I perused the flowers she had available today. Front and center was a large vase full of pink roses, just like the one I’d given Riley.
Fuck.
I looked away quickly and checked my watch. A minute passed. Then another. Finally, Kari came bustling out front, rubbing her hands together.
“Thanks for waiting. Did you need anything today, Mattie?”
“No. Just came in to say hi.”
“I’m glad you did. I have something I want to show you.”
“What?”
She walked behind the counter. “Remember when you came in with that woman and I said she looked familiar?”
“Yeah.”
“I figured out why.” She pulled a magazine out from under the counter and set it down. “Take a look.”
My heart raced and I widened my eyes. It was a copy of something called Elle, and on the glossy cover was none other than—
“Riley.”
“Yup. That’s why she looked so familiar to me. She’s a supermodel, Mattie. Riley Wolfe.”
“I’ve never heard of her.”
“Doubtless because you don’t keep up with women’s fashion and makeup. She’s huge. The daughter of a billionaire named Derek Wolfe.”
“Now him I’ve heard of.”
“Yeah. Everyone has. He just died recently. Big murder case in New York.”
I mouth dropped open. “Her dad is dead?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh my God. She must be distraught. No wonder she…”
“She what?”
“She went home. She left early from her vacation. But why would she…?”
“Why would she what?”
Why would she use a fake name? I didn’t ask the question. Kari wouldn’t know the answer anyway, except it was becoming obvious to me. She’d wanted to escape for a short time. Escape the sadness and trauma of losing her father.
And she was famous. She wanted to be incognito. That was why she’d used a fake name, but she’d screwed up and given me her real first name and then covered her tracks by saying it was her middle name, when her fake ID showed her middle initial as L.
Poor Riley. Poor sweet Riley.
Kari picked up the magazine. “She really is gorgeous. Even when you guys came in here and she wasn’t wearing any makeup or anything. She was beautiful.”
“Yeah, she was,” I said, nodding. “I can’t believe this.”
“Neither can I.”
I grabbed the magazine from her. “Do you mind if I keep this?”
“Not at all. I’m done with it. Read it cover to cover.”
“Thanks, Kari.” I grabbed my wallet out of my pocket and took out a ten-dollar bill. “Buy yourself a few roses on me. I owe you.”
“For what?”
“Trust me, I do.” I walked out of the shop, the bell ringing once more.
I owed Kari big time.
Now that I knew who Riley really was, I could find her.
25
Riley
“Riley, darling,” Fredricka whined, “what am I supposed to tell them this time?”
I felt bad putting Fredricka in this position. It was all me, this time. I couldn’t blame it on my father. Not that I ever did before. “Tell them I’m sorry, but I need to stay in New York for now. My father’s memorial service is tomorrow.”
“Couldn’t you have told me this a week ago? Instead of just missing the shoot in Paris?”
Yeah, I could have. I should have.
From now on, I vowed to be different.
“If you didn’t make me so much money,” Fredricka said, “I’d drop you like a hot potato.”
“And I wouldn’t blame you.”
“What?”
“I said, I wouldn’t blame you.”
She laughed. “I just wanted to make sure I heard you correctly. I was expecting one of your ‘any agent in New York would be thrilled to have me’ speeches.”
I sighed. I’d behaved so badly in the past. Sure, my father was to blame for my disappearances. Or was he? I was over eighteen. I could have—should have—taken control. He’d also instructed me on how to handle Fredricka.
“I’m sorry, Fredricka,” I said. “Things are going to change.”
“Darling, that would be wonderful. But I always love you anyway.”
“You’ve done a lot for me,” I said. “I’ll never forget that.”
“Thank you, darling. I’ll make your excuses to Dominique. I’m sure I can talk them down and get them to reschedule. How much time do you need to mourn your father?”
Mourn my father? Ha! About zero seconds. But I did need to stay in town to help my brothers solve his murder and get us all out from under the detectives’ eyes. “Would a month be too long to ask?”
“I’ll make it happen, darling. Talk to you soon.”
“You’re the best. Thanks, Freddie.”
She laughed off the use of her hated nickname and we ended the call.
She’d been good to me, had gotten me tons of work over the years and a lot of money. I vowed to treat her better and not put her in uncomfortable positions anymore. Time to woman up and be a professional.
Tonight I was meeting my brothers and their significant others for dinner in the private banquet room at the Gabriel LeGrand restaurant to discuss our situation further. The chef had promised a gourmet feast for us. Yeah, the Wolfe name was pretty powerful here in Manhattan.
I laughed out loud.
I doubted anyone had even heard of the Wolfes in Sumter Falls, Montana.
Rock had existed under the radar in a similar Montana town for over a decade.
Being invisible for a few days had been fun. Exhilarating, even. Of course, Matteo Rossi had helped as well. More gorgeous than the handsomest male models and so muscular. Plus, he was a nice guy. A really nice guy. The kind of guy I hadn’t believed actually existed.
Maybe they were all out west.
It didn’t really matter how many nice guys existed, though. I’d found the one I wanted. Too bad we had no future.
I’d just have to deal with that.
Compartmentalize, Riley.
I was good at that. I’d had to be, to exist before the death of my father.
No thinking of Matt right now. Not until my brothers and I had figured out this whole Derek Wolfe mess.
Yup. Compartmentalize.
I took a quick shower and changed into a dinner outfit of black capri pants and a pink silk shirt. Black Louboutins completed the look. I fluffed my hair and decided to let it air dry. What the heck? Just a little lipstick, blush, and mascara, and I was ready to go. My skin was relishing being free of heavy model makeup.
My driver was waiting downstairs to take me to the restaurant.
Yeah, I had a driver. What a privileged world I lived in! A couple days with Matt had made me realize so much. Things I took for granted were such luxuries to most people.
Damn. I was thinking about Matt again. I missed him terribly. And why? I hardly knew him, yet we’d shared something so beautiful. So magnanimous. So precious.
How could I live without him now?
Damn it! Compartmentalize, Riley.
I arrived at the restaurant and thanked my driver. He cocked his head, looking at me oddly.