Chapter 85
But as she accepted the mug of coffee, collected the dress again and allowed Andrew to lead her back out, her mind was racing and her dread multiplying like gnats. What mess had he gotten himself into? Why on earth would someone need architectural plans for a company they had nothing to do with? If he had any legitimate reason for having them, why keep them under his bed? The only conclusion she could reach was that whatever Andrew was involved with, she wouldn’t be able to pick up after him.
An hour later she realized something else. Most times when Andrew spoke about Nolan, he'd used words like “talk to him” and “get his attention.” He didn't really talk much about getting the money from Nolan. Did that mean Andrew had another way to get the money he needed? A way that involved her seeing Nolan tonight? More specifically, her seeing Nolan while wearing a knock-his-socks-off dress? Seeing the way he'd backed Michelle up immediately.
Hmmm, a plan that involved a fundraiser at a diamond company, a woman in a pretty dress and a distracted guy in charge of security. Maybe she’d been watching movies too many times, but this was not adding up well. Whatever Andrew was planning, he was using her as a distraction. Was she right or was she just being paranoid? She needed a second opinion. She needed to tell Nolan.
Dang it. The only way she had to get in touch with Nolan was via his work phone number since he'd done a very good job of ignoring her and blocking her everywhere. And since Carrington Security’s business office was undoubtedly closed on a Saturday afternoon, that left only one option. She was going to have to go to that fundraiser after all. And she would have to wear the beautiful dress because frankly, nothing else in her closet came even close to being appropriate for the event.
She would look smashing. More to the point, she would look as though she was trying to look smashing. As if she was trying to win him back. On the bright side, he wouldn’t really believe that. Not for long anyway. Not once she told him her brother was planning to rob Messina Diamonds.
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Friday night should have been the last time Nolan ever had to be in the same room as Candace. And, in fact, it probably would have been if he hadn’t waffled so long over the damn check.
Instead, he had signed the check and left it sitting on the corner of his desk for the better part of the morning. Ostensibly he was waiting to shuffle some money around, just to be sure. Even he wasn’t used to writing checks this big on a whim. The possibility that he might be waiting for some sign from her was ridiculous. Not really worth considering.
Nevertheless, by the time Nolan had dressed for the Diamonds in the Rough event at Messina Diamonds that night, he still hadn’t had the check sent over to Candace.
Nolan had never been comfortable with these kinds of high-society events. He was attending only because Messina Diamonds was a big client. He didn’t handle the account himself—he’d turned those duties over to J.D. Roker, his very competent second in command. His friendship with Derek alone wouldn’t have been enough to coax him into a tux. However, no matter how much he trusted Roker, he still wanted to be on hand when the company’s office was open to the public.
Still, when he ran into Raina in the Messina Diamonds’ foyer that night, he found himself wishing he was a less vigilant CEO. Raina had long been Derek’s secretary and they’d married just a few months ago. Though they now lived most of the year in Kilbrough, where Raina was attending culinary school, they’d been away all week preparing for the event. Diamonds in the Rough was one of Raina’s pet projects back from the days when she’d worked as Derek’s secretary.
Nolan arrived at the Messina Diamond offices to find the caterer setting up and the florist arranging displays throughout the offices. The charity’s volunteers had long ago organized the various items that had been donated for the silent auction. And Raina was bustling around overseeing it all.
He smiled when he saw her. “You know there’s not much for you to do, right? It’s all been taken care of ahead of time.”
She crossed the room to give him a kiss on the cheek. “I know. But it’s the first time I haven’t been here to supervise everything myself.”
“It’ll be perfect. You know it will. You should just let it go and enjoy the evening for once.”
“Hmm, that sounds to me like a case of the pot calling the kettle black.”
She flashed him a knowing smile. “After all, it’s not like you’re going to leave all of the security to the very capable J.D. and just let it go and enjoy the evening.”
He nodded. “Good point.”
“Speaking of enjoying the evening…” Raina bit her lip as if unsure how to proceed. Which was unlike her. Normally Raina was as straight-talking as they came.
“Spit it out.” Her hesitancy made him nervous and he fought the urge to tug at his sleeves, straighten his tie or some other little foible that would reveal too much of his emotion.
“Have you seen the guest list?”
“Not for a couple of weeks. J.D.’s been handling all the details for tonight. Part of that whole ‘relaxing and letting go’ thing we were talking about.”
“She’s coming tonight.”
Ah, crap. He didn't even need to ask anything for him to know that Derek must have given her the entire gist about him and Candace. “By ‘she,’ can I assume you mean Candace?”
Raina nodded.
“I suppose I have Derek to thank for this?”
“For me knowing who Candace is? Actually… Yes. But it's not just him. The gossip about you two has been flying around for a while now,” Pink crept into Raina’s cheeks. “You’re being unnaturally quiet,” she commented. “Even for you.”
He smiled, hoping the action came off as amused and not simply terrified. She was coming here tonight? Wow, she must be really determined to get that money out of me, he thought. But aloud he said, “I’m trying to avoid thinking about it.”
Which, if the expression on Raina’s face was any indication, he should not have admitted. She reached out and gave his arm an empathetic squeeze.