Oh, for fuck’s sake.
“We fit in the time when we can. Bris—” I blinked, quickly correcting myself. “Ms. McClaren has been extremely accommodating when it comes to my schedule. She’s even brought some of her staff down to Charleston when I couldn’t get away.”
Angela walked in, and music flooded the room through the open door. She handed Bristol a scrap of paper—which she read—and then waited for her to nod before backing out of the room.
“Sorry, my team is having a little Valentine’s Day party out there,” Bristol said with a smile, putting the note into the folder. “They’ve been working non-stop for months.”
“No Valentine’s Day plans for either of you?” Edwards asked, spinning his own wedding ring on his finger.
“Nope. I’m pretty much married to this company right now,” Bristol answered easily, her smile practiced and fake as hell.
Edwards looked in my direction.
“My only plan is getting on a plane in a few hours.” It was none of his fucking business who I was or wasn’t seeing.
“Got it.” A slight uptick at the corners of his mouth told me he’d gotten my message. “Last question. Did you hesitate when you learned just how young Ms. McClaren is?” He leaned forward slightly.
I blinked, keeping my features locked down tight as my stomach sank.
“I mean, she’s what? Twenty and already owns her own company?” He glanced at Bristol. “No offense, of course, but to take over a major brand at your age is nearly unheard of.”
The breath I should have released in relief that he was talking about business—and not what had happened four years ago—escaped in a long, silent hiss as I counted to five to control my temper.
“I’m sorry?” Bristol’s eyebrows hit the roof.
“She’s twenty-one,” I countered. “Almost twenty-two, and it’s not really my business who signs my check, is it? It was the brand I signed on for. And as for Ms. McClaren, she went to college. She graduated. She purchased a company. That company signed me to a contract.”
He looked slowly between the two of us.
Bristol straightened her spine. “If you’re quite finished—”
“And the fact that it was her brother who traded you four years ago…” He arched a brow. “That didn’t play into your decision?”
“Nope,” I answered honestly since I hadn’t known Bristol owned the damned company when I signed.
“But surely it didn’t hurt,” he looked at Bristol. “I mean, it’s all about who you know in this business, right?”
“If you’re asking if we crossed paths when Cormac played in Calgary, then I can say, yes, we did, but only once that I can remember. I honestly didn’t start following his career until he was with the Reapers.” She answered the question with such grace that I knew she’d been prepared for it to come up.
I hadn’t.
“Now, if you’ll excuse us, Cormac needs to get on his plane.” Bristol rose, and we followed. “I’ll make sure Angela emails you the file you asked for once the shots have been edited. With all the permissions and releases of course.” Her smile was all business, her movements efficient as she showed him to the door.
This wasn’t the Bristol I thought I knew. My Bristol—not yours—was funny and warm, and sure, a little easy to rile. This Bristol was sharp and in complete control, the New York businesswoman who owned her own fashion line and knew the power she held.
I couldn’t help but wonder how many people got to see the Bristol I did.
Angela met them at the door, then passed Bristol the bag I’d brought with me as Edwards left.
“Thanks,” I said, taking the bag from her. “I’ll need my socks and shoes at JFK.”
She cracked her first real smile, then leaned back against her desk as I sat down to put everything on. “You didn’t throw me under the bus,” she said softly.
I finished lacing my last shoe, then stood, slinging my bag over my shoulder. “About what? Anything that could have come out would have been on me, not you.” If Edwards had even guessed why I’d been traded in the first place, my reputation would be done for.
Bristol pressed her lips in a line and gripped the edge of her desk for what felt like the longest pause ever. “You could have told him that I tricked you. That you didn’t know the CEO was twenty-one when you signed it.”
“The thought didn’t occur to me.”
“Sure.” Her gaze dropped to the floor.
I crossed the space between us and took her chin between my thumb and forefinger, lifting it slightly until she met my eyes. “It didn’t cross my mind, Bristol,” I repeated softly. “I would never do that to you. Besides, everything I said was true. I signed on to this brand.”
“Every once in a while, it hits me. I’m responsible for hundreds of jobs—thousands, when you start adding in manufacturers, suppliers, distributors…” She shook her head. “I could have led us into a huge PR scandal right there in that interview. You could have dragged me through the mud for signing you before you knew it was me.”