“Well, come talk to me about it later in the week. I am head of special projects and seeing as I have no idea what that means, I guess it can be anything I like. Revamping distribution seems as good a thing to look at as anything else.”
“Thanks, Rach, you’re the best.” He pulled her into a bear-hug before bouncing off to find a seat.
“What was that about?” her grandmother asked when Rachel returned with her tea.
“Turns out Rupert likes working, who knew?”
“That boy.” Her grandmother tutted as she added a liberal dose of liquor to her cup. “All he needs is a bit of encouragement, and he’ll turn into a fine man. With Charles for a father, a mother who’s high as a kite most days, and a sister who only cares about herself, he could use someone believing in him. Be nice to him, darling. I get the feeling he could be a good man one day.”
“Is that the sound of you softening?” Rachel said. “Because years ago, you told me that at the first sign of you softening, I was to put you in a home and forget about you. I’ve been on the lookout ever since.”
“Wicked child. I’m sure I said no such thing. Oh look, it’s the wives Theo should have kept. His taste went straight downhill after those two.”
Rachel turned to see Anne and Stephanie heading straight for them, smiling widely, their eyes warm with genuine affection.
“Rachel.” Anne pulled her out of her seat and wrapped her in a hug. Which was exactly why she got on great with Rachel’s mother. They were both huggers. “I’m so glad you’re back. We need you here. And goodness, you look well, doesn’t she, Steph?”
“Gorgeous as usual.” Stephanie hugged her too.
Although roughly twenty years apart in age, the two women had formed a strange but strong friendship after Theo divorced them both. Anne’s marriage had lasted eighteen years, Stephanie’s only eight, but both of them had gained half of Theo’s shares when they split. Which meant they both owned a hefty chunk of TayFor.
“Where’s that hunky man of yours?” Stephanie looked around the room. In her early forties, with shoulder-length brown hair and a chic sense of style, she was the last time Theo had shown any taste in women.
Rachel waved a hand. “Off securing something.”
“I see Theo’s on the prowl again,” Anne said, her eyes on their ex-husband. Having just turned sixty, Anne had decided to let her hair go gray. Twisted up into a sophisticated French knot, her silver hair complemented her beautiful pastel blue shift dress perfectly.
“How do you know?” Rachel asked, looking over at her tennis-garbed uncle, who was laughing raucously with Rupert.
The two women shared a look then said together, “The smell.” Then they burst out laughing and went off to find seats.
One by one, the rest of the family arrived. Charles, looking annoyed as usual. Preston and Marcus, both businesslike and clearly eager to get the meeting over. Samantha, who insisted on talking to Rachel about wedding dresses. And her mother, who kissed her cheek and took the seat on the other side of Rachel.
“How’s Father?”
“He’s perfectly fine, but he has to take it easy for a few days.” She gave Rachel a tight smile that emphasized the dark circles under her eyes. “I want to hire a keeper for him. Does Benson Security do that sort of thing? I need someone who’ll follow him around and ensure he keeps away from fried food.”
Rachel swallowed her smile. “I’m sure we could find you someone.” Ryan had been particularly annoying lately. It might do him good to go on bacon-watch for a few weeks. That evil thought made her grin.
Her mother rolled her eyes. “I forgot who I was talking to for a second. Forget I asked. I’ll speak with Harvard; he seems the more sensible option.”
Rachel leaned into her and lowered her voice. “Are you doing okay, Mum?”
“Yes, my darling, I’m fine.” Her eyes turned glassy and she blinked back tears, straightening her shoulders as she did so. “I keep telling myself that the past is gone; that there’s no point in wondering what we could have done differently. It’s the future that matters now and the choices we make from here on in.”
“Exactly.” Rachel nodded. “Everything will be fine. I promise.”
“My darling girl, you’re far too capable for your own good. But I do love you.”
“Why does everyone feel the need to clarify their love for me?” Rachel said dryly. “It’s never just ‘I love you,’ it’s always ‘you’re awful, but I love you anyway.’”
“Perhaps it’s because they’ve met you,” her grandmother said helpfully.
“Okay.” Jonathan took a seat at the end of the table. “Let’s get this show on the road.”
Rachel’s grandmother elbowed her and whispered, “I’ve run out of liquor.”
“Too bloody bad,” Rachel whispered back. “You can suffer like the rest of us.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
“Got it!” Elle’s fists shot into the air as she grinned at everyone. “We’ve got our thief!”
The small gray-walled room they’d commandeered in the security department seemed to glow with her joy.
“Damn it.” Harry shoved his laptop away from him in disgust. “I was about five seconds behind you on cracking that phone.”
“Five seconds too late. Five seconds slower. Five seconds that get you second place. Who’s the best?” Elle held up a hand for a high five. “I’m the best. Admit it. I totally rock.”
Harry gave her a lame high five.
“Uh, Elle.” Ryan, who’d helpfully paced the room while the tech geniuses hacked the phones in the search for their thief, had obviously run out of what little patience he possessed. “You want to tell the rest of us who it is?”
In reply, she beamed at them and flipped her laptop so they all could see her screen.
Harvard’s jaw tightened. “Pack it up. We have a meeting to attend.”
Ten minutes later, without knocking, Harvard led his team into the boardroom.
“What on earth?” Charles shouted. “Have you no manners?” He pointed a finger at Jonathan. “This is exactly why you should never have put this man in charge of security without consulting the rest of us first.”
Jonathan ignored him. “Did you find something?”
“Yeah.” Harvard glanced around the room and caught Rachel’s eye. He winked at her, and she rolled her eyes at him, which almost made him grin and ruin his badass image. “How do you want this to go?”
Running his hand through his hair, Jonathan looked at his family. “You can give your report to all of us at the same time.”
“Jonathan,” Preston said, “what’s going on? What report?”
It was Rachel who answered. “Harvard, Ryan, Elle, and myself—”
“I’m a late addition,” Harry interrupted, giving everyone a wave and impressing no one with the printed image of bobblehead Einstein on his T-shirt.
Rachel frowned at him before continuing, “We all work for Benson Security.”