Rise - Part Two (Rise #2)(13)

"A falling out?" I parrot back. "Why would you think that?"

He dips his chin towards his desk as his dark eyes skim my face. "On the message he left, Landon mentioned that he wouldn't be available to pilot the jet on Friday. I've replaced him."

I feel a rush of heat over my cheeks. I shouldn't feel embarrassed by the fact that I didn't know that Landon would drop out of the trip. I assumed he would when I thought about it but I also assumed he'd tell me first before mentioned it to Gabriel. I know he's dealing with a lot though so giving me a heads-up about something that trivial, doesn't register as important.

"I'm going to send Gianna with you." He taps his long fingers against the edge of the desk.

"Your mother?" I don't take a moment to digest the words before I respond and I instantly regret the surprise in my tone.

He gives me a curt nod. "Is that a problem?"

I inch forward on the chair I'm sitting in. "Of course not, Mr. Foster. I'd love to see your mother again."

He leans back in his own chair. His hand adjusts the watch on his left wrist. "She'll join you on the flight to California but she won't accompany you on the flight back."

I know I should ask if she's going to be peering over my shoulder while I plan the event, but I think I've mildly offended him enough for one day. It's not my place to question why he's sending his mother to Los Angeles with me. I need this job more than I need any explanations.

"I contacted your cousin last week." He opens a tablet on his desk. "My sister-in-law showed me some pictures of Ivy's work. It's very good."

It's better than that but I'm not one to correct the man who is single-handily keeping my event planning business afloat at the moment. "She's excited to work with you."

"With us." He circles his finger in the air between us. "I'd like to work out a deal to showcase some of her work in our boutiques."

Ivy hadn't mentioned a partnership beyond the catalogue. Having some of her pieces in the Liore boutiques could help grow her business even more. "I'm sure she'd be on board for that."

"I'll have someone contact her regarding including her work in the Los Angeles events." He picks up a silver pen and jots something on a note pad. "I imagine the two of you work well together."

I smile at the statement. Since I've been in New York, it's always been Ivy helping me. This is the first time well be working shoulder-to-shoulder and I couldn't be happier.





Chapter 12


––––––––

"My mother is staying with me for a few days." He rests his left elbow on the small circular table. "I took the week off from work to deal with everything."

Landon had called me just as I stepped onto the sidewalk after leaving Gabriel's office. I was anxious to talk to him and even though I wanted to touch base with Ivy, I craved the sound of Landon's voice more than anything.

I had rushed to the café he asked me to meet him at and as soon as I walked through the door, he smiled at me. I'd fallen into his arms when he stood to greet me and I'd rested my hands against his chest when he kissed me softly.

After I sat down, he'd pulled another wooden chair close to mine so he could sit next to me with his hand resting in my lap.

"My brother gets in later today." His eyes dart to the large clock that hangs above the doorway. "My mother doesn't want to be there when I tell him. She hasn't handled the news about my father very well."

I suspect that's a gross understatement. The words that Landon told me weeks ago about how much his mother treasured the love that she shared with his father have been haunting me.

"Is his fiancé coming with him?" I struggle to remember her name. It's a detail that got lost in the intensity of the past few days. "It's Bridget, right? Is she coming too?"

"I arranged for them to both fly out today," he pauses. "I've never met her before. I told Dane that it would be best for the two of us to talk alone first."

It's a wise move. If his brother carries the same sensitivity within him as Landon does, the news will devastate him.

"I think that's smart," I offer. "I'd tell you that I hope it goes well but I know that this entire situation is very difficult."

He leans forward to brush his lips across my cheek. The gesture is sweet and intimate and makes me wish I could crawl onto his lap and kiss him with the same depth of passion that we shared just a few nights ago.

"I want to talk about you." He closes his eyes briefly. "I can't take you to California. I need to stay here. I'm sorry about that."

I've never wanted to be a burden on any man I've ever been involved with. I secretly loathed the fact that Ansel paid for much of my education. When we broke up, I took out a loan so that I could repay him in full. He had refused the money but I had gone behind his back to his business manager. I felt an indescribable sense of relief when I walked out of the office that day with my debt to Ansel paid. I didn't owe him a thing now and I was grateful for that.

I can sense the regret in Landon's tone. He feels badly that he can't pilot the plane that is taking me on a business trip. It's thoughtful on his part but his responsibility is here, with his family. I don't want him to feel badly that a crisis in his family is keeping him from me.