Reese cleared his throat. “Luke Jamison is one of the celebrities participating in the event and he wants to go over the layout. We agreed on Friday for the site visit. You’re more than welcome to come along.” There. He’d earned a few more hash marks in the Good column of his permanent record for when he arrived at the Pearly Gates.
“That’s a good idea, but, unfortunately, I can’t make it.” Vincent Casteleoni sat back, hopefully with zero idea of Reese’s relief at that news. “I have a dinner engagement that evening.” He squeezed Bella’s hand. “I was going to invite you along, but I see you’ve already made plans.”
A knock on the door interrupted the domestic conversation and Reese was insanely grateful to whoever had caused the problem that would now demand his attention.
Jake poked his head and a manila file into the room. “Sorry to interrupt, Reese, but there’s a glitch with the bank opening tomorrow that you need to deal with as soon as you’re free.”
Reese gripped the edge of his chair to keep himself from jumping out of it. Instead, he stood slowly. “We’re about done here.” Thank God.
He looked Vincent in the eye, the first time since meeting him that he could. “If you’d like us to reschedule the site visit for a time when you’re available, please make arrangements with Kelly. She’s got my calendar.” He shook his hand, if only to prove to himself—and Vincent—that he could, then handled the usual We’ll talks and I’ll send it overs, before finally escaping into the sanctuary that was his office.
Unfortunately, though, the tension from the meeting followed him in. He couldn’t stop seeing the image of them. Bella and Vincent. Together. Nor the fact that they’d created Sophia. The two of them. When Bella must have been a teenager.
Reese flopped into his chair. Their relationship was none of his business.
Then why couldn’t he let it go?
Jake did his perfunctory knock as he opened the door. “You okay, Reese?”
No. “Yeah. What’s up with the bank tomorrow?” If someone had robbed it, it’d take his mind off Bella.
Maybe.
Jake bypassed the chair in front of the desk and walked to the window. “Nothing.”
Reese spun around in his chair. “What?”
“Nothing’s up. I saw you in there and the look on your face suggested you could use a break.” Jake leaned against the window, crossed one foot over the other, and tapped the file folder against his palm. “Was I wrong?”
Reese exhaled, his eyes closing long enough that when he opened them again, they were focused. He was focused. On the future of his company.
Not a future with Bella.
“No, Jake. You were absolutely right. I owe you one.”
Jake grinned. “Oh, you owe me more than one, buddy. I’ll just add it to the list.” He walked toward the desk and tossed the empty file folder onto the blotter. “You’re sure there’s nothing to talk about?”
No. But he would. Because they’d known each other their entire lives and Jake was the brother he didn’t have. And because Jake wouldn’t let it go until he got the whole story. It was the lawyer in him.
“Yeah. I’m sure.” He scratched his head wishing he could remove Bella from it that easily. “She’s married.”
“You’re not referring to the one practically sitting in your lap, I hope.”
That got Reese to smile. Finally something to laugh about. “Staci? Hell no. That’d be too easy. No, I’m talking about Bella. And her husband.”
“No wonder you wanted me to take the contract in to her.” Jake sat and swiped a hand along his jaw. “He can’t know you have a thing for his wife.”
“He might have guessed. I can’t seem to stop staring at her.”
“Reese, if you thought Luke’s actions caused problems—”
“I know, I know.” Reese pushed himself up from his chair and circled the desk, shoving his hands into his pockets. He slumped back against the edge of the desk. “I’d already talked myself out of asking her out before the auction because I didn’t want history to repeat itself.” He held up a hand as Jake started to speak. “I know. We talked about this. And I said it wouldn’t interfere with our business. It won’t. Never mind Luke’s stupidity with Marisa, I have firsthand knowledge of the nightmare that comes from mixing business with pleasure. Like I said; I get it. And I’m not about to risk another career or our investment.”
“Glad to hear it.” Jake had invested his nest egg into Promotional Sports; Reese wasn’t going to lose it for him.
“The thing is, Jake, consciously I understand that pursuing something with her is a stupid move on so many levels. Besides the fact that she’s married. But subconsciously?” Reese tried to shrug but couldn’t be so nonchalant about this situation no matter how much he wanted to. “There’s just something…”
“Well, you better make up your mind what’s more important to you: this company or the lawsuit we’re going to be hit with for trying to break up a client’s marriage.”
Reese shot off the desk. “Fuck you, Adams. You know I’d never do that.”
“Exactly.” Jake stood up, toe-to-toe. The sonofabitch never backed down. It’d made him a good lawyer, but a pain in the ass as a friend. “Which makes this conversation pointless. She’s got a husband and we’ve got a caterer to replace Marisa. Win-win situation in my book.”
“For everyone but me.” Shit. Had he said that out loud? Reese sighed and leaned back onto the edge of his desk.
“Come on, man.” Jake ran a hand through his hair. “I’m as human as the next guy, regardless of what they say about lawyers. She’s hot, I get that. But maybe you’re so fixated on her because you haven’t been out in a while.”
“You get your shrink’s license when I wasn’t paying attention?”
Jake arched an eyebrow. Reese hated when he did that. Had pummeled him more than a few times over the years for it. Mainly because Jake had been right most of the time.
“Go out.” Jake ignored the dig. “Find someone else. Trust me, nothing gets your mind off one woman like another. You’ve always had your pick; go pick one.”
Right. As if he were buying a car. “Look, Jake, this is pointless. Let’s just leave my love life—”
“Or lack thereof.”
“Whatever.” Reese crossed his arms. “Let’s just leave it out of this and let me focus on making a name for myself off the field.”
“As long as you remember that, Reese.” Jake headed toward the door. “Because, unlike that playoff game, now’s not the time to go for a Hail Mary pass.”
Reese glared at Jake’s back as he walked out the door. Monday morning quarterbacking never stopped.
Chapter Sixteen
Bella was quiet on the ride back in Uncle Vinny’s car. She’d let Staci sit up front, expecting inane chatter to fill the silence, and her twitty stepsister didn’t disappoint. But though Vinny appeared to fully participate in Staci’s conversation, he kept glancing at her in the rear-view mirror.
Bella didn’t—couldn’t—meet his eyes. He might have questions for her, but she was angry at him.
That was the last time she let him come on a sales call. She’d thought having him along wouldn’t be a problem. After all, two sports figures who knew a lot of the same people… how bad could it be? Plus, she’d hoped he’d be a buffer to Staci’s and Madeleine’s machinations.
She should have known. Uncle Vinny with his “My Bella” and stern handshake… She’d recognized the tension coiling between the men and had wanted to drag her uncle out of there by his ear at the first whiff of testosterone. He’d acted like such a he-man/caveman type that she would’ve laughed if it hadn’t been so pathetic.
Pathetic because Reese hadn’t exactly been fighting Staci off.
And, yes, that bothered her, but not for any reason other than her stepsister’s behavior had been utterly unprofessional. Truly. This was her chance to get her name out beyond her normal clientele and she didn’t want Staci to blow it. How M
adeleine thought having her stepsister go after Reese in a personal manner would benefit the business was beyond Bella. And then, with Uncle Vinny and his posturing… She’d be lucky to still have this gig the next time she talked to Reese.
Uncle Vinny dropped Staci off at the mall—no surprise—then motioned for Bella to join him up front.
Bella got in, weighing her words. “What was that?”
Uncle Vinny raised an eyebrow as he steered the car back into traffic and pulled up to a traffic light. “What?”
“That. Back in Reese’s office.”
“I believe they call it a business meeting.” He had yet to look at her.
“Not that. That… that he-man thing you were doing.”
Now he had the audacity to laugh. But he still didn’t look at her. “He-man? Honey, I think you’re overreacting.”
“No I’m not and don’t try to placate me. I’m trying to run a business and you went and got all protective just because he’s a good-looking guy. I don’t—”
“So you think he’s good-looking?”
Now he looked at her.
Bella exhaled. “Look, Uncle Vinny, whether I find him attractive or not is beside the point. He’s a client and—”
“So you do find him attractive?”
He narrowed his Casteleoni-blue eyes and Bella couldn’t speak. This third degree was so unlike him that she almost wouldn’t be surprised if he turned into a pumpkin at midnight. “Uncle Vinny—”
A car behind them honked so Vinny pulled onto the shoulder of the road. He flicked on his flashers, then faced her. “What I don’t understand, Bella, is why you were allowing Staci to stake a claim to him. If you want him, you’re going to have to let him know—”
“Uncle Vinny, there’s nothing for him to know. I want his business. That’s it. And I plan to have a talk with Staci about her behavior. Just like I’m trying to have a talk with you. You can’t get all protective around every client I meet with.”
“Reese and I we were just coming to an understanding. That’s all.” He ran a hand over his mouth. “He is a successful, good-looking guy, you know. About your age, too. I wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss him if I were you. He’s not interested in Staci. The girl’s too obvious. She saw fame, looks, and dollar signs, and signed on for the project. Reese is a smart guy; he’ll figure it out if he hasn’t already. You won’t have anything to worry about on that front, but you do to have to let him know you’re interested.”
“I’m not interested.” Liar. “I can’t be. I already have Madeleine breathing down my neck. Getting involved with Reese is a bad idea A) because of our business relationship and B) because Madeleine will never permit it to play out. Everything I do is for Sophia. I can’t forget it and neither can you. I’ll think about guys and settling down and all the rest once she’s out from Madeleine’s clutches.”
“I don’t like it.”
“I don’t like a lot of things, but I’ve learned to live with them. I just have to keep my eye on the prize.”
As far as Vinny was concerned, Reese was the prize for her. Not this on-going tug-of-war with Madeleine.
Vinny ground his molars. The woman had been a pain in the ass ever since he’d met her. He should have confronted Sal about her, but Sal had been through so much and Vinny had been on a big commission. Then the fall had happened and it’d become moot.
God, he’d love to tell that woman a thing or two. Not that it’d work. He’d actually tried to buy her off years ago, something Bella knew nothing about. He’d been surprised when Madeleine had turned him down. A gold digger like her, he’d thought for sure the two mil would be a reasonable price tag.
But she hadn’t even bargained. Just gotten a smirk on her face, raised her nose a little higher, and turned her back on him. It’d been the last time he’d spoken to her.
He could see now that he’d been wrong to walk away. Oh, he’d always been ready to listen to Bella. Ready to help out financially, but he should have been here, keeping an eye on things. On Madeleine.
He’d underestimated her. The woman from the wrong side of the tracks had a huge chip on her shoulder—and was taking it out on the two people who didn’t deserve it.
And there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it. He’d made inquiries into getting custody, but his lawyer had told him the same thing he’d told Bella. Madeleine had more support in the court’s eyes than a single waitress who only owned a third of a business. Madeleine’s two thirds percent control gave her everything.
But if Bella weren’t single…
Reese would look good in the court’s eyes. Young, successful and the two of them married: together, they had a shot.
And the guy was interested. He’d seen it in Reese’s gaze. The one that had rested anywhere but on Bella. Well, most of the time. But there’d been those few lingering glances…
He’d laugh if it weren’t such a touchy situation. Bella was right; Madeleine liked controlling her own little kingdom and would never allow Reese to enter.
Chapter Seventeen
By eleven o’clock Thursday morning Bella had a headache that wouldn’t quit.
The only reason she hadn’t had one earlier was because Staci hadn’t decided to come in until ten fifty-eight. And after three days of working with her, two minutes was all it took for a headache to show up.
“So, what do you think?’ Staci twirled around in yet another new “non-Staci” outfit, doing a little “ta-da” dance at the end, almost clipping little Michael Spaccone again with her designer bag. Poor kid would probably have flashbacks for the rest of his life any time Casteleoni’s was mentioned. “Is it me, or what?”
Depended on which Staci she was talking about.
Her black skirt didn’t hug her curves like a mummy’s wrappings, the frilly beige top camouflaged the silicone torpedoes into a silhouette fit for polite company, and her hair was tamed to a manageable mane.
“You can’t wait tables in that, Staci.”
Staci’s sank back on her heels and Bella inexplicably felt as if she’d hurt a puppy. “I know that, Bella. I wasn’t planning to. This is what I’m wearing Friday night.”
“Oh. Well, it’s nice.” It also meant that Staci wasn’t here to work. Which was also nice.
Though Madeleine had said she wanted Staci to learn all aspects of the business and Bella was actually looking forward to seeing Staci try to wait tables. That’d be a kind of karmic retribution.
“What are you going to wear?”
“Probably my blue suit.”
“A suit?” Staci’s mouth fell open. “You can’t wear a suit to dinner on a Friday night. We’re going on a boat, not some museum. Where’s your sense of fun? Of adventure?” She put her hands on her hips. “Of dating?”
Bella wiped off another table, her ponytail slipping over her shoulder. Impatiently, she flicked it behind her. “Staci, this isn’t a date. It’s a business meeting. We’re going over the set-up and checking out the site, remember? That’s all it is.”
“And after all that boring stuff?” Staci leaned against the edge of the booth and then apparently remembered what exactly it was she was leaning against. She stood up, checked her sleeve for sticky finger residue, and crossed her arms in front of her instead.
Bella tucked the dish towel into her apron pocket and brushed her hair off her forehead. “Afterwards, I intend to come home, make some notes, and get a good night’s rest. I’m taking Sophia to the zoo on Saturday and I’ll need to get up early.”
“Please tell me you’re kidding.” Staci’s mouth dropped again. “After a night out with two of the hottest guys in this godforsaken town, you’re going to call it quits and go out with your baby sister?” Her hands jammed back down on her hips. “Are you out of your mind? No wonder you’re still single.”
The headache went nuclear. Bella had had enough. Ten years of insults, threats, snide remarks, and slurs ruptured through her carefully composed shell. She threw the dish towel onto the just
-cleaned table. “For your information, one of the reasons I’m still single is because of your mother. She always seems to come up with some event or other after I make plans to go out, and ends up threatening to send Sophia away if I don’t stay home to take care of her. Enough of that and guys decide dating me isn’t worth the trouble, especially if they could end up with a stepmother-in-law like her.”
Staci opened her mouth to say something, but Bella was having none of it. She shoved her finger into Staci’s brand new shirt. “And you and Drew have been no help. Any time you don’t get your way, off you go, running to your mother.”
She poked the shirt again. “None of you seem to realize that there is a blameless little girl at the bottom of your self-centered plots. And not one of you seems to care. Sophia has lost both parents. She doesn’t even remember them.” Poke. “And the closest thing she’s got to compare to a loving parent is a manipulative woman bent on furthering her own ends at the expense of a child. What a wonderful role model. What a wonderful way to grow up.” Another jab. “So if I focus all my free time on Sophia, that’s my business, Staci, not yours.” Bella poked Staci’s shirt one last time, slowly becoming aware that every voice in the restaurant had gone silent, every mouth had dropped open. Mrs. Angelelli didn’t even seem to notice that her dentures had gone askew.
Giac and Gus, however, were smiling. Giac raised his arms and began clapping. Gus quickly joined in. Within two seconds, not one pair of hands remained still in the place.
Her finger still in its position, Bella looked around. Staci did, too. They glanced back at each other, then looked down at Bella’s finger.
Bella yanked it—and herself—away. Oh, God. What had she done?
She closed her eyes. Bad enough she’d told Staci off, but in public? No matter that it was long overdue; Sophia was going to be the one who paid for her lack of control.
“Well.” Staci’s voice was a little higher pitched once the applause died down, but it was a far cry from shrill. Definitely not threatening. Which was utterly surprising.
If The Shoe Fits Page 12
