Let's talk:

Siennese - wow...very impressive. It's all about the mind games. Let's face it, we all do it, we want to gauge the person before we let them in, in this case Lucas is definitely playing safe and for sure smart...can't wait for you guys to see what I have in store for this story.

Naelacy - Who is she really? Riley or Morotia? Lucas knows, he just needs the confirmation.

Discursus - Missy is the daughter of one of the Major investors in Lucas' company. She forced her way into working there.

Chapter 10 - Hello Friend

- It's the friend we meet along the way that help us appreciate the journey.

Once Riley stepped inside her bedroom, she breathed an audible sigh of relief. She's exhausted. She's been running on a hectic phase that she can feel her mind and body starting to protest.

Riley took off her shoes and dropped her blazer to the other side of her bed, leaving her ample room to curl up in the soft, white bedding. She crawled into the dark cocoon of the covers. Her mind and body were exhausted from the day's developments, and all she wanted to do was sleep.

"Lucas," Riley mumbled as the dream realm captured her and carried her away.

…..

"You have to take her." The words came out in a rush. "I have a meeting with a supplier and I need someone to watch her while I do that."

Lucas turned to see his sister standing behind him, hands on her hips and shaking her head. "You never had a problem watching her before."

Lucas let out a low growl of annoyance. Closing his eyes, he silently wish for more patience. "I don't have a problem watching her, if I'm at home. Chloe this is an office not a day care."

Chloe narrowed her eyes, "I know that Lucas. Unfortunately, I don't have a choice but to bring her here since the nanny came down with a flu."

Lucas sighed, and the lines in his face deepened apologetically. "I didn't know that."

"Mom's out of town," she said quietly. "I don't know who else I can ask."

He nodded somberly. "I'll watch her while you go for that meeting," Lucas placed a hand on Chloe's shoulder. "After the meeting take the rest of the day off."

"That's a good idea." Chloe agreed.

Lucas dropped his hand, and his eyes softened. "So where is she?"

…..

"Maybe we should change the sleeves?" Mandy asked Riley. "How about we widen it?"

"It's pretty," A tiny voice piped in.

Smiling, Riley stooped down beside the owner of the tiny voice. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," the little girl said as she bounced up to retrieve a pink ball that had rolled away underneath the work table.

Riley quickly faced Mandy. "Who's little girl is that?"

Mandy shook her head. "No clue."

"We need to find who her parents are. She can't be wondering around the building by herself. It's not safe." Riley turned to the little girl who returned with the ball. "Hi sweetheart. Do you know anybody that works here?"

The little girl nodded. "Yes," she said.

She handed Riley her pink ball. "Hold this. I need to get Tammy."

"Tammy?"

"She's my friend and I left her outside to get my ball."

"Can I go with you to get Tammy?"

The little girl nodded enthusiastically. "C'mon," she said to Riley.

Riley glanced at Mandy and back at the little girl. "Since I now know your friend's name, can I also get yours?"

"Stacy."

"That's a nice name. It's nice to meet you, Stacy. I'm Riley."

"Okay," Stacy gingerly walked past Riley and out of their office.

Baffled, Riley followed her.

Stacy walked inside a room and reached in under the table to pull out a doll. She smiled at Riley. "Tammy this is Riley. She's our new friend."

"It's nice to meet you Tammy." Riley gently grabbed the doll's hand and shook it.

"Tammy and I are sad. Can you play with us?" Stacy asked.

Riley sucked in a breath, annoyed with whomever left this little girl. "Sure I'll play with you but I can't stay that long okay?"

…..

"You left her alone?" Lucas squeezed his eyes shut in frustration.

"In my office. I'm not an idiot Lucas." Chloe answered irritably.

"So where is she?"

"I don't know. I told her to wait here."

Irritation flared in Lucas' gut at his sister. "Chloe she's six. Last I heard six year old kids don't really listen well."

"Shut up and help me find her!"

Lucas snatched the phone from his pocket and dialed. "Hello?" he barked and rapidly gave out instructions.

Chloe lowered her gaze and blinked away the moisture gathering in her eyes, "I shouldn't have left her."

"I called security, someone will check the cameras and the rest will search for her."

"So we just wait here?" Chloe asked.

"No."

…..

Lucas slipped the phone into his pocket after talking to Zay to keep a look out for Stacy. His fist was poised to knock on the closed small boardroom but stopped at the sound of girly giggles.

"Why didn't you knock?"

"Listen," Lucas said, keeping his voice low. He nodded toward the door. "I think she's inside but she's not alone."

Stacy smiled at Riley. "I like playing with you."

"I like playing with you too." Riley replied.

"My mommy is always busy so I only play with Martha. Martha is my nanny. Do you play with your mommy?" Stacy asked.

"Sometimes my mommy plays with me but she also works so she gets busy too."

"That's too bad."

Drat. Now Stacy felt sorry for her.

"When I was five, my mommy and daddy had to go to work and I didn't want them to so they gave me a bear."

"A bear?"

"Yeah, a small brown bear. I called him Berry the Bear-Bear."

Stacy looked at her as if she's a crazy one.

"I was five okay?" Riley reminded the little girl. "Anyways," she continued, "I didn't like him at first because I wanted my mommy and daddy but as it turned out he's the bestest friend ever. I get to dress him up, bring him anywhere with me, tell him my secrets to and the best part? I get to be as crazy and goofy as I can be and he never ever make fun of me. He's kinda like Tammy here."

"So you didn't want your mommy anymore?"

Riley smiled gently at Stacy. "I will always want my mommy but since Berry the Bear-Bear was given to me by my mommy, it kinda felt like he's half my mommy."

"Mommy didn't give me Tammy. Uncle Luke did."

Riley had nothing to say to that.

"Do you think my mommy can get me a bear?"

"Not after that stunt you pulled young lady."

The stern voice caused Riley to face Chloe as she continued.

"Didn't I tell you to wait in my office? You got me and Uncle Lucas worried. And because we had to look for you I had to cancel my meeting today."

The little girl's lips fell into a pout, but she didn't say anything instead she tugged on Lucas' arm. "I'm sorry Uncle Luke." She whispered loudly. "Don't be mad."

Intrigued, Riley stood and leaned closer to Stacy.

Lucas bent down to meet Stacy on her level. "I'm not mad. We were worried. We didn't know where you were and if something bad happened to you."

"I'm sorry." Stacy held tight to her uncle's hand.

"You should also apologize to your mommy." Lucas reminded Stacy.

"I'm sorry mommy."

"This is unacceptable Stacy." Chloe reprimanded.

Tears were pooling in the child's green eyes. Riley's heart ached for her.

Lucas straightened. "Chloe, why don't you call the supplier and see if they still want to keep the meeting. I'll watch Stacy. Is that okay with you short stack?"

The child nodded solemnly.

"Good," Lucas said, smiling. "Go say bye to your mom."

"Bye Mommy."

…..

When Lucas walked inside the small meeting room, he did a double take. With her hair in the usual bun at her nape, and wearing a loose cardigan and a plain white blouse—not to mention her black frame glasses—she didn't look a thing like the sexy siren who'd posed in the photographs. She was once again their simple in house fashion designer.

Thank God.

"Uncle Luke, this is my new friend." Stacy let go of Lucas' hand and grabbed Riley's instead. "She played with me. She's very nice and I like her. A lot."

"Miss Matthews," he said stiffly. "Thank you for watching over Stacy."

Riley cast a furtive look at him, her color high. "I…of course," she murmured, looking relieved at any excuse to escape. "I should get back to work."

"It's really nice meeting you," Riley said to Stacy, smiling. "I had fun playing with you and Tammy."

"You're going?"

Riley stooped down in front of Stacy. "I have to go back and help my friend. Maybe next time you can come and visit then you and I can play again. But make sure you let someone know where you're going. Okay?"

"Uh-huh."

Riley gave Stacy a hug.

As Lucas watched Riley interact with his niece attraction thrummed through him, along with the unexpected urge to remove those glasses and kiss her senseless. Angry with himself, he quickly glanced away. "C'mon Stacy. Let Miss Riley go back to work."

"Bye, Riley."

…..

Once they reached Lucas' office, Stacy could only stare. "Wow. This is where you work?"

"Yep. It's cool, huh?"

"Very cool." Stacy answered.

"What do you want to do? Are you hungry?"

"Riley gave me a cookie. It was really good. She said she made it for her brother but she brought some for her friends to share."

"Oh?" It was very hard to dislike a woman who made his niece happy.

"Yep. Can I play with her again? She's very nice and funny. She's good at telling stories too."

Lucas frowned for a moment, his brow furrowed in concentration, then it cleared and he smiled. "Oh, and when she tells a story she uses different voices. My favorite is about Rileytown. She made me laugh. You should hear her."

"Oh?" He tried to pretend disinterest, but in truth he was fascinated to hear about Riley's interactions with Stacy.

"Yeah, and she can make cookies, pies and her favorite is chocolate cake! She promised me that when she bake a cake she will ask you to bring me some."

"It sounds like you have a lot of fun with Riley."

"We're best buds. Me and Tammy and Riley are a team. Riley says so. I like her a ton."

She suddenly gave Lucas a funny sidelong look he couldn't quite interpret. "Except I think maybe she's lonely."

Riley Matthews lonely?

Lucas couldn't even imagine it. Still, the conviction in his niece's voice set off warning bells. "Stacy, why do you say that? Did Riley tell you that?"

Stacy's big green eyes opened wide and she looked so genuinely startled at the question that Lucas knew he must be completely off the mark.

The little girl giggled. "No! I just know."

"How?" Lucas pressed.

"Because her best friends are going away."

"Going away? Where?"

Stacy shrugged. "I don't know. But she looked so sad so Tammy gave her a hug. Uncle Luke?"

"Yes, short stack?"

Her eyes glowed and she smiled, the first genuine, heartfelt smile she had ever given him. "Maybe you should also give Riley a hug since your hug always make me feel better."

sooo...what do you guys think? As promised this story will get updated at lease once a week. Enjoy reading!

Let me know your thoughts people :)