“For two, please,” she tells the hostess, who looks at me and then back at her. We follow the hostess through the crowded restaurant to a table in front of the big red wood-burning oven.
Slipping my hand out of hers, I pull out a chair for her. She sets her purse in the chair next to hers before she sits down. I shrug out of my jacket, and I see her looking over at me. “It’s casual day,” I say, tossing my jacket on the chair beside me. Instead of sitting in front of her, I decided to sit beside her.
“I’ve never seen you in anything but a suit,” she says to me as the waitress comes over and hands us the menus. Becca smiles at the waitress and orders herself a white wine and looks over at me.
“A bottle of San Pellegrino,” I say, and she nods, walking away. “I’ve never seen you dressed casually.”
She looks up from the menu. “Hello.” She points at herself. “This is casual.”
“You’re wearing heels,” I point out.
“I was watching Jaxon all day long,” she says, and I look at her, shocked. “Manning needed someone to watch Jaxon while he ran all his errands.”
“Wait, I don’t understand,” I say, putting my menu down and looking at her. “What was your role in all of this?”
She sets her menu down, smiling at the waitress who brings her glass of wine. “We’ll need a minute,” Becca tells her, and she nods her head, walking away. She takes a sip of wine, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Manning is my client,” she tells me, looking down at her fingers as she plays with the stem of the wineglass, “but he’s also my friend.” I don’t interrupt her. “So I did what I needed to do in order to protect him.”
“Which means what exactly?” It’s me tapping my finger on the table this time as I wait for her to answer.
“I was the one who hired the private investigator. I was the one who got him the house. I was the one who got his mother here.”
“You were the one who did all that?” I look at her, shocked, but I don’t know why I am. “Is there anything you can’t do?”
“Yes,” she says, smirking. She picks up her glass of wine and takes another sip. “I can’t give up control.”
I laugh, and right before I’m about to say something, she shocks me even more. “I don’t know why,” she says, setting the glass back down, “but for you, I might try.”
Chapter 9
Becca
The elevator pings, and I step out, smiling. “Good morning,” I tell the receptionist, who smiles at me as she answers the phone. I wait for her to put the phone down. “The phone has been ringing off the hook for you.”
I smile even bigger. “God, I love those words. Music to my ears,” I say and walk back to my office to the sound of my heels clicking on the floor.
“Good morning,” I say to Erika, who gets up from her desk and follows me into my office. I slip off my jacket, draping it over the back of my chair. “How is everything?” I ask, sitting.
“You have twenty-five calls about Manning today,” she says, and I knew it was coming. When the bomb got dropped last night, I knew the kickback would be today. “I have them all here.” She hands me the stack of papers. “By priority, but you can go through it just to make sure. Is there anything else you need from me?”
I look up at her. “No, thank you, this is great,” I say, going through all the papers. She turns and walks out of my office, and my phone rings. I look down to see it’s Manning.
“Hello,” I say, leaning back in my chair. “If you’re calling to ask me for another favor, you are out of luck for the month.” He laughs. “I’m not kidding, Manning.”
“Actually, I’m calling to thank you,” he says.
“I’m afraid to ask you for what?” I try to joke with him.
“For fucking everything. From renting this house to getting my mother here.” He lets out a huge breath.
“Your mother was on the next flight out. I didn’t even have to guilt-trip her into coming,” I say. “She was at the house the next day.”
His voice goes low. “I don’t know what I would have done without you.”
“Well, it’s a good thing you pay me well,” I joke with him.
“That’s bullshit, and you know it,” he says. “You might be all cheetah-like, but deep down, you have a soft heart.”
“If you let anyone hear you say that—” I say, and he stops me.
“Relax, I’m all alone,” he says. “I woke up this morning feeling so free.”
“Well, enjoy it because you have a game tonight, and the press is going to be all over you. I’ll be there tonight.” I wasn’t going to go to the game, but I thought it would be a good idea in case he needed me. You just want to see Nico.
“Well, considering I don’t talk about my private life, it’s going to be easy,” he says. “Also, you and Candace already put out a statement.”
“And judging from the messages on my desk, we’ve only scratched the surface,” I say.
“How bad?” he asks. After all this time, he will forever be the only client of mine who shies away from the press. Even to give interviews, he has to be forced into it.
“People magazine wants to do an exclusive,” I say, and he laughs. “So does GQ, and I think I saw Hockey News also.”
“Negative on all fronts,” he says. “But I do have something that I would like you to do.”
I slap my desk. “I knew it,” I say. “I knew you needed another favor. Your favor card is all used up.”
“It’s not a favor,” he reassures me. “I want you to meet Evelyn,” he says of the woman who finally gave him the strength to stand up to Murielle. “Obviously, whenever it works for you.”
“I would love to meet her,” I say, and I look up at the door to see Francis standing there with a huge vase of pink roses. “Just tell me when, and I’ll clear my schedule,” I say, and we hang up. “What is all that?” I ask Francis, who is joined by Trevor, who carries another vase of white roses in his hands.
“We should be asking you that question,” he says, putting down the vase in the middle of my desk. “Not one but two,” he says, and I look at them in shock as I grab the first little white envelope.
“I haven’t the faintest idea,” I say, taking out the small white card and reading it.
Becca,
I owe you Italy.
Maybe one day.
Nico
I smile and grab the other envelope. The smile hurts my cheeks, but I can’t help it. My hands are shaking as I pull out the other card.
Becca,
Let go.
I’ll catch you.
N
I have to sit down after I read the last one. Looking up at my brothers, I say, “Can I just have one second to just …” I can’t even right now. My heart is pounding so hard I have to put my hand on my chest.
I force myself to get up and walk to the bathroom off of my office. Closing the door, I’m hit with flashbacks from last night. I spent all night reliving it in my dreams, and it’s coming back again.