Playing For Keeps (Emerald Lake Billionaires 2) Page 13

  Ryan glanced at Sophie. “Stay where you are. I’ll make sure you’ve got a security guard with you as soon as possible. Whatever you do, don’t leave your mom’s unit. The guard will assess the situation and possibly take you somewhere safer. I’ll let you know who’s coming as soon as I can.”

  Sophie moved closer to the phone. “How’s mom?”

  “Blissfully unaware of what’s happening.”

  Sophie looked at Ryan. She’d never felt this helpless. Hayley needed as much support as they could give her, but it was hard when she was fifteen hundred miles away. “It will be okay, Hayley. You’re doing a great job of looking after mom. Apart from a security guard, is there anything else you need?”

  “I think I’ve got everything. I’ve already packed our suitcases. Just make sure your security person has lots of muscles and a few street smarts. We might need them before the week’s out.”

  “I’ll do my best,” Ryan said. “Keep your cell phone on. We’ll call you as soon as we can.”

  Hayley said goodbye and ended the call.

  Ryan pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. “I’ll get in touch with John. One of his security guards can bring your mom and sister back here. They’re safer with us than anywhere else.”

  Sophie listened as he spoke to John. Within minutes, everything had been organized.

  “Hayley and your mom will have someone with them in the next couple of hours.”

  “Thank you.” She studied him for a moment. “Why are you doing this?”

  “My granddad had dementia. It’s too late for him, but if your supplement is as good as you think it is, it might be able to help someone else. I want to make a difference, too.”

  Sophie nodded slowly. Ryan had as much to gain as she did from the supplement. She just hoped they all stayed safe for long enough to get the formula into production.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  “I’m not happy.” Ryan looked at his computer.

  Dorothy’s face smiled back at him. Sometimes he wondered if modern technology was all it was cracked up to be. Skype had changed the way they worked and it wasn’t all good news.

  “There’s nothing wrong with a little publicity.” Dorothy was determined to go through with their original plan.

  Ryan gaze flicked to Sophie. So far, she hadn’t said much. “What’s happened can’t be called a ‘little publicity’. There was a story about us on the local television station. A reporter called me. He’s going to run a story about Sophie tomorrow.”

  Dorothy rolled her eyes. “I hardly think a story in the Bozeman Chronicle is going to make world headlines.”

  “That’s not the point,” Ryan insisted. “Your publicity campaign was supposed to focus on me, not Sophie. She doesn’t want her name or face plastered across the media.”

  “You should have thought of that before you took her to the talent show. You don’t get to pick and choose what events are going to create the most interest. They’re calling Sophie the billionaire’s Cinderella. It’s a publicist’s dream. You need to make the most of it before the media move on to someone else.”

  Ryan ran his hands through his hair. “I don’t want to make the most of it. The talent show was supposed to create some positive publicity. It’s become my worst nightmare.”

  “You’re exaggerating.”

  “We had to put another two security guards on my front gate. Reporters have been trying to get close to my property. It’s been like a circus around here for the last two days.” It didn’t matter what he said, Dorothy didn’t understand how important it was to keep Sophie’s life separate from his.

  “I’d like to say something.” Sophie moved her chair so that she was in front of the computer’s camera. “I think what you’ve done for Ryan is amazing. All of the stories you’ve written have been positive. But I can’t be part of your publicity campaign.”

  Dorothy’s eyes narrowed. “You’re the media darling of the moment. Half the women in America want to know the name of the woman who’s captured a billionaire’s heart. You’re a beautiful woman. Why on earth wouldn’t you make the most of the publicity and enjoy it?”

  “I haven’t captured anyone’s heart.” Sophie’s cheeks blushed beet red. “The story the media have come up with is based on a fairy tale. It’s not real and it never will be. There are other things happening in my life. I can’t be part of any Cinderella story.”

  “You’re not running from the police, are you?”

  If Dorothy knew how close she was to Sophie’s problem, she’d be a little more concerned about the monster she’d created.

  “I’m not running from anyone. I’m hiding.”

  Ryan couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Had Sophie just told Dorothy she was hiding?

  Dorothy, to give her credit, blinked a few times before saying anything. “Would you care to repeat that?”

  “I’m hiding from someone. They’re trying to stop me from making a dietary supplement that could help millions of people.”

  Dorothy leaned forward. Her face filled the screen. “What does it do?”

  Sophie glanced at Ryan. “It improves your memory. My mom has Alzheimer’s disease and the supplement is helping her symptoms.”

  Dorothy’s mouth dropped open. “Will it cure Alzheimer’s?”

  “I don’t know. All I know is that traditional medicine doesn’t work for everyone. The side effects can be as bad as the disease. I need to find a company that will trial the supplement before it’s manufactured on a commercial scale.”

  Dorothy sat back in her chair. She looked at Ryan. “You’ve known about this all along? Why didn’t you tell me when I first met Sophie?”

  “I didn’t know about Sophie’s past when you met her. Now do you understand why she can’t be part of our plans?” Ryan could see Dorothy’s mind working overtime.

  Dorothy’s gaze locked on Sophie. “Do you know how many publicists get to be part of an opportunity like this? If your supplement works, it could be one of the major medical breakthroughs of the decade.”

  Sophie shrugged. “I don’t know about that, but I do know it’s important. Having my photo in the newspapers and on the Internet will only make things worse.”

  Dorothy moved back from her computer. She stared past the camera, clearly thinking about what she was going to say next. “Someone will identify you from one of the photos. If you’re not prepared for what’s going to happen, you could end up buried under a pile of lies. They’ll discredit you first, then pull apart everything you’ve ever worked on. You need to go on the offensive, beat them at their own game.”

  Dorothy glanced at Ryan. “There are certain advantages in being associated with a billionaire. We just have to make sure everyone knows you’ve got a brilliant mind behind your pretty face.”

  Sophie’s hands gripped the edge of her chair. “I don’t want anyone knowing where I am. My sister and mom are in danger. If the Cinderella story gets any bigger someone could get hurt.”

  Ryan took one look at the stubborn expression on Dorothy’s face and knew they were in trouble. “You can’t win this one, Dorothy. Sophie needs to keep a low profile and what you’re doing isn’t helping. I’m pulling out of judging the talent show and canceling my concert. If my ex-wife wants to take me to court, let her. Keeping Sophie safe is more important than what Cindy is doing.”

  Dorothy tilted her head to the side. “You’re missing the point. Hiding isn’t going to solve Sophie’s problems. She needs to tell everyone about her supplement. If we do this the right way, she’ll have the support of millions of people worldwide. They’ll want to see her product succeed and they’ll want to buy it. You’re making it too easy for the people who are looking for her. If no one knows who she is or what she’s trying to do, no one will notice if she’s not here anymore.”

  Ryan’s eyes narrowed. Dorothy had really outdone herself this time. She might be one of the best publicists in America, but she was making absolutely no sense.

  Doro
thy frowned. “I know that look, Ryan Evans. I’m not the cold-hearted woman you think I am. I’m trying to explain how the media works. Sophie needs to take the Cinderella story and make it real. Think of the supplement as the glass slipper. If she wants to help people, she needs to take control of the situation and get used to high heels.”

  Ryan glanced at Sophie. She was studying her sneakers. He hoped she wasn’t imagining a pair of glass slippers on her feet. “We’ll call you later, Dorothy. In the meantime, don’t push the Cinderella story any more than you already have.”

  Dorothy looked at Sophie. “Think about what I’ve said. Making yourself everyone’s darling is the most logical response you could have. Hiding won’t achieve anything.”

  Ryan held his hand above the escape key. “We’ll call you back in the next couple of hours.” He hung up and waited for Sophie’s reaction.

  She was still looking at her sneakers.

  “Dorothy gets carried away sometimes. By the time we call her back, she will have forgotten all about your feet.”

  Sophie lifted her gaze to his. “She’s right. I’ve been running for months and I haven’t achieved anything. All I’ve done is given whoever’s looking for me more time to replicate my formula.”

  “Don’t be too quick to agree with Dorothy. She doesn’t know the entire story.”

  “She knows enough. I’m more worried about mom and Hayley. If anyone finds them, they won’t be safe. My sister can look after herself, but mom is vulnerable. She gets confused and disorientated.”

  Ryan stood up. “Come into the kitchen. I’ll make coffee and we can work out what we’re going to do.”

  Sophie followed him out of the office. “Hayley texted me about an hour ago. Tank’s going to move them closer to Bozeman tomorrow. If we’re going to do anything that might compromise their safety, we need to let Tank know straight away.”

  Tank was one of John’s most experienced security specialists. He’d left for Fort Wayne within an hour of Hayley’s phone call.

  They knew that Hayley and her mom were safe, but they didn’t know where they were. John had assured them that Tank was one of the best security specialists he had. He would look after them, make sure they were safe, and bring them back to Bozeman. If that meant not knowing where Sophie’s mom and sister were, that was something they’d have to live with.

  Ryan took two mugs out of the pantry and put them on the counter. “Have you spoken with your lawyer today?”

  Sophie nodded. “He called me this afternoon. The manufacturer’s contract isn’t as simple as it looks. I’ll be signing away the rights to my formula. The company will be able to sell the end product for whatever price they want.”

  “Are you happy with that?”

  Sophie shook her head. “No. We’re going to see how far they’re willing to go in our negotiations. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll go to the other company. And if that doesn’t work out, I’ll go offshore and see if there’s another company that’s able to trial and produce the supplement.”

  He put a cup of hot coffee in front of Sophie. “It sounds like it could be a long, drawn-out process.”

  “I hope not. You’re not going to need my help around your house in a couple of weeks. I want to make sure the formula is safe and at least scheduled for clinical trials before I leave.”

  “What will you do if you haven’t signed a contract by then?”

  “I’ll go somewhere safe. Fletcher Security are withdrawing my savings from my bank account. They have a way of making sure the transaction is untraceable. That will give me enough money to live off for the next twelve months. I don’t know if anyone will want to employ me, but I’ll try to find a job.”

  “What about your mom and sister?”

  “When dad died, he left mom a lot of money. Hayley has access to a special account we set up. As long as she can still access the money, she’ll be fine. But if someone finds out the account belongs to mom, we could be in trouble.”

  Ryan took a sip of his coffee. “Why did you think Dorothy was right?”

  “Albert Einstein said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results. That’s exactly what I’ve been doing. Ever since I left Chicago, I’ve been trying to hide from the people who are looking for me. It hasn’t worked. I’m tired of running. I want a normal life for all of us. What Dorothy said made sense. If other people hear about the formula, they might be interested in producing the supplement. I’ve got nothing to lose, but you have.”

  “I do?”

  Sophie took her coffee across to the small, round table they were still using. She sat down and held her mug between her hands. “I’m not your Cinderella. If we make the most of the stories in the media, we’d be telling lies. What if you meet the woman of your dreams while I’m pretending to be your girlfriend? Pretending to be someone you’re not has to be bad luck.”

  “Most people aren’t what they seem. The music industry is built around what people look like, who they hang out with, and how much money they’ve got. People wear invisible masks to protect who they really are.”

  “You’re not like that.”

  Ryan smiled. “Maybe not, but there are times when I push myself to be the person I want to be.”

  Sophie sipped her coffee. “What did you think about Dorothy’s idea?”

  “I think she’s out of her mind.”

  “You don’t think I’d make the perfect billionaire’s Cinderella?” The gleam in Sophie’s eyes was good to see. There hadn’t been much to laugh about over the last few days.

  “It’s the glass slippers I’m worried about. You’d end up with pinched toes and blisters by the end of the first day.”

  “A modern-day Cinderella would have discovered the joys of living in the twenty-first century. Sneakers could be the new glass slipper.”

  “That’s like saying a Lamborghini is the new glass coach.”

  Sophie’s smile grew wider. “For some people, it would be. The reporters aren’t going to believe that a country music superstar could fall for a genetic microbiologist. No matter which way you look at it, it doesn’t make sense. It’s worse than a handsome prince falling for a girl who’s got no money, no parents, and no home.”

  “Don’t you believe in happy-ever-after?”

  Sophie’s smile disappeared. “I believe in true love, not fairy tales.”

  “You haven’t answered my question.”

  Sophie left the table and rinsed her coffee mug under the faucet. “And I’m not going to. I’ve got too many other things on my mind. Did John tell you when he expects Tank to arrive in Bozeman?”

  Ryan stood behind Sophie. “What are you afraid of?”

  She turned around and glared at him. “Nothing.”

  “Liar.”

  “I could recite the periodic table by the time I was seven years old. I was the geeky science girl who fainted when we dissected a frog in biology class. Prince Charming and knights on white horses weren’t part of my childhood.”

  “What did you dream about?”

  “Dr. Who and the Daleks. All of his parallel universe theory used to keep me awake at night. Did you know that, since 1963, there have been more than 826 episodes of Dr. Who on television?”

  “No, I didn’t.”

  “I always thought that Tom Baker was the best Dr. Who. He had the craziest hair I’d ever seen. I used to write stories about my adventures on the Tardis.”

  Ryan tucked a stray lock of hair behind Sophie’s ear. His heart thumped against his ribs as Sophie’s smile softened. “What did you do with your stories?”

  “I read them to Hayley. We used to sit under the dining room table and pretend we were in the Tardis. Sometimes mom would join us. I had a great childhood. What about you?”

  “Me?”

  Sophie nodded. “Did you ever do anything different, like read stories under a table?”

  “Not that I remember.”

  “Did you alw
ays like country music?”

  Ryan thought back over his childhood. “It was the only thing I listened to. It made more sense than the music my friends enjoyed.”

  Sophie held his gaze. “Your parents must have been proud of you?”

  “They didn’t understand how important music was to me. They were disappointed when I didn’t go to college. My dad’s a mechanic and my mom’s a teacher. They wanted me to have a career, something that had a chance of earning good money. I was stubborn and couldn’t see their point of view. We argued a lot.”

  “Do you have any brothers and sisters?”

  “No. It’s just me. I guess that made it even harder for my parents. If I’d been born into a big family, I would have gotten lost in the numbers.”

  “That’s a great name for a song.”

  “What is?”

  “Lost in the numbers.”

  He smiled. Sophie’s gaze connected with his and a jolt of pure need shot through his body. He cleared his throat and stepped away. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to let the world know about the supplement. But if that’s what you want to do, we’ll have to tell Hayley and Tank.”

  “I’ll call Hayley. Between her and Tank, they’ll work out what’s best for mom.”

  “Are you sure you want to do this? Your life won’t be the same when everyone knows about your supplement.”

  “I can handle the publicity about the formula. It’s better than being worried that someone’s going to hurt me. Do you think your ex-wife will stop telling lies?”

  “I don’t care what she does anymore. If she wants to take me to court, I’ll let a judge decide what she’s entitled to. I’ll call Dorothy and let her know what we’ve decided.”

  “What about the Cinderella headline? Do you think Dorothy can do something to make that disappear?”

  “Dorothy’s talented, but even she has her limits. The only thing that will stop that story is a dramatic break-up scene.”

  Sophie laughed. “I could tip a glass of expensive champagne over your pumpkin-like Lamborghini.”

  “It might work if I owned a pumpkin-like Lamborghini.” He thought about his life and frowned. “I’m sure there are other equally devastating things you could do.”