Exposed (Tropical Nights) (5 page)

Rivers plunged on, undaunted. “I know Charlie’s death when we were kids hit you hard, you and your parents. I know how hard it was for you after, with your mom and dad so consumed with grief with the son they’d lost they barely seemed to notice the one they had left.”

“Rivers,” Leo said, his anger rising.

“No, this needs to be said. I know that your parents dying two years ago on top of everything else left you feeling alone and isolated.”

Leo felt the blood throbbing in his temples. He didn’t like talking about Charlie or his parents, not even to Rivers, who had been his best friend since they were both in diapers. It was too raw, too unspeakable, and he had no idea why Rivers was insistent on bringing it up now. “What the hell does my family have to with anything?”

Rivers looked down at his beer, as though the conversation was getting too heavy to maintain eye contact. “Look, I’m no shrink. I’m a guy—I barely even know the definition of feelings and grief and whatever, much less understand how it all works. I just think that maybe losing your brother and your parents has made you afraid to open yourself up to anyone.”

Leo scoffed.
This was too much. He’d had enough of the conversation and he decided it was time to shut it down. He had overreacted to Rivers, yes, but it was just because of everything going on at work. That was why he’d become upset with Rivers, why he was thinking ridiculous thoughts about Rachel. It was only work stress that was causing his heart to pound and his palms to feel sweaty.

He took a deep breath and willed himself to be calm. He tapped into all his training
for focusing the mind and controlling the body until his heartbeat slowed to a normal rhythm and the urge to pound on Rivers went away.

“I
’m not interested in Rachel,” Leo said, relieved that his voice sounded so calm and even. “At least, not interested in her beyond the PR she can provide for Hanlon Enterprises. My family’s…circumstances have nothing to do with it.”

“Hey, yeah, whatever, I just thought
…” Rivers trailed off and shrugged, playing it cool, but Leo could see he wasn’t completely convinced.

“And now I need to shower and change for the cocktail reception, so let yourself out when you’ve finished the beer.” Leo drained his bottle in one long gulp and threw it in the recycling bin.
              “Sure,” Rivers said.

Leo
left the kitchen and headed to his bedroom. He tried to put what Rivers said out of his mind, but his words were echoing in head. Despite whatever amateur shrink nonsense Rivers spouted, Leo was
not
denying feelings for Rachel out of some unresolved grief over his parents or whatever. He didn’t
have
any feelings for her outside the friendly camaraderie of two people working together on a project that was mutually beneficial. He was being nice to her because she was there to do a story on him, nothing more. Yes, she was smart and funny and easy to talk to, and yes, maybe she was more attractive than he had first realized—
much
more attractive—but that was the extent of it.

Rivers was delusional, as usual. Leo had zero feelings or interest in Rachel in any sort of romantic sense. None. He would prove it tonight at the cocktail party when he saw her and was able to interact with her in a completely professional manner. He
would feel nothing beyond that—no spark or twinges or whatever else—and then he would be assured he was still on safe ground, in control of everything.

He smiled at himself in the bathroom mirror. That’s exactly how it would go.

“Hmm. Move it a little to the left. No, too far. Back to the right just a hair.”

Rachel
shifted the framed photograph she was holding over her head back and forth. Her arms were getting shaky with fatigue and she hoped Allison found the spot she wanted soon.

“Perfect. Hold it still while I mark it.” Allison made a quick chalk mark on the
sheetrock indicating where she wanted the photo hung and stepped back.

Rachel brought her arms down and shook them out. “How many more photos do we need to hang?”

“Two more. And, hey, thanks for helping me.”

“Of course.
You know I love getting the first peak at the show as we’re setting up.”

They were in an abandoned building in the Brooklyn’s Bushwick neighborhood. Allison was part of an arts collective
of painters, photographers, sculptors, and performance artists who staged shows in the city’s empty warehouses and commercial spaces. Rachel loved helping Allison with her installations. It was awesome to watch a run-down, blighted space be transformed into a colorful, vibrant showcase for art.

“These photos are really amazing, by the way.” Rachel looked over the pictures already hanging on the clean
white sheetrock they had erected for the show. The photos were close-ups of Bushwick buildings: a doorframe, a window, part of the old, faded company lettering barely visible on crumbling brick. Allison had a sharp eye for detail and framing, and Rachel admired how she could find beauty and meaning it what most people saw as only ugly decay.

“Speaking of photos, why haven’t I heard from you about when and where I can get some shots of Leo Hanlon?”

Rachel kept her gaze on Allison’s photos, not wanting her friend to see whatever guilty expression flashed across her face. “Oh, yeah, I was going to mention that. He’s been crazy busy the last few days and has barely left the office, so there just hasn’t been a good time to set anything up.” She hoped she sounded convincing. She wasn’t going to admit it Allison, but there
had
been opportunities to photograph Leo, Rachel just hadn’t told Allison about them for reasons she wasn’t ready to examine.

“Well, we’re going to need to set something up tomorrow, since it’s Friday and that’s your last day with him.”

Rachel was surprised by the pang that went through her at Allison’s words. Why was she so upset that her time with Leo was coming to an end? She hadn’t wanted this assignment in the first place, and it was only getting more complicated as the days went by. She should be glad it was almost over. “Yeah,” Rachel said, “there should be some good opportunities tomorrow.”

Allison’s eyes narrowed as she looked at Rachel. “You get anything good on him yet?”

Rachel’s nervousness increased. The truth was, she’d spent the last three days with Leo and she’d learned much about him, but none of it was the kind of juicy gossip that would make a good story. He was intelligent and funny, good to his employees and charming to anyone he met. Everyone she had managed to have a conversation with during her time at Hanlon Enterprises said basically the same things: Leo Hanlon was a sharp businessman who commanded—and got—respect. He was a successful CEO, a great boss, and a man of integrity. His fierce business savvy and dogged hard work had turned a floundering company back into an extremely profitable success, and everyone admired him for it.

Every person Rachel talked to had a favorable opinion of him
, but no one really knew any deeper details about the man. He dated casually, but no one recalled him ever having an actual girlfriend or a specific woman he spent time with. No one around the office knew much about his hobbies or interests or what he did with his free time. There was no hint of scandal or vices or even youthful indiscretions. It was as though there was a wall Leo had erected around himself to keep his every personal detail hidden.

Her confusion about Leo went beyond the difficulty in finding good gossip about him
. Her initial attraction to him had grown into genuine liking, and she was finding it increasingly hard to view him as just an interview subject. She knew the entire reason she was with him was to gather details for the story, but it was getting harder and harder for her to do it.

“Your lack of response is not exactly encouraging,” Allison said.

Rachel realized she had been staring at the photos she was holding, lost in thought, and she forced herself to look up and meet her friend’s gaze. “Oh, well…I’ve learned some things about Leo, but honestly, there just doesn’t seem to be much gossip there.”

Allison raised an eyebrow. “Really? I have a hard time believing someone as rich, young, and hot as Leo Hanlon doesn’t have enough skeletons to fill a warehouse, forget about a closet.”

Rachel felt a flash of protectiveness on Leo’s behalf, though she knew it was an irrational reaction. “He’s a good guy,” she said. “I thought like you did at first, that Leo’s just some rich trust fund kid who had everything handed to him. I figured he’d be a pompous ass who never had to work for anything. But he’s not. He’s very intelligent, and he actually cares about his family’s company. He works hard every day to make it better, and he’s succeeding. He’s surprisingly kind and funny and he…” Rachel trailed off, realizing she was relating Leo’s charms just a touch too enthusiastically.

Allison crossed her arms over her chest and gave Rachel an apprising look. “You sound like you’ve gotten pretty close this guy.”

Rachel felt heat rise to her cheeks. “No,” she said, perhaps a bit too quickly. “I mean, I feel like I’ve learned a lot about him and he seems nice, but it’s not like I…I mean…I’m just there for the story,” she finished lamely.

“Uh huh.” Allison’s tone suggested she wasn’t completely convinced.

“Look, Karen wants a story on Leo Hanlon and I’m there to give it her. I’ll find something on him.” Rachel tried to speak with a conviction she didn’t feel. She wasn’t  entirely sure she
could
find gossip on Leo, but she knew without a doubt that she didn’t actually
want
to. “I don’t have time to ‘get close’ to him, not in the way you’re not so subtly implying. I’m just doing my job.”

“So your interest in Leo is
purely about the story?”

“Of course.
I’m just a journalist on assignment, nothing more.” Rachel tried to believe she spoke those words because they were true; that she was not actually falling for Leo’s intelligent charm and easy nature. That she didn’t spend much of her time with him noticing how his muscles moved under his shirt or thrilling over every accidental touch. That thoughts of him didn’t pop into her head at random times in the evening. That she didn’t continually find herself distracted at home when she was trying to cook or work on her blog because she kept replaying her day with him. That she didn’t fall asleep thinking deliciously wicked thoughts about him. “You know how much I need this story, how badly I could use the raise. Not just for me, but for my family.”

Allison’s expression darkened. “It’s always about them, isn’t it?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, for as long as I’ve known you, your concern has always been
for your father and brother. You don’t go out or travel because you send money to them instead of save it or spend it on yourself. You hardly ever date or make time for your friends because they suck up so much of your emotional energy. Now they’re living with you, and it’s even worse.”

Rachel felt a surge of heated defensiveness. “That’s so unfair. You know how hard it’s been for them.”

“Rachel,” Allison said, her voice compassionate yet firm, “you lost your mother too. It didn’t just happen to them. And yet you never take care of yourself. You’re always worried about them.”

“They need me. Dad and Jamie aren’t the strong ones.
I’m just doing what I need to do.” Rachel spoke confidently, but she was bothered by the nagging sense of defensiveness she felt at her friend’s words.

Allison’s expression softened. “I know you do, Rachel. I’m sorry I brought it up. I just worry about you.”

“I’m fine, really. And my family’s fine. Jamie’s been going on job interviews. He’s even talking about going back to school. Dad is…well, he’s still dad, but he seems to be doing a bit better lately.”

Allison nodded. “Good. I’m sure Jamie will find a job soon. And speaking of jobs, we’ll get our photos of Leo tomorrow, right?”

“Yes, of course. I’ll call you tomorrow morning from Hanlon Enterprises once I know his schedule for the day, and we’ll figure something out.” Rachel smiled at Allison, glad to be off the topic of her family and their painful history. “Oh, speaking of Leo, what time is it?”

“Almost 7
:30, why?”

“Leo’s having a cocktail reception for potential clients and he wanted me to come.
I’d better go now so I get there on time.”

“Wait, what are you going to wear to the party?”

Rachel looked down at her clothes. “This,” she said.

Allison gave her outfit a once over. “Oh, honey, no. You are not showing up to a cocktail party in your work clothes.”

“But all I have are work or casual clothes. I don’t own a cocktail dress.”

Allison set down the photo she was holding and grabbed her purse. “I’m taking you to my place. I have the perfect dress, and I can whip up your hair and make-up in no time.”

“I’ll be late—”

“You will be fashionably late,” Allison said. “With an emphasis on the fashionable. Come on, no arguments.”

Rachel gave an exaggerated sigh. “Oh, fine. This party isn’t a big deal though, so don’t go overboard.”