Friendship on Fire (Love in Bloom: The Bradens, Book 3) Contemporary Romance

by Melissa Foster

  “That’s in two weeks. There’s plenty of time. Six? I’ll pick you up at Savannah’s?” Josh didn’t wait for an answer. “Now, slow down. Go do your inventory. And, Claudia, she’ll need to leave by five to get ready.”

  Riley walked tentatively past Claudia, averting her eyes from the daggers that Claudia had been casting ever since she’d entered the room—hell, ever since Riley had arrived at JBD.

  Chapter Six

  RILEY WAS THANKFUL to be buried in work, allowing only moments of worry about whether dinner with Josh was meant to be a date or a work assignment. The way he’d touched her arms didn’t feel very businesslike. Then again, having dinner with Josh and Peter Stafford, head of the biggest modeling agency in New York, was definitely all business. I’m overthinking the situation. Of course, he had asked her to a business dinner, a welcome-to-New-York dinner, as opposed to a date. Or had he?

  As soon as she left the office, sheer panic stepped in, filling the space that work had occupied before. Her nerves tangled and fought, making her feel sick to her stomach. She took a hot shower, going over possibilities in her mind. If it was a date, how should she dress? How should she act? She’d been so comfortable with Josh back in Weston. Why was she so nervous now? What if she said something awkward and embarrassed herself in front of Peter Stafford?

  She tipped her face up to the spray of the shower to wash away the bombardment of what ifs. What advice would she give Jade? She thought about that as she dried off and stepped from the shower. Just be yourself. Jade was beautiful, smart, and funny. Being herself worked. Riley looked in the mirror, feeling like a drowned rat. She needed to bring in the cavalry. She needed support. She reached for her cell phone.

  Jade answered on the first ring.

  “Tell me I’m beautiful, smart, and funny,” Riley begged.

  Jade laughed. “Why?”

  Riley sighed as she sat on the toilet lid. “Because I’m having dinner with Josh and Peter Stafford tonight. Do you know who he is?” She didn’t give Jade time to answer. “He runs the biggest modeling agency in New York. Can you believe it? And I have no idea if it’s a business thing, a date, or what, and I don’t look like the spit-skinny models, and I’m from frickin’ Weston, not New York City, so God knows how many ways I’ll mess this up.”

  “Oh, is that all?” Jade teased.

  “Jade! I need support. Please? Someone told me today that I’m not afraid to eat. That’s code for fat, and now I’m not sure if I should just pretend to eat when I’m with Josh and Peter frickin’ Stafford. I’m so nervous I could puke. I probably won’t eat anyway.”

  “Oh my God. You’re kidding, right?”

  “Jade.” Riley closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

  “Come on, Ri. You know how pretty you are. You turn heads everywhere you go. You have curves and you know how to work them. Guys love that.”

  “I don’t think New York guys do.”

  “Really? Josh is a New York guy now. And you know the way he looked at you before he offered you the job.”

  “How could I forget?” Riley asked.

  “And remember that night at the concert? I swear, Ri. The man didn’t give you thirty seconds with the rest of us. He whisked you away.”

  “We were talking about fashion. He was probably just interested because I wasn’t a complete novice. He never made a single move on me, Jade.” I swear the butterflies in my stomach are taking steroids.

  “For a smart girl, sometimes you’re a real dunce. Look, it’s Josh Braden. Think of him as the boy from high school. Be yourself. You’re charming and witty. You’re gorgeous and smart. Ri, you’re so likable that I can’t imagine anyone not liking you.”

  The sincerity in Jade’s voice settled Riley’s nerves…a little. “You really think so? I don’t even know which fork to use in a restaurant.”

  “Google it,” Jade joked.

  “You laugh, but I will before he picks me up.”

  “Josh is picking you up?” Jade asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “It’s a date,” Jade said emphatically.

  “Why? Just because he’s coming to get me? I don’t know where anything is around here and I’m petrified of the subway, but I promised myself I’d start taking it tomorrow. I think Josh’s just being nice.” Oh God, a date?

  “I don’t know. You’re asking me to define something that’s hard to figure out. I don’t know how things work in New York, but if it’s a friendly dinner, you know, you meet them at the restaurant. How did he ask you?”

  This was getting more stressful by the second. “Well, he said that he hadn’t given me a proper welcome and asked if I wanted to have dinner with him. Then Mia said he had this dinner engagement with Peter Stafford, and he asked me to come along.”

  “It kinda sounds like a date, but also like he was being nice because he brought you into New York, you know, welcoming a friend.”

  “See,” Riley said. “That’s what I thought, too.”

  “Well, it doesn’t really matter what it is. You’re his employee, so be professional and be yourself. You’ll know it’s a date if he brings you flowers, or kisses you when he sees you.”

  “Do guys even bring flowers to girls anymore?” Riley asked.

  “Rex does, but he usually picks them from the garden.” Jade laughed.

  Riley glanced at the clock. “Oh my God. I have to get ready.” She was mentally ticking off her potential outfits for the evening. “He’ll be here in twenty minutes. Wish me luck.”

  “You don’t need it. You’re going to have a great time and they’ll both love you. Call me after?”

  “You got it. And, Jade?” Riley hoped she was as good of a friend to Jade as Jade had always been for her.

  “Yeah?”

  “Thanks for everything.”

  Riley dried her hair and put on her makeup, then stood in front of the closet, wishing she’d had time to shop for something new. She’d already worn two of her designer outfits, and she had only two more. Tucked in the back of her closet was the one dress that she’d made just before coming to New York. It was a bit racy for a work-related dinner engagement, but it did accentuate her curves in all the right places. She pulled it from the closet and slipped it on.

  The black sheath hugged her curves, and the scalloped hemline rested just above her knees, not too short for a professional dinner, though a bit snug. The scooped neckline slimmed her bust, and she’d cleverly designed the sleeves with cutouts at the shoulders and tightly fitting material around her biceps. Riley might not be model thin, but she had well-defined shoulders, and they drew attention away from her slightly thick waist.

  She spritzed on Gucci Première perfume, which she’d gotten at a great discount when she worked at Macy’s, and slipped her still sore feet into a pair of black-and-white Marc Jacobs pumps. Thank you, Macy’s. She stood in front of the mirror and surveyed herself from head to toe. Her hair never let her down. It was her easiest and most pleasant attribute, not too thick and with a natural wave she could accentuate with a twist of a brush. There was no denying the width of her hips or the fullness of her breasts, and even if her waist carried a few extra pounds, she was pleased with how she looked in the dress she’d designed. She shook her head, giving her bangs a playful look as they swept in front of her eyes. Date or not, she was ready, and she looked damned good.

  The knock at the door shattered her confidence. Riley froze, her eyes wide. Suddenly she had to know if Josh had asked her on a date or not. She walked into the living room and stared at the door. Move. Answer it. I can’t. You have to.

  With the next knock, Riley took a deep breath and reached for the doorknob.

  Chapter Seven

  JOSH CHECKED HIS watch. Five fifty-five. He was sure he’d said six o’clock. He hadn’t actually picked up a woman at her apartment in months. Most of his dates were arranged by acquaintances or friends—favors for women who were trying to find a place for themselves in the fashion industry. He’d typica
lly sent a car to pick them up or he’d met them at the intended location. That strategy had kept the option of being intimate up to him, not up to circumstance. The idea of dating women he rarely thought about the next day didn’t used to bother him, but over the past year, as he’d watched Treat fall in love with Max Armstrong, and more recently, Rex fall in love with Jade Johnson, he found himself longing for the contentedness they’d found. The way his brothers looked at Max and Jade made Josh long for the same connection, and the way Max and Jade returned that adoration, with looks of love that were nearly tangible and loving touches as they passed by, only made him want it more. It was time. He’d spent years dating whomever he was expected to date. Now it was his time to choose for himself.

  The door swung open and Josh’s jaw dropped. He’d seen more models than he could count, and he’d dated some of the most beautiful women in the country, and yet, standing before him, Riley Banks surpassed them all in a stunning black dress. She looked wholesome and sexy. She looked real.

  “Hi,” she said with a wide smile, fluttering her gorgeous, thick lashes.

  “Wow, Riley. You look gorgeous.” Josh leaned forward and kissed her cheek, inhaling deeply. “Not many women wear Gucci Première. It’s one of my favorites. With hints of bergamot and blackberry mixed with the musky scent of sandalwood, it’s the perfect scent for you.”

  “You noticed?” she said softly.

  He saw the wonder in Riley’s eyes and felt as if his discerning senses were showing again. He’d always been so entrenched in the fashion industry that he tended to memorize scents, textures, and of course, designers, and he’d instinctively noted people’s favorites. It was one of his greatest pleasures, knowing the things that made people happy, though he was well aware that his ability to determine designers and such might be off-putting to others, or seem snotty. I’ll have to watch that.

  “Sorry,” he said.

  “Don’t be. I like that you noticed.”

  Josh had yet to use the tidbits of information he gathered for anything other than courting buyers, but something told him that he might want to put some of Riley’s favorite things to use.

  “Who’s the designer?” he asked, eyeing her dress.

  Her cheeks flushed. “It’s…one of mine.”

  “You designed this? Riley, it’s incredibly hot. I love the attention to detail around the hemline and the peekaboo shoulders. This should be on a runway.” She really does need to design.

  She touched the waist nervously. “Really? You like it? I was worried about wearing it.”

  “I don’t like it. I love it, and you should be proud to wear it. You really do have immense talent.”

  “Thank you,” she said, blushing again.

  “These are for you.” He held out the bouquet of red-tipped yellow roses, and when she reached for them, his fingers brushed hers, sending an unfamiliar yearning through him. It had been so long since he’d felt true desire that he almost didn’t recognize it. When he’d stopped to pick out flowers for Riley, there had been no question about which flowers to choose, and as he left the florist, he realized that the last time he had stopped to personally pick out flowers for a woman had been when he was in college.

  “They’re gorgeous,” she said. “Thank you. Please come in. I’m sure Savannah has a vase somewhere.”

  He followed her into his sister’s apartment, unable to keep from noticing her curvaceous hips as she walked away. He tried not to stare, but found himself reeled in, and followed her into the kitchen.

  Riley pushed a pile of sketches to the side, then began opening cabinet after cabinet. “I don’t see one, but I’m sure she has one.”

  Josh picked up one of the sketches. “Do you mind if I look?”

  “They’re not very good. I was just playing around the first few days I arrived in town. I haven’t had much time to sketch since then.”

  “Riley, these are really good. You have a unique style. Your lines are sleek but feminine, and these high necklines are the opposite of what I’ve seen on these types of pieces.” He watched her fumble in the cabinets, avoiding his gaze, and he realized he was embarrassing her. He set the impressive drawings down and picked up a box of gingerbread cookies.

  “You caught me,” Riley said. “My sinful secret. Comfort food.”

  Another favorite. He set down the box and grabbed a wide-necked bottle from next to the refrigerator. “This might work.”

  Riley smiled, then narrowed her eyes. “That looks like an old bottle of wine or something.”

  “It works, right? In fact, I think it’s pretty with the green tint and its short stature. Let’s see.” He took the flowers from her, trimmed the ends, then arranged them in the bottle, leaving some stems longer than others and creating a textured layering of the flowers.

  “It’s almost scary how good you are at designs. I never would have thought to use that bottle for these. It looks like it belongs in a magazine,” she said.

  “Maybe I’ll be a florist in my next life,” he joked.

  Riley’s smile began to fade, and Josh noticed the way her fingers fidgeted. She was so cute when she was nervous that he reached out and touched her cheek without thinking. When her eyes searched his, he realized his mistake and withdrew his hand.

  “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I did that. You looked nervous, and I guess I was just trying to let you know you didn’t need to be.”

  She dropped her eyes. “It’s okay.”

  “Riley, I’m nervous, too, but there’s really no need for us to be. We’ve known each other for years. Let’s just go out and pretend we’re back in Weston, hanging out at the concert.” He’d felt so comfortable with her back then. He almost wished they were back in Weston now. Seeing that tight dress hugging every inch of her body only made him more confused. He battled his growing desire to pick up where they’d left off in Weston, to have that close friendship that might have quickly become so much more if they’d remained back in their hometown. He was her boss. He had to walk a fine line.

  She fidgeted with a seam on her hip. “That sounds…great. I was really nervous. I didn’t know if this was a date or a business dinner. I know that’s silly. I mean, why would it be a date?”

  Josh felt like he’d been punched in the gut. He’d thought of the evening as something of a date—a date that had been saddled with Peter’s dinner engagement. He considered telling her as much, but she was already moving more comfortably, less constricted by nerves.

  “Shall we go?” He hated the disappointment he heard in his own voice and made a mental note to check his emotions before speaking again. Had he been out of the real dating game for too long? Had he not asked her on a real date? Mildly annoyed with himself, he followed her out of the building and into the waiting car.

  Outside, Josh opened the car door for Riley. “You have a driver?”

  The shock in her wide eyes was so different from the privileged look on his typical dates’ faces. They’d expect nothing less, while Riley probably found it excessive.

  “I wasn’t sure how comfortable you’d be in a cab,” Josh explained.

  “I don’t mind cabs so much. It’s the subway that I still need to conquer,” Riley answered.

  Josh chalked up another thing he liked about her.

  Chapter Eight

  PETER STAFFORD WAS a darkly handsome man, graying around the temples, with piercing blue eyes and copper skin. He stood when Riley and Josh arrived at the table. He was not quite as tall as Josh, but he looked very debonair in his dark suit and crisp white shirt.

  “This is Riley Banks, our newest design assistant and a very talented future designer,” Josh said with a proud smile.

  How many times will he make me blush? “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Stafford.” In the car on the way over, Riley had played Josh’s words over and over in her mind. Let’s just go out and pretend we’re back in Weston, hanging out at the concert. She hadn’t realized how much she’d begun to hope that the evening was a
date until she’d heard him say those words. Why had he brought her flowers? Maybe it was a New York thing. But what about the kiss?

  Mr. Stafford kissed the back of her hand in greeting. “Please, call me Peter.”

  Well, that’s a kiss too, and he’s definitely not a date. It’s a New York thing, she thought with a pang of disappointment.

  They settled into their seats and ordered dinner. Riley was relieved when the waiter returned with a bottle of wine. She needed something to settle her nerves.

  “Josh, how’s my favorite niece?” Peter asked.

  Josh glanced at Riley, then looked back at Peter. “She’s well, Peter. Claudia’s doing just fine.”

  Claudia? Peter’s niece? Shitshitshit. Riley tried to blink away the surprise from her eyes.

  “Good. Glad to hear it,” Peter said.

  Riley watched Josh reposition himself in his chair and spend an extraordinary amount of time refolding his napkin. No wonder she still works there.

  “She’s been with JBD for what, five, six years now?” Peter asked.

  “Yes, that’s right,” Josh answered.

  “Any movement toward full-fledged designer?” Peter asked.

  Josh cleared his throat. “We’re working in that direction.” He sipped his wine, his eyes darting to Riley and back.

  “Good,” Peter said, finishing his wine. “Everyone needs a break. I remember when I first dressed my girls in your line, Josh. That was a big risk, and I’m glad I took it,” he said.

  Josh nodded. “It was a risk, and I appreciate your ability to see my potential.”

  Peter poured himself another glass of wine. “Yes, well, you’re welcome.”

  By the time the waiter brought their salads, they’d finished the bottle of wine.

  Peter ordered a second bottle of wine, and when it arrived, he filled their glasses and made a toast.

  “To our incredible industry,” he said.

  Riley and Josh lifted their glasses to his, and as Riley sipped her wine, she noticed Peter staring at her. He arched a brow, and Riley looked away.