Chapter 15
Rhys
Aseries of knocks breaks my concentration.
I lift my eyes to the ajar door.
Arianne pokes her head in my office. “You wanted to see me?”
“I did.” I stand up. “Come in. Let’s take a seat over there.” I extend a hand.
“Okay.”
She takes a seat on the couch in the comfortable sitting area located in the corner of my office.
I sit across from her in one of the large leather chairs.
She places her phone next to her before smoothing the fabric of her elegant light-blue dress before crossing her legs at the ankles. Expectant brown eyes are fix on me.
“You look great, by the way,” I say.
“Thank you.” The beautiful blonde who has my business partner Beckett by the balls smiles wide.
I still can’t believe it.
I leave the country for a little over three weeks, come back, and forever bachelor Beckett Christensen is attached. I swear to God, I thought Hell had frozen over. It proves a leopard can change its spots.
“Thanks for carving out some time to meet with me,” I say to kick start our conversation.
Arianne slides to the edge of her seat. “Is this about the production side of SCORE Yours?”
“No. It’s not.”
“But you still like the idea?”
Is that doubt I detect in her voice?
“Two days later and I still love the idea,” I say. “It’s a game changer for us and will help us kick it up ten notches.”
“I’m glad you’re still on board. I was worried that after sleeping on it, you might have second thoughts.”
Arianne has a solid head on her shoulders and a great business mind. I knew she was an ace from day one. I never expected her to come up with a ground-breaking idea as fast as she did.
“I think the slogan will resonate well with our audience,” I say.
“That’s my favorite part.”
“It’s an attractive selling proposition––one our competitors can’t make. Who wants to be like everyone else? Sameness is a crime.”
“I just came out of a brainstorming session with Beckett and the marketing team” she says. “Everyone feels strongly that we need to milk this differentiating factor for all it’s worth.”
“Beckett texted me as you were making your way to my office. I agree.”
The idea behind SCORE Yours is to take our kickass headphones and turn them into must-have gadgets—out-of-the-box top quality sleek painted headphones customized to our customers’ taste. We’re going to crush the competition. Obliterate them.
“Good.” She claps. “If this isn’t about the new concept, how can I help you?”
“I have a female situation I need help with.”
She knits her eyebrows in confusion. “You need my advice about a woman you’re interested in?”
“No.” I shake my head. “We’re not talking about that kind of situation. We’re talking about my best friend’s baby sister––”
“That’s more like it,” she says. “You had me worried there for a minute.”
“Why is that?” I chuckle.
“As if Luva Boy Rhys needs my advice about women. That’ll be the day.”
I lean forward. “Can I make a confession?”
She mimics my move. “It won’t leave this room.” She zips her lips shut with a hand gesture.
“I hate that nickname with a passion.”
Her back stiffens. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Rhys.” She places a hand against her chest and lifts the other one in the air. “I’ll never say it again. Promise.”
“Thanks.” I wink. “Now, back to my problem.”
“I’m all ears.”
“Have you ever heard of a girl group by the name of Lucky Break?”
She stares at me, batting her eyelashes. I can’t read her expression.
“Maybe you’ve never heard of them. They were big in the UK––”
“I lived in London for two years, remember?” she says.
“I do, but it doesn’t mean you’re into that kind of music.”
“I was there when Lucky Break was topping the charts. Those girls were on fire. They were unstoppable. At twenty-nine, I’m a little older than most of their fans, but I’m guilty––and proud––to call myself a fan girl.”
“This makes this conversation even easier,” I say. “My best friend Noah’s little sister, Keira—”
“Oh my God, are you talking about Keira Weatherly?”
“Yes, I am.”
“The same Keira Weatherly who disappeared without a trace after the tragic accident?”
“Yes, that Keira.”
Arianne is dumbfounded.
“Like I said, she’s my best friend’s little sister.”
“Oh my God,” Arianne repeats. “I can’t believe this.” She shakes her head. “The press was on a mission to hunt her down after she fled London, but she vanished into thin air. Was she in hiding in LA the whole time?”
“No. She wasn’t. She arrived on Friday night. Today marks her third day back. She’s staying with me.”
“Your new roommate is a big singing sensation. Wow. Just wow.”
I cock an eyebrow.
“Sorry,” she says. “You’re also a big singing sensation, and so is Beckett, but to be fair, I didn’t know your music until you hired me. I know every single one of Lucky Break’s songs by heart.”
“You’re forgiven.”
She wipes the back of her hand against her forehead. “Thank God.”
I cut to the chase. “Could I twist your arm to spend next Saturday with Keira?”
Arianne’s face drops.
“If it’s too much to ask––”
She lifts a hand. “You want me to spend the day with Keira Weatherly? From Lucky Break?”
“Yes. I’d appreciate it.”
I tell Arianne about Keira losing her luggage and Saturday’s shopping trip. I omit the part about how much it was a torturous experience for me.
“She got a few pieces, but there’s so much more she needs. I’m not the best shopping companion. Keira’s mom is dead—”
“Oh, I didn’t know that,” Arianne says. “In interviews, she’s never talked about her mother.”
“It’s a sore subject,” I say.
“Got it.”
“I’m the only one she has in LA. Her best friend Chelle—”
“The paparazzi can be such vultures,” she says.
“They’re not all assholes, but the ones who were after Chelle and Henley for a scoop are nasty parasites.”
“I agree.”
“Going back to what I was saying, I’m sure Keira will have a lot more fun if she goes shopping with a woman to buy whatever else she needs.”
“I would be honored,” Arianne says. “Can my best friend Phoebe Pedersen tag along?”
“Why not? It would be great for Keira to hang out with new friends.”
“I know what it’s like to land in a new city and not know a soul.
It happened to me when I moved to Silicon Valley, again when I moved to London, and more recently, when I landed in Los Angeles.
In terms of shopping, I had to start a wardrobe from scratch because my London-friendly clothing was a liability under this heat.
I’m the perfect candidate for the job. Phoebe referred me to the best personal shopper in the city.
She’s great.” She waves a finger down the length of her body. “Case in point.”
“So, Keira is in good hands,” I say.
“Yes, she is.”
“I can’t thank you enough, Arianne.”
“Don’t thank me yet. Wait until Phoebe and I are done with her.”
“I look forward to it.” I smile wide. “I’ll get Keira a credit card under my account so I’m not a bottleneck during your shopping excursion.”
“Lucky girl,” Arianne says.
“I promised her brother I’d take care of her.”
“And it seems you’re doing a damn good job of it,” she says. “So many shops… so little time… so much money to spend…” She grins from ear to ear. “Is there a limit to your generosity?”
“Within reason,” I say.
“That’s subjective, Mr. Hartford. I suspect your bank balance is different from mine.”
I laugh. “Fair enough. I’ll let Keira know she needs to call me when she passes the ten-thousand-dollar mark.”
“That’s not generosity. That’s every girl’s wet dream come true.”
My eyebrows hit my forehead.
Arianne blushes. “That came out wrong,” she says with a laugh. “I mean, a ten-thousand-dollar limit is an eye-popping amount. Well, for us mere mortals, it is. For you billionaires, I’m sure it’s a drop in the bucket.”
“Keira arrived with nothing.”
“What about her things in London? She was always photographed in amazing fashion.”
“She left everything behind. She doesn’t want anything to do with that life anymore.”
“I understand.” She gives me a firm nod. “If she arrived without anything, that means she needs the basics like makeup, beauty products, and feminine protection.”
I groan.
“Oh, sorry about that. I forgot that’s a touchy subject for most men. To this day, my father freaks out when Mom asks him to buy feminine protection.”
I offer an uncomfortable smile. “You’d know more than I would.”
“We’re starting from scratch.” Arianne grabs her phone.
“What are you doing?”
“Evernotes. It’s a godsend,” she says. “I’m a bit of an obsessive planner. I’ll have Keira’s shopping expedition mapped out to the minute. I’ll share the master plan with Phoebe so she can add her insight.”
“This isn’t like mapping out SCORE Yours,” I say.
“Are you kidding me? I get to have a role in Keira Weatherly’s new look. This is serious business.”
“You’re supposed to have fun,” I remind her.
“Organization is fun.”
I lift my hands in surrender. “Your call.”
“Is it okay if we squeeze in a few hours of pampering?” Arianne’s eyes bounce up to mine. “A new wardrobe requires a mani and pedi— Oh my God. She doesn’t even have nail polish.”
I flash back to Keira’s unpolished dainty toes.
I push away the tempting visual.
“Keira mentioned she might need a haircut––”
“I know the perfect hairdresser.” She runs a hand over her shoulder-length hair.
“I’m convinced,” I say.
“But my hair is nothing like Keira’s. She used to wear a lot of colorful wigs on stage, but she has the most beautiful hair––ridiculously long, full, and thick.”
Not anymore.
I stand up, circle my desk, and snatch my phone.
“About Keira’s hair…” I take a seat next to Arianne.
I swipe a few times until I find the photos we took on Saturday.
Keira wanted selfies of us to send to Noah.
I hand Arianne my phone.
Her eyes bulge out of her head. “That’s Keira Weatherly?”
“That’s her. She’s the same gorgeous girl, but a lot has happened since she ran away from London.”
“No shit.” The words drop out of Arianne’s mouth, her eyes still as wide as saucers.