Back to December (Ward Sisters Book 1) (13 page)

“He didn't even know if I was single when he came up to me in that bar. We were halfway to the club before he even asked.”

“Like I said, gaga. He didn't care. Whatever you said or did when he met you, it knocked him over the head. He must have taken it as a sign when he saw you at the hotel.”

She sat in silence for a minute and stared out the window. There was more traffic this morning than there had been the day before. Finally, she looked at Liam.

“Do you think I'm crazy?”

“Do you like him?”

She nodded.

“Half as much as he clearly likes you?”

She smiled.

“As much as he likes you?”

She nodded again, slowly.

“Then you're not crazy. We're here.”

Liam went to open the door and she called his name to stop him. “Thanks. It feels a little surreal.”

“Like Salvador Dali?”

“In the best possible melting clocks way, yes.”

He smiled and opened the door.

“I'm surprised you know who Salvador Dali is,” Emily commented as she got out of the car.

“I'm not uncultured just because I'm a bodyguard.”

“I didn't mean to imply that you were. Dali just isn't the typical artist most people know. I didn't mean to offend you.”

“Yeah, well, if I told you why I know about Dali, I'd have to kill you, so let's leave it at that.” Emily's mouth gaped open in shock. “I'm kidding! Just kidding. You're too easy. I took some art history classes in college.”

They chatted amiably as they went up to the office. Em didn't even notice if the photographers were at the front door today, she had been too involved in talking to Liam to pay attention.

Before she realized it, they were at her desk. Liam said his goodbye and asked if she needed him to go with her for lunch. She explained that Rob was sending something for her and said she'd ask that he send something for Liam too. Her bodyguard declined and said he'd just take the time at lunch to get out of the office instead.

As she sat down to her to-do list for the morning, she smiled to herself, realizing that Rick was right about getting used to it, to things becoming your new normal. Her new boyfriend was a world famous movie star – and phenomenal in bed, to boot – and her new bff was her bodyguard. She was taking limousines to work and having lunch delivered. She just shook her head.
What's next?

Becky interrupted her train of thought. “Morning! Well, you look less shell-shocked than yesterday. Getting used to the glitz?”

Em laughed. “I guess. It's still pretty bizarre. I'm just waiting for the next weird thing to happen while I plug away at my to-do list.”

“Well, it's coming at you faster than you probably expected. You've got a lunch meeting today.”

Before Em could object, Becky put up her hand. “You're not leaving the office, and no, it's not with Rob. But it's with his sister, Amy. You know she's his publicist, right?” Emily nodded, confused.

“Well, she's also the chair of the gala committee and she thought she could kill two birds with one stone by having lunch with you today. She's got some stuff to go over with you about the gala and she wanted to talk to you about your wardrobe.”

“My
wardrobe
? Do you mean in general or what I'm wearing to the gala? And Amy
Ramirez
is Rob's sister?”

“She didn't say if it was in general or just for the gala. I'm sure she'll tell you at lunch. And, yes, you didn't know she was Rob's sister?”

“No! I knew his sister's name was Amy and she was his publicist, but I didn't know she was the same person who is second only to Lucinda in how Marcus perceives my performance on this job! Now I have to worry about impressing my boss
and
my boyfriend's sister!”

Becky immediately shut the door. “Did you say 'boyfriend'?”

Em pursed her lips and shrugged. “Maybe,” she said quietly, looking down. When she looked back up at Becky, she saw a huge grin. “What?”

“Well, it's about damn time that boy met someone he could take seriously again.”

“You don't think it's crazy? We just met. I had a serious boyfriend before I came here.”

“Do
you
think it's crazy?”

“Only when I think about it too much. When I'm with him? No. It seems like the most perfect, right thing in the world.”

“And he's clearly smitten with you. Cherish that. You don't always get that lucky. Usually, the ones who treasure you are butt ugly or horrible in bed. It's a rare combination to get looks, skills and devotion in one package. I'll talk to you later. I'll let you know when Amy gets here.”

She opened the door and left Em to contemplate the discussion while she plugged away at her to-do list. Things just got crazier by the moment.

It seemed like the morning flew. Emily was so busy with work that she had very little time to worry about what she would say to Amy or how she would balance the fact that Amy was, effectively, her boss
and
her boyfriend's sister, not to mention his publicist. When Becky knocked on her door, she nearly jumped out of her skin, she was so lost in what she was doing.

“Sorry, Emily. Amy is here. Should I send her back? She's a few minutes early. Rob said lunch would be here at noon, sharp. Do you want me to wait for it to arrive?”

“No! No. Do
not
wait for lunch to get here. Send her back. Or should I come get her?”

“Stop freaking out. She's not
that
intimidating. I'll go get her. Relax.” Becky shook her head as she left.

Soon enough, Becky was back, chatting with a woman who looked so much like Rob, it was impossible to mistake her for anyone but his sister – same brown hair, but long and wavy; same blue eyes; same pretty lashes; similar bone structure, but more feminine. Amy wasn't over 6 feet tall, but she was taller than Emily's 5'6" by a good few inches, at least, even without her killer heels. Like Em, she was dressed in dark wool trousers, a silk shirt – hers was a cobalt blue that matched her eyes – and minimal accessories, but she made it look so much more sophisticated.

Becky introduced her, and Emily had to force her mouth to work, which was difficult, since her voice seemed to have disappeared.

“Hi, Amy. It's great to finally meet you. I had hoped we could get together before Christmas to finalize the details for the gala.”

Amy shook her hand. “Business first. I like you. Thanks, Beck. We've got it from here. If my brother delivers lunch, tell him to buzz off.”

Becky agreed and left.

“Now, where were we? Oh! Right. The gala. We can talk about that first, if you want, but I don't have too many changes from the original outline, just some last-minute guest list alterations.”

She explained how some patrons were no longer attending, but were sending checks and replacement guests, so some seating charts needed to be altered. There were also a handful of additions, which meant another table. They had already changed the layout a dozen times before she got there and twice since she arrived. Emily hoped this was the very last alteration. She smiled and nodded.

It was then that lunch arrived, brought by Becky, who mentioned that Rob had, in fact, been the one to deliver it. It was a hearty soup and salad combination, with lots of meat and potatoes, root vegetables and leafy greens and nuts. A pile of brownies from the hotel was included. Amy snorted.

“He must
really
like you. He never shares his brownies with
me.
”

Amy took a note out of the bag. “Looks like this is for you.” She handed the note to Emily. It read:

Em,

I hope this keeps you fueled for the rest of the day. It always works for me. Don't let Amy bully you. She pretends to be an iron lady, but she's really a marshmallow on the inside.

xo

Rob

Emily laughed. “He says you're a marshmallow.”

Amy scoffed. “That's what he thinks.” She tried to give Emily an intimidating stare, then rose and shut the door.

“Okay, I can't do it. He's right. I am. But, much as I'm glad he finally met someone he likes enough to date, for once, I wouldn't be doing my job if I don't give you fair warning. The sister in me wants to gossip over lunch and get all girly with you. But I'm his publicist, and I have to make sure we're on the same page or this isn't going to work.”

“What does
that
mean? If I'm not on board, I can't date Rob?” Emily was offended.

“No. Not at all. I just want to make sure you're with him for the right reasons.”

“Did he tell you how we met?” Amy nodded. “Well, then how can you wonder if I'm here for the right reasons? It's not like I was some groupie trying to get him to notice me. He
literally
plowed me over. I had no idea who he was until he told me later that night. I still can't believe it. Without the stupid photographers and insane security, I'd think he was just a regular guy.”

“Good. Because he is. Just a regular guy that is. He just happens to have a very high profile job where people think they deserve to know his every move. It's
my
job to make sure they don't get that privilege. I control the flow of information. And the last time he dated someone who said they were here for the right reasons, he got burned. Badly. So you can understand my hesitation to trust you immediately.”

“I can. But, like I said, I didn't even know who he was until he told me. If I hadn't been so naïve, maybe that stupid video wouldn't have been posted.”

“Do you regret kissing him?”

“Well, it's a little late for that, isn't it?”

“That doesn't answer the question.”

“No. If I regretted it, then I wouldn't have woke up in his bed this morning.”

“Laying it all out there. I'm impressed. He didn't say he'd slept with you yet. I try not to pry. It
is
my job, but he's my little brother, so I limit questions to what I need to know.”

“I didn't say we did anything more than sleep in the same bed.”

Amy laughed at that. “No, you didn't. That was an assumption on my part. See how one thing can get turned into another? You say tomayto, I say tomahto. So did you have sex?”

“Why should I tell you that?”

“Your response gives me the answer. You did sleep with him. I can't say I blame you. I've heard girls say he's hard to resist for a long time. I try to plug my ears and say 'lalalalala' but it doesn't always work.”

“Where do you get off? I don't care if you
are
his publicist
or
his sister. It's none of your damn business if I had sex with him. That's between me and him. No one else.”

She laughed again, harder this time. “I
like
you! You've got spunk! And that's my point. It isn't anyone's business but yours and his. Do you see how easy it is to get sucked into that conversation? You just told me all I need to know and you didn't admit to anything. That's how the reporters work, Emily. You can't engage them in any way unless it's been prearranged. And even then, if we've decided that something is off the table, you can't let them goad you into responding. It's all a game. A big, stupid game. Unfortunately, it's one Rob has to play because of what he does for a living. If he wasn't any good at his job and didn't love it, he'd probably walk away just to avoid all this crap. Because he really is just a regular guy. But he
does
love his job and he
is
good at it. So this is the price we pay. All of us.”

“Okay. I get the point. That's why he said not to let you bully me, isn't it?”

“Because he knew that's just what I'd do. If he didn't warn you, I might have gotten you to cry. Look, he really likes you. He hasn't been this happy in a long, long time. And I can see
why
he likes you. I just hope you're really on board for all this. Because there are a lot of times when it's not pretty. It takes a strong set of shoulders to endure this business without getting chewed up and spit out. And just because you're not the performer doesn't mean those freaks won't try to do the same to you. Everyone is fair game to them.
Everyone
.”

“He's worth it.” Emily didn't even realize she felt that way until that very moment.

Amy softened. “He is. He deserves to be happy. To be loved and to have a good life. He's a great person. He's not perfect, but he's pretty damn close. And I'm his sister. I'm inclined to think he's a brat. Just be careful with him, okay? He's been unlucky in love.”

“Is that his publicist talking or his sister?”

“That's his sister talking. Look, I think you're great, from what I've seen so far. I just need to know you're prepared for what this all means. He's got a lot of stuff happening at the beginning of the year. He's going to want you to be there for at least some of it. And even when he's not around, you're going to have a bodyguard round the clock and paparazzi trying to follow you.”

“I know. Rick said you get used to it.”

“Rick has a distorted sense of reality sometimes. But I suppose you do, to some extent. The thing is, your privacy becomes limited with photographers following you all over the place. You have to assume that, unless you're in a place you know for certain they cannot see you, then you might be watched.”

“Like in a private booth at a private club?”

“Exactly like that. Or on the beach in a foreign country. Or even outside in your back yard. When you're part of Rob's life, even the places you thought were safe might not be.”

“Believe me, I know. My mother saw that video before I did.”

“Yes, well, then you've learned that lesson the hard way. Always keep it in mind. Which brings me to the other big reason I'm here. I couldn't very well tell my brother that I was coming to read you the riot act, though I'm sure he figured out that I would. So I told him that I came to discuss the gala with you. I'll need you to meet with the stylist tonight.”

“Why?”

“You're Rob's date for the gala, right? You were even before he asked you to be his girlfriend? And, yes, he did tell me that much. He also said we're not talking about it yet. Which I think is a good idea for the time being. I'm sure he told you that I only get a say if he wants to share things, right?”

Emily nodded. “He said that we would make decisions together and if we're okay with sharing something, you'd determine if we should or not. What does that have to do with the stylist?”

“Oh, nothing. I just wanted to make sure you knew that I don't push Rob to share things he's not comfortable sharing. The guy who had the job before me was aggressive, but only with Rob. He was a big baby with the press.”

“Good. I'm glad to hear you're the opposite. Why do I need to see a stylist?”

“You're going to be seen with him. You have to look the part. I'm sure you had a lovely dress you planned to wear to the event. And if you were just the
Art Wurks
liaison, it probably would have been fine. But you're no longer just the liaison. You're Rob's date. Even if we're not calling you his girlfriend in public yet, you'll still be heavily photographed with him. Which means you need to look a lot more sophisticated and put together than you can manage on your own. No offense. You look fantastic. Really. But there is everyday great and there's red carpet ready. Do you have an objection?”

“No, I guess not. It isn't like looking better at the gala is going to hurt my job.”

“On the contrary. Marcus will be thrilled that you're giving the magazine some free publicity. We'll make sure your role here gets out. And we'll push the photos from the lunch meeting. I'll be spinning that angle, that you hit it off at lunch yesterday. It's not true, exactly, but it sure looks that way in the pictures. And the video was done with a low res cell phone cam. Anyone who knew you would know who they were seeing, but strangers would have been hard pressed to say who it was until they saw you two together later. For now, we'll keep your daily wardrobe as it is. You've got a smart sense of style, a Duchess Kate look, and that's all the rage these days. Any time there is an official outing, however, we'll need to use our stylist. Do you color your hair?”

“No. I straighten it a little, but this is my natural color.”

“Are you opposed to coloring it? Because it's a great color, but it could be better if you had a few highlights and lowlights added. It just looks better on camera. That's all. If I were you, I wouldn't bother color it now, either. But your life just got a whole lot more...visible.”

“Look, I'd love to talk to you about this stuff, but I should get back to work. I've got a lot to do today, and I'd really like to get back to the hotel prior to 11 p.m. tonight so I can spend a little time with your brother before I need to collapse in exhaustion.”

Amy nodded and rose from her chair, gathering her things. “Understood. I'll plan to have Christopher meet you at Rob's suite tonight, say at 10 p.m.? He can get some measurements and some ideas. After Christmas, he'll have dresses for you to try and choose and you'll have a final fitting the night before the gala. We'll come up with a day-of schedule that fits with your duties here.”