by Karen Booth
“Opportunity?”
She nodded and sucked in her lower lip. “You can give Oliver the childhood that you didn’t have.”
For a moment, it felt as though the earth didn’t move. He’d thought that on some level, but hearing her say it made it clear how right it was. “I can break the cycle.”
“Yes. Although I don’t think you’ll have real closure until your mom finally tells you the truth.”
He downed the last of his wine. “I’m starting to wonder if that will happen.”
“Have you told anyone else in your family?”
“I confided in Anna, but she thinks I’m crazy. She knows that something wasn’t right in our household, but I don’t think she wants to believe it. My father has only been gone about a year. Everyone is still grieving. No one wants to think ill of him.”
“I don’t think you’re crazy, Aiden. It makes perfect sense to me.”
Sarah’s lips were right there, waiting for him, telling him everything he’d ever wanted to hear. The validation of his pain, his fears, the vulnerability that he wished didn’t exist at all, was so powerful it made his entire body feel lighter. He wanted to kiss her so badly, to express his gratitude for her in a way that would leave no doubt in her mind that he appreciated her.
But he couldn’t do that. Not when he needed her in Oliver’s life. Not when he was sure it would ruin everything.
His phone buzzed with a text. Normally, he wouldn’t stop to read it, especially when he was alone with a beautiful woman, but it was taking extreme effort to keep from kissing this one and it was his intention to do exactly that. “I’m sorry. I should check this.” The message was from Anna—good news. “You and I are going to Miami. We have our tickets.”
Sarah popped up out of her seat. “For Forward Style?”
He laughed, watching her bounce on her toes. “Yes. We go the day after tomorrow.”
“Wednesday? Oh my God. We have to book flights. Who’s going to take care of Oliver?” She looked him squarely in the face. “What am I going to wear?”
“We’ll ask Anna and Jacob to stay with Oliver for the night. You know they’d love to do it.”
Sarah’s shoulders dropped with relief. “True. She and Jacob are so good with him. What about the rest?”
“We’ll take the corporate jet. No need to worry about flights.”
“Are you sure? That seems extravagant.”
He grinned so wide it made his cheeks ache. The joy of seeing her happy and excited was his reward after a roller coaster of a day. “Yes. I’m sure. I told you I’d help you, and I’m a man of my word. As for what you should wear, we’re in New York. Go shopping.”
She shook her head. “There’s no time. We have more nannies to interview tomorrow, and I know you need to get some work done. Plus, if I’m going to walk up to Sylvia Hodge and try to impress her, I need to be wearing one of my own designs.”
“You’re going to wear a nightgown?”
She slapped his arm and grimaced. “No, silly. I design other things. And I have the perfect gown at home. It’s gorgeous. Emerald green, dangerously low-cut. Sylvia will love it.” Her eyes flashed with mischief. “I just need to get Tessa in my office to overnight it to me.”
Aiden felt like he couldn’t breathe. In a little more than twenty-four hours, he’d be alone in Miami with Sarah and her dangerous dress. How he loved peril, especially at the hand of a beautiful woman. “Have her send you a swimsuit, too. We can’t go to Florida without some fun in the sun.”
Nine
Between leaving Oliver overnight, and knowing that in twelve hours she’d have to dazzle Sylvia Hodge at a fashion event most people would kill to attend, Sarah was so worked up she thought she might be sick. “I hope I haven’t forgotten anything.” Yesterday had been such a whirlwind, it’d be a modern miracle if she hadn’t messed up something. Oliver’d had a fussy day, which probably meant he had another tooth coming in. Aiden had been shuttered in his home office for hours, coming out long enough to say no to three more nanny candidates.
Sarah had dealt with a million other details beyond that, including having Tessa, her assistant, overnight her gown and a few more clothes to the hotel in Miami. That meant she was in the same black sundress she’d had on the day she met Aiden. She didn’t feel confident at all, but she’d only packed a weekend’s worth of clothes when she’d come to New York. Two days had always been her plan.
“If we have any questions, we’ll call you.” Anna eased herself into a chair at the kitchen table. “I just want you to go to Miami and kick some serious butt.”
“Any last-minute advice before we head to the airport? You worked in the garment industry for years. I really wish you could be there to make me look less incompetent.”
Anna sat up straighter and reached across the table, placing her hand on Sarah’s. “From the moment I met you, you struck me as nothing less than cool determination. You will have no problem with Sylvia Hodge. She’s drawn to people who have a vision. Show her what you see for your future and everything else will fall into place. I promise.”
Sarah blew out a breath. What a coup it was to have Anna’s help, and Aiden’s for that matter. He was bankrolling this venture, after all. But knowing he was putting so much money into it only made the pressure that much more intense.
“Ready?” Aiden strode into the room. In dark gray dress pants and a white dress shirt, he looked so good he could’ve sold her a magic bag of beans.
Jacob followed, holding Oliver. He’d just had his first diaper-changing lesson, courtesy of Aiden. The former daddy-in-training was teaching the daddy-to-be.
“You look extra handsome holding a baby,” Anna said to Jacob, slowly pushing herself up out of the chair.
Jacob flashed his dazzling smile. “It’s the ultimate fashion accessory. Women go crazy for it.”
Anna rolled her eyes and sidled up next to them. “Don’t push it.”
Aiden watched Anna and Jacob with Oliver. He was anxious—Sarah could see it. That made a small part of her melt on the inside. There was nothing sexier than a man who was on edge about leaving his child.
For Aiden’s sake, Sarah started the goodbyes. “Okay, sweet boy. Anna and Jacob are going to take very good care of you. We’ll see you tomorrow when we get back.” She kissed his forehead. Emotion washed over her. In a few short days she’d be doing this for real.
“Goodbye, buddy.” Aiden’s voice wobbled as he cupped the back of Oliver’s head and kissed his cheek.
Aiden’s driver John was waiting outside in the black SUV, idling at the curb. The ride to the private terminal in Teterboro, New Jersey, took nearly an hour with traffic. Aiden made work calls, leaving no time for them to talk. The way he laid down the law with people was inspiring and intimidating. Would she ever be that in control? Could she grow her company and give herself security, command respect and just tell people what she wanted? She had a hard time imagining she could muster that much mojo.
The car went through a security gate and drove up alongside the sleek white jet, tastefully marked with the royal blue LangTel logo. The plane’s boarding stairs had been lowered to the tarmac. Aiden’s driver opened the door for Sarah, and she dug her fingernails into the tender heels of her hands, reminding herself that this wasn’t a movie. This was really happening. “Thank you so much, John. I don’t know how you navigate traffic in this giant car, but I’m glad you can.”
“Thank you, Ms. Daltrey.”
She gently swiped at his arm. “Please, call me Sarah. It’s only fair since I call you John.”
An amused smile crossed his lips. “You’re very gracious, Sarah. Excuse me while I retrieve the bags. I’ll see you on board.”
“Oh. You’re joining us?”
“I always drive Mr. Langford. Everywhere.”
&nb
sp; Aiden climbed out of the car and placed his hand on her lower back, only amping up her nervousness. That touch from any other man would’ve reminded her this was really happening. It would’ve taken her out of the dream. But Aiden? He put her that much further into it. He nodded toward the plane, his sunglasses glinting. “Shall we?”
They climbed the stairs and stepped into the luxurious cabin, piling one surreal moment on top of countless others. There were a dozen or so oversize cream-colored leather seats, mahogany and chrome accents. Everything gleamed—even the flight attendant’s red lipstick and white smile as she said, “Welcome aboard.”
“Anywhere special you want me?” Sarah asked Aiden.
He removed his sunglasses and cocked an eyebrow. “Wherever you’d like to be is fine with me.”
Her face flushed with heat. Damn him and his comebacks. Damn her and her brain that just had to go there. She took the seat closest to her. Aiden took the one directly opposite, facing her.
“May I get you a drink before takeoff, Ms. Daltrey?”
Sarah hadn’t had a chance to introduce herself. Nor did she have a chance to respond.
“We’ll have the usual, Genevieve,” Aiden answered.
“Yes, Mr. Langford.”
“I trust that champagne is okay?” Aiden asked Sarah.
“It’s nine in the morning.”
Aiden ruffled the newspaper open. “You’re on edge. I see it on your face.”
My face is fine. John boarded, taking a seat in the front. Sarah glanced out the window as the plane began to taxi. She hated to fly and seeing outside after takeoff would only make it worse. She lowered the shade, doing her best to act as if this was exactly where she should be. If she seemed on edge, it was because she was as far out of her element as she could imagine, and this was only the start of her day on the brink. There was much more to deal with—Sylvia Hodge, the fashion show, the countless glamorous people who would be in attendance, who would undoubtedly be wondering how someone like Sarah got in. And then there was the not-small matter of spending twenty-four hours with Aiden, when she already didn’t trust herself with him.
Own it, Sarah. Own it. “I’m not on edge. I’m just thinking over the things Anna and I talked about this morning. For the moment when I meet Sylvia Hodge.” God help me. “She gave me some great pointers.” Sarah sat up straight and crossed her legs. If only she was in her black pencil skirt, short peplum jacket and pumps, she’d be the epitome of put-together. Thankfully, Tessa had sent that power suit, along with the dress she’d designed and a bathing suit. The clothes would help her fake her way through today, and then she’d be golden.
In the interest of control and modesty, Sarah had been explicit with Tessa about the swimsuit, asking for the plain black one at the very bottom of her dresser. Plain black. Got it? Hopefully she could talk Aiden out of a trip to the pool and she wouldn’t even need it. She’d seen him without his shirt and managed to keep her own clothes on. No point in pressing her luck.
The flight attendant brought two champagne flutes, filled with golden bubbles. Aiden folded his newspaper and reached out to clink his glass with hers. “To success.”
She admired his optimism—success was not a familiar concept. “Yes. I’m hoping for success.”
His vision narrowed on her, a crease forming between his eyes. “There is no hoping. You need to walk up to Sylvia Hodge tonight, tell her what you do and tell her what you want. That’s how you make deals. By taking charge.”
“And how, exactly, do I take charge with Sylvia Hodge? She’s a legend. She’s put more designers on the map than anyone, and she’s probably destroyed more. Just saying her name scares me.”
“I can tell. And it’s not good. But don’t worry. I have a solution.”
A solution? “Please. Do tell. I’m all ears.”
“How do you feel about heights?”
Uh-oh. Mr. Adventure-seeker was at play here. “Absolutely mortified. So whatever it is that you’re planning, just forget it. I’m not climbing or jumping off anything.”
“No climbing or jumping. Just fun. You don’t have to do anything other than sit there.”
“A roller coaster?”
“Parasailing.”
“Over water? In the sky?” Sarah’s brain sputtered. As if she wasn’t already nervous enough. “No way. My hair looks amazing today. I’m not giving up a God-given good hair day.”
He leaned closer and rested his elbows on his thighs. “Sarah. You made me step outside my comfort zone. It’s time for me to do the same for you. Trust me. It’ll be good.”
“Maybe I forgot to ask my assistant to send a bathing suit. Oh well. Your plan won’t work.”
He shook his head. “I was in the room when you asked her. Unless she’s terrible at her job, you should be all set. Stop making excuses.”
Sarah blew out an exasperated breath, downed half of her champagne and slumped back in her seat. Great. Now I get to risk life and limb right before I put my entire career on the line.
Three hours later, they were on the ground in Miami. Sarah stepped off the plane, thick balmy air hitting her skin as she squinted into the bright Florida sun. At least summery weather made it feel like vacation. A black SUV like the one Aiden had in New York was waiting for them planeside. John had them off to the hotel in no time. As much as Sarah felt out of place, traveling with Aiden did have an upside. No waiting to check your bag or slogging your way through security. It was lovely.
She glanced over at him while the car sped along a causeway, palm trees fluttering in the breeze outside. He was so good-looking it sometimes hurt to set her sights on him for too long, as if her eyes grew weary of handsome. What would it be like to be Aiden Langford’s female companion on a trip like this? Romantic female companion. She already knew the VIP treatment was wonderful, but sleeping in the same bed with six-plus feet of pure man? Kissing him, taking off his clothes...the thought of it made her squirm in her seat. She quickly turned away and stared out her own window. She had to stay focused on business, even if romantic fantasies about Aiden were a nice escape.
They arrived at The Miami Palm hotel, situated on a private key, a small island just off the coast of downtown, connected to land by a gated bridge. Inside, the hotel lobby had classic Miami opulence—art deco chandeliers, towering potted palms and a tropical color scheme of cream, coral and sea green. Aiden was apparently a frequent customer—every employee, especially every female employee, knew his name. They didn’t even have to check in. The bellman brought them straight up to the top floor. And one room.
“One room?” Sarah said under her breath. “Isn’t that a little presumptuous?” It was her duty to feign indignation, at least while her brain attempted to determine what exactly Aiden was up to.
The bellman opened the door and stepped aside. Sarah nearly gasped when she walked into the luxurious space. Heck, if this was where they were staying, Aiden could presume whatever he wanted to. A sprawling living area was before them, with two large sectional couches. A black baby grand piano was beyond that, flanked by linen-upholstered armchairs. A dining table for ten was on the other side of the living area, with a wet bar beyond that. Along the length of the room were a trio of sliding doors leading to the terrace, with palm trees, a cloudless sky and the ocean completing the view.
“The presidential suite, sir.” The bellman wheeled their suitcases inside.
Aiden peered down at her. “See? Nothing presumptuous. Two bedrooms. Two master baths. Separated by this big room. And don’t worry, your door has a lock.”
Now Sarah felt stupid for saying anything. This was a business trip. She needed to start acting as such.
“It’s wonderful. Thank you so much for arranging this. I really appreciate it.”
“Holding up my end of the bargain.”
And nothing more
.
“Time to get settled,” he added. “We leave in forty-five minutes.”
Her shoulders dropped. “So you were serious about parasailing? Really?”
“Dead serious. I don’t get to do this sort of thing nearly enough. I’m in Miami, I’m going parasailing. And you’re coming with me.”
“You know, I’m really more of a lounge-on-the-beach-with-a-mojito sort of girl.”
“Although I’m enjoying the vision, that’s not the plan today.”
“But...”
He shook his head. “No buts. If you get scared, the boat can bring us in. But you won’t get scared.”
“Fine.” Dejected, Sarah sucked in a deep breath and ambled to her room.
Once inside, Sarah’s eyes were immediately drawn to her gown, hanging neatly on a dressing rod next to the closet. Her suit coat and skirt were behind the dress. They must have been steamed by the hotel staff. They looked the picture of perfection. The emerald-green silk of the dress was just as exquisite as she’d remembered, the beading on the bodice and trailing down onto the skirt equally sublime. This was a good thing. She would be confident in this dress. It would be her superhero costume, the one in which she set aside her everyday persona and became an invincible woman.
Time to step outside her comfort zone.
She turned, her vision drifted to the bed and her inner peace sizzled away like a bead of water on a hot skillet. Good God. No. There sat her beach cover-up, along with her bathing suit. The aqua-blue caftan was great thinking on Tessa’s part. Sarah hadn’t thought to ask for it. Next to it was indeed her black bathing suit—a plain one at that, precisely what she’d asked Tessa to send. Only that it wasn’t the one she wanted. One-piece, dammit. One-piece. Not the teeny tiny bikini.