“You’re welcome to stay here longer. I’m sure Arianna has told you about her program. It’s your choice to enter it, or you can go back home.”
Susan’s eyes flashed with fear.
“Susan, it’s safe there now. We swept it. Nobody is watching you. Nobody is there to tell you what to do or how to do it. Jerry is locked up. He’s not getting out. It’s a process. It’ll take a while to feel like home. But it’s yours.”
“I’d like to stay here a while, if that’s all right.”
“Arianna is thrilled to have you. If you think Kottke’s cooking was good, wait until you try Ari’s. You’re in exceptional hands.”
“I am. I do feel safe here.”
“Good.”
She hugged herself.“I’d almost forgotten what that felt like.”
“Do you mind walking me to my car?”
“No, not at all.”
When they reached the car, Ruby pulled a blue box with delicate white ribbon from the passenger seat and handed it to Susan.
“This is beautiful.”
“I can’t take credit for the wrapping job.”
Susan pulled the ribbon, and slowly opened the box.
“The suspense is killing me, and I know what’s in it.”
Susan pulled her hand back as if slapped.“I’m sorry. You’re nice enough to give me a present and here I am futzing. I’m always doing that.”
“No, I’m sorry, Susan. I was kidding. Take your time. You’re doing it perfectly.”
Susan lifted the top and pulled back the tissue. She raised her hands to her face as tears spilled.“How did you—”
“It’s not the same one. The pieces of yours are back under your bed. This was hand-painted by the same artist. Do you like it?”
“I, I don’t even know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything. I brought it here figuring you might stay. It might make it feel more like home.”
“Thank you,”she managed as she sobbed, clutching the vase to her chest. She wiped her eyes, and examined it.“It’s beautiful.”
“So are you. You’ll find that out more and more the longer you stay here.”
“I’ll go put it on my nightstand. Arianna said I can pick flowers, and do whatever I please.”
“That sounds wonderful. You’ll want to make a lot of noise on your way in.”
Susan laughed.“They’re great together. Justin has treated me so well.”
“There are a lot of great guys out there, Susan.”
“That reminds me. Emilio called today, and told me about the Gabriella Center. He invited me there for dinner on Thursday.”
“You’re in for a treat.”
“They do food prep the old-fashioned way. Emilio said they could use my help. I think I’d like that.”
“I’m so happy for you, Susan.”
“I’m happy, too. I realized it as I was taking my walk. I didn’t recognize it right away—it’s been so long since I’ve felt this way. I used to dance and laugh and host parties.”
“You’ll do so again. Let Arianna know when you’d like to throw a party. She’s always up for an excuse to salsa.”
Chapter 21
Ruby charged into her office.“Where’s Cass?”
“She beat you in by hours, Ruby. You’re buying lunch tomorrow.”
“We’ll see about that.”
“She didn’t agree to a rule change, did she?”
“No, I have something else that might work, though.”
“What do you have in mind?”
“Is Cass in her office?”
“No, she’s in court. She’ll be back around five.”
“What’s her schedule for the rest of the week?”
“Meetings, a mediation.”
“Could they be moved?”
“Yes. Are you going to tell me why?”
“I will if you give me a hand with a little surprise for Cass.”
“Does it involve heavy lifting?”
“It might. But I promise there’s a reward in it for you that you’re really going to like.”
“Better than Belgium chocolate?”
“Yes, better than chocolate.”
“Better than sex?”
“It’s right up there.”
“I’m in.”
“Clear Cassie’s schedule, and meet me in her office.”
✧
Ruby and Colin stood back and admired their work.
Checking the time, Ruby said,“We’d better take our positions, or she’ll suspect something’s up.”
Minutes later, Cassie stalked in, dressed to impress for court and hopping mad. She smiled at Colin before glaring at Ruby.“You’re unbelievable!”
“What?”Ruby raised an eyebrow at Colin who shook his head.
“Two words, Rubina Miller. Two words. Emilio Martín. I’m out of the office for three days, and you manage to get a legend as a consultant. Do you have a stash of gold bars I don’t know about?”
“No, he’s a friend of Alfred.”
“No way.”She shook her head in disbelief.“Alfred never ceases to amaze me. Well then, I’d like his number. I require our new e-man’s services.”She wiggled her eyebrows, and leaned on Colin’s desk.
“No, you don’t.”Ruby glowered.
“Come on, Ruby, we have in our midst the most eligible man on the planet, and I’m not even exaggerating—”
“That’s refreshing,”Ruby interjected.
“You can’t tell me you haven’t noticed his hunkiness factor. Introduce me.”
“Weren’t you saying last week that your thing with that corporate attorney is turning into something?”
“That was before I had a shot with the prime bachelor. Unless, of course, you want dibs. After all, you did see him first.”
“Dibs?”Ruby echoed, amused.
“Not that either of us are his type. Too brainy, no man-made enhancements. He takes the leggy, ultra-curvy type to his fancy functions.”
“I hate to break it to you, Cass. But he’s taken.”
“No! Who is she? Model? Starlet?”
“Criminal-defense lawyer.”
“Wait, I should have known. I know exactly what’s going on here. This is a prank, isn’t it? You’ve been gearing up for this, laying the groundwork. I’m not going to fall for this. I’m going to put my briefcase in my office, and then come back here and get a full confession to this farce.”
“You do that, Cass.”
She stalked off.
“Wait for it,”Colin said.“Five, four, three, two—”
“Rubina Miller!”
“I think it’s time to head home and pack your bags, Colin.”
“Pinch me.”
Ruby obliged.
“Not that hard.”He rubbed his upper arm, and then beamed.“We’re on vacation.”
“Enjoy yourself, Colin. You’ve earned it.”
“You’re the best boss.”
“Can I tell Cass?”
“Yes. Give me a five minute head start.”
“Will do,”Ruby said, and went down the hall. When she stepped into Cassandra’s office, she did a wide circle. She pointed to the ceiling where she and Colin had mounted Cassandra’s furniture, mirroring its prior placement.“Love your new décor, Cass. Very forward thinking.”She pulled out her PSC.“Smile for the camera, Cass. Be a good sport.”She moved to the threshold and left Cassandra in the middle of the room.“It’s only fair. You made a vid of me wading through a paper flood in my office.”
“Why the hell not?”Cassandra threw out a hip, and gave a sassy smile. She got into it, and held up her arms as if holding the scales of justice.
“The camera loves you.”
“Let me see.”
“In a second.”Ruby tapped her PSC, and looked up, satisfied.“PSC, display on-screen.”
The wall screen blinked on and showed Cassandra, arms up, furniture above. She saw the slogan, and read,“‘When your world is turned upside down
. . . Wait, Ruby, is this?”She clapped her hands over her mouth.
Ruby nodded, and said,“‘Trust Cassandra Dayton to set it right.’It’s your new billboard. I negotiated for a two-for-one. By the way, we’re on vacation. By the time we get back, your billboard will be up.”
Cassandra started laughing so hard she bent double. When she recovered, she swiped a tear from her eye, and said,“Rubina Miller, I have to hand it to you. This is extreme pranking, even for you. There’s no way in hell you’re giving me a billboard, dating the world’s most eligible, and going on vacation. This is all part of the gag, right?”
“None of it is.”Ruby left Cassandra gaping in her wake. She popped her head back into Cassandra’s office.“By the way, your plaque is crooked. And no, I’m not helping you get your furniture down. I have a hot date.”
✧
She found his outer office unstaffed, and his door wide open. Ruby stepped to it, and watched him. He sat at his gleaming desk, concentration on his chiseled face while he studied his wall screens. He fits here, surrounded by streaming numbers and an ambience of power and prestige. She wondered at a man who could be as at ease in a resurrected graveyard of tech discards as in the sleek and streamlined.
She believed he could do anything from here, high above the city. And yet he’d thought to build a castle for his mother, to find a job for a survivor, to open his properties to a widow and her daughter. He hadn’t captured her with his looks, his wealth. He’d won her with his choices.
She knocked lightly at the doorjamb.
His eyes warmed at the sight of her.“Rubina.”
And he’d chosen her. The wonder of it stole her breath.
“What brings you here?”
She held up bulging bags and moved toward a small table.
Joining her, he asked,“What’s that delicious smell?”
“You missed Thai night at the Castle because of me. I figured it’s the least I could do.”She set the bags on the table, and turned.“There, now I can say hello.”She gave him an enthusiastic kiss and broke free.“I’m starving. You know, this mushy stuff isn’t as hard as I thought it would be. It certainly has its perks. Makes me hungry though.”
“What doesn’t?”He produced place settings from a discreet compartment.
Table set, he scooped up generous portions of noodles and ladled out miso soup.“Two lockups and one release—it’s a lot of action for a single case. Are your cases usually this lively?”
“Yes. But doing it all in three days is a new firm record.”She put her hand on his.“It was a nice thing you did for Karen and Claire Abrams.”
“I wanted to help his family find joy in living. Losing a father is never easy, regardless of the circumstances.”
She caught the spasm in his jaw.“And Susan is thrilled about the Gabriella Center. It’s a wonderful idea. She’ll love it there.”
He shrugged.
“You’re a softy.”
“It’s nothing. You remind me incessantly I’m a gazillionaire.”
“You thought to do it. You made it happen. You’re a softy.”
“Yes, I suppose so. I have no desire to be macho and unaffected. That was my father, not me. I’ve no inclination to fight bulls, or be surrounded by a gaggle of women. And I’m not the only softy in this relationship.”
“You aren’t?”
“No, Alfred told me about the vase.”
“He did, did he? No confidentiality—what kind of a shop is he running?”
“Susan loved it, I presume.”
“Yeah.”
“It’s those moments that make this all worth it for you, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
“Softy.”He gripped her hand before he continued.“Colin told me that Eric Longhorn transferred to Mardova today.”
“His shuttle took off at three.”
“Colin was surprised that you didn’t visit Longhorn before his transfer to give him a piece of your mind.”
“I thought about it—a lot. What I’d say. How I’d say it. I’d tell the bastard Tara was never his.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“My time was better spent elsewhere, on women who have bright futures. I had enough closure for one day.”
“Is that what this is? A farewell dinner?”He pushed back his plate.
“If you want it to be.”
“And if I don’t?”
“I’m not due back in the office until Monday.”
“The infamous Ruby Miller takes a vacation? Unprecedented.”
“I figured since you own half the planet you might know of a few good vacation spots.”
“What are you after?”
“Secluded. No reception.”
“We can find secluded. Satellites make unreachable impossible. Fortunately, your PSC has an off setting.”
“Wow, this gadget does have everything.”
He pushed back from the table, and moved to his desk.“I have something for you, Rubina.”Pulling a velvet box from his desk drawer, he approached her, held it out, and opened it.
She sat motionless, hand at her throat, as she stared at the gleaming turquoise gems and black pearls.
“When it catches the light, its colors transform. They’re stunning in all their dimensions.”
“Is, is this from Alfred’s?”
“No, it’s from my personal collection.”
“From Spain?”
“Yes.”
“Why did your mother leave Spain, Milo?”
“E-skills are in my blood, but not making an honest living from them. You see, my father was un fantasma.”
“A phantom?”
“No, trust me. He was flesh, bone, and deadly. It’s a Spanish saying. Literally, yes, it means ghost. It’s used to describe someone who’s not what they appear.”
“Like Jerald Combes.”
“Yes, similar to Combes. My father seemed to be a handsome bullfighter, a family man. He loved the attention. And on the side he was an e-man. That’s where he made his real money. He was one of the best, until Interpol caught up with him. It came to light he dispensed with anyone who got in his way.”
“Where is he?”
“Mardova.”
“Was it hard to see him go?”
“Most of me was glad to be free of him. I didn’t get the chance to grow big enough to fight him off until he was already in prison. If I had, I might have killed him for what he did to my mother.”
“Why didn’t your mother stay in Spain after he was in prison? Didn’t she have family there?”
“He’d isolated her from them. When I told you I understood the dynamics of domestic violence, I meant firsthand. But you already put that together at the Castle.”
“Yes, we don’t have to talk about it tonight.”
“You need only look at my mother to know she’s in a happy chapter of her life. And Susan will be, too. Thanks to you.”
“It was a team effort. It always is.”She toyed with a gem.“I’m not comfortable accepting this. It’s beautiful, truly.”
“I’m not comfortable I wanted so much to give it to you. It would seem we are even.”
“And Gabi is okay with this? With me wearing it?”
“With you having it. It’s yours—no strings, no expectations. She’s thrilled. She cried when I told her. That’s yet another aspect I’m uncomfortable with.”
“Gazillionaire thrown off his game by a lady lawyer. I am making headlines. And yes, I accept.”Her eyes met his as he clasped the bracelet on her wrist.“I still haven’t decided what to do about you.”
“Bringing me Thai food was a wonderful idea. May I suggest dessert?”He grinned at Ruby.
“I, I don’t think—”
“The new face of criminal defense blushes?”He teased.“My FastFare is slightly better stocked than yours. What would you like?”
“Surprise me.”
He typed a command into his PSC, and said,“I know why Arianna does her work. You’
ve guessed at why my mother does hers. Why do you, Rubina?”
“You already know I didn’t get to be sweet sixteen. Sixteen was the hardest year of my life. My mother was mortified what her friends would think. The scandal. My father was happy to sweep it under the rug. Nobody stood for me. Nobody told my story. And I was too hurt, too afraid, to speak for myself. I was drowning in my own shame when I met Amy. She tugged me to shore. She helped me find my voice.”
“And that’s why you stand for your clients.”He brought her a piece of cake.
She stabbed at it without picking it up.“Seems like an awful lot of fruit. What is it?”
“Pineapple-mango upside-down cake, smothered in caramel. It’s made Thai-style with coconut milk as an appropriate end to your themed meal. The tropical fruit will give you a taste of vacation.”
She put down her fork.“You put that much thought into picking out my dessert?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“Milo . . .”
“Yes, Rubina?”
“It was you. It was this.”She gestured.“This is what I was waiting for at sixteen. I’d stuffed it down, I guess. You made it happen for me. I don’t want to mess this up. I’m not any good—”
“Oh no, you don’t. Not after a speech like that. You’re not getting off that easy. It’s my turn to reciprocate.”
She took a deep breath.
“I love you, Rubina.”
“Well, then. It’s a good thing I love you back.”She sighed—relieved at how easily the words had flowed and the sense of rightness they triggered. Forking up cake, she asked,“How’s Chiang Mai for secluded?”
ABOUT Rita JohaNsen
Rita Johansen delights in creatively revisiting her legal roots as a law-firm owner practicing criminal defense. Now a writer and wellness coach, Rita serves as a Power Partner for professionals committed to shifting from a high-sugar, intense-stress lifestyle to a Sugar-Striver, Life-Enthusiast Lifestyle.
Visit Rita’s website:
www.AblazeZingLife.com
The Sugar-Striver, Life-Enthusiast Lifestyle™
HEARTFELT MESSAGE
Thank you, dear Reader! The best part for me, as an author, is to hear from you—your feedback, ideas, insights, and hopes for these colorful characters I created. Your input might impact a future book as Ruby’s adventures continue. I invite you to:
The Veiled Cage (Lady Lawyer Series Romantic Suspense Novels Book 1) Page 23
