“And is it why you were day-drinking?”
He nodded. “Exactly.”
“What happened?”
Rhodes loosened his tie some more. “I might need another drink before we get to that.”
We reached the pool, and an attendant came out, dressed head to toe in whites. “Mr. Barrington. Miss Rory. How lovely to see you.” He bowed, let us in, and promptly led us to a shaded lounge area. “What can I get for you?”
“I need a change of clothes, a bourbon, and some ice water,” Rhodes said immediately. “Rory?”
“I’ll have a lemonade,” I said, sounding like I belonged at the kids’ table at a holiday dinner.
Rhodes arched an eyebrow as the attendant strode off. “A lemonade? How charming.”
I shrugged. “I like it.”
“Do you not drink alcohol?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Ever?”
“No.” The way he was staring at me made me flush.
“Why not?”
I thought he didn’t want to know any of my personal business!“I don’t like feeling out of control.”
He assessed me as a different attendant, this one female, who returned with clothes for him and our drinks. “Don’t move.” He hustled off, and I drank my lemonade in silence, ogling the pool. It was glorious—rectangular, pristine, and sparkling. There was a zero-entry end for splashing, seatingin the poolat a bar, and the cool gray tiles that formed the deck were elegant and simple.It was, in other words, the setting was straight out of a movie. If Josie and Bo saw this, they wouldfreak. I wondered if I could invite them to Barrington Manor this summer. I tried to picture them splashing in the pool, shrieking as they cannon-balled, but I couldn’t visualize it. It seemed surreal, a collision of two worlds that shouldn’t exist in the same universe.
Josie and Bo, with their splashing, shrieking, and exuberance, would be out of place at Barrington Manor.
Just like me.
Rhodes returned, wearing shorts that showcased his muscular legs and a polo shirt that revealed his enormous biceps. I tried not to stare and failed.
“I didn’t know you could wear shorts,” I blurted, immediately regretting it.
“Excuse me?”
“I thought you only wore suits.” I sucked down my lemonade so I couldn’t say more idiotic words.
“Of course I wear shorts.” He slid on a pair of designer sunglasses, all the better to look like a super-hot badass. “What else would I work out in?”
I tried not to think about him working out, thigh muscles pumping as he ran on a treadmill, and again failed spectacularly. Rhodes Barrington might not be the nicest guy I’d ever met, but he was absolutely the hottest. I wished I had some sunglasses so I could stare at his biceps, undetected.
“Right. Got it.” I sucked down more lemonade. “So what are the developments you mentioned?”
He swapped his water for his bourbon, and my heart sank. “I talked to my lawyer this morning. Miranda has already gone running to the board, telling them that our relationship is a sham, setting up meetings so that she can present her case to them. She is also threatening to petition to be Luke’s legal guardian, and lobbying his mom to support her.”
“Oh boy. That’s a lot.”
He clutched his bourbon. “You think?”
“So what do we do?” I asked, starting to panic. If this didn’t work—if Rhodes didn’t get his company and didn’t get his nephew—he’d throw me out on the streets. Which would be fine, except for the clause in the contract that stated that if I didn’t perform and was terminated, for any reason, I would have to repay everything, including the amount of the mortgage payoff.
That was impossible, to say the least. The money was gone.
