If The Shoe Fits (17 page)

He should be shot. Right here. Right
now.

“
So that’s it.” Bella closed the
portfolio. She ran her hands over it, smoothing out the
surface.

Reese all but groaned at the thought of those
hands doing the same to him.

Staci ran her fingertips across the back of
his hand, the look on her face saying she’d like to run them
elsewhere. He wasn’t willing to go that far, but he let her hand
stay where it was when he saw The Husband’s shoulders
relax.

His own did, too. Finally. This nightmare was
almost over.

“
We’re still on for Friday night,
right, Reese?”

Until Staci asked her not-so-innocent
question.

The Husband leaned forward. “Friday
night?”

Staci leaned sideways, the cleavage she rubbed
against his arm doing nothing for him. “Reese is taking us to the
Riverfront Landing Friday night to see how it’s all going to play
out.”

Except, what he’d planned sounded nothing like
her innuendo-laced statement.

He really didn’t need Staci to help him hang
himself—the thoughts he knew Vincent could read were doing that for
him.

Reese cleared his throat. “Luke Jamison is one
of the celebrities participating in the event and he wants to go
over the layout. We agreed on Friday for the site visit. You’re
more than welcome to come along.” There. He’d earned a few more
hash marks in the
Good
column of his permanent record for
when he arrived at the Pearly Gates.

“
That’s a good idea, but,
unfortunately, I can’t make it.” Vincent Casteleoni sat back,
hopefully with zero idea of Reese’s relief at that news. “I have a
dinner engagement that evening.” He squeezed Bella’s hand. “I was
going to invite you along, but I see you’ve already made
plans.”

A knock on the door interrupted the domestic
conversation and Reese was insanely grateful to whoever had caused
the problem that would now demand his attention.

Jake poked his head and a manila file into the
room. “Sorry to interrupt, Reese, but there’s a glitch with the
bank opening tomorrow that you need to deal with as soon as you’re
free.”

Reese gripped the edge of his chair to keep
himself from jumping out of it. Instead, he stood slowly. “We’re
about done here.” Thank God.

He looked Vincent in the eye, the first time
since meeting him that he could. “If you’d like us to reschedule
the site visit for a time when you’re available, please make
arrangements with Kelly. She’s got my calendar.” He shook his hand,
if only to prove to himself—and Vincent—that he could, then handled
the usual
We’ll talk
s and
I’ll send it over
s, before
finally escaping into the sanctuary that was his office.

Unfortunately, though, the tension from the
meeting followed him in. He couldn’t stop seeing the image of them.
Bella and Vincent. Together. Nor the fact that they’d created
Sophia. The two of them. When Bella must have been a
teenager.

Reese flopped into his chair. Their
relationship was none of his business.

Then why couldn’t he let it go?

Jake did his perfunctory knock as he opened
the door. “You okay, Reese?”

No. “Yeah. What’s up with the bank tomorrow?”
If someone had robbed it, it’d take his mind off Bella.

Maybe.

Jake bypassed the chair in front of the desk
and walked to the window. “Nothing.”

Reese spun around in his chair.
“What?”

“
Nothing’s up. I saw you in there
and the look on your face suggested you could use a break.” Jake
leaned against the window, crossed one foot over the other, and
tapped the file folder against his palm. “Was I wrong?”

Reese exhaled, his eyes closing long enough
that when he opened them again, they were focused.
He
was
focused. On the future of his company.

Not a future with Bella.

“
No, Jake. You were absolutely
right. I owe you one.”

Jake grinned. “Oh, you owe me more than one,
buddy. I’ll just add it to the list.” He walked toward the desk and
tossed the empty file folder onto the blotter. “You’re sure there’s
nothing to talk about?”

No. But he would. Because they’d known each
other their entire lives and Jake was the brother he didn’t have.
And
because Jake wouldn’t let it go until he got the whole
story. It was the lawyer in him.

“
Yeah. I’m sure.” He scratched his
head wishing he could remove Bella from it that easily. “She’s
married.”

“
You’re not referring to the one
practically sitting in your lap, I hope.”

That got Reese to smile. Finally something to
laugh about. “Staci? Hell no. That’d be too easy. No, I’m talking
about Bella. And her husband.”

“
No wonder you wanted me to take
the contract in to her.” Jake sat and swiped a hand along his jaw.
“He can’t know you have a thing for his wife.”

“
He might have guessed. I can’t
seem to stop staring at her.”

“
Reese, if you thought Luke’s
actions caused problems—”

“
I know, I know.” Reese pushed
himself up from his chair and circled the desk, shoving his hands
into his pockets. He slumped back against the edge of the desk.
“I’d already talked myself out of asking her out before the auction
because I didn’t want history to repeat itself.” He held up a hand
as Jake started to speak. “I know. We talked about this. And I said
it wouldn’t interfere with our business. It won’t. Never mind
Luke’s stupidity with Marisa, I have firsthand knowledge of the
nightmare that comes from mixing business with pleasure. Like I
said; I get it. And I’m not about to risk another career or our
investment.”

“
Glad to hear it.” Jake had
invested his nest egg into Promotional Sports; Reese wasn’t going
to lose it for him.

“
The thing is, Jake, consciously I
understand that pursuing something with her is a stupid move on so
many levels. Besides the fact that she’s married. But
subconsciously?” Reese tried to shrug but couldn’t be so nonchalant
about this situation no matter how much he wanted to. “There’s just
something…”

“
Well, you better make up your
mind what’s more important to you: this company or the lawsuit
we’re going to be hit with for trying to break up a client’s
marriage.”

Reese shot off the desk. “Fuck you, Adams. You
know I’d never do that.”

“
Exactly.” Jake stood up,
toe-to-toe. The sonofabitch never backed down. It’d made him a good
lawyer, but a pain in the ass as a friend. “Which makes this
conversation pointless. She’s got a husband and we’ve got a caterer
to replace Marisa. Win-win situation in my book.”

“
For everyone but me.” Shit. Had
he said that out loud? Reese sighed and leaned back onto the edge
of his desk.

“
Come on, man.” Jake ran a hand
through his hair. “I’m as human as the next guy, regardless of what
they say about lawyers. She’s hot, I get that. But maybe you’re so
fixated on her because you haven’t been out in a while.”

“
You get your shrink’s license
when I wasn’t paying attention?”

Jake arched an eyebrow. Reese hated when he
did that. Had pummeled him more than a few times over the years for
it. Mainly because Jake had been right most of the time.

“
Go out.” Jake ignored the dig.
“Find someone else. Trust me, nothing gets your mind off one woman
like another. You’ve always had your pick; go pick one.”

Right. As if he were buying a car. “Look,
Jake, this is pointless. Let’s just leave my love life—”

“
Or lack thereof.”

“
Whatever.” Reese crossed his
arms. “Let’s just leave it out of this and let me focus on making a
name for myself off the field.”

“
As long as you remember that,
Reese.” Jake headed toward the door. “Because, unlike that playoff
game, now’s
not
the time to go for a Hail Mary
pass.”

Reese glared at Jake’s back as he walked out
the door. Monday morning quarterbacking never stopped.

Chapter Sixteen

Bella was quiet on the ride back in Uncle
Vinny’s car. She’d let Staci sit up front, expecting inane chatter
to fill the silence, and her twitty stepsister didn’t disappoint.
But though Vinny appeared to fully participate in Staci’s
conversation, he kept glancing at her in the rear-view
mirror.

Bella didn’t—couldn’t—meet his eyes. He might
have questions for her, but she was angry at him.

That was the
last
time she let him come
on a sales call. She’d thought having him along wouldn’t be a
problem. After all, two sports figures who knew a lot of the same
people… how bad could it be? Plus, she’d hoped he’d be a buffer to
Staci’s and Madeleine’s machinations.

She should have known. Uncle Vinny with his
“My Bella” and stern handshake… She’d recognized the tension
coiling between the men and had wanted to drag her uncle out of
there by his ear at the first whiff of testosterone. He’d acted
like such a he-man/caveman type that she would’ve laughed if it
hadn’t been so pathetic.

Pathetic because Reese hadn’t exactly been
fighting Staci off.

And, yes, that bothered her, but not for any
reason other than her stepsister’s behavior had been utterly
unprofessional. Truly. This was
her
chance to get her name
out beyond her normal clientele and she didn’t want Staci to blow
it. How Madeleine thought having her stepsister go after Reese in a
personal manner would benefit the business was beyond Bella. And
then, with Uncle Vinny and his posturing… She’d be lucky to still
have this gig the next time she talked to Reese.

Uncle Vinny dropped Staci off at the mall—no
surprise—then motioned for Bella to join him up front.

Bella got in, weighing her words. “What was
that?”

Uncle Vinny raised an eyebrow as he steered
the car back into traffic and pulled up to a traffic light.
“What?”

“
That. Back in Reese’s
office.”

“
I believe they call it a business
meeting.” He had yet to look at her.

“
Not that. That… that he-man thing
you were doing.”

Now he had the audacity to laugh. But he still
didn’t look at her. “He-man? Honey, I think you’re
overreacting.”

“
No I’m not and don’t try to
placate me. I’m trying to run a business and you went and got all
protective just because he’s a good-looking guy. I
don’t—”

“
So you think he’s
good-looking?”

Now
he looked at her.

Bella exhaled. “Look, Uncle Vinny, whether I
find him attractive or not is beside the point. He’s a client
and—”

“
So you do find him
attractive?”

He narrowed his Casteleoni-blue eyes and Bella
couldn’t speak. This third degree was so unlike him that she almost
wouldn’t be surprised if he turned into a pumpkin at midnight.
“Uncle Vinny—”

A car behind them honked so Vinny pulled onto
the shoulder of the road. He flicked on his flashers, then faced
her. “What I don’t understand, Bella, is why you were allowing
Staci to stake a claim to him. If you want him, you’re going to
have to let him know—”

“
Uncle Vinny, there’s nothing for
him to know. I want his business. That’s it. And I plan to have a
talk with Staci about her behavior. Just like I’m trying to have a
talk with you. You can’t get all protective around every client I
meet with.”

“
Reese and I we were just coming
to an understanding. That’s all.” He ran a hand over his mouth. “He
is
a successful, good-looking guy, you know. About your age,
too. I wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss him if I were you. He’s not
interested in Staci. The girl’s too obvious. She saw fame, looks,
and dollar signs, and signed on for the project. Reese is a smart
guy; he’ll figure it out if he hasn’t already. You won’t have
anything to worry about on that front, but you
do
to have to
let him know you’re interested.”

“
I’m
not
interested.”
Liar
. “I can’t be. I already have Madeleine breathing down
my neck. Getting involved with Reese is a bad idea A) because of
our business relationship and B) because Madeleine will never
permit it to play out. Everything I do is for Sophia. I can’t
forget it and neither can you. I’ll think about guys and settling
down and all the rest once she’s out from Madeleine’s
clutches.”

“
I don’t like it.”

“
I don’t like a lot of things, but
I’ve learned to live with them. I just have to keep my eye on the
prize.”

As far as Vinny was concerned,
Reese
was the prize for her. Not this on-going tug-of-war with
Madeleine.

Vinny ground his molars. The woman had been a
pain in the ass ever since he’d met her. He should have confronted
Sal about her, but Sal had been through so much and Vinny had been
on a big commission. Then the fall had happened and it’d become
moot.