“I don’t care when it was. That’s just plain rude. Who gave you the right to be all demanding and protective of my dad’s—no, my—company?” She shook her head. “I need to go home. This is crazy.”
“Okay, I agree. I’m trying to get us some security.”
She’d forgotten the convention. “What’s going on?”
“Crowds have picked up. And we expect more to come.”
“This is all cause of your #hotTrey stuff?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know.” He pointed to their picture together. “We’re both trending now.”
She watched him, his eyebrows lowered. Then he lifted the phone to his ear. “Jake, my man.”
She smiled.
Trey squeezed her hand. “He’s got us taken care of.”
Then Trey stood. “But we have to go.” He threw money down on the table and led her around the restaurant toward a doorway. They opened it and took the stairs. It looked like a fire escape exit, but they went up.
And through a utility looking door at the top. And out on the roof.
“Ooh.” A heli pad. She shook her head. “You’re something.”
“Well, now, is that a good something or a bad something? ’Cause I want to explain what you read.”
She shook her head but waved that he continue.
“When it was announced to the whole world that you up and deserted your dad’s company, I took it personally.”
She snorted. “Why did you even care?”
“Of course I cared. It’s my industry too. And your dad built one of the finest corporations in the world. His business model was genius.” He paused. Now was not the time to bring her dad into this. “Anyway, I didn’t want to see it fall into the hands of Damian or anyone else who didn’t love your father.”
She was stunned. “Okay, but you didn’t know anything about me, and you were obviously wrong. Dead wrong.”
“I’ll give you that. But do you wanna know why I did that?”
She nodded.
“I hoped you’d read it and come back. I thought that Mr. Redding’s daughter would not back down from the challenge of proving me wrong.”
She turned away.
“How was I to know it was all a big sham? That they’d voted you off?” He frowned. “I hope you’re investigating this. It’s all crooked. Why would they hide it from the press that they’d voted you off?”
“I’m investigating.”
“Good. I can’t wait to see Damian’s face when you show back up to work and kick his butt to the curb.”
She shook her head, panic rising. “I can’t go back. I’m not. My attorney’s working on it. But the solution doesn’t involve me taking back over.
“Why? Scottie, forgive me, but you’ve got to.”
“I don’t have to do anything. Where do you come off being all fatherly about this? You’re not my dad. And he’s gone. I have no responsibility to you or anyone to try to run a company that obviously doesn’t want me.” She choked, fighting against her tears.
“It’s your baby too. You’re in it. Your heart. His heart. You can’t just abandon that.”
Her eyes widened. How did he know exactly what to say? Every time. “I can.”
“Fire them all and hire a team of your choosing.”
They heard the sound of helicopter blades and ducked back against the wall, waiting.
“If you don’t go back, everything I said about you when I was deluded, ‘Mr. Redding’s daughter is a coward and a disgrace to his name,’ will all be true.”
She gasped.
“You are abandoning your father and all he left you, left the world. Because you’re too afraid of a little heat.”
“A little heat!” Anger furled inside, rising up and firing her blood down to her fingertips. “You have no idea what I’ve been through. I loved him. Damian. I’ve never been so betrayed, and on the heels of my father’s funeral. I buried the best man I’ve ever known and five days later, the second best man kicked me out of my life, stripped everything that was dear from my grasp and blamed me to the press.” She shook her head, ignoring the angry tears that streamed down her face. “Don’t talk to me about heat you haven’t felt. And then, now, to read your words. Your disdain. Undeserved at the time. Undeserved now.” She stomped away, ducking her head as she picked up her feet, and ran to the helicopter.
Jake’s smiling face welcomed her. He reached for her hand and made room in a seat. “That good, huh?”
“It’s a nightmare. Tell your friend he’s an idiot.”
“I do that all the time, no problem.”
Trey joined them and they shut the door. Everyone put their headphones on.
“You’re an idiot.” Jake’s happy voice almost made Scottie smile.
Trey looked from her to Jake, who winked.
“So I’ve been told.”
Chapter 15
“So give us the update.”
Jake shook his head. “I’m sorry you ever agreed to that magazine spread.”
Trey grimaced. “Me too.”
“All right. It was my idea, but I don’t know if I’m gonna take a turn.”
“Just tell us what’s going down.”
“They’ve found our resort.”
“Why do these people even care?”
“Honestly, I think Damian’s behind this.”
Scottie leaned forward. “What? Why?”
Trey jerked a thumb in her direction. “She’s the ex.”
“Oh, boy. Wow. I’m sorry.”
She rolled her eyes. “Oh, stop. Yes, I know. Poor Scottie almost married a jerk. But why would he send fans after Trey?”
“Not after Trey, you. I think he wants to extinguish you as a threat.”
“But no one’s gonna believe whatever he’s claiming.”
“Well, no one’s answering his claims. You’re both silent. It helps his case if the tabloids are all talking about you guys and following you on secret vacations in Mexico.”
She crossed her arms. “I can’t wait to give him a piece of my mind.”
Trey growled. “I’m gonna give him a piece of something, that’s for sure….wait. Are you coming back?”
“She was thinking about not coming to Chicago?” Jake’s wide mouth was everything Trey could hope for. He eyed Scottie.
“I’m not going.”
Jake threw his hands up in the air. “You’ve gotta take this guy down. He’s scum. He’s less than scum. He’s like the worm slime in the dirt. He doesn’t deserve a job serving food, let alone running the company your dad built.”
“We built.”
“Thatta girl.” Trey held up a fist to bump, which she ignored.
“I built it with him. Our two hottest selling lines? My work.”
Trey held out his hands. “And?”
Jake squirmed. “I just get heebie-jeebies thinking of that crook all over your stuff. You know? You’re gonna have to bleach that place down when he’s gone.”
Scottie looked out the window. “I know. Believe me. I know.”
Trey hoped she’d do it. She had to. And when creative Mexican Scottie met business woman fireball Scottie, Within Cosmetics wouldn’t know what hit them.
“Wait, where are the guys? What are we doing?”
“The guys are fine.” Jake snorted. “No one knows them. Much to Cason’s dismay.”
“Oh, stop. He’s sweet.” Scottie turned back to them.
Jake waved to her. “Whatever. But he and Cason are fine. And we are going to stay on the Isla Mujeres.”
Pleased, Scottie leaned back in her seat. “I wish someone was running my store. I could be making bank with all this extra publicity.” They all stared at each other a minute, and then in unison, yelled, “Cason!”
Jake whipped off a text. “I’m sure he’d be honored.”
Scottie smiled. Small but sincere, her mouth tried to express the tiny bit of hope that had ignited. “I love Isla Mujeres. I guess this isn’t all bad.”
&
nbsp; Trey reached for her hand. When their fingers interlaced, he asked, “Can we still do this? Hold hands? I’m still totally into you even if you don’t like me.”
She laughed. “We can do this. Sometimes. Now is fine.”
He nodded and sat back in his seat.
Jake smiled, bigger than he had a right to. “I like this.”
Scottie wrinkled her nose. “What?”
“You two. This is perfect.”
“She doesn’t even know how perfect.”
Jake’s eyebrows rose, and he and Trey had a silent conversation which Scottie either didn’t notice or didn’t care to comment on.
Would Mr. Redding be pleased Trey was dating his daughter?
They always knew he had a daughter. But she had been away at school during their own college years, and they’d never met her. Mr. Redding kept his private life away from everyone, and they didn’t have much time to discuss it anyway. Conversations with him had been fast and furious and full of information Trey and Jake madly tried to scribble down. He smiled. And they were amazing brainstorming sessions. Everyone building off of each other, working for new product lines, marketing ideas, audience generation. If not for Mr. Redding, they’d never have gotten off the ground.
What would he want Trey to do in this situation?
Scottie was obviously hurting, betrayed, understandably hesitant to step back in. Would her father want to shield and protect her? Is that what Trey should be doing? Or would he want her to march in and take back what was his, what was hers? Trey didn’t know.
“Scottie, what would your dad do?”
Her sigh was audible through their headphone speakers. “I don’t know.”
“Would he want you to do something different than he would do?”
“I don’t know that either.”
“It’s okay. We’ll figure it out.”
She nodded and sat quiet for the rest of the ride.
Chapter 16
Scottie arrived in her new room in the luxurious Bella del Mar resort to find her suitcase and carryon packed and waiting for her. She stepped out to the balcony and enjoyed the ocean breeze on her face and filling her hair. The full ocean view out to her front made her smile. Trey certainly had style.
“I hope you don’t mind that I put myself right next door.”
She jumped.
His head poked around the neighboring balcony, smiling at her, with a large goofy expression.
She could only smile in return. He seemed to have the best intentions, a good heart. But she’d thought Damian was worth her time as well. Even her father had been impressed with Damian’s work ethic, with his ideas for the company. Never in all their time together would she have suspected he’d turn out to be so devious.
And why did Trey care so much about Within Cosmetics? “What are you doing?”
“Well, I’m just wondering if you want company?” He wiggled his eyebrows until she laughed.
“Come on over.”
He stood up on his railing, and she gasped. “No, Trey, come around through the door.”
“Nah, don’t worry about this. I got it.” He stepped with one foot onto her railing, hugging the partition in between, and then brought the other foot. He jumped down to her front and held out his arms as if he’d finished a gymnastics routine.
“Very impressive. Now, next time, use the door.”
“Why? This is easy access.” He laughed at her shocked expression. “I’m kidding. I’m so kidding.”
She pulled him into the room. “Gotta admit, your non-lifeguard status has some amazing perks.”
“Did you see that view? Well, I mean, it will be better during the day. But that’s ocean out there, on nearly all sides.”
“What an awesome location. I’ve been wanting to stay over here. I wish we had time to really enjoy it.” She sighed, feeling her shoulders droop. “I wish a lot of things.”
She stepped into his arms and he held her, running a couple fingers up and down her back. “Jake and I are united on this. We’re helping you. Whatever you need. Public, private, attorney, whatever. We’re in this.”
She shook her head against him. “I can’t let you get all embroiled in this mess. No need to take down both of our reputations.”
“What are you talking about? This is the best press we’ve had in forever.”
She stiffened.
“Hey, come on, you know I don’t mean that.”
“I don’t know what I know. I don’t know you.” She stepped back to watch his face. “But I want to. Trey. I want you to be everything you seem.”
“For better or worse, I am. I’m the guy who let you think he was a lifeguard in Mexico just so you’d go to dinner with him.”
She laughed. “What does that make you?”
“Hopelessly desperate for a bit of Scottie in my life.”
She felt her face heat. “I don’t know. But I can’t resist. You’re in. For now. I gotta make sure you’re not trying to cheat me, seize something that’s not yours or use me for my cosmetic influence.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“But whatever you’re doing, I like the way you’re doing it.” She laughed. “And I suspect you’re as great as I think.” She ran a hand up his chest, mostly to feel its solid strength beneath her fingers. “Please be as great as you seem.” She lifted her chin and stood on her toes.
Their lips met and immense relief filled her. If they could be together, everything would work out. They had a chance. Her lips trembled beneath his and he softened his and wrapped his arms gently, protectively, around her. She clung to him and longed for the protective safety to continue forever. She knew it couldn’t, knew she’d be sending him back to Chicago, but for now, while she was carried away in his kiss, she could pretend.
At length, Jake knocked on the door.
He stepped into the room while they pulled away from each other slowly, reluctantly, with two briefcases, laptop bags and several pads of paper. “It’s planning time.”
Scottie checked her watch. “It’s the middle of the night.”
Jake waited as though there was more to that excuse. Then he shrugged. “Time waits for no one, and we have to have a solid response for the press to go out tomorrow. I’ve got PR hammering me, and I’m done trying not to say, “Hold on, they’re making out.”
Scottie gasped, and Trey just shook his head. “All right, all right. Scottie, we need your input on this. How do we want to approach the accurate statement that we are the next hottest item to hit the cosmetic industry?”
“I hate this stuff. Usually. ’Cause it’s always been such an attack. I’ve never known how to manage the press about my own stuff. My life isn’t up for discussion. I don’t know how to leverage or market personal things.”
“That’s okay. Jake’s the master at this.”
Jake wiggled his eyebrows at her. “And this is all good stuff. People are excited you’re into each other. Let’s leverage this and sell some product.”
“And Jake’s also good at exploiting whatever he can.”
Scottie laughed. “You guys are lucky to have each other.”
Trey laced his fingers through hers again. “And now you have us too.”
She squeezed his hand. “Thank you.” She took a deep breath. “This doesn’t seem as difficult with you guys here.” She ran a thumb over his knuckle. “It’s almost as if my father were here, but in a better way.” Her face heated. She needed to stop talking. She waved her hand. “Anyway, what do you have?”
They’d shared enough looks to write a silent book about her craziness. Then Jake cleared his throat. “So do we deny a personal relationship? Own it? I’m not saying you have to personally define anything between you, but what do you want the world to think?”
Scottie flitted her gaze up to Trey. He, with his signature intensity, watched her and shrugged. “I’m gonna leave that up to you. Whatever we say, you have even more things that need to be said about all the other junk idiot Damian i
s spouting off.”
“And can I just beg?” Jake got down on his knees. “Can you please take Within Cosmetics back so we can do business with you and launch our shared product line?”
“And so she can be happy.” Trey kicked Jake.
“Well, sure.” He rubbed his shin.
“I’m not going back. But we’ll get Damian off there, clear my name and get the company back on its feet.”
Jake nodded. “Fair enough.”
Trey shook his head. “Nope, not good enough.”
Jake held up a hand. “But let’s take this one step at a time. What’s our romantic story? Should we offer an exclusive with someone?”
They talked, strategized and laughed. And Scottie saw what it could be like to have a team. She began to wonder what she could accomplish if she wasn’t moving forward all on her own. She thought she’d had that in her dad’s board, but what if she did what they suggested? What if she hired her own people? “Is Cason available?”
They stopped and Trey’s mouth dropped open.
“To hire… he seems competent—”
“Not at all. He’s the best we’ve got.” Trey frowned. “I don’t like where that question’s going.”
“Oh, stop. I was teasing, but just thinking about gathering a team, if I ever want to go back.”
“Count us in. We’ll help.”
“Yes, we fully support anything you can do to put yourself back where you belong.”
Her heart warmed and slowed and she began to feel calmer and even happy about the future. Could she totally trust Trey and Jake? Probably not. Their own bottom line would come first. But did she feel empowered and excited when she was with them? Absolutely. Now, to make her own plans with the attorney tomorrow. What loophole was Damian trying to cover up with this slander smoke screen? If she knew anything, he was the expert at sleight of hand deception. She watched Trey and Jake joke together. They were too open, too trusting to be as cunning as Damian. At least she knew that.
When they left, she listened to a few more voice messages. Maggie from work again. Her voice was hushed. “Scottie. I’m here for you. Call me. I found your father’s journal. On Damian’s desk. He left it laying out, so I snatched it.” She giggled. “Call me.”
Her Billionaire Lifeguard Page 7