The Right Swipe (Modern Love, #1)(80)

“You did?” His uncle had only briefly informed him about the donation plans he’d made.

“You didn’t? Of course you didn’t. He probably thought it would bring up too many painful memories about your father.” She drifted to where he sat and touched his shoulder. “Joe had the most generous heart hidden under all that bluster. The second he got sick, he said to me, Belle, if the tests come back positive, you make the biggest stink the world has ever seen. Don’t let them sweep it under the rug like they tried to do with Aleki.” Her eyes grew misty. “He didn’t want anyone else to go through what his brother and nephew did.”

He had to blink hard a couple times. You made your industry better for the young men who came after you, and the older men who came before you. He didn’t know if Rhi’s words applied to him, but he wanted them to apply to his uncle. “I guess we’ll have to make a stink.”

She squeezed his shoulder, as if she sensed his lingering apprehension. “I’ll have Tina work on our joint statement. You will not be alone in this.”

“Right.”

“This is good. Closure.”

“Closure,” Samson repeated. He shifted, and his shoulders did feel lighter, like he’d shed a weight. “Back to your question, I’d be concerned if Chris was flirting with you to get to the company, but if he’s no longer in the running, and you want to, you should go out with him. If Rome is too far, we have Italian restaurants here.”

Annabelle mulled that over. “Yes, I was concerned he might have ulterior motives so I told him if I did date him, he would have to withdraw his offer for the business.”

“What did he say to that?”

His aunt blushed. “He said he didn’t come here for that anyway. I dismissed William during Chris’s presentation time slot and we simply chatted.”

Samson smiled. “Joe would have wanted you to be happy, more than anything.”

“I think so too.” Annabelle sat down at her desk, adjusting her shawl. She folded her hands on the table. “Back to business. That leaves Rhiannon and Peter.”

No, not Peter.

Samson waited. No need for him to say anything if Annabelle had already decided against Peter.

“I like Rhiannon,” she finally said. “For some bizarre reason, William has the most terrible impression of her. He’s a good executive, but not a good judge of character when it comes to women. He’s been married and divorced four times, you know, and I warned him each time that he wasn’t suited to any of those lovely ladies.”

“I like her too.”

“I know you do.” She paused. “You have a close relationship, don’t you?”

He remained silent and she smiled. “No need to answer. I know you do. Would you like me to tell you your match percentages?”

“Nope.”

“Very well.” Annabelle played with her pen. “On paper, Peter is the better choice. He’s offered more money than Rhiannon.”

“Counter Rhiannon.”

Annabelle steepled her hands in front of her face. “Why would I counter Rhiannon when I could just take Peter’s money?”

“Because you don’t want to do business with that man.” He braced himself, ready to launch into an argument that didn’t betray Rhiannon, but to his surprise, his aunt nodded.

“I agree. Something about how Rhiannon parted from Swype left a bad taste in my mouth. I dug harder and found some rumblings about Peter from a couple of women. One of those women got back to me today. Her story was . . .” She shook her head, distaste written across her face. “I directed her to a lawyer. I’m unimpressed with Peter.”

Samson tugged at his earlobe. Did Rhiannon know there were others Peter had treated poorly? Based on what she’d said, he didn’t think so. “What did you say to the woman? What were her allegations?”

Annabelle waved him away. “That’s private.”

“Okay.”

“If there’s anything you want to add, though . . .”

Samson bit the inside of his cheek. As much as he wanted to spill out Rhi’s story, he couldn’t do that without talking to her first. “I believe them. Whoever you talked to. Whatever they alleged. I believe them. Listen to them.”

“You don’t even know what they said. Or if anyone corroborated their account.”

He thought of Rhi’s face last night. Of Peter’s barely leashed aggression.

Of what might have happened if she hadn’t sent him that text. When a person felt free to cross one boundary, they often felt comfortable crossing multiple boundaries. “I don’t need to know what they said. I believe them.”

Aunt Belle studied him for a long moment and pursed her lips. “Well. I suppose my decision is fairly easy then.”

THE ROSE GARDEN was on the west side of the house, the garden Rhiannon had seen from the library. Rhiannon imagined Annabelle had been peeved not to do this bit of theater when the roses were in full bloom, though they were still pretty lovely, the sweet fragrance teasing her nose the second she stepped outside.

Peter stood in the clearing. Rhiannon didn’t turn around and leave, or trip over her own feet, or back down.

She squared her shoulders and walked into the rose garden, hands down and relaxed at her sides. Now that she was clear-headed following a restful night of sleep, she understood it didn’t matter if she fidgeted or stuffed her hands in her pockets, Peter wouldn’t see it as a weakness. Peter had never been able to pick up on the nonverbal cues of when she was discomfited. Or the verbal cues, for that matter.