by Addison Cole
“Riley, this stuff will pass. It’ll all work out.”
“But what if it doesn’t? What if we can’t clear my name? Josh hasn’t said anything, but can she sue me for my own designs? And by now the whole world has heard about it. What must Max think? Oh my gosh, poor Max. I’ve got to call her.”
“She’s fine. I talked to her earlier today. She said Treat told her it was all lies.”
“I can’t believe the way the Bradens go to bat for one another,” Riley said. “Before seven o’clock this morning, both Treat and Savannah had already called Josh.”
“Let me tell you something. All that family loyalty stuff, it’s genuine. I see it on a daily basis with Rex, and not just for his family members. He’s just as loyal and protective of me and even my family, which I didn’t expect at all, given our family histories.”
“Whatever their father did when he was raising them, he did well, I guess.” Riley remembered the conversation she’d had with Josh about how different he’d felt from his brothers. She didn’t think he was so different after all. He didn’t hesitate to go to bat for her once the initial shock had worn off. She picked up her phone and texted him again.
Sorry for everything. Can’t wait to see you. Miss you already.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
JOSH WALKED THROUGH JBD’s design studio remembering when Rex had first asked him about looking over Riley’s portfolio. Never in a million years would he have imagined that Riley was as talented as those sketches had proven her to be. Then again, he never would have imagined himself so in love with the woman he’d spent years crushing on. He assumed that once he’d left Weston, he’d never see her again. Now he stood beside her desk, and sadness slithered around his heart once again. How could she ever feel the same about New York—or JBD—or him, after this?
He reached into his pocket to answer his ringing cell phone.
“Hi, Dad.” He tried to muster a smile.
“Son.” His father’s deep voice stirred the emotions he’d been holding back all morning, causing a fissure in his iron facade. “I hear you’re comin’ home Wednesday. That right?”
Hal Braden had a special bond with each of his children, and he handled each one different from the next. He didn’t pressure them to visit, and he didn’t pressure them to do much of anything in particular, but he was the one his children turned to when they were considering life-altering decisions, and at that moment, Josh couldn’t have wished for a better ear to bend.
“Yes. Wednesday.” He hesitated in spilling his guts to his father, though the little boy in him screamed, Dad, tell me what to do. Please tell me. Hal Braden didn’t believe in computers and didn’t really understand the enormity of the press. Josh hoped his brothers and Savannah wouldn’t worry their father with his issues, although by now, he was sure the Weston grapevine was buzzing. He bided his time, waiting to see if his father brought it up.
“Good. You talk to Dane lately?” he asked.
“Not in a while, why?”
“Just thought you might want to. I get a feelin’ he’s in need of a little time with his family. He’s coming home for Christmas, but he could probably do with a call if you can fit it in.” He heard the worry in his father’s slow drawl.
Josh furrowed his brow and sat down in Riley’s chair. “Dad, is something wrong?”
His father sighed. “No, not wrong. I just got a feelin’ about him, much like I’ve got one about you.”
Josh and his siblings were used to hearing about their father’s feelings, or rather, worries that their father claimed came to him through their dead mother. Josh wasn’t sure if this was one of those times, but he’d call Dane and make sure he was okay.
“What do you mean about me?” Josh asked, knowing exactly what his father meant. He leaned back in the chair and stretched his legs.
“I hear Riley’s back in town,” his father said. “And a little bird tells me she’s run into a devil of a nightmare out there in the big city.”
Josh righted the chair, needing the stability beneath him. “I’m handling it.”
“I’m sure you are. Son, I also hear that you and Riley are together. That right?”
Josh had hoped to tell his father in person, to see his eyes and read his expression when he told him, but he’d never lie to him. “Yes, sir. We are.”
“Well, then, you make sure you nip this nonsense in the bud. Don’t let those highfalutin city folk shame our good name, you hear?”
If only it were that easy. “Dad?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m standing behind Riley on this, and my gut tells me I’m right, but what if…?” He couldn’t force the words to come. They made him weak, selfish, and saying them out loud again felt akin to disrespecting Riley.
“What if she’s not the woman you believe her to be?” His father cleared his throat. “Son, there’s no easy way around that question, and I can’t tell you what you should or shouldn’t do, but I can tell you what your mother would have said in this very situation.”
“Please.” Josh heard the urgency in his own voice.
“Your mama was a heart-driven woman, but she was the smartest woman I ever met. Stubborn, too. Once her heart made a decision, she’d chew on it for a bit, mull over the ins and outs of the sanity of it, and she’d come away with a big smack-eatin’ grin and she’d have her answer. She’d look me in the eye and say, ‘This one just might bite me in the arse, but darn it, my heart cannot survive without it.’ Ask yourself, son. Can your heart live without her? Once you figure that out, you’ll have your answer.”
Josh shook his head. “But Mom’s decisions wouldn’t tank her career.” Josh clenched his fists and he had to force them to relax.
“Don’t you go down that line with me, Josh Braden.” His father’s stern tone caught him off guard. Before Josh could answer, his father continued. “Your mother’s life was every bit as important as yours. Her career was her family, this ranch, me, you, and every one of your siblings. When she made decisions, she had seven other people’s lives relying on it. She held your life in her hands.”
“I’m sorry, Dad. I’m just confused. I’ve worked hard to get where I am.”
“Yes, you have, and your mother worked her rear off to get our family to be who we are. You think that was easy? You think it didn’t come with her own understanding that one mistake could turn the Braden name into a laughingstock? Heck, in this small town, one wrong move could shut down a ranch. Josh, I’m not angry at you, but darn it son, gain a bit of perspective. People matter. Family matters. The rest of that garbage—fame, cars, high-rise apartments—it’ll all mean nothing without a full heart.”
AFTER THE ABRUPTNESS of his father’s words sank in, Josh took one final look at Riley’s desk, then headed into the security room to check on Reggie.
“How’s it going?” Josh asked.
Reggie stopped the video he was watching and leaned his large body back in the chair, crossing his right ankle over his left knee. Then he clasped his hands behind his head. A wide grin spread across his lips.
“Well, if the videos I’ve watched are any indication of what’s to come, I’d say your hunch is right, and we’ll probably come up with something soon.”
“Really? What have you found?” Hope swelled in his chest.
“Not much. Just little things. Body language, the way Claudia watches the others like a hawk.” He shrugged. “Could be that she’s just a nosy woman, but I’ve got a feeling there’s more to it. She’s really focused on Riley. Lookie here.” He rewound the video and pressed play.
Josh watched Claudia eyeing Riley as she walked away, her eyes running up and down the length of Riley’s body. She narrowed her eyes, and a sneer curled her thin lips.
Reggie turned it off again and sat back. “Might be nothing, but I’ve seen women look that way before, and trust me, it’s never a good thing.”
“You must really have a solid grip on people by now, huh?” Josh asked. “What’s your
take on Riley?”
“With all due respect, Josh, until we have a definite answer, I think I’ll reserve my right to pass judgment.”
Pass judgment? On Riley? That flash of anger that had surprised Josh over the last few days rose within him again. He crossed his arms to keep it reined in. Did he think Riley was up to no good? Did he see something in her Josh did not?
“Don’t get yourself all riled up,” Reggie said. “She’s your other half at the moment. I don’t want to say anything until I’m certain.”
At the moment? “Okay, fair enough,” Josh said.
“I’d like to work through the evening if you don’t mind, since the holiday’s coming up so fast. I’ve got their passwords to get into their files. You can leave me here if you have plans. Is there a security guard who can lock up?”
Josh scrubbed his face with his hand. “I’ll stick around.”
“Suit yourself. Oh, and your sister said to tell you, ‘Don’t even think about not coming home on Wednesday.’” Reggie turned back to the computer.
“Oh, I plan on it, unless this mess explodes in our faces.”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
DANE ANSWERED THE phone on the fourth ring, just as Josh was about to hang up.
“Josh! How’s my little brother?” Even though Josh stood eye to eye to his six-foot-three brother, Dane never failed to throw “little” at him as often as he could.
“Hanging in there. How about you? Where are you?” Josh asked.
“Heading home, actually. Making my way to the airport now.”
“Dad said I should check in with you. Anything going on that I should know about?” Josh clicked on his computer and opened his email.
“Dad.” Dane laughed. “How does that old man always know when something’s up? There’s no great shakes happening in my life.”
Josh noted an emptiness in Dane’s response. “You sure? What am I hearing in your voice?”
“Nothing, Josh. Really.” Dane blew out a loud breath. “Nothing like the mess that’s going on in yours, thank goodness.” He laughed again.
“Great. Take pleasure in my pain. That’s a supportive brother for you.”
“Sorry. It makes me realize how lucky I have it. No ties that bind.”
Josh heard another twinge of something…loneliness maybe, in Dane’s voice. “You sure there’s nothing you want to talk about?”
“Not at this juncture, but it’s good to know you’re there. I appreciate it. Anything I can do to ease your situation?” Dane asked. “I feel for Riley. I mean it’s hard enough going from Weston to New York. A whole new world. And the poor thing is attacked by the wolves. You don’t think she did it, do you?”
Josh hated the voice running through his head, I don’t think so, but how can I be sure? “You know Riley. You think she’d ever do something like that? Jeopardize a career she just began?” The words felt wrong tumbling from his lips.
“Or her relationship with the boss?” Dane tossed in.
“Right, there is that.”
“No, I don’t, but we never really know someone until the muck comes up the pipes, right?” Dane said something to someone in the background. “I gotta go. My flight’s boarding. See you at home. Love ya, bro.”
Satisfied that his father’s radar must have been off and Dane was just fine, Josh ended the call and turned to his emails, clicking on one from Peter Stafford.
Josh,
I’m in Switzerland with limited access while I’m with the family. We’ve scheduled a meeting on January 4, and I intend to make it. I’ve got a new venture I’d like to discuss. I’ve reviewed Riley Banks’s portfolio, and you were correct. Her talent is unmatched. Please be sure to include her in our meeting, as agreed. I’d like to get her input on the spring lineup for our girls. I believe you have a winner on your hands.
Best,
Peter
Josh closed his email and pushed away from his desk, wishing Reggie hadn’t left him so conflicted about Riley’s innocence. His father’s words ran through his head. Can your heart live without her? It’ll all mean nothing without a full heart. Man… He wanted her input on the spring lineup? Josh really needed to get some answers and clear her name.
“MR. B, YOU here?” Mia sailed into his office carrying a cardboard coffee tray in one hand and a paper bag in the other.
Josh reached for the drinks. “You’re supposed to be going home to spend the holidays with your family,” he said, though he was glad to see her. His nerves were coiled like a snake. He needed a distraction.
“So are you,” she said. “I knew you’d be here, so I brought you dinner.”
“You didn’t have to do that.”
“No, I didn’t, but that’s what the world’s best assistant does. She plans ahead, fixes problems before they occur, and…” She looked up as she set the sandwiches down on his desk. “Oh darn, I don’t know what else, but I didn’t come here to prove how great I am. I came here to make sure you weren’t falling apart. You didn’t answer your phone messages from me, or the text I sent.”
“It’s been quite a day,” Josh admitted.
“I bet. How’s Riley holding up?”
“I haven’t spoken—” He remembered that their relationship was front-page news and added, “I haven’t spoken to her since she got to Colorado, but she texted, and she seems to be okay. Rattled.”
Mia nodded, and guilt swallowed Josh. Mia had been a loyal and dedicated employee, and he valued her friendship. He should have told her that he was seeing Riley, even if under the veil of confidence.
“I’m sorry for not telling you about me and Riley, Mia. She didn’t want to come under scrutiny and gossip.”
Mia smiled and sipped her coffee. “Yes, you should have, so I could have protected her. Remember, part of the world’s greatest assistant’s job is to fix problems before they occur.”
“You would have protected her?” He lifted his drink. “Of course you would have. I’m sorry. It was shortsighted of me. But you know you couldn’t have stopped Claudia.”
“No, but I could have watched her more closely and maybe caught her in the act so things didn’t escalate so fast or so far.” She sipped her coffee. “So, this is it? She’s the one you’ve been hoping for all these years?”
Taken aback by the directness of her inquiry, he answered, “I haven’t exactly been waiting around,” Josh said.
“Right. Out of the last eighteen dates, you have returned phone calls for exactly two, and of those two, you have seen one of the women one more time, and that was to take her to an event. She went right home afterward, and you had me end it after that. As I recall, you had me send her an outfit and tell her thank you on the phone, but no thank-you card. I think you were waiting around, even if you didn’t know it.”
“You kept track of my dates?” Josh already knew the answer. Mia kept track of his entire life. It was Mia who’d called him before six a.m. to warn him about the media, and it was Mia who brought him dinner when he didn’t ask. “Okay, you win, Mia. Maybe I have been waiting around, or hoping, for Riley to appear. But even still, it took me by surprise.”
She kicked back in her chair and crossed her arms and legs. “I’ve been thinking about this whole thing. Claudia’s really clever. If she stole all of Riley’s original drawings, then Riley doesn’t have a leg to stand on. What can she possibly do or say that would substantiate that she was the original designer of that dress? Then I started thinking. If Claudia really did do this, then she had to do it here, right?” Her eyes grew wide. “You know where I’m going with this, right? Security cameras. We have them all over the place. Even if we didn’t see anything, it would be recorded. Mr. B., I think Riley might just catch a break.”
“I’m one step ahead of you. Come with me.” He led her to the security room, where Reggie stared at a blank screen, his face a block of stone. “Reggie, this is my assistant, Mia. She’s aware of the situation.”
Reggie spun around and pushed to his fee
t. “I think you have a very wise thief on your hands.” His eyes darted to Mia, and he extended a hand, his sharp stare softened to an appreciative gaze. “Pleasure to meet you,” he said.
Mia shook his hand. The attraction that sparked between them practically burned Josh. He cleared his throat.
“Wise?” Josh said.
“Wise, yes.” Reggie pulled his attention back to Josh, his eyes darting to Mia with every few words he spoke. “The security camera schedules have been tampered with. Over the past four weeks, the cameras have been set to roll until eleven thirty in the morning. Then they’re off until after nine in the evening. Weekends are off altogether. Whoever is doing this has access to the schedules.”
Josh shot a look at Mia.
“That would be anyone with a master key, as opposed to a front-door key. The cleaning people, me, you.” She nodded at Josh. “Claudia, and I think Clay has one. I think that’s it. But we check the videos daily to see that they’re running. I personally check them every morning at eight.” She closed her eyes and sighed. “Of course they are. They’re turned off later in the morning.”
Josh swallowed hard. He’d given Riley a master key as well, and he’d failed to report it to Mia.
“Well, that nails it, right? It’s got to be Claudia,” Mia said.
“That’s circumstantial at best. This could be a completely separate issue from the design theft.” Reggie crossed his thick arms over his chest and planted his legs in a determined stance. “I’ve seen it a dozen times. We find a secondary issue while searching for the primary. I’m going to look into the files on their computers. We’ll see what else we can turn up.”
Josh bristled at his use of the word their and the implication that Reggie still thought Riley might be part of this whole scheme. No matter how much he loved her, he remained true to his ethical and moral standards and reluctantly admitted what he’d done. “I gave Riley a key. The only spare I had was a master.” He shrugged.