Battling Destiny (The Piper Anderson Series Book 6) (10 page)

“Michael, damn, you’ve changed so much.” Daniel stood in the corner of the office eyeing old photographs hanging on the wall. Other than his hairline, which had receded by at least three inches, he seemed to have changed very little over the past eight years. He was a fit man, probably hitting the gym a few days a week to stave off the effects of age. That was something he and Michael’s father argued about often. Daniel was always trying to encourage his dad to work out with him. After his father’s first heart attack twelve years ago Michael thought he might start taking Daniel’s advice, but Michael Cooper, Senior was too stubborn for that. He liked his cigars and his scotch as well as his steaks.

“Sorry to have kept you waiting,” Michael lied as he reluctantly took a seat in his father’s large leather chair. There was a time in his childhood when he’d put on a tie and pretend to be his father, even though his feet dangled off the large chair.

“Not at all, I’m glad you took this meeting with me. I know you must be up to your eyeballs sorting out your father’s different partnerships and agreements. I’m just one spoke in that wheel.” Daniel took a seat across from Michael and folded his hands in his lap.

“I’ve barely scratched the surface, really. But I have a plan in mind. It’s just a matter of executing all the paperwork.” Michael leaned back in his chair and took in the musky scent of his father’s cologne and cursed the flood of memories that came with it.

“I’ll be honest, Michael, that’s good to hear. There is a lot of chatter out there. People are worried about what kind of approach you’ll take with the business. You’ve been gone so long that you’re a bit of a wild card.” The look of relief on Daniel’s face was short-lived.

“I’m closing it all down,” Michael said flatly. “I’m scaling and legitimizing the manufacturing business. The charities, the back-room deals, and flat out stealing ends now. The only reason I’m leaving the manufacturing line of business open is because I don’t want to put hardworking employees out on the street in this economy. I’m going to make it dummy proof and turn it over to someone I can trust—if I can find anyone out here who fits that bill.”

“Michael,” Daniel stuttered his name out as he furrowed his brows in disbelief. “You can’t be serious. I don’t think you understand what you’d be walking away from. You’re talking about millions of dollars. I don’t know what kind of life you’re living down South, but it’s not going to compare to what you’d have if you kept on the track your father has set up.”

“My life back in Edenville is priceless to me, and I’m not going to get sucked into this world and turn into my father. You of all people know what he was capable of, how toxic his life was. I’ve already made my decision. There isn’t anything you can say to change my mind. Let’s just talk about how we sever any agreements you and my father had.”

Daniel hesitated as he loosened the collar of his shirt by releasing a button as though he were suffocating. “I was not expecting this. You know I know a lot about your father. I mean, I have a lot I could hold against him.”

“And I’m guessing tonight when I open his safe and tomorrow his safety deposit boxes I’ll find an equal amount of incriminating evidence against you. He’s dead. If you expose him now the only person you’ll hurt is Josephine. I have to imagine even you have a scrap of decency that will keep you from doing that. And if not, then the risk of being exposed yourself should do it.”

“When you go through the paperwork you’ll see I owed your father two hundred thousand dollars. He put some capital behind an investment of mine and it didn’t pan out.”

“Consider your debt paid. The only thing I want in return is your word that you’ll destroy anything incriminating you have on my father.”

“I’ll make that deal. But I don’t think it matters.” Daniel gnawed anxiously at his lip as he seemed to choose his words carefully. “Your mother will never approve of your shutting everything down.”

“My father left all decisions to me in his will. She got the life insurance, and as punishment I got this mess to clean up. My mother has no legal standing in any of this.”

Daniel let out a low chuckle as he spoke. “I’ve never known your mother to need legal standing in anything to get her way. If you thought your father was a force to be reckoned with then you’re misjudging your mother.”

“I appreciate the warning.” Michael nodded, hoping this would be the end of their conversation.

“It’s not a warning, son, it’s a guarantee. You’ll be in for the fight of your life if you think you’ll be able to pry this money out of your mother’s hands.”

“She has a hefty life insurance policy to sustain her. And I’ll make sure the profits from the manufacturing business go to her.”

“That business is barely profitable. It stays in the green because of those back-room deals you were talking about. She won’t be able to maintain this lifestyle on that money for long.”

“Then she can adjust her lifestyle to her means. The days of big charity banquets are gone. She can liquidate assets and live a damn good life.”

“You’ve been gone too long, Michael. You forget what she’s capable of when her way of life is challenged.”

“I hope I can count on you to keep this quiet. If I have a fight ahead of me then at least I’ll have the element of surprise.”

“To be honest with you, since the day I went into business with your father I’ve been looking for a way out. How that man ever stomached the things we did I’ll never know. I lost more nights of sleep than I can count and taxed my conscience to the brink of losing my mind some days. I’m glad you’re cleaning all this up. You and your sister deserve better than to have to carry on this legacy.” Daniel stood and showed himself to the door, waving for Michael to stay in his seat. “I know my way out. I just hope you know yours.”

“I feel like a princess,” Jules squealed quietly to Piper as she gestured for her to zip up the gown she’d just tried on. It was a deep emerald green that somehow perfectly matched her eyes. Embellished at the princess neckline with subtle crystals, it was the perfect mix of eye-catching elegance.

“It looks really nice on you,” Piper said, looking completely uninterested in dress shopping from the second they’d stepped foot in the normally appointment-only designer boutique. Apparently Tabitha did not need an appointment.

“You hate this, don’t you?” Jules asked, never taking her eyes off herself in the mirror. “This dress shopping is like your worst nightmare.”

“I’m just worried about Frankie. She’s been alone since you put her down for her nap.” Piper shrugged.

“Come out, girls, I’ve got to see you in that dress,” Tabitha called through the thick red velvet curtain separating them.

As they stepped out Tabitha and the associate behind the counter let out a gasp. “That dress was made for you,” Tabitha said, gesturing for Jules to spin.

“Thank you so much. I feel so amazing in it.” Jules ran her hands down the dress and took in how perfectly it fit her as she turned in a slow circle in front of the mirror.

“Then why the sad look?” Tabitha asked, stroking Jules’s long red hair empathetically.

“Piper and I were just talking about Frankie being home while we’re here. I’m wondering how she’s doing,”

“First off, Nicolette has been a nanny and housekeeper in our home since Josephine was born. I trusted her with my own child. But here,” Tabitha assured, spinning her phone around for Jules to see it. “The whole house is wired with a security system. You can take a peek at her anytime you’d like. I remember what it’s like that first year having a baby. You feel so exhausted and overwhelmed. You forget what it’s like to look like this.” Tabitha gestured to the full-length mirror on the wall for Jules to look at herself in the dress again. “Taking time for yourself makes you a better mother. Everyone needs to recharge and feel good every now and then. You wouldn’t understand, Piper, because you don’t have any children.”

Jules felt the sting of that comment for Piper. She knew Tabitha was right, Piper really didn’t understand how awful she felt lately, but it still wasn’t the nicest way to make that point. “Thank you for showing me the security system. That makes me feel better.” Jules smiled as she stared at herself in the dress again.

“After this Josephine is meeting us at the spa for a full workup. You’re going to be so relaxed you might just melt.” Tabitha clapped her hands excitedly.

“I thought you needed help planning the party this weekend. It’s only four days away.” Jules could hear the annoyance in Piper’s voice and she hoped she wouldn’t ruin the steps forward in her relationship with Tabitha.

“This is part of the planning. We’ll all talk through more details while we get our hot stone massages. Have you ever had one, Piper?”

“I haven’t,” Piper replied flatly. “I’m not much for being touched by strangers. And I have some scars I don’t like people seeing.”

“Oh, that’s terrible. You know I have a plastic surgeon I swear by. He could get rid of any kind of scar you have.”

“Really?” Jules asked, her hand instinctually going to the place on her thigh where she bore the reminder of her run-in with the man who was hunting Piper.

“Yes dear, do you have some as well? I’m telling you he’s a miracle worker. Let’s get this dress boxed up, and I’ll call him on the way to the spa.”

“How much is the dress?” Jules asked, looking around for the price tag that didn’t seem to exist. “I’ll have to call Michael and just run it by him first.”

“No, the dress is on me. Michael is working so hard to get everything back on track in his father’s very messy business. The least I can do is buy you this dress.”

The sales associate came over and handed Tabitha an electronic device for her to sign. “Did you want the fifty-six hundred dollars on your account, Mrs. Cooper, or should I just bill it to your platinum card here on file?”

“Let’s use the platinum card,” Tabitha chirped as she signed her name and smiled widely at Jules.

“Wait. This dress costs over five thousand dollars?” Jules squeaked, instantly going as still as a statue as though any sudden movement could cause the expensive dress to rip.

“It’s from a French designer who only created three gowns with that fabric. You’ll never see anyone else in that dress,” the associate explained defensively.

“The dress is perfect. It’s a very fair price for something that seems like it was made for you. It’s my treat,” Tabitha insisted.

“I can’t wear a dress that costs that much. I’ll never have anywhere to wear it again. It will be a waste.”

“You can wear it to another event back home if you like,” Tabitha said waving off her concern.

“We don’t have events like this in Edenville. The closest thing is when the rodeo comes to town.” Jules’s cheeks burned hot red.

“Well then you’ll just have to spend some more time here in the city to make good use of such an amazing dress,” Tabitha offered as she shooed Jules back into the fitting room. Piper stepped in with her and helped her gingerly slide out of the dress now that she knew how much it cost.

“You can’t seriously be thinking of letting her buy you this dress,” Piper whispered as Jules slipped the gown back onto the hanger.

“She wants to do it. I don’t want to insult her. Plus this engagement party this weekend is going to be very formal. I wouldn’t have anything else to wear.”

“What about the dress you wore to the gala?”

“I can’t wear the same dress twice. There are people who will have been at the gala who will be attending the party. Plus that dress is practically peasant status. All I need is for someone to ask me who I’m wearing. I’d have to answer Ginny Lou Morrisville’s special design that she makes in her basement on the weekends. That would be mortifying.”

“Since when do you care what people think?”

“I don’t, but this is a whole other world, Piper. The kind of place I’ve dreamed about being my entire life. You see me as this country bumpkin, but I know more about fashion and this lifestyle than anyone back in Edenville. You don’t understand how I’ve been feeling lately. I need this right now. It’s not about the dress it’s about how I feel in it.”

“Michael warned you to be careful. He obviously doesn’t trust his mother. You aren’t acting very cautious around her.”

“He’s grieving the loss of his father and trying to deal with being back here. I don’t think it has anything to do with his mother at all. She’s lovely. He needs to sort out how he feels. In the meantime I’m not going to treat his mother poorly if she isn’t treating me that way.”

Tabitha split the curtain open as Jules slipped her cotton shirt back over her head and interrupted their hushed voices. “We’re all set. She’s going to box the dress up and have it delivered to the house. We can head to the spa now if you Chatty Cathys are ready.” There was a slight edge to her voice that implied she could hear what they’d been discussing and surely she wouldn’t have liked the exchange. Jules’s cheeks flushed as she prayed Tabitha hadn’t heard Piper’s opinion.

“I think I’ll skip the spa.” Piper stepped past them and was almost to the door before Jules slipped on her shoes. “I’m going to go check in with Lindsey at the hotel.”

“Piper please consider staying with us at the house. We have plenty of room for you and Lindsey. Michael is working so hard. I’d like him to be surrounded by friends.” Tabitha gave a wave to the associate as she headed toward the door with Piper.