Chapter Seven
Riley
Vance shot me a grin and said, “You’re not the one I was trying to get rid of. But, I did want to talk a little business." Looking down at Annalise, he said, "Sloane said she talked to you about your work."
"She did," Annalise said, slowly. "Did you show her my photographs?"
Vance hedged, “Well, the thing is—"
His wife Maggie slipped her arm through his and said, "Annalise, I'm sorry, it was actually my fault."
Vance turned to look down at the curvy redhead and his eyes, so like Annalise’s, went hot. He wound his arm around her waist and tucked her into his side, murmuring into her hair, "Nothing is your fault, sugar."
She rolled her eyes and laughed. "Don't I wish that were true. But really, Vance had some of your work laid out in his studio. We were trying to decide where to hang it, and Sloane stopped by. She loves to do that—I think she's trying to catch Vance alone."
Vance let out a growl of frustration. "Remind me again why we're not firing her?"
"Because neither of us has the time to manage your career as well as she does. Especially not right now when we still haven't found someone to fill in for Ella."
She gave a quick glance over her shoulder to make sure the subject of the conversation couldn't overhear and said, “Sloane is an interfering pain in the ass, but she does a great job selling art. Especially yours because she loves to suck up, and she’s still hoping to get you in bed."
Vance's shudder was genuine. Maggie looked at us and said, "I do my best to protect him. She's good at selling art, but she's not subtle. Anyway, did she say she wanted to talk to you about your work?"
Annalise nodded. "She did, but I figured it was just cocktail party talk."
Maggie shook her head. "It's not. When you've got the time, let me know, and I'll set up a meeting.
She didn't know who shot the photographs when she saw them, and she was very interested.
When she found out they were yours, and that you weren't represented, she got a little rabid about it.
We told her to back off and give you space to settle in, which is the only reason she didn't try to drag you down the hall and make you sign a contract. "
Annalise stared at Maggie and Vance, lips parted, eyes wide. She blinked, slowly. "Are you serious?"
"Of course she's serious, Lise," Vance said. "You know you're good."
Annalise shook her head in denial, still looking stunned.
I didn't know a lot about art, but I knew a good bit about the Winters family, and by extension, Vance's career. Sloane’s gallery was no joke.
She might've been a social climber with a predilection for sexually harassing her artists, but she moved a lot of art through that gallery, and none of it was cheap.
Maggie put a hand on Lise’s arm and said, "Look, I know you've heard a lot of bad things about Sloane because she drives Vance and me nuts."
"Didn't she try to break you two up?" Annalise asked.
Maggie waved her hand in the air, dismissing the past. "She made up for it when she helped orchestrate Vance's proposal."
"It was either that or get fired," Vance cut in.
"That's my point," Maggie said. "She has a lot of irritating qualities, no question. But she wouldn't be interested in talking to you if she didn't think she could sell your work. Sloane does not take on deadweight. Now, if Riley here were the artist…”
She scanned me with a hilariously lascivious look that had her husband elbowing her in the side, “Then I might caution him not to meet with her alone.
But she's not into girls, and since she married Rupert, she doesn't need you socially.
She's interested because she thinks she can make money off of you, which means she'd also make money for you.
Once you're ready to settle down, if you want to make a real go of your photography, I'd say it's worth talking to Sloane.
If you want, I can act as your go-between at first."
"I'd appreciate that," Lise said, still sounding shocked. "I've sold things here and there, mostly by myself, from hanging them in cafés, salons, stuff like that, but I haven't really had a proper show. I was supposed to in New Mexico but…"
"Maybe it's for the best, then," Maggie said, briskly.
She was sharp and knew enough of the situation to understand it was better to steer Annalise away from any discussion of why she left home or why she was back.
The whole point of the party was to spread the right gossip, not just any gossip. The family had kept her stalker under wraps for all these years. The last thing we needed was for it to get out now.
Maggie went on, "If you're planning to set up a base in Atlanta, Sloane is a good place to start.
Vance and I can help you, and Vance uses Dave Price to check the contracts, so we can do the same for you.
I know you just got home, and you have other concerns right now, but when you're ready, we'll set something up. "
I heard a beep and Maggie pulled her phone out of the tiny purse hanging on her wrist. "It's the sitter." Vance plucked the phone from her hand and answered it, pacing to the corner of the room and talking in low but insistent tones.
To us, Maggie said, "Rosie had a fever when we left. Probably normal. Her nose was running, but we overreact. We asked the sitter to call and report in after she put Rosie down. That's probably all it is." She glanced back at Vance, a tiny frown line between her eyes.
Lise looked at her brother as he paced in the corner of the room. "I never imagined I'd see Vance like this," she said.
Maggie let out a laugh that almost hid her worry over their daughter. "I know, right? If you'd told me when we met that he would be such a good dad, not to mention an amazing husband, I would've laughed you out of town. But people change. Sometimes, all you need is a little push."
Vance ended the call and returned to his wife, handing her the phone. "She's fine. Didn't eat much dinner, but her fever broke just after she fell asleep. The sitter said her nose is running less and she’s sleeping just fine."
Maggie let out a long breath. "I wish Ella were here.
" Explaining, she said, "Our nanny, Ella, is a grad student at Tech.
Jo and Emily found her for us. She's amazing with Rosie, but unfortunately, between her studies and a fiancé in California, she's not available as much as she used to be.
We're supposed to be finding someone new, but it's not as easy as you’d think. "
"Especially when you're interfering and overprotective," Vance said.
Maggie poked him in the stomach and said, “Are you talking about you or me?"
He leaned down and kissed her, murmuring against her lips, “Both."
Vance tugged his wife off to the side, sending a wink as he eased her towards the door to the hallway. A new voice, one I knew well, said, “There they go. I wouldn't open any closed doors for a little while."
I looked over to see Jacob Winters beside us, holding the hand of an elegant woman with dark hair and eyes, dressed in a deep red sheath with matching shoes, her ears, neck, and left hand sparkling with diamonds.
I'd never met Abigail Jordan in person, but seeing her side-by-side with Jacob, I completely understood that these two belonged together.
A quiet smile spread across her face, and Abigail said, "I think it's sweet." Holding out her hand to me she said, “It's good to meet you, Riley. We've been so excited that Annalise is coming home and so happy for both of you."
I took her hand in mine, surprised at the firmness of her grip.
I shouldn't have been. She may have looked the part of a young society matron, perfectly dressed with appropriate manners, but no woman could be a pushover and handle Jacob Winters.
And Jacob Winters wouldn't have fallen in love with a woman he could boss around.
"Annalise," Jacob said, sending a speaking glance at his younger cousin, "Abigail thought she'd take you around and introduce you to some of the guests you need to meet."
"That's why I hate this kind of thing," Annalise said under her breath.
In an equally quiet voice, Jacob said, "I know, sweetheart. But that's the point of the party. Let Abigail take you around. She's brilliant at this, and you'll barely have to say a word."
He took her arm, tugging her gently from my side, and handed her off to Abigail after dropping a quick kiss on her forehead. We watched the two women cross the room, Abigail deftly leading Annalise to an older couple, the woman decked in jewels, the man glancing wistfully toward the bar.
His eyes on his fiancée and younger cousin, Jacob said to me, “She'll be fine with Abigail.
Lise has always hated parties like this, but Abigail loves them, and she's making a career out of wrapping these people around her finger.
She went to work handling events at the family's charitable foundation, and she's raking it in.
Despite the fact that she's gorgeous, the matrons love her, and the old men can't say no to her. "
The pride in his smile was obvious, as was the love. Jacob was another one of the Winters men I would have bet would never fall in love. He was notorious for dating women and walking away without a second look. He didn't do girlfriends. He didn't do relationships.
Then, suddenly, Abigail Jordan was living with him and a heartbeat later they were engaged.
I knew more about Abigail's past than most people, considering I'd been part of the team assigned to protect her when her former father-in-law had threatened to kidnap her. She’d run to Jacob for help, and he’d called Sinclair Security.
Abigail’s first marriage had been a nightmare, and Jacob was the last man I would've put her with. I knew for a fact Evers had tried to save her from Jacob, imagining Jacob was going to use her and throw her away like he had every other woman. Instead, Jacob had fallen hard.