Foolish Hearts

by Synithia Williams

  “I, Gloria Dewalt Waters, do hereby leave my entire estate to my only granddaughter, Ashiya Robidoux Waters.”

  A collective gasp went through the family. Dozens of eyes flew to the back of the room to Ashiya. Helena’s rough laughter came through the growing whispers.

  Levi jumped up. “I contest this.”

  “Boy, sit down,” Helena said. “You can’t contest it.”

  “Aunt Gloria wasn’t in her right mind,” he said.

  “That’s like saying me, your mom and your Aunt Maggie aren’t in our right minds. She knew exactly what she was doing.”

  Levi pointed at Ashiya. “She can’t have the company. She doesn’t know how to run a corporation. She’s just a thrift store owner. Are we really going to let her take things over and ruin it?”

  Ashiya’s spine stiffened. Heat spread through her cheeks, and anger flooded her system. She didn’t want the company, wasn’t sure she could run it, and didn’t deserve any of this. But she sure as hell wasn’t going to sit there and let an asshole like her cousin Levi tell her that she couldn’t. Ashiya slowly stood, straightened her shoulders, and stared him dead in the eye. “I can and I will run this company. If you don’t like it, then get the hell out of my company.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  RUSSELL WAS USED to spending time at various Robidoux family parties. From political campaign events to galas designed to show off the family’s influence, he attended, networked, and charmed his way into the affluent lifestyle he wanted. He’d enjoyed some parties and hated others, but none made him as curious as the one he was attending that day.

  He arrived at Elaina and Alex’s engagement party forty minutes after it was scheduled to start. He was late partly because he hadn’t wanted to be one of the first people to arrive and partly because the rain had made traffic terrible. The party was at Alex’s parents’ farm on the outskirts of Jackson Falls. Dozens of cars lined the long driveway leading to the house. Rain belted down in thick sheets as Russell parked at the end of the line. He grabbed his umbrella and the gift he’d purchased before getting out of the car and rushing to the house.

  A tall, smiling woman who had the same tawny-brown skin and assessing black eyes as Alex answered the door. She wore dark jeans and a black T-shirt with Groom’s Awesome Mother emblazoned in gold glitter letters across the front. “Welcome. Come in out of the rain.” She waved him into the house.

  Russell left the umbrella on the porch, wiped his feet on the mat and entered. The sound of conversation and laughter overtop old-school music came from the rest of the house. “Hi. I’m Russell Gilchrist. I work with Elaina and used to work with Alex.”

  “Well, Russell, I’m Alex’s mother. I’m glad you made it. Gifts go in the dining room. Food is spread out in the kitchen. We’re packed inside because of the rain, but we’re still having a good time. Elaina and Alex are in the family room right now.”

  Alex followed her into the house. After putting his gift with the others in the dining room, he made his way through the crowd to find Elaina. The house was large, but it was jammed with partygoers. He recognized many from the country club, or work, and of course Elaina’s family was there. Everyone except for her father.

  Elaina and Alex were on the couch in the family room. Two women who also resembled Alex’s mother flanked them. They wore black T-shirts with the same gold lettering except theirs read Groom’s Awesome Sister on the front. Alex and Elaina were in white T-shirts. Elaina’s read I Said Yes in pink glitter, and Alex’s read She Said Yes. Russell’s lips quirked at the sight of Elaina and Alex together with the matching shirts. He wondered which of Alex’s family members had come up with the idea. He couldn’t imagine someone from the Robidoux clan doing that.

  A crowd of guests surrounded the couple. The Awesome Sister on the left held up her hand. “Okay, next question. This one is for Elaina. What is the one thing Alex thinks you should take a class in?”

  The crowd laughed as Elaina eyed Alex playfully and pursed her lips. Alex turned to Elaina with a raised brow.

  “Knowing him, he’d probably say cooking,” Elaina said with a shrug. “I’m sure he’s tired of my burned eggs in the morning.”

  Alex’s sister shook her head. “Nope, you got another one wrong. Alex said, and I quote, ‘Nothing because Elaina is perfect just the way she is.’”

  A chorus of “aahh” came from the partygoers. Elaina pressed a hand to her cheek and glanced away from Alex. Alex reached over and pulled her hand away before pressing a kiss to her lips. Claps and cheers ensued.

  Russell found himself grinning and clapping along. He wouldn’t have believed it if he hadn’t seen it. Elaina Robidoux blushing and in love. With Alex Tyson, of all people. Good for her.

  “Okay, that’s enough,” one of Alex’s sisters said, pushing her brother’s shoulder. “We’re going to stop this game if you two are going to start kissing after every answer. There’s food in the kitchen, good music playing, and gifts to open.”

  “Don’t forget the ring hunt,” the Awesome Sister on Elaina’s right called out. “We’ve hidden rings all over. Whoever finds the most at the end of the party wins a prize.”

  The crowd dispersed after that, with many going toward the kitchen and food. Russell crossed the room to Elaina and Alex, where other visitors stood around them to offer congratulations.

  He held out a hand to Alex when he was finally able to talk to them. “Congratulations to both of you.”

  Alex’s eyes widened, and he grinned. “Good to see you, Russell. I’m glad you made it.”

  “Of course. I had to come by and see the happy couple,” he said.

  Elaina watched Russell closely before turning to Alex. “Why don’t you help Byron with the music? He’ll have us listening to old-school stuff all night. Since we’re stuck inside because of the rain, I’d at least like to liven things up a bit.”

  Alex smirked and shook his head. “That’s my cue to walk away.” He kissed Elaina’s cheek. “This is a party. Don’t talk about work too much.”

  Elaina’s smiled up at him as if he were her sun and stars. “Just this one talk. I promise.”

  Russell waited until Alex walked away before asking, “Is something wrong?”

  She shook her head. “Not at all. Ashiya is coming today.”

  Russell’s heart flipped. He glanced around the room before catching himself. The knowing look in Elaina’s eye meant she’d said that to see what reaction she’d get.

  He shifted and shrugged. “Not surprising. She is your cousin.”

  Elaina leaned in. “And she just inherited a fortune,” Elaina said in a low voice. “A fortune she’s asked me to help her figure out what to do with.”

  Inherited a fortune? From her grandmother? Ashiya didn’t want fame or fortune. He remembered her saying that repeatedly. If she had inherited a fortune, she’d feel burdened by it, and she’d worry about the additional troubles it would bring in her life. How was she dealing with things? Was she okay?

  The thoughts raced through his brain in the milliseconds after Elaina spoke. He slammed down a mental door to block them. There he went, getting caught up in Ashiya again. Her fortune, her problems, didn’t concern him anymore.

  He shifted and crossed his arms. “What does that have to do with me?”

  Elaina tilted her head to the side. “You’re the person who’s going to help her.”

  “Why would I?”

  “Helping her helps Robidoux Holdings. Helping Robidoux Holdings helps you prove your loyalty and tells me whether or not you should get the CEO position.”

  “Elaina—”

  She held up a hand. “This isn’t a demand or an order. It’s a request. Consider it. Talk to her. Get over your ego or whatever was hurt when you two ended your secret rendezvous, and think about what you want and how to get it.” She lifted a shoulder. “That’s all I’m saying
. I’d love to help Ashiya, but I’ve got enough on my plate getting the company in order. That doesn’t mean I want to hang her out to dry. Especially pitted against a new family she doesn’t know. She’s the major shareholder in the Legacy Group.”

  Russell’s arms uncrossed, and he frowned. “The Legacy Group?”

  Elaina nodded. “Exactly.”

  The Legacy Group started out as a homemade soap brand forty years ago. Ten years after that, the group expanded from making boutique soaps into hand soaps, shampoos and body washes that could be used daily. His mom loved their original soap, and it had been a staple in his house growing up.

  That wasn’t the only reason he knew about the company. Grant had always kept an eye on them. He’d watched their profits and growth, and mentioned on more than one occasion that he’d love to acquire the company. When Russell asked why he didn’t try, his only response had been that he didn’t want the hassle. A sentiment Russell never understood before. Now that he was aware of the animosity between the families he understood.

  “So you’re telling me that Ashiya’s grandmother was the owner of the Legacy Group, and now it’s hers?” He’d known so little about her. That reminder only hurt him all over again.

  “It is, and she’s decided to take over, but she needs help. If you can help her and convince her to bring the company under our umbrella, it’ll go a long way toward proving to me that you have what it takes to be my CEO.”

  Alex called Elaina’s name from across the room. She glanced over Russell’s shoulder, and the calculating look in her eye melted away. The bright, warm smile that took over her face was so un-Elaina-like that he almost couldn’t believe she’d just asked him to rekindle his relationship with Ashiya to help grow Robidoux Holdings. Alex and his mom were waving her over.

  Elaina turned back to him and patted his shoulder. “Think about what I said. Now, if you’ll excuse me. I promised my father-in-law that I’d try out this new cake he made. Enjoy yourself.”

  Russell stood there dumbfounded for a second as Elaina morphed into doting daughter-in-law and twined her arms with Alex’s parents’. She had to be a chameleon. He should ignore her words. There was no way he could work with Ashiya again. That didn’t stop what Elaina had revealed from snaking through his brain and wrapping around the part of him that knew becoming CEO of Robidoux Holdings would give him the power and connections to find answers to his brother’s case.

  His gaze scanned the crowd. He didn’t even lie to himself and pretend he wasn’t looking for Ashiya. That would have happened regardless of what Elaina said. Ever since they’d split, his eyes scanned a crowd for her. Usually so he could go in the opposite direction. He wasn’t so sure he’d go in the other direction today.

  He was relieved when he didn’t spot her. Elaina’s suggestion had been quick and to the point. Helping Ashiya could potentially benefit Robidoux Holdings. If he was committed to Robidoux Holdings, then how could he ignore this chance? And how was Ashiya handling all of this?

  The last question kept circling through his mind. She didn’t play the power games in her family. All she’d wanted was to make her store successful and live life on her own terms. Or at least, that’s what she told him. He’d believed her when she said that, but he’d also believed her when she said she cared about him. That she wanted the same things he wanted. To find someone to love and settle down with.

  Russell shook off the embarrassment that always crept in whenever he remembered the way he’d opened his heart to Ashiya, only to learn she was using him as a front to get back the guy she really wanted.

  He spent the next half hour mingling. He spoke with India and Travis about plans for their new baby. Got updates from Byron, who was now the mayor of Jackson Falls, about the city council’s collaboration with Robidoux Holdings on a revitalization project. And shot the breeze with fellow employees as they talked about how good it was to see Elaina happy and in love. The entire time, his body was hyperaware of the possibility of Ashiya showing up, but she never did.

  The moment he noticed the rain had stopped, even if it was just for a moment, he went out the back door for some fresh air. The late afternoon was thick with humidity and the scent of the rain. He breathed in deep and walked off the porch toward a gazebo in the backyard.

  He thought about what Elaina asked and what his cousin Isaac suggested. Maybe he should listen to them. Use Ashiya to get what he wanted the same way she’d used him.

  He let out a humorless chuckle at the thought. “Might as well. Being the good guy got me nowhere before,” he said to himself as he reached the gazebo.

  He looked up from the ground into the gazebo, and his eyes met Ashiya’s. He froze in place. She sat on a bench on the opposite side. A paper cup in her hand, sadness in her beautiful eyes.

  The corner of her mouth lifted. “I always liked that you are a good guy.”

  * * *

  ASHIYA WAITED FOR Russell to bolt like he typically did whenever faced with her. She watched as the surprise in his eyes faded and he glanced around searching for an exit. She forced herself to smile instead of letting the disappointment in her heart take over, begging him not to run away. She missed him so damn much, but considering the way she’d hurt him, she had no right to ask anything of him.

  She sipped her soda and crossed her legs. “Good guys don’t always finish last.”

  He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. His eyes darted back toward the house before he let out a breath and faced her. “That hasn’t been my experience. Things went a lot better for me when I didn’t give a damn about much.”

  She smiled and lowered her gaze to the fizzing dark cola in her cup. She remembered when he’d talked to her about that. The angry, I-don’t-give-a-fuck phase he went through in his teens and early twenties after his brother disappeared. How he lived his life as if every day would be his last day. Until he’d met a woman, fallen in love, and had his heart broken. He’d stopped playing games after that. He’d only wanted to find someone he could love and trust. Ashiya had known then that she was in too deep with him. That she might hurt him, but she’d been too selfish to back away.

  “Things are good for you now,” she said without touching on his history. “From what I hear, you’re stepping into the helm at Robidoux Holdings.”

  He watched her for several seconds before his shoulders relaxed and he took a small step into the gazebo. “Almost. There are still a...few things in my way.”

  He’d taken a step toward her, not away. The giddiness fizzled and popped inside her like the bubbles in her cup. She wanted to jump up and get closer to him. She also didn’t want to show him just how happy it made her that he wasn’t running away.

  She forced what she hoped was an easy, I’m-chill look onto her face. “I know you’ll overcome them. You always do.”

  His eyes met hers. “Not always.”

  Ashiya broke eye contact. He hadn’t overcome her foolish pride. “Don’t go back to him. We’ve got something good. Trust this.”

  He’d begged her to stay and she’d still walked away. She’d been such a fool.

  “I heard about your grandmother. I’m sorry.” He sounded sympathetic.

  Though Ashiya wasn’t eager to talk about her late grandmother or the inheritance she’d accepted on a whim, she also didn’t want to go anywhere near the pain of their ruined relationship.

  “Thank you. I wish I would have gotten to know her before she passed away.”

  “You didn’t know her well?”

  The confusion in his voice reminded her how little of herself she’d shared with him. She’d tried so hard not to fall for Russell. Tried and failed.

  “I didn’t. She and my dad weren’t on the best of terms thanks to his marriage to my mom. I hadn’t seen her since I was nine or ten.”

  His thick brows rose. “Really? Then why did she...” His voice trailed off, and h
e glanced away.

  Ashiya chuckled. “Let me guess. The rumors of me inheriting a fortune have already gotten around.”

  He lifted a shoulder and tugged on his ear. “Elaina mentioned it.”

  Ashiya nodded. “I asked her for help. I don’t know a thing about what to do now that I’m a major shareholder in such a large organization. My grandmother ran things with the help of my cousin, but he hates me on principle.”

  “Elaina mentioned you needed help.” He met her gaze. “She asked me if I’d help out.”

  Ashiya’s shoulders straightened. “She did?”

  Ashiya had asked Elaina for help in confidence. It was bad enough she didn’t know what to do with her newfound wealth and responsibility after growing up in and around the Robidoux family. She wished she could have asked India, but India had left the family and focused on her music. Byron knew what to do, but he was the mayor of Jackson Falls. Her parents were out of the question because asking either of them would cause another rift in their already strained relationship, so that left Elaina.

  “She’s busy with taking over now that Grant’s left,” Russell said, sounding somewhat apologetic. “That’s why she asked me to step in and be your mentor. She doesn’t know about our history.”

  He said history as if it were a shameful secret. She guessed for him it was shameful. She had kept them a secret.

  “Let me guess. You helping will also help Robidoux Holdings because I’ve got so much ownership in such a large corporation?” She tried not to sound bitter, but sometimes her family could be a real trip.

  “This isn’t just about Robidoux Holdings. you asked for assistance, and she’s trying to find a way to support you.”

  “Except I’m the last person you’d like to work with.” The words were a statement. She knew how he felt about her. Hell, he’d tried dating India when she’d come back to town. That was the first time she’d wondered if Russell had pursued a relationship with her not just because he’d liked her but for the connection with her family.