Chapter Six
No cell site was one thing. A brief respite from technology. A break. A tiny stand against her father, even if he didn’t know she made one. Yes, driving to a Windsome property away from any contact was an amazing idea, brilliant if she said so herself. However, allowing her phone to run out of battery and having no charger was a whole other situation.
After leaving her knight in leather and jeans, she did what any girl would do in her situation. First, she checked her lipstick and her hair, then she frowned at her chipped and filed nail, and lastly she started the car to drive back into the land of the living. Slowly, she watched the bars reappear on her phone and the battery life dwindle. Right as she pulled over, her phone petered out.
Before the screen went black, her phone gave her one final ding, actually a series of dings, times and tones, letting her know she had missed calls, texts and emails.
Her stomach tight, she kept her hands at ten and two and sped down the freeway toward the corporate headquarters of Windsome Holdings. Her father said to meet there at seven sharp and if she hurried, she could get there early, have Belinda help her with her hair and makeup, slip into her dress and be ready to be put on the auction block before her dear daddy was any the wiser that she defied him.
If she wanted to prove she could go this alone and didn’t need a husband to carry on the family business, she needed to be reliable. She could play her role while behind the scenes, she needed to accomplish something to impress her father enough to call off this archaic practice of marrying her off. She would plan something else grand for their Anniversary Ball.
She turned up the pop music her father despised and wondered what Knight would say if she told him of her father’s plan.
At her thought, she shook her head. In all truth, she wasn’t even sure if the gorgeous longhaired man even existed or she just hallucinated him like an imaginary friend when she needed someone the most. Well, if nothing else, she conjured a true female fantasy, the bad boy with the heart of gold. A man who called her Petals and kissed the back of her hand like a true gentleman. Her cheeks heated. Did she go back and see if he was real or did she allow herself the most amazing memory? Real or not, the experience was worth it.
She took her exit and without even thinking, reached for her phone to remind Belinda to be ready for her. Damn! Yes, her phone was dead, like she would be if she messed up this evening.
Finally, after enduring driving while cut off from the rest of society, she pulled into underground parking of her building and waved to the valet.
The valet bowed and opened her door. “Miss Windsome.”
“No, no, no, no!” Belinda and her other two assistants came running out.
“What?” Ryane put her hand to her chest and got out of the car. “I have to get up to the office, Daddy is waiting for me.”
“No!” Belinda pushed her back into the car. “We’ve been trying to reach you for hours. Plans changed and you need to meet your father at The Crown and you’re already late.”
“Late?” As if someone socked her in the stomach, she doubled over. In her father’s world she could get away with a lot including no cell site, talking about pink file folders, and even that one time she walked out in the middle of a business meeting because one of her favorite stores delivered her a new handbag. However, one thing her father would not tolerate was tardiness. A waste of time was worse than a waste of money. “I need to change.” Her whole body trembled.
“You have no time, I’ll drive you.” Belinda guided her around to the passenger side of the car.
Somehow, she managed to get inside the car. Not wanting to face what lay ahead, she remained hunched over and stared down at her shoes. Her walk in the wilderness left her with more than an imaginary friend, it also left her with a pair of stained shoes, a detail her father would notice, along with her nail and lack of a cocktail dress.
All too soon, but not soon enough, Belinda guided the car to the front of the restaurant. “Here we are.” Her assistant’s singsong voice provided a complete contrast to the mood.
“I’m just supposed to walk in there?” Ryane lifted her head. The Crown made high-end dining look like fast food. A strange nausea took over her. “I don’t feel well.”
“Your father wanted to meet you for a drink before Mr. Allen arrived, but now you’re late. It’s up to you.” Belinda’s tone rang out a warning.
Without a doubt, she couldn’t keep her father waiting a moment more.
One of the valets came over and opened the door for her.
“You know, I was working.” With the words that left her mouth, a newfound confidence consumed her. She was working. Yes. She was at work. Her head held high, she grabbed her bag and her file folder about the Los Padres property and marched into the restaurant.
All her life she made it a point to fit in, so if she stood out, it was because she ensured she was the belle of the ball. However, walking through one of the best restaurants in Los Angeles in a dirty business suit with scuffed shoes and holding an oversized bag, she had no doubt a spotlight highlighted each one of her flaws. Normally, men bowed at her feet, women stared at her with jealous eyes, but if anyone in the crowded reception area even bothered looking her way it was only because it didn’t appear as if she belonged here.
No sooner did she make it up to the reception desk than her father approached.
“Ryane Windsome.” His deep voice boomed through her.
“Hello, Daddy.” At the sight of him in a black suit and tie, martini in hand, she winced. “I’m here.” She couldn’t even fake a smile.
Her father’s gaze traveled over her, and he only needed to slightly tilt his head to cause her to move to one side, near a huge potted plant.
“Where have you been?” He jutted his jaw out.
It was her chance. Though her hands shook, she held up the file folder. “Daddy, I was working. I went here, but there was no cell site.”
“And on the entire ride home, somehow you were the only person on the freeway who lacked any connection to the outside world?” With his harsh tone, she wasn’t sure if she should answer him or not. “What are you doing? What are you wearing? I specifically told you cocktail attire.”
Most likely, telling him that along with no cell site she let her phone battery run dry, would not bode well in her quest not to be paired up with some man her father chose. The look in his eyes said it all. She spent her life trying to be the apple of his eye, and she wouldn’t fail him now. Part of her wanted to tell him that he expected too much and moved too fast. The other part knew he wouldn’t listen. “I discovered something at the Los Padres property.” Now she could tell him about the gate being unlocked and how some man was on their land.
“And what exactly did you discover?” Her father narrowed his eyes.
Wait. Before answering, she stopped. If she told her father about the gate they would lock it, and then how would she ever meet Knight again? Not that she could meet Knight. Still, she couldn’t close the possibility.
“What did you discover?” her father prodded.
“I know what I discovered, a magnificent woman.” A man in a nearly identical suit to her father’s came over. Martini in one hand, glass of champagne in the other, he bowed and held the bubbling drink out to her. “Please tell me this is your daughter, Lance.”
Ryane stared at this man. Neat brown hair combed back away from his freshly shaved face, a smile fit for any dental floss ad, and wearing a tailored suit complete with requisite jeweled cufflinks, the man presented her with the stock photo of the type her father felt she should marry. What would happen if she showed up somewhere with Knight? Dark and dangerous, but with a sweet set of dimples, he definitely would be out of place here.
“In fact, Patrick, you are correct. You have found my lovely daughter, fresh from being out looking at one of our properties.” Her father glanced between them and took a breath. “Ryane, this is Patrick Allen, the man I wanted you to meet. Patrick, this is Ryane.”
She already disappointed her father, she couldn’t embarrass him as well so she took the drink. “Patrick, it is a pleasure to meet you. I’ve heard only good things.” Out of the corner of her eye she saw her father beam. She held out her hand. “I do say I must apologize for my appearance, I was working and lost track of the time.”
“I think you are just right.” He took her hand, but rather than shake it, he kissed the back. “I think this is a perfect time for an introduction.”
For the second time today, someone kissed her hand. Unfortunately, this gesture didn’t create the same amazing shivers as the first one. Suddenly, her entire life flashed before her eyes. All she had to do was give in, and he would woo her, buy her tokens, be the ever attentive boyfriend, fiancé then husband until they would go live a stock photo life.
“It seems as if you went hiking in heels.” He pointed down at her shoes. “I am charmed by a woman who is not afraid of a little walk in nature. Perhaps you and I can take a little day trip in the near future. I’ll make a note of it.”
“Ryane would love that.” her father answered.
She continued to smile, but stared at what her life had become. If she let this continue, one day this man, Patrick Allen, would be standing here with their daughter wanting to marry her off, keep the money in the family, make sure their proverbial blue blood kept its color. What if she wanted a man with a skull ring, a leather cuff and boots with buckles up the sides?
“I think it’s time for a toast.” Patrick raised his glass. “To new beginnings and to a woman who isn’t a carbon copy of everyone else in the room.”
At the toast, her father put his arm around her. The sparkle, the way he smiled, his firm grasp. In an instant, she was back in her safe place in his good graces. “I will definitely drink to that.”
They all tapped their glasses together. Though she longed to gulp the drink down, Ryane took a polite sip, letting the bubbles tickle her taste buds. The man must have ordered the most expensive champagne in the restaurant—she could practically feel the dollar signs rolling down her throat. This was meant to be her life, not the man by the lake. He would probably be happy with a beer. She swallowed back a sigh, a beer sounded amazing.
“So, Princess, tell Patrick and me what you discovered today at the Los Padres property.” Her father’s tone completely changed. He was back to her doting dad.
She paused and took another sip of the champagne. Today at the Los Padres property she discovered an amazing man, one who called her Petals, and one who understood her. Even during the brief time they spent together, something told her he really heard her when she spoke, and if she wanted a beer, he would kick back on a rock with her and share his. While she sat there, she also found out she could live without a cell phone and without a perfect manicure, and she could show up at a dinner and not have a designer cocktail dress on and not die.
Today, at the Los Padres property she discovered an unlocked gate. “I was looking at ways to preserve the property. The lake is lovely. I don’t want us pressured to develop it.”
“Well, we need to look at the profit and loss.” Her father nodded. “Why don’t we go take our table?”
She let her father and Patrick guide her through the restaurant. Yes, this was her life, not Knight, but even if she could never go back, she needed to leave the gate open.