not.”
“Oh.” Ryan glanced at the clock on the wall. It was almost time to head out for her meeting. But she had five minutes. She sat down. Adam’s voice was better than a massage. It made her feel all noodly, if that was even a word.
“What’s up?”
“Magic, if you’re into that sort of thing.”
If you’re doing the tricks, I very well could be. “What kind of magic?”
“What kind do you like?”
His voice had lowered just enough for Ryan to imagine a double entendre. If his bedroom moves were half as sexy as that raspy tenor...
“All kinds, I guess. I find fantasy entertaining. The ability to conjure another type of world within this one is an incredible skill.”
“I agree. Our hotel is hosting a private premiere that we feel is going to be very special. It is a show that blends illusion with dance, great music and scenes. Rather than separate tricks, an entire story is told. The guy is from Denmark. His name is Valdemar.”
“Never heard of him.”
“Few have, in America. At least not yet. And no one in the way he’ll be presented at CANN. The show is tomorrow night and I’d like very much for you to join me.”
“It sounds interesting. What time?” Ryan asked, as though it mattered. Mentally, she was already going through her closet for what to wear, but a girl couldn’t appear too hasty.
“The show starts at nine but I was hoping you’d also join me for dinner. I spoke with hotel management, who recommended a couple of our restaurants with stellar vegan and vegetarian choices.”
“That’s very thoughtful of you.” Or presumptive.
“I wanted to be prepared, just in case you said yes.”
Ryan hesitated.
“I know it’s late notice. I wasn’t planning to go until, well, I caught a bit of the rehearsal and what I saw blew me away.”
“It sounds incredible, Adam. I’d love to join you.”
“May I pick you up around...six thirty?”
“Are you sure? I could meet you there.”
“No way. I’ll come to you. What’s your address?”
Ryan rattled off her address while gathering her tablet and a couple folders and placing them in a stylish hemp tote. She ended the call, exchanged house shoes for a pair of wooden throwback clogs that she adored, placed her clutch inside the tote and walked to the car with her cell phone in hand. There was one more call she needed to make.
As soon as her Bluetooth engaged, Ryan called Dennis, at the office this time. “I need to speak to my brother, Katy. I know he’s there so tell him to pick up or I’m coming over.”
“Um, Dennis isn’t here,” Katy said.
“You sound uncertain. Are you sure?”
“Let me check and call you back.”
“I’ve been waiting for callbacks, Katy. I hate to put you in the middle of this, but I really need to talk to Dennis, now.”
“I’ll find him for you and either he’ll call back or I will, promise.”
Ten minutes later, her phone rang.
“Hey, sis!”
“Don’t ‘sis’ me. You owe me an explanation regarding lunch this weekend. What was that about?”
“What do you mean?”
“You know full well what I mean. I never worked for you, have zero interest in being a secretary and am not looking for a job. Of course you don’t know this because you never asked me. We haven’t talked in weeks.”
“Ah, Ryan, don’t be upset. I could tell Adam liked you and played on it is all, hoping his interest in you would give me an advantage when I asked him for a job. Turns out that didn’t happen because he asked me!”
Ryan sighed. “I’m glad it worked out for you, Dennis. But from here on out, don’t put me in the middle of your business, okay?”
“That’s fair, sis. I just have one more request.”
“What?”
“You’re coming home next week, right?”
“How do you know about that?”
“Mom told me.”
“Yes, I’m going home. Why?”
“Adam wants to visit my, um, facility and I thought it would be cool if I schedule his visit at the same time you’re here so we can all have dinner together.”
“What’d I just say about involving me in your meat-factory business? I don’t want to take part in it.”
“I know, and after this, you won’t. It’s just that Adam is big on family, huge. Mom likes that and wants to have him over for dinner. Your being here could be a buffer. Mom isn’t always the most gracious person, you know.”
“Yes, I know.” She had a son who was just like her.
Ryan reached the block where her business rental was located. She pulled into the parking lot, found a space and parked.
“I get a feeling there’s more to this. What aren’t you telling me?”
“That’s it, I swear! Mom says you’ll be here Friday. I’ll ask Adam to come up then, and Mom will do dinner that night. Cool?” Ryan’s eyes narrowed as she tried to get a feel for what was really going on.
“It’s all about family, Ryan. I’m asking you to help me the way we’ve helped you, all right?”
Of course he’d pull that card. “I guess, but after this I’m out. Are we clear?”
Dennis laughed. “Don’t get all huffy just because you’ve got a billionaire interested in you. I could tell him a few things to make him change his mind.”
Ryan ended the call more conflicted than ever. Going on the date with Adam now felt like a bad idea. She found him super good-looking and was madly attracted, but did she really want to go on a date and maybe sleep with a guy that her brother might end up working with? Someone she might have to see after a fling?
No, she didn’t. She couldn’t, especially now, just as she was about to open her business. Few people knew what Dennis threatened to share with Adam, details of a painful past she’d worked hard to overcome. One that for twenty years her adoptive mother, Ida, had encouraged her to keep secret. She’d demanded that her “embarrassing” birth mother, Phyllis, be left in the past. That Ryan had been in contact with Phyllis off and on for the past five years would definitely
