was three months after her divorce, and she’d been so uncomfortable around the loudmouth stockbroker she’d ended the date early and tossed his business card in the trash on her way out of the restaurant.
Sure, she’d gone out with Collin several times before, and had even spent the night with him, but this was New York, the real world—her real world—and stepping out with Collin Childs was sure to attract major attention. Attention Brianna and her family didn’t need or want. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“You have to eat and I have to eat, so why we can’t do it together?”
“Because we’re in New York, not Paris, and I don’t want to end up in the tabloids.”
“Are you ashamed of me?” Collin touched his chest. “It’s the tie, isn’t it?”
Brianna fought the laughter tickling her throat.
“Pink isn’t my color, but October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and I wanted to show my support for all the brave, courageous women out there battling the disease,” he explained. “But I promise not to wear pink on our date.”
Brianna let the laughter out and shook her head. She loved when Collin teased her and cracked jokes. It made her smile, made her temporarily forget her pain, her heartache, her past. “Collin, you’re crazy!”
“And you’re beautiful, so let’s go out tomorrow night and paint the town pink!” Collin winked at her. “I guarantee you’ll have a good time. Come on, say yes. You know you want to.”
“Okay, let’s do it. I can finish telling you about the spring 2014 line.”
The grin slid off his face. “What else is there to say? Investing in RHD is a no-brainer, and I think our brothers are geniuses for collaborating.”
“I agree, but the real work is just beginning. We need to determine our vision and concept for the print campaign—”
“Say no more. I’ll get my marketing team on it right away.” His smile returned. “I’ll pick you up tomorrow night at six o’clock. Sound good to you?”
“Collin, you don’t have to pick me up. Let’s meet at the restaurant.”
“Who said we’re going out for dinner?”
Brianna raised an eyebrow. “Aren’t we? Dinner and a movie are pretty standard for the first date.”
“This isn’t our first date, Brianna. It’s our tenth date.”
“You kept track of how many dates we went on in Paris?”
“From the moment I spotted you at the Carrousel du Louvre I knew you were special.” Collin stopped walking and faced her. “Don’t ever forget that, Brianna. You’re a smart, vivacious young woman, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have met you.”
Me too, Collin, me too.
Brianna heard her cell phone chime and fished it out of her handbag. When she read the newest text message from her brother Daniel, Brianna knew she had to leave. She offered an apologetic smile. “Our I.T. manager just called an emergency production meeting, and it starts in twenty minutes.”
“I’ll walk you back to Fifth Avenue and hail you a cab.”
Brianna nodded, but her thoughts were a million miles away. She had a dilemma, one that would seem odd for a designer working at an esteemed fashion house, but a dilemma nonetheless. As Collin led her out of Central Park, the same question played over and over in her mind. What in the world am I going to wear on our date?
Chapter 10
“I think we should nix the sponsorship deal with Roger Hamilton Designs. I saw the photographs of Bailey Hamilton in the newspapers, and they didn’t look like fakes to me.”
At the sound of his marketing director’s stern, gruff voice, Collin blinked, straightened in his leather chair and shook off his thoughts. Damn. It was the second time since the staff meeting started that he’d zoned out. He had to quit doing that. Daydreaming on the job, especially when the hotel boardroom was filled with his loyal, hardworking executive staff, wasn’t cool. His behavior was unprofessional, shocking even, something he’d never done before—not even when he was in the midst of his acrimonious divorce.
“I wholeheartedly agree,” the public relations director said with an adamant nod of his shiny bald head. “This sponsorship deal with Roger Hamilton Design is a PR nightmare waiting to happen, and I don’t want any part of it.”
Collin wagged a finger at the Boston native. “You worry too much.”
“I know,” he said. “That’s part of my job.”
“I understand your reservations,” Collin said, glancing around the boardroom at his staff. “But we’re not backing out of the sponsorship deal....”
Intent on being heard, everyone spoke at once.
To silence them, Collin raised a hand in the air and loudly cleared his throat. “Partnering with Roger Hamilton Designs was a brilliant move on my brother’s part, and there’s no doubt in my mind that this blockbuster deal will produce major dividends for both companies.”
“If you say so,” the district manager said, her Southern drawl filled with disbelief. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”
Collin chuckled. “Ah, ye of little faith.”
“I trust you. It’s the Hamiltons I don’t trust.”
“That makes two of us.” The PR director leaned forward in his chair, his eyes narrowed and his lips pursed. “My sources at the Post tell me that Bailey Hamilton has a serious drug problem and...”
Seated at the head of the table, listening to his executive team discuss the latest celebrity gossip, should have been enough to hold Collin’s attention, but once again his thoughts turned to Brianna Hamilton—the stunning, fresh-faced beauty who’d filled his days and nights in Paris with laughter, excitement and so much freakin’ passion he couldn’t stop fantasizing about her.
Leaning back in his chair, his leg propped casually on his knee, he remembered the day Brianna had left Paris and how lonely and empty he’d felt wandering the streets of Gargilesse alone. Sure, he’d bumped into Evangeline and her entourage at the wine festival, but the French pop star had failed to hold his interest. If not for their business relationship and his fear of offending her, he would have found a way to ditch the loud, outrageous group.
Since leaving Paris, he’d been beating himself up for not asking Brianna for her phone number, but within seconds of ending his call with the hotel manager of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Paris, Brianna had walked into his office looking more ravishing than ever. And to think, he’d been contemplating bribing the hotel manager for Brianna’s last name and phone number. Turns out I won’t have to shell out a dime, he thought, pleased by the unexpected turn of events.
He’d called Cameron last night to fill him in on his meeting with Brianna Hamilton, but his brother sounded distracted and upset, nothing like his upbeat, good-natured self.
Stealin
g a glance at his diamond wristwatch, Collin tapped his fingers restlessly on the table. Six o’clock couldn’t come fast enough. He considered the plans he’d made for his date that evening. Everything was ready, and Collin couldn’t wait to see the look on Brianna’s face when she saw the romantic surprise he had for her.
Collin looked out the window. The morning sky was overcast, threatening rain, and the wind was howling loudly, but the gloomy weather didn’t dampen his spirits. Collin couldn’t remember the last time he’d been this excited about a woman and found himself wondering what it would be like to have Brianna Hamilton in his life permanently.
The realization shocked him, gave him pause. But it was true. He hadn’t known Brianna long, but she’d done something no one else had ever done: given him hope. She’d renewed his faith in mankind—especially the opposite sex—and since returning home from Paris he felt different, changed somehow. Since his divorce he’d partied, gambled and hooked up with a wide assortment of beauties, but Brianna was the only woman who’d captured his attention. Collin wasn’t interested in being in another high-profile relationship, but he enjoyed spending time with the sassy fashion designer and felt they were on the verge of something special, something real.
I feel like I hit the jackpot, Collin thought, a grin taking over his mouth. And, I have, because now that I’ve reunited with Brianna I have no intention of letting her go again.
* * *
At four o’clock that afternoon, Brianna stepped out of RHD and was about to hail a cab when she heard someone shout her name. A glance over her shoulder confirmed it was her cousin Nelson, and he wasn’t alone. He was bounding up the street with a camera crew in tow. Soho was known for outrageous happenings on its lively streets, and Brianna had seen it all and then some from the RHD offices. But when her cousin jogged over and whipped her up in his arms, even she was taken aback. No one else on the street even blinked an eye. A-list stars often frequented the area, so residents went about their business as if seeing a camera crew was no big deal.