Romeo for Hire

by Ali Parker

  “Well.” I sighed dramatically, doing my best impersonation of her. “I guess I’m just learning how to enjoy the finer things in life.”

  “One of them being that cappuccino?” she asked.

  I winked again and brought the cup back to my lips. Everything about this morning felt surreal. As if the entire world had increased tenfold. The sun was brighter, its rays warmer. My hair felt softer when I ran my fingers through the strands. Leslie’s gray eyes were lighter and full of life. And my coffee. God, my coffee was delicious.

  “I sent off a proposal to the board this morning,” I told my sister.

  She blinked, confused. “A proposal for what?”

  “A new Smart Cosmetics branch,” I said. “In Seattle.”

  Leslie’s eyes widened. Her lips turned down, and she nodded, impressed. In the years that our father had run Smart Cosmetics, he’d never once opened a branch outside of New York. Despite me and others telling him how lucrative it would be.

  “Why Seattle?” Leslie asked. “I thought you always wanted to start with one in Milan? Or Paris.”

  “Seattle is more practical,” I admitted with a shrug, unsure whether I should confide in her my true intentions. “It’s a good starting point. Then, maybe in a few years, we can shift our focus to Paris or Milan.”

  Leslie’s hand shot up. “I call Milan.”

  “Like you could run an entire branch by yourself,” I scoffed.

  “Maybe one day.” She winked.

  “Hey, who knows, right?”

  We both laughed, letting the conversation drift off into the casual. My mind stayed on Seattle, though. I suddenly felt guilty for not telling Leslie the whole truth. After all, she was my sister, the one person who had always stood by my side.

  “Listen,” I said slowly. “How would you feel about me moving?”

  “Where?” she asked without interest.

  “Seattle.”

  Understanding dawned on her face. She smiled a half-smile, letting her head fall side to side. When she spoke, it wasn’t at all what I expected.

  “I think that would be great for you,” she said honestly. “Would Ryan go? And Paisley?”

  I nodded. “I think so. He said as much last night.”

  “Really?”

  I nodded again, and for the first time, I let myself feel the reality of Ryan’s promise. It was like my life was finally beginning to unfold, and I couldn’t wait to see what it looked like all laid out.

  “And you’re sure this is what you want?” Leslie asked. “Seattle?”

  “I loved it there, Les. I really did.”

  She sighed and reached her hand across the table. I found her fingers and squeezed as a sadness overwhelmed us both.

  “This feels right for you,” she said. “But I’m going to hate it when it actually happens.”

  “It might be a while,” I assured her. “The board just received the proposal this morning. I doubt we’ll hear back anytime soon.”

  Leslie pulled her hand back from mine. “I don’t know,” she said. “After your performance at the banquet, I think they might follow you anywhere.”

  “It wasn’t a performance,” I said. “All me.”

  She smiled and ate another bite of her muffin. The morning was dragging on, and I knew our coffee date would soon come to an end. But, I didn’t know how many more we had or for how long, so I ignored the time and smiled at my sister.

  “Have you talked to Mom?” she asked, her eyes dropping to the table.

  My smile vanished. Dread filled my stomach at the mere mention of my mother. If telling Leslie about Seattle had been hard, I couldn’t even imagine telling my mom.

  “She misses you,” Leslie whispered.

  “You’ve talked to her?”

  “Once.” Leslie grimaced apologetically. “She called me yesterday, and I just couldn’t ignore her anymore, you know?”

  “Yeah.” I nodded. “I get it.”

  My own guilt had quickly become unbearable. Luckily, between work and Ryan and Paisley, I hadn’t had much time to dwell on my failing relationship with my mother.

  “She’s afraid she’s lost you forever,” Leslie said.

  “Sometimes, I think she might have,” I admitted.

  Leslie sighed. “I don’t blame you,” she said. “And I’m on your side. You know that, right?”

  “Of course.”

  “But—”

  “You think I should talk to her.”

  She nodded slowly. Her nerves were evident in the way she kept fiddling with her fingernails. Seeing Leslie afraid to be honest with me only made my guilt that much worse.

  “I know.” I closed my eyes. “I know you’re right. I just can’t stand the thought of seeing her, Les. Not yet.”

  “I get it,” she said quickly. “But don’t wait too long, okay? The more distance you put between you, the harder it’ll be to bridge the gap.”

  “Maybe if I’m in Seattle, I won’t have to deal with it at all,” I teased.

  Leslie dropped her chin and shot me a disapproving look. For all our mother’s faults, we both still loved her.

  “You wouldn’t really do that.” Leslie glared. “You would never leave me to deal with her all by myself. I would kill you.”

  “It might help toughen you up,” I joked. “Get you ready to run that Milan branch one day.”

  “Ha! So, you admit it. I’m totally gonna be president one day.”

  “Running one branch does not make you president,” I said. “Just ask Bart.”

  Leslie’s eyes widened in confusion and shock. I explained all about my plan to get Bart Banks off my back and how, if it worked, he would take over the New York office. As I talked, her face slowly fell deeper into a frown.

  “Are you serious?” she asked softly. “Do you really think that’s a good idea? That man tried to steal the company from you, Candice. From us!”

  “And this way, he can never do that again.”

  Leslie sank against the back of the chair and crossed her arms over her chest. I knew my sister well enough to know that her dramatic streak ran long. It killed her to think about Bart Banks sitting in my office, at the same desk our father once sat. If I thought too hard about it, it killed me too.

  “The alternative is worse,” I said, more to myself than Leslie. “I know Bart, Leslie. He won’t give up, not without a fight that could wipe out the company’s resources and totally trash my reputation. I can’t let that happen.”

  “I get it,” Leslie snapped. “That doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

  “I’m not asking you to,” I said. “I’m just asking you to respect it.”

  She rolled her eyes, but when they landed on my face, she smiled a reluctant smile. I kicked her under the table to make her laugh.

  “Lighten up,” I said. “Everything will be fine.”

  “Speak for yourself.” She snorted. “You’ll be in Seattle, living it up and in love. I’ll be here. With Mom. And working for Bart Banks.”

  “Well, not directly for him.”

  “Maybe I’ll come with you,” she mused. “There are worse places than Seattle.”

  I frowned. “Leslie, you hate the rain.”

  “Yeah.” She groaned. “There’s that.”

  We both laughed and slowly got to our feet. The morning was already almost over, and we couldn’t avoid work any longer.

  “Call Mom, okay?” she said as we left the coffee shop.

  “I’ll think about it,” I promised, but all thoughts of my mother flew from my mind the second I stepped inside my office.

  Bart Banks was sitting behind my desk, a triumphant grin plastered across his face.

  ***

  “What are you doing here, Bart?”

  I kept my tone light, casual. Breezing across the room, I moved behind my desk and nudged the chair with my high-heeled toe. He laughed and hopped up, motioning for me to take a seat in my own chair.

  “Thanks,” I said. “I’ll ask again. Bar
t, what are you doing here?”

  “No need to be upset, Candice.” He chuckled. “I come bearing nothing but good news.”

  He walked around the side of my desk and sat down in the chair across from me. Crossing his legs, he placed his hands over one knee and interlaced his fingers. I held my breath and waited for him to explain himself.

  “The board reviewed your proposal,” he said.

  I sat up. “Already?”

  “That got your attention.” He laughed and then sighed. “Ah, Candice. You still have so many doubts about your abilities, but you shouldn’t. Your proposal was incredible. Foolproof, in fact.”

  “And the board agreed?”

  Bart clapped his hands and leaned forward. An excited glint flickered behind his eyes. For the first time since the drama had unfolded, I felt an appreciation for my father’s old friend.

  “They’re on board,” he said. “It’ll take a while before we can get things up and running, but not a single person was opposed to a Seattle branch.”

  “That’s-that’s incredible.” I laughed weakly. “I can’t believe it. I don’t even know what to say right now.”

  “Just be grateful.”

  Bart got to his feet and moved toward the door. I followed him out, still reeling from the new information. I expected the board to spend weeks making a decision, and they’d barely taken four hours.

  “How did you get everyone to meet so soon?” I asked suspiciously. “Not everyone is in New York.”

  “We conferenced a few people in,” Bart explained.

  “But why? Why not wait until the next board meeting? Why rush things so much?”

  Bart turned and looked at me as if he’d never seen someone so innocent, so naïve. I hated to be looked at that way. Squaring my shoulders, I forced myself to regain my old confidence. The unshakeable certainty I once had.

  “The idea was good,” Bart said simply. “And this deal is just as good for me as it is for you.”

  “Ah.” I nodded with understanding. “Now I get it. You wanted to push the deal through, so you could go ahead and have your run of the New York office. The faster I’m out of the way, the better for you. Right?”

  Bart just grinned and turned back to the door. I didn’t like his arrogance, so I cleared my throat and called him back.

  “Bart.” My voice rang strong through the office. “Just one more thing before you go.”

  “Yes?” He peered at me over his shoulder.

  “Just so we’re clear.” I took a step forward. “Leaving New York is not the same thing as being gone for good. Make no mistake, Bart, you will always work for me.”

  Smiling, Bart nodded and turned to leave. I knew it wasn’t exactly the way he wanted things done, but we were both coming out of this as winners. There was no denying that.

  I watched the door to my office fall shut with a click, knowing that my time here was now limited.

  Part of me had expected to feel sad when this day came, but all I could feel was joy. Excitement. And an intense desire to find Ryan and tell him that the lofty fantasy we dreamed up during our vacation was really going to happen. Within the year, we’d be packing our bags to start a new life together.

  Far, far away from here.

  Chapter 85

  Ryan

  Within seconds, the insides of my pockets were drenched in sweat. I stepped up to the door and forced myself forward. Pulling one hand out of my pocket, I wiped it on my pants leg and grasped the door handle. My eyes closed, my heart sped up, and I stepped inside.

  Beatrice was standing in the lobby with two women who had to be in their mid to late forties. They both looked somewhat nervous, but they stood with straight backs and wide, curious eyes. When I stepped over the threshold, they whipped their heads around. Three pairs of eyes moved up and down my body, making me wish I could sink right through the floor.

  Clearing my throat, I smiled politely and nodded to B.

  “I’ll meet you in your office,” I said, pointing across the lobby.

  B shook her head and waved me over. “No, no! Ryan, come and join us. I was just telling these beautiful women all about you.”

  Shit. My heart sank, but I moved to B’s side automatically. She put her hand on my back and waved the other down my front like I was a prized steed she couldn’t wait to sell off.

  “This is the man I was telling you about,” B cooed. “Ryan is my absolute favorite, and trust me, his clients all agree.”

  My reaction was instinctual. On the inside, I froze. But the outer appearance was nothing short of perfection. I smiled lazily and extended my hand to each woman in turn. They both blushed when I winked and gushed over their beauty.

  “We’re just getting out of some pretty rough marriages,” the first woman said. “And Beatrice here promised us that you might be able to help take our minds off things.”

  “That is what the Romeos were invented for.”

  The woman giggled. I felt my stomach roll, forcing me to remember why I was there, and it wasn’t to score myself another high-dollar client.

  “B has an incredible track record,” I said firmly. “I’m sure she’ll be able to find the perfect man to help you two ladies move on to the next chapter of your lives.”

  B’s hand fell from my back. She blinked at me, disappointed and confused. The women looked between us as if they weren’t sure what was going on. I couldn’t blame them. The last thing a Romeo was supposed to be was dismissive.

  “B,” I said pointedly. “I’ll wait in your office. Take your time.”

  She smiled, keeping her expression professional and calm as I turned away from her. I didn’t have to see the anger boiling behind her eyes to know it was there. The second she met me in her office ten minutes later, I prepared myself for the outburst.

  “What the hell was that?”

  “I’m not here to take on more clients,” I said. Taking a deep breath, I added, “B, I’m here to say goodbye.”

  All the fight drained from B’s body as she sank onto her chair. Her fingers fumbled with the pack of cigarettes on her desk. Lighting one, she inhaled deeply and closed her eyes as if she were in unbearable pain.

  One of her wrinkled hands fluttered to her forehead. She sighed dramatically before opening her eyes and fixing me with the saddest look I’d ever seen.

  “What happened, baby?” she asked weakly. “Haven’t I been good to you?”

  “Of course.”

  She waited for me to continue, but I didn’t know how. Leaving the Romeos suddenly felt like leaving behind my own family. I’d grown so much in the three years I’d been with them, and as sure as I was that it was time to leave, I didn’t know how to say it out loud.

  “Is this about the Smart girl? Candice?” Beatrice asked.

  “Yes,” I admitted. “It is.”

  The corner of B’s lips jerked upward. Her eyes, still sad, filled with another emotion that I couldn’t quite place.

  “You love her?” she asked.

  “Yes,” I said again. “I’m in love with her, and we want to start a life together. I’m not sure we can do that if I stay here.”

  Nodding silently, B took another long drag from her cigarette. I knew her well enough to know what she was thinking. In her mind, she was calculating the loss that my leaving would be for the company.

  “I’m sorry,” I said. “I know you had plans for my future, B. I never wanted to screw you over. That’s the last thing I want to do.”

  “Oh, Ryan, I know that.”

  “You’ve been so good to me over the years.” Once I started talking, I couldn’t stop. “You and Kason gave me this home after all the shit happened. And I needed that. You always understood when I had to take care of my daughter, and that was more than I could have hoped for. I can’t thank you enough for everything, but I—”

  My voice failed. I’d spent the past few months hating Beatrice for manipulating me and Candice alongside Deborah. But now, I realized she’d never meant to hur
t me. She was just being a good businesswoman. Exactly like Candice.

  “Thank you,” I said. “For taking me in. For trusting me and training me and investing in me. Really B, thank you.”

  Beatrice’s eyes, usually so severe, filled with tears. She sighed and stamped out her barely smoked cigarette. Getting to her feet, she walked around her desk to sit in the empty chair beside me. I watched as she crossed her legs and stared searchingly into my eyes.

  “Are you sure about this, Ryan?”

  Her question held no accusation, no hint of ill will. I was shocked by the kindness pouring off her. That was the only reason an honest answer fell so easily off my tongue.

  “Yes,” I nodded. “I’m more sure about this than I’ve ever been about anything. I love Candice. She’s the mother I want for Paisley, and right now, all I want is to start my life with her.”

  “Then, do it.” B smiled.

  I blinked. “What?”

  “If that’s really how you feel about her,” B said. “Then, you have to go.”

  Part of me thought she was kidding, that she was lulling me into a false sense of security before pouncing. There was no way quitting could be this easy. Was there?

  “Look.” B uncrossed her legs and dropped her foot to the floor. Leaning forward, she looked at me warmly. “Do you really think you’re the first Romeo to leave me?”

  “No, but—”

  “Ryan, this is the way I like to lose my guys,” she said. “To love. To passion. Excitement. Adventure. Everything you have with Candice.”

  “So-so, you’re not mad?” I stammered. “You’re not going to try to convince me to stay or-or tell me I’m making a huge mistake.”

  Her eyes widened. “Are you?”

  “No, but—”

  “Ryan, I love all my boys.” She clapped her hands together and sat back. “All of you are like my little babies. And sure, it’s sad to see you go, but I want you to be happy. That’s always been my goal, even when I haven’t acted like it.”

  “You were always so hard on me,” I breathed.

  “Because you worked for me.” She laughed. “It’s my job to push my Romeos to be better. How else am I supposed to make money?”

  I laughed along with her. She was right. It was ridiculous to expect her to be any other way. After all, she had a business to run, but that didn’t make her a monster.