Playing For Keeps (Emerald Lake Billionaires 2) Read online

  Sophie stepped toward him. “Is everything okay?”

  Ryan knew nothing would be the same again. “I’ll call Dorothy. Let me know what Hayley says.” And before he made their lives even more complicated, he walked into his office and closed the door.

  ***

  Sophie watched Tess hunt through a rack of dresses. In three hours, the final round of the talent show would be starting. “I can’t borrow one of your bridesmaids’ dresses.”

  “Of course you can.” Tess pulled a purple dress off the rack and held it up to Sophie. “Put this one with the others.”

  Tess had started The Bridesmaids Club with a group of friends. They were sent second-hand bridesmaids’ dresses from women all around the country. When the number of dresses had exceeded the space Tess had available in her apartment, she’d moved their headquarters to a loft above her future husband’s garage. Bridesmaids chose the dresses they wanted from an online catalog, and if they could, they came to Bozeman to try them on. It was a wonderful service that made a lot of people very happy.

  Earlier in the day, Sophie had sat down with Tess and told her what was happening. She needed someone to help her get used to all of the media attention and Tess was the best person for the job.

  For most of her life, Tess had been a successful model, traveling the world and using the media to her best advantage. As well as being beautiful, she had a shrewd business mind and knew instinctively what would work and what wouldn’t. After she’d told Tess about her supplement and Ryan’s publicity campaign, Tess had offered her a dress from The Bridesmaids Club. Even though Sophie was able to access her money, she didn’t have time to find a dress for tonight.

  For the last few hours, she’d been busy making more of her supplement for her mom. She’d sent it to an address Fletcher Security had given her, breathing a sigh of relief when the courier hadn’t asked any questions.

  Sophie bit her bottom lip when Tess held out another dress. It was the palest pink silk she’d ever seen. Tiny crystal beads had been sewn across the bodice and down the full skirt. It was the type of dress a princess would wear to a royal ball.

  Tess grinned. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

  “I can’t wear it,” Sophie whispered.

  “It’s exactly the type of dress that a billionaire’s Cinderella would wear.”

  “When is everyone going to stop calling me that?”

  “Don’t worry. Another story will hit the headlines and you’ll soon be forgotten.”

  Sophie hoped the next story would be about her supplement. Last night, Dorothy had sent press releases to all of the major news agencies and online sites.

  The company that her lawyer had contacted were considering her proposal to trial and manufacture her supplement. She was hoping that once everyone knew about the formula, the company would do more than consider it. The return on their investment would be huge. If they kept the price low, sales would overtake everything else on the market.

  Tess held a green satin dress against Sophie. She tilted her head to the side. “No, not this one. It makes your skin look yellow.”

  “These dresses are beautiful, but they’ve been designed for weddings and balls, not the final round in a talent show.”

  “It’s not a normal night. We wanted the final competition to be special. And special doesn’t mean wearing jeans and a T-shirt.” Tess put the green dress down and picked up the pretty pink gown. “What’s Ryan wearing?”

  Sophie ran her fingers over the silky fabric. “I don’t know.”

  “If you want to maximize the publicity you’re getting, you need to give the reporters something to write about. Wearing a beautiful dress is a good start. All Ryan has to do is stay beside you. Try this on and see what you think.”

  In the changing room, Sophie took off her jeans and T-shirt and stepped into the dress.

  Tess knocked softly on the door. “What does the dress look like?”

  Sophie slid the zip up as far as she could reach. She looked at her reflection in the full-length mirror and sighed. It was the loveliest gown she’d ever seen. The length was perfect, and the full, silky skirt sparkled with the tiny beads sewn across the fabric.

  She walked into the living room and spun in a slow circle. “What do you think?”

  “Wow, that’s the one. We’ve got a hooped petticoat that could go under the skirt, but it would spoil it. It’s perfect the way it is.” Tess looked at her watch. “When were you meeting Ryan?”

  “I need to be back at his home by four o’clock. That would give us plenty of time to get ready and drive into town for the show.”

  “If you stay with me, Ryan can pick you up from here at five-thirty. You’ll still get to the talent show on time. That will give us two hours to do your hair and makeup.” Tess pulled the zip completely closed and tweaked the bodice. “We couldn’t have found a better fit. The dress looks amazing.”

  Sophie glanced at the small bag she’d brought with her. “I didn’t bring my makeup with me. I’ll have to go to the drugstore and buy some.”

  “You don’t need to do that. I have enough makeup for ten people.” Tess handed Sophie a phone. “Call Ryan. Tell him from me that he needs to wear his dinner suit.”

  Sophie dialed Ryan’s home number. “How do you know he’s got one?”

  “He was the guest of honor at a local fundraiser I went to. He wore a dinner suit for that event, so it’s probably hanging in his closet.”

  Sophie held the phone to her ear. Ryan wasn’t home, so she left a message with Danny and hoped for the best. The only other person she needed to tell was the security guard standing outside.

  She looked at Tess and smiled. If anyone could transform her into a billionaire’s Cinderella, Tess could.

  All they had to do was make sure the publicity they generated lasted longer than midnight.

  ***

  Ryan picked up his cell phone and looked at Tanner. “Will the other security guards meet us at the library?”

  “They’ll be there soon. If anything happens, I’ll be right beside you. The local police know what we’re doing. They’re on standby if we need help.”

  After Sophie’s sister’s panicked phone call, Ryan wasn’t convinced they were doing the right thing. Sophie wanted the media to know who she was so that she could tell the world about her Alzheimer’s treatment. But dealing with the media was a risky business. Most reporters wouldn’t be satisfied with the story Sophie wanted to tell. They’d dig deeper, look beyond what she was prepared to tell them. He just hoped she was prepared for what they might find.

  He walked out of the house with Tanner following closely behind. “Have you heard from Tank today?”

  “He’s scheduled to call later tonight.”

  Fletcher Security wouldn’t tell anyone where Tank had taken Sophie’s sister and mom. Until Sophie had a contract signed for the manufacture of her supplement, they weren’t taking chances with anyone’s safety.

  As they drove toward Bozeman, Ryan looked at the program Tess had given him. Twelve contestants would be performing. Six would be singing, three would be dancing, two would be performing with animals, and the final contestant was a magician.

  Ryan would judge the performances, play a song from his next album, then present the winners with their prizes. At the end of the night he’d go home with Sophie and hope their public appearance attracted the media attention that Dorothy wanted.

  While they’d been preparing for tonight, his PR team had been hard at work in Nashville. Dorothy had written a press release about Sophie’s supplement and sent it to the media. The response had been immediate. News agencies wanted to know more about the natural wonder drug that she’d developed.

  Ryan knew that Sophie’s involvement with him was helping to fuel the media interest. It was probably the only time in his life when his public profile would do something worthwhile for someone else.

  Tanner parked his SUV in front of the library. “We called Tess h
alf an hour ago and told her to stay at her house until a guard arrives. She should arrive with Sophie in the next five minutes. We’ll wait for them inside the library.”

  There were hundreds of people walking toward the library building. So far, no one had recognized the dark SUV that had stopped beside the curb.

  Ryan got out of the vehicle and waited for Tanner. “Do you ever get tired of looking after people?”

  Tanner glanced at the reporters walking toward them. “Each client has different reasons for working with us. We can’t afford to be complacent. People put their property and lives and our hands. It’s up to us to make sure their needs are met.”

  A young woman pushed her way to the front of the crowd gathering around them. “Good evening, Mr. Evans. Follow me, please.”

  Ryan looked at Tanner and he nodded. He followed the woman, smiled at the cameras, and answered the reporters’ questions about Sophie. So far, so good.

  As soon as they made it inside the main entrance, Tanner pointed to the woman who’d met them on the sidewalk. “Ryan Evans, I’d like to introduce you to Samantha Jones. Sam is part of the team at Fletcher Security.”

  Sam’s quick nod didn’t leave room for conversation. She led them down a wide corridor and turned right into the library. She held a wooden door open for Tanner and Ryan. “I’ll show Miss. Elliott into the library when she arrives.”

  “Thank you.”

  Sam nodded once more before closing the door and leaving them alone.

  Ryan looked around the deserted library. His gaze took in the high ceilings, the metal beams, and the wooden shelving that softened the room’s architecture. A dozen computers sat silently in the middle of the room. They were surrounded by tables and chairs, book displays, and magazines. It was the kind of space people would enjoy coming to. The kind of space he’d enjoyed as a young boy.

  He walked across to the magazines and took one off the shelves. He flicked through the glossy pages and tried to read an article. He glanced at his watch, then back at the library doors.

  He hadn’t been this nervous about anything in a long time. He didn’t know what was worse; the thought of performing in front of everyone or not knowing what was happening with Sophie.

  Tanner held his hand to his earpiece. “She’s here. Sam’s waiting on the sidewalk for her.”

  Ryan walked across to the windows overlooking the street and frowned. The number of reporters waiting outside had almost doubled. The security guards would need to get her inside quickly if they wanted to keep her safe.

  He walked past the computers.

  “Where are you going?”

  “To make sure Sophie’s okay.”

  Tanner put his hand against the library door. “You can’t go out there. Not yet. Sophie is being looked after.” He listened to a message coming through his earpiece. “She’s in the building.”

  Tanner’s hand dropped away from the door and Sophie walked into the library.

  Sophie took a deep pink shawl from around her shoulders and sighed. “I knew I should have played football in college. There was a lot of pushing and shoving going on out there. Do you have any last words of wisdom before we face your adoring fans?”

  Ryan couldn’t think straight, let alone string two words together. Sophie was so beautiful. She took his breath away.

  “Are you okay?” she asked. “If you’re worried about Tess, she’s fine. She went into the auditorium to make sure everything’s ready for tonight.” Sophie walked toward him and put her hand on his arm. “It will be okay. You’re only singing one song. Jamie’s family are here and so is half of John’s security team. We’ll make sure you’re all right.”

  Sophie’s hair was a mass of curls, falling softly against the narrow straps of her dress. She looked as fragile as a rose and just as lovely.

  He cleared his throat. “It’s not me I’m worried about. You look beautiful.”

  The smile she sent him caught him off guard. She spun in a slow circle with her arms wide. “This is my Cinderella dress. I borrowed it from an equally gorgeous fairy godmother.”

  Tanner walked across to where they were standing. “We’ll take you into the auditorium now. The longer we stay here, the longer it’s going to take to get to your seats.”

  “Remember to smile. You’re frowning as if we’ve had an argument.”

  Ryan tried to relax his face into a smile, but it was no good. He was worried about her and what might happen after tonight.

  She stopped him before they went into the corridor. “I forgot to tell you how handsome you look.” Her eyes gleamed with pure mischief. “You make a wonderful Prince Charming.”

  Before he could say anything, she leaned forward and kissed him on the lips, right in front of the photographers standing in the doorway.

  And now he had something else to worry about.

  For the second time in as many days, he knew a country music superstar could definitely fall for a genetic microbiologist.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Sophie clapped as another contestant left the stage. When Tess first mentioned the talent show, she hadn’t expected to see the type of acts that had been on stage tonight. Everyone was extremely talented. They’d done their best and the audience was enjoying every minute of the show.

  She looked at Ryan. He was sitting at the judges’ table, looking incredibly handsome in his black jacket and trousers. The rugged contractor she’d first met had been replaced by a sophisticated city slicker with a gentle smile. The combination of kind words and encouragement he’d shared with all of the contestants made her feel proud to know him.

  Even when two of the performances hadn’t gone to plan, Ryan hadn’t been mean or nasty. He’d given the contestant another chance, helping them to be the best they could be. Sophie didn’t know what others in the music industry were like, but they needed to follow Ryan’s example.

  “He’s pretty amazing, isn’t he?”

  Sophie looked at the blonde woman beside her. She was staring at Ryan as if he was the yummiest bar of chocolate she’d ever seen. “Ryan?”

  “You know him?”

  “Sort of. He, well, he’s…” Sophie glanced at Ryan and tried not to blush. Pretending to be his girlfriend was hard work. Especially when the woman sitting beside her wasn’t expecting to hear what she had to say. “He’s my boyfriend.”

  The woman’s mouth dropped open. “You’re the billionaire’s Cinderella?”

  Sophie winced. “I’m Sophie.”

  The woman recovered enough to introduce herself. “I’m Danielle, Jackson Freemont is my boyfriend.” Danielle pointed to the judge sitting at the end of the table. Sophie didn’t have a clue who her boyfriend was, but Danielle seemed to think he was important. “Jackson is a music producer. He’s worked with some of the biggest names in the industry.”

  Sophie wasn’t sure what she was supposed to say. Before she’d met Ryan, she didn’t know any mainstream musicians. She listened to classical music and sung opera in the shower. She had a feeling that Jackson Freemont’s music didn’t involve a lot of string quartets or percussion instruments.

  The best she could do was send Danielle what she hoped was a suitably impressed expression. “How did you meet your boyfriend?”

  “I went to a friend’s birthday party and Jackson was there. We’ve been inseparable ever since. What about you?”

  Sophie looked into Danielle’s big, blue eyes and swallowed the words that nearly tumbled out of her mouth. She’d been so worried about what she was going to wear, that she’d forgotten to talk to Ryan about how they’d answer any questions about their relationship.

  She didn’t know whether to stick to the truth or make something up.

  Tess saved her from making a fool of herself. “You’ve got to watch the next performance. It’s Franky. He has an incredible voice.”

  Sophie sent Danielle an apologetic smile and pointed to the stage.

  Danielle smiled and nodded. “We can talk later,” she whispe
red back.

  Sophie looked at Ryan. He was sitting forward in his chair, his concentration focused on the tall, thin, boy lowering the microphone.

  She remembered the ten-year-old from the preliminary auditions. His voice had scaled the heights of the song he’d sung and given her goose bumps.

  Franky looked nervous. He wiped his hands on the sides of his jeans and looked quickly at the judges.

  Ryan turned on his microphone and smiled at the young boy. “It’s nice to see you again, Franky. What are you going to sing for us tonight?”

  Franky glanced at the side of the stage. Whoever was standing there must have given him a smidgen more confidence. He looked at Ryan and stepped toward the microphone. “I’m going to sing a song by Josh Groban. It’s called, You Raise Me Up.”

  Ryan smiled. “Do you like Josh Groban?”

  Franky slowly relaxed. “He’s awesome.”

  “When you’re ready, Franky, sing us your song.”

  Franky wiped his hands down the sides of his jeans again and nodded at the sound technician.

  Sophie crossed her fingers and hoped his performance went well.

  Everyone in the auditorium seemed to hold their breath as Franky waited for the music to start.

  The first notes drifted across the room like the misty rain of a soft spring shower. Franky’s voice rose and fell with the music, pulling everyone into the beautiful lyrics and simple melody.

  When the song ended, everyone sat in stunned silence. Then the audience began to clap. They stood and cheered, telling Franky in the only way they could, how wonderful he’d been.

  Franky blushed and looked down at his sneakers.

  Sophie wanted to give him a hug and tell him what an amazing voice he had. Ryan looked over his shoulder and smiled at her. She grinned back and felt the weight of the last few months lift from her shoulders.

  She’d been so focused on making sure the formula for her supplement didn’t fall into the wrong hands, she’d forgotten to live. Franky’s song had given her hope. One day this would be behind her. Whatever happened to her mom’s dementia was out of her hands. Even if her supplement wasn’t a cure, it would go a long way to helping someone else.