She took it out of his hand and held it between her fingers, taking stock of it as if she could open it like a book. "Do I get a computer to read it with?" She asked with a little attitude trying to mask her excitement, while her mind raced with possibilities of what was inside it. Apprehension took a far back seat as she considered the black USB.
Rio pulled a phone out of his pants pocket, a kind she wasn't familiar with, and a cable, picked the USB out of her hand and gave her the phone and cable.
"Is this one of your businesses?" She guessed, pointed her chin at the USB in his hand, and leaned against the desk. His silence didn't even bother her, her curiosity piqued at its contents as she searched for a slot in the phone to fit the USB cable in. Once she did he passed her back the USB. She plugged the other end of the cable into it and held the USB against the back of the phone.
The phone pinged. A little giddy at the sound she waited for a window to pop up on the screen. When this didn't happen she swiped through the various screens to find the file.
"It's not loading." She held the phone with the USB tucked behind it, out to him.
Smoothly he drew to her left. His hands on his sides she turned the screen slightly to him and waited for his instructions. Changing his mind seemingly he took hold of the phone, which was fine, but in doing so he grabbed her hand, covering it with his right one. Quick enough to pull away her right hand in time, her heart sank as she tried to make her left hand follow suit but met resistance as he tightened his hold.
"Can I-" she tried again to pull her hand away.
"Hold on a sec," he said with the same voice he'd used when he'd said the door was open when he'd crashed Kenny's birthday party, keeping his hand on hers, his eyes on the screen as he pressed a few buttons. He took a sharp breath and raised his face before tilting it downwards again.
He hadn't stood that close to her she thought, his shoulder parallel t hers, though he just had, hadn't he? Right when they'd stood outside her room and Rio was putting a jealous boyfriend front in front of Nathan. Her chest tightened but it was with a thrill at the prospect of being privy to another sliver of his business, she promised herself, as he navigated the screens.
She followed what he was pressing, helping distract her from the warm hand covering on hers. It was anticipating this that was allowing her to put aside that he was in her space again. It was a little awkward, the way he worked his way around her body, the way her arm was held against his chest so he could get a good look on the screen. He stood so close and the room was so quiet she could hear him breathing. His smell, that faint smell of aftershave and wood and something that just smelled of him, filled her senses, and by this point she couldn't get enough of it. Lean back, that stubborn voice whispered in her head say, no doubt responding to his touch.
The voice made way to an ebbing feeling of guilt. She was still married, she knew, as if that was supposed to stop her from feeling attracted to another man. As if it stopped her own husband from acting on his desires. A small flame burst behind her ribs at the memory of betrayal, but more than that it left her with sadness. Rio's breathes brought her back to the room and the mixture of excitement and discomfort as he stood beside her. To assuage the guilty pangs she again tried to slip her hand from under his. He tsked at her, not letting her go, his eyes never leaving the screen, sneaking his right hand through the space between her body and left arm. It was uncomfortable, but as she put weight on her left foot she found it easy to almost lean into him.
Finally a manual opened up and mercifully he gave her back the phone and stepped aside. That had been a first, she thought with heated cheeks as she scrolled down the page to its title, trying to make meaning of it. He hadn't held on to her like that before when it was just the two of them. She focused back on the document.
"I'm showcasing this tomorrow morning." He crossed his arms in front of her. "Think you can get through it?"
Beth glanced at the page count. On the top of the page. 1 out of 140.
"Enough to get the gist," He said.
"Yes." She scrolled down, her eyes glued to the screen.
"You lock this up when you're done," He pointed at the closet that housed a safe. "No leaving it around."
"I won't." She read through the first paragraph's summary and stopped. "An app that IDs plants?" She blinked back at the screen.
"Plants and insects. For now. You point at it and it tells you what it is." Rio gestured towards the phone. "One of the markets is emergency services, identify poisonous plants and whatnot. It ain't perfect, we got it in beta stage, but we got some prospects."
"That's incredible," she scrolled down. "Where was this when I was a kid?" She kept reading.
Not that her family had always been huge on nature or camping trips and the like, but with a curious sister and a personal desire to occasionally get away herself Beth had gotten into a few scraps. Or, more often, Annie. It would've been useful all the same.
It was a rhetorical question that she said more to herself than anyone. She wasn't expecting an answer. The air had changed, still, even though he hadn't responded. Feeling something being held between them she looked up as he turned his face away. She could've sworn he was biting back a smile.
He put his hands in his pockets. "If people ask you about it, you'll have something to say. Just, if someone starts talking about specifics, orders and whatnot, I deal with that."
She glanced down and back at him and took her finger off the scrolling button. "Thanks," she said.
After everything that had happened, he'd trusted her with this. A business. She didn't want to but couldn't help but feel touched. She weighed back down the feeling. This was business. It was another chance. She moved her position on the desk, keeping weight on her left foot and felt something nudge her. She was surprised at it, the feeling that she didn't want to disappoint him. That she wanted to do a good job. That wasn't the worst of it. It's that she'd felt like that before though, hasn't she?
"You're gonna get a pay cut because of this. A major pay cut."
Beth breathed. "I understand."
"One of them is out."
She shook her head. "What? What do you mean?"
"Your friend or your sister. Out."
Air left her chest and coldness replaced it. She stepped off the desk, her right foot punishing her. She squinted, ignoring the stab. "They didn't do this. I did."
"And it affects other people." He lifted his chin.
"Then keep it." She stepped forward, pushing the phone back at him.
He shook his head, his eyes on hers, and she could tell he saw this coming. Still, she tried.
"I'll not tell anyone. I'll do anything. Any job." Wouldn't that be better, it would keep Ruby clean. "They're in this with me."
A smile reached his lips but his features didn't soften. He shook his head. "It's what you got. I told you not to do something and you did it."
"I did it and your deal is back on," she said firmly. She wasn't even sure it was true, but by his features she sensed a subtle change. She wasn't wrong.
"Consequences," he held firm. "Your sister or your friend. Neither if you pull yourself out. It don't work that way."
He hadn't reached out for the phone and she held it between them, a boundary she couldn't see that she wasn't crossing standing between them. She held his eyes. She was the one that everyone relied on and she'd messed up and what was worse, is that it wouldn't affect her. It'd affect her sister or her best friend. Both of whom needed money badly.
Even if it was true that Ruby had already strongly voiced she didn't want to take part in activity that'd get her in trouble, Beth knew her. Knew that she was going to do anything to get her daughter healthy again, knew the details about how care would be ongoing. She understood it because she would do the same. Done work to keep her children housed and fed. How could she choose between either of them? Her sister and her best friend.
She couldn't quit. The question of how she was supposed to concentrate was pushed aside. He wanted her to take responsibility for something that ended up helping him. If she left now, she'd have no chance. She'd simply have to change his mind. That mantra of taking a step at a time, a step at a time. She'd just keep doing what she's been doing.
Once he left, she continued reading. She made herself lie back on the bed, her injured leg on two pillows, icing her swelling. She had a lot to catch up on. Rio hadn't told her when she'd need to use this information. For all she knew he'd be knocking on her door in minutes and tell her it was time to test her. It was impressive, what he'd (they? He'd mentioned it was 'we') worked on. When the details got technical she scanned past, deciding to focus on understanding the logistics she could, to understand the basics enough, Rio's words echoing in the back of her mind.
Rio had said something about dinner before he'd left. In an hour. She knew she was risking it lying down and her eyelids did grow heavy. She sat against the pillows, forcing herself to get through a few more pages, and she closed her eyes telling her it'll just be a moment, just a moment. Karin's words had crossed her mind and she'd shoved them aside, done it since she'd gotten on the boat, and that alone was tiring her.
She opened her eyes. She'd lied down for a minute before dinner with the plan of resting her eyes. A moment later when her eyes blinked open she saw she'd fallen asleep and that a full twenty minutes had passed. She'd be on time if she was ready right now. But so much had happened that day it was no surprise she'd crashed like this.
On cue, her phone rang.
"Hello," She answered the blocked number, guessing about the caller.
"Ready?"
She stretched her back, stiff from falling asleep in her position, and she groaned into this phone before she could stop.
"So no."
She shut her eyes, displeased and embarrassed he'd heard that. It's her injury. She'd never relax enough around him for – and she squeezed her eyes. "I'll be ready in ten minutes."
Certain he'd be there in that time she started getting ready, mentally marking the steps she'd need to take. With slower movements she was able to wash her face and even apply a little makeup before fitting in her dress, actually finding a shade that matched a little the cane she had with her. And sure enough, ten minutes later Rio was at the door. She smiled at him, unable to ignore that he looked good. Dressed a little more formally than usual with the similar dark clothes he was used to.
She'd find a way, she silently promised to Ruby and Annie as she locked the door behind her, ignoring that he chose to stand close to her despite having the entire hallway. She turned and had to back to the door, instinctively wanting to put space between them.
"What?" She asked him.
He gave her a small smile and shook his head, stepping back and turned towards the hallway. She lowered her gaze to her dress, trying to see if something was out of place.
"You coming?" He turned back to her.
She stepped beside him, putting her weight on her cane. She didn't love to use it, but if it meant it'd keep the swelling in her foot down…
"You look good," He said, taking a glimpse at her.
"Thanks," she said automatically. That's what his gaze was about? He had complimented her before, on this very trip in fact, but she had the feeling he was trying to distract her. Take off her mind from what he'd told her. She wasn't going to let him do that. But she'd take a compliment. She did look good.
"Nice looking too," she glimpsed at him. "Outfit," she clarified, nodding at his clothes, lying through her teeth. Her eyes met his as he laughed.
Rio quizzed her on the device on their way to the dining room, one of his first questions if she'd locked it away (she had), seeming pleased that she had been able to retain some of what she'd read to memory.
"So I shouldn't feel bad you fell asleep while you read it," he sat down in front of her. While the dining room was full they'd been able to find a spot, a few familiar faces nodding at them as they'd walked in.
"Oh, you should. That was exactly the reason. Thank you," She chose to tease him, taking a menu from the waiter showing the options for the meal.
"When is it going to happen?" Beth asked.
"What?" Rio asked, and Beth ignored his mocking expression.
"What made you walk out in a hurry after I handed you what I did," Beth said, keeping her words vague.
Rio didn't answer for a moment. Beth sat back patiently. As seconds passed and he didn't budge she looked away.
"Fine," she was too hungry and tired to deal with him right now anyway. "Can you tell me how long tonight's going to be?"
"No party tonight, sweetheart. Just thought you'd be hungry."
Beth gave him a tight smile as she grabbed her glass and drank. "So where's the showcase tomorrow?" Her eyes fell on Rio, appearing uncharacteristically distracted.
"What's he staring at you for?"
Since he didn't bother going into more detail, Beth tried to follow his gaze. Her stomach warmed at the friendly face across the room.
"Nathan?" She turned to Rio, surprised, and at his stern features thought, not this again. "Just saying hi." She smiled at him before shrugging her shoulders at Rio. She put her fingers around her glass, feeling a shot of courage. "Don't worry. I'm here with you."
Rio raised his eyebrows a little, catching himself, nearly pouting at her. Something about it tore flames through her. "He made it sound like you were friends," she said, quickly changing topics.
"Yeah, he ain't being so helpful recently."
Internally Beth was perking up as her shoulders still sagged a little on her chair.
"Maybe used it all up on you." Rio said, taking a drink.
He had no idea, Beth thought.
"I'm sure you'll figure out how to get what you need," she said earnestly.
"Not when a guy decides to go MIA and the only way to get through him is the Chinese Wall."
"What'd he say when you asked him?"
"Nothing I could use."
Nathan kept chatting with a small group. Beth finished drinking from her glass and held it in her hand.
"Elizabeth," Rio said, his tone lined with caution.
"Don't eat all the appetizers." She said simply, getting up, and setting the glass down. If he was going to stop her, he was going to have to physically hold her back.
It was possible that he was saying something else but she'd stepped away already. Normally she'd feel less self conscious, her steps more graceful without the need of her cane, but she held herself as if she was walking on the softest surface with a purpose.
"Alanna," Nathan smiled at her.
"Hi," Beth nodded at him and his companions. "Could I steal this guy from you?" She asked, settling her smile on Nathan.
"Don't tell me that you came up here to ask me to dance?" Nathan teased as they stepped aside.
Beth had noticed a few pairs on the sides, laughing as they made a corner their dancing floor.
"I think I have to eat first." She said with a small laugh.
"Sorry, it's not a good idea with your foot."
"I just thought I'd get a third opinion on that injury of mine," she smiled, chatting Nathan up.
A few minutes later she glimpsed around the room, hoping not to find Rio walking behind her, losing his patience. It wasn't quite the case when her eyes fell on him at their table. A voluptuous, pretty woman had sidled up to Rio's side. A woman distinctively different from the one she'd seen him with the night before. That possessive twinge, again, she thought with disappointment. The same she'd felt when she saw him talking with a different woman the night before. It's OK, she comforted herself, extinguishing it, returning easily to her conversation with Nathan.
"Well, I believe you. Maybe I could have just one dance?" She asked demurely.
"OK. If you're sure," Nathan said.
Beth put her cane against the nearby wall. "What could one dance hurt?"
Nursing a slightly more sore foot and a dance later, Beth returned to her and Rio's table, ready to take some weight off her foot.
"You'll need to be ready tomorrow morning at 8 AM. I'll send someone to pick you up," Rio said.
Both options of appetizers were on the table, surprisingly seeming to be mostly untouched. He'd chosen both options like she'd expected.
"I can take a cab."
"This is quicker."
She bit into her meat, choosing not to argue. She wouldn't have expected that the catering onboard would've been this tasty but she'd been impressed.
"Who's going to be the audience tomorrow?" She asked again.
"You gonna tell me what he told you?"
"Yes. I just want to know what to expect bright and early tomorrow first," she said.
Rio licked the insides of his mouth and shook his head, before giving her a few backbone details about tomorrow's expo.
When it was clear he wasn't going to share more info he held his fork in place.
She tried to mimic his signature innocent expression, but at the annoyance in his features it turned into a firmer, blank expression. She took a drink before she spoke. "He didn't give me a number."
Rio shook his head. "So what was that long talk about?"
If it was anyone else, Beth was sure she'd be right in suspecting something else was under Rio's dismissive tone. But he had let her go despite what had happened.
"Some people just want someone to listen." Beth took a bite of her food. "I didn't tell him anything." She said earnestly. If what she said worked, it would. If not, well, it wouldn't turn the deal back.
She couldn't fault him for not trusting her, and that's what she felt he was saying with his expression. It was only surprising he wasn't saying it out loud. She had been telling the truth. She shared nothing with Nathan, not even the name of the man who Rio was trying to reach, and not only because Rio hadn't shared it. Nathan had guessed it all the same.
Moving on, she shared a few pieces of her beef, dropping a few pieces of it on his plate after he'd cut a piece of his chicken and passed it to her. They'd kept the conversation mostly to business, Beth asking questions about the device she'd learned about, a strange backdrop to the stranger hint of intimacy of their actions. It didn't mean anything, Beth waved the thought away. She was doing business, Rio sharing the history of how the product came about. And she wanted a bit of chicken. Big deal.
And if she noticed during dinner the same woman sneaking glances at Rio a few tables beside them she ignored it. Let her look. This was just temporary anyway, this set up, she reminded herself for the umpteenth time, and she wasn't going to be bated to comment about it like anything about this was more than it was. There was no crime in looking anyway, she knew, resisting a weird urge to put her hand on Rio's as if staking her claim.
"I told you, I don't want that," he said when she tried to pass him some truffles.
And if in talking about how the product came up she learned tiny details about him along the way (he'd moved apartments at some point when the product was just plans, and changed partners when it was time to chip the idea to investors), it was again, just beneficial for her to know. Practical.
"At least try one." She brought her fork back to his plate.
Holding his own fork, he shook his head. "Uh uh. I ain't touching that. Mushrooms." He reminded her.
Yes, how could she forget the comment he'd made when Christopher and his boyfriend were caught up in conversation. "Sure, but have you ever tried truffles?" She brought the fork to her mouth.
He just stared at her so she knew it was a no. She finished chewing.
"I tried your pancakes." She said, ignoring his "that's not the same" stare. "What happened to trying new things?" She asked, realizing she was mimicking his faux innocent tone, as she stabbed a few truffles.
He stared at her and she stared back, waiting him out, her fork raised above her plate.
"All right," he said without moving his eyes off her.
Wasting no time, she slid her knife over her fork above his plate, leaving the truffles like petals on an offering plate.
Popping and crackling sounds came from the windows, followed by flashing of lights. A few heads turned along with Beth's and then exchanged looks with each other.
Beth turned back to find Rio chewing, the truffles gone from his plate. "How was it?"
"No good," he said, picking another piece off her plate with his fork.
At some point during dinner she'd given him permission to take something directly off her plate, and later she'd taken the liberty to do the same. And here they were.
She laughed, looking over small groups of people leaving.
"You wanna go?" He asked, sipping on his drink.
"Yeah," she smiled. He got up and started walking, not before grabbing another piece with his fingers. "Not so bad, are they?" She asked.
"I can't believe you made me try fungus." He licked his thumb.
"Oh, be quiet."
She smiled as they walked out of the dining room. It dawned on her as they turned the hallway that as she'd started walking away from the table she'd held out her hand to him and he'd taken it. It felt too late to drop it now, as if it draw more attention to what she'd done. Outside trails of sparkling lights drew zig zags and dotted sparks across the sky. It wasn't as crowded as she'd expected but still, a small gathering filled the deck around them.
"That's beautiful," Beth said as her eyes drew over the sky. Apart from Jane, all her kids loved fireworks. The family had made a habit of going out to watch them each Fourth of July. She shifted on her leg a little and felt his eyes on her, catching a glimpse of her leaning on her cane.
"I'm OK," she answered a question he didn't ask and glanced back up at the sky. Truth was she was balancing her good leg and her cane and was regretting just a little standing outside even though she truly wanted to enjoy the fireworks. A few more minutes wouldn't matter, she was sure as she enjoyed the sky light up in front of her. There was something special about watching fireworks out on a lake. It took her back to more than one happy memory.
On her periphery she saw Rio glance to the side before he stepped behind her, leaving a tiny space between them. She stiffened as his arms went around and closed on her waist and he pulled her against his chest.
She held her protests in the last second, reminding herself of the small crowd surrounding them. She could just barely recognize a couple of faces, their attentions fully on the each other or the sights above.
Rio leaned his head against her ear. "To your right."
She discretely turned her head to find Christopher and his boyfriend gazing at the sky.
"It's OK. I got you," He said and while she heard the teasing in his voice she eased a little into him. Her eyes returned to the fireworks but the awe that she felt before was muffled, mixed with something else. Just one of many momentary distractions, she reminded herself. Fleeting, momentary distractions. Lights continued flickering and dancing above her but her thoughts drew back to the man behind her He was touching her hair, putting his fingers through it, and well – it felt as good as the first time he did it and she could enjoy it. That is, she couldn't be blamed for enjoying it just a little.
She leaned back against him, giving in, putting her weight against him and off her foot. She set the cane against her leg.
"You good?" He asked.
"Yeah." She wasn't sure she could get used to caring Rio, having just recently caught a glimpse of it when he was crouched down in front of her. Not when he was directing it to her anyway. "I'll be OK."
It was nice. It felt nice, standing against him, her weight off her foot, even if she couldn't feel completely comfortable, couldn't completely let go, and she tried not to think about anything beyond that.
"Rio, we were looking for you." Christopher spoke over the crackle of the fireworks. She hadn't even heard him walk up.
"Just taking a break." Rio said. His chest hummed as he spoke and despite her resolve the sensation soothed her. It was bewildering how exciting – or intimidating – or pacifying his presence could be, and sometimes eliciting multiple of these responses at the same time.
"We caught up with Dex. He's in."
"Good." Rio said and rested his cheek on the back of Beth's head.
Christopher and Rio exchanged a few more lines about logistics that were hard for Beth to hear over the clash and pop of the fireworks. They'd clearly done these deals before and, like the first night they'd had dinner together, spoke in half sentences and coded words. She did catch Christopher agreeing to meet at Rio's suite later.
It wasn't said explicitly but she had a feeling it was the deal they were chatting about. Did it help, she wondered, playing nice with Nathan? That was really all she did. Yes, it had to be, she thought, not realizing she was responding to Rio's posture easing a little. The deal was moving forward again, and she breathed easier, her limbs loosening as Christopher walked back across the deck, forgetting the tension she felt at being held by the man behind her. With Christopher gone, her attention returned to the sky. Clouds of smoke remained from the colorful streams and people laughed and chatted around them and their silence. She turned on her feet, wishing briefly he won't let go, wanting the moment to last a little longer. Only then did she become aware her hand had migrated to lie on top of Rio's, her fingers tracing a path across the back of his hand. The hell with it, she pushed on, not stopping for a moment the motion.
She quickly grew self-conscious, despite her intentions, her eyes not even paying attention to the fireworks above them, catching them too late. She was going with the moment but it was just something she'd have to soon put behind and it was better not to start anything. Her hand slowly slowed down its movement into a halt.
"Don't stop," He spoke so quietly that for a second she was sure she imagined it. She hadn't. Her body had responded to it. It was like his words burned through her. What she'd to spin around and reach up to him and try to douse some water over the fire. To give in. Her chest ached at the need. She closed her eyes. What was happening to her? She couldn't feel this. This didn't make sense. She was letting herself caught up in a moment that she knew better than to believe was real. His hand went over hers. Again, she closed her eyes briefly, her hand moving again, caressing his softly. She breathed, not hearing waves nor fireworks. Let her just enjoy a moment. Just a short moment.
"I'm sorry I didn't get to dance with you," she said, unsure where that came from. But it had probably spurred on by what he'd just said. When he didn't say anything she chastised herself – what was she doing? What was she saying that for, what was the point in saying anything?
"You seemed to be having a good time."
She nearly scoffed, looked to the side. Men. "I was doing a job." She glanced at him. "You seemed to be doing OK on your own." She looked down at their hands, not enjoying how her words made her sound.
"Talking to someone ain't the same as dancing."
Sure, cause clearly that's all the woman seemed to want to do. Or even him from how he was smiling at her... She wasn't going to take it there, needing to keep some semblance of pride. Focused on her thoughts, she missed the biting edge in his words, sharper than the opportunity reasonably called for.
It wasn't just her who was a little distracted when she'd talked to Nathan. She noticed between their exchanges Rio's eyes checking in on them, would go so far as say he was himself distracted from the woman who was smiling at him. Rio's guarded expression made absolute sense. Somehow she expected trust would just not come easy for them which made a - business partnership - harder to navigate. But that's what she was here for.
"What did you promise him?" He asked. "Last I checked I haven't paid you yet."
Beth nearly huffed. But he was right. She would've tried to buy a favor in a moment.
"I need to know."
"I didn't promise him anything," she said. When she felt his grip tighten a little she looked back at him. "He likes to feel needed. I just knew how to approach him." She turned her face forward again.
Rio's arms loosened just a little. Beth looked beyond them at her cane.
"Did he tell you how long you'll have that for?" He asked.
Beth shook her head, biting a sentence about needing to get off her foot soon. It didn't matter, didn't matter at all why she chose not to say it. "Maybe I should get used to it. Who knows how soon I'll need it," she said, meaning as a joke, but another layer hid underneath. She knew she was older than him. He knew it. Granted the risks of something terrible happening to him were very real in his line of work – and that she didn't want to think about. But she had about it, hadn't she? Fleetingly, even if it had made no sense to.
A little alarmed at how her comment may be taken she hoped he wouldn't respond dismissively, then wished he'd tease her when he still didn't speak. Finally, she felt relief at his silence, breathing out, letting her comment go, choosing to enjoy the moment.
"I don't care about that." He said softly.
Her shoulders stiffened and she tilted her face to his. He looked straight ahead, but turned his face to her and she turned hers away. It wasn't just her imagination – she couldn't just imagine it. She couldn't imagine what he was saying. Could she?
"I gotta go," He breathed out, pulling himself away from her.
She nodded, thinking over the voices around them, "Be safe."
"Sounds like you'll have another late night," She hugged herself, feeling the cool air now that he wasn't holding her anymore.
"I gotta clear out my room too," Rio said. "Boss man's running a couple of meetings at the same time. It's cool. It's nice out here," He looked up. "A good spot to chill."
In fairly mild weather like this the outdoors was no doubt inviting. She was grateful that she wasn't the one kicked out of her room as she watched him walk away. Something shifted.
"Wait," she called after him.
Rio leaned closer when he didn't hear what she said.
"If you need a place to stay—" She pushed a few strands of hair from her face. "I can share."
He raised his eyebrows. "Yeah?" He asked.
She breathed."I trust you." She mustered in as strong voice as she could. And she did, didn't she? Maybe not completely, but with that, she did.
He didn't reply, only a hint of surprise showing in his face before he turned away again. She meandered to the edge of the stern and gazed at the water, brushing her hands against her arms. The cane set beside her reminding her it'd be better for her to get off her feet soon.
The fireworks gone, she remembered how, when she'd gotten to watch fireworks on the beach, her eyes would travel to the water to watch them reflect and oscillate over gentle waves. She tried to remember the last time that she'd done it. That she'd gotten lost between lights.
Hard to believe that less than twelve hours ago she'd said something different right to his face. Only that morning she'd been the one to ask that he not stay in her room. Which had been what, not much more than twelve hours ago. She wouldn't have been able to imagine the rollercoaster that she'd get on. No matter. She looked down at the water. She was just doing a favor. A friendly favor. It's not like she invited him to snuggle in bed with her. Or- no.
It wasn't even about endearing him to change his mind on what he'd told her earlier. But well – it wouldn't hurt to help him out. She glanced at the time on her phone. It was too late to call her kids, but maybe she could see if Ruby or Annie was up. She wanted to talk to someone and chat about anything – just not the man who had left her side a few minutes ago.
"It's good to see you on your feet." Karin said.
Beth turned her face to Karin who'd stepped up beside her. She crossed her arms on the ledge. "More or less in one piece. You're all right too?"
"I'll be OK." Karin glanced at Beth's cane.
"I'm all out of favors so I hope that's not why you're here," Beth said, not unkindly, if unfairly. She'd gone against her and Karin's deal and since had blocked out the reality of Karin's threats.
"I come in peace." Karin raised her palms. "But if that was your apology, I'd give it another try."
It won't stop her from telling her business to people in town, Beth figured, but she thought better of goading her.
"I had to do what I needed to protect my own," Beth said, echoing Karin's words that she'd said during the party. At least she could appreciate that. And if she was going to do what she'd threatened and tell on her, Beth would just have to deal with that. She'd put up a fight but she didn't have anything else to give Karin in an attempt to play nice.
"Here I was sure money could come between you. That that small tear I could be picked at," Karin shook her head. "Your boyfriend made sure that I was gone the second that he got there. It'll be a while before I forget the expression on his face when he found you. It looked like he was going to tear the whole place down."
It took Beth a second to realize that boyfriend meant Rio.
She looked at into the waves. "By the time I woke up the person he was angry with was me," She couldn't imagine Rio responding so strongly to her injury, settling on the comment Karin made about a small tear between her and Rio. To say an understatement.
"The heart wants what it wants." Karin said matter of factly. The waves hit the ship, soothing it. "You scared him."
That Beth quite doubted and she stopped herself from making a face. Rio was angry that she betrayed him. Again, she thought with a hint of self righteous guilt, reminding herself she did what she needed to. Who wouldn't choose their children in that moment? In the last moment she took something she beleived would give her and Rio an advantage just in case the exchange went to hell, but that too was in part to protect herself. This was about business.
And all right, she conceded, there was a tiny worry in his expression when she woke up. But that only underlined her point that they were in business. You wouldn't want someone in business to be unable to do his job.
"Look, I found you because I have a proposition." Karin turned her body to face Beth. "Not a favor." She raised her hand as Beth opened her mouth. "I know how the people we care about drive us to make hard choices. I came between a woman and her man, I guess I should've known better." She clasped her hands in front of her. "I got a business. Property management. All legitimate. And expanding."
Beth waited for her to continue and shook her head quickly, confused, when Karin didn't.
"You made a choice today," Karin said. "You took a risk to try and make a deal work to the advantage of who you work with. That's something I can put aside, or I can use." She leaned forward. "And this time you won't be competing with him."
Something in Beth's mind clicked. "After everything, you'd actually consider hiring me?"
"Not every woman would take the risks that you took going that day. It's something I could use. Take some time to think about it. You don't have to make the choice now."
There it was, an out that she needed. Legitimate work. The question of course was too, could she trust Karin after everything?
"Birmingham Properties. I'm sure you'll do your homework." Karin said. "If you want, you can look at our books."
Beth tried to search her memory for the name. Even though she had a longtime experience been a property owner, had Annie ever rented from them in the past?
"It means you'd leave Detroit. Our main office is in Ann Arbor. It's not far, about an hour away. But I doubt that'd come between you two."
That would certainly not be Beth's worry, and the idea was set aside as her brain whirled with the information.
"I didn't expect you to do this," Beth said honestly.
"Why destroy," Karin leaned against the ledge and glanced at Beth's cane again. "I meant it when I said we need to help each other."
"A lot of people need help."
"Yes," Karin. But she wasn't making this offer to them, went unsaid.
"It probably helped that the – group got what they needed," Beth said, thinking of how the man had bolted with the documents.
Karin nodded. "Missing something but it got smoothed out." She raised her eyebrows.
"Tell me something," Beth said, not missing the tone she heard Karin use when she spoke about Rio. "How are you different from him, if he mixes legal and illegal work?"
Karin waved her head. "Love isn't mixed up in this," she motioned at herself, "So I expect it won't get difficult. I made it easier for you – I'll only ask you to do legal work. Can Rio promise you the same?"
Once Karin left, Beth lifted her foot as she put her weight on her arms, listening to the waves.
Would she be willing to move her family? Say goodbye from the town she grew up, from her sister and Ruby? And Dean of course. If she were honest with herself, she could see him relocating as well if it were the case. She couldn't see Annie and Ruby not living in the same city as hers either, though the idea was preposteros. Their lives were squarely in Detroit. As for Dean, she didn't want to take him away from his kids. She expected you could sell cars anywhere but he'd naturally have to be consulted.
This could work for Rio. If she was leaving, he'd have no choice to take on Ruby and Annie. If he even considered keeping her on the pay roll there wasn't a difference between what he saw in her and the benefits he saw in having Ruby and Annie working for him. He couldn't be that petty if there was no way she could work for him. It couldn't work better.
No, she couldn't quite believe she was honestly considering this plan. In the past she hadn't entertained moving anywhere. It had never been practical if anything with Dean's business tying them to Detroit, beyond the fact that her community was where she'd grown up. But at the bitter memories still in her mouth over what had gone down in the last months, some of which had gone on well before she found out, well, the idea of starting somewhere new and turning a new leaf certainly had a draw as well. Ruby and Annie flashed in her mind.
This wouldn't be a decision she'd make tonight. In fact she found it hard to believe she was actually considering it without tossing it aside immediately. If trust was a challenge with Rio it meant something altogether different with Karin. Of course she'd research it further and what broke her heart a little was even the disappointment it would be completely legitimiate work. She gazed upwards. Something was wrong with her.
For her family. For her sanity, she reminded herself, the wind carressing her arms comfortingly, making her think-
It'd take more than one night to sleep on it - not to mention talking with Ruby and Annie - but it was a start. She breathed in the air, giving her a little longer to enjoy it.
It had been a good several hours. Several hours of negotiations and meetings. Not all of them were productive but that was part of this too. If someone had told him how much waiting went around some of these dealings he'd – he'd probably still be doing this but man, the time it took some people to make decisions, the consultations that went into it. The egos. Maybe his too, but he couldn't dwell on that.
It wasn't clear what he preferred, the legal or off the books work. Probably the one that gave him the most profit. Illicit affairs seemed to promise a quicker bump even if it came at a risk to his freedom. But he was always careful no matter what he was dealing with. That's one reason his bosses invested in top lawyers.
Somewhere in between the second and third meetign he'd made a call to his mom to check on his dad. They weren't very close but he still checked in on them often, especially since his dad started complaining about pain in his hips that wasn't going away. Dozens of tests later it was still unclear what was going on. He'd researched doctors and specialists and his dad had a follow up coming up next week. He was thinking of going with him. He wasn't sure his parents always asked the right questions.
He didn't expect his late meeting with Christopher to take so long, but he also didn't think that this weekend's deal would take so much back and forth. That and trying to run a couple of other things at the same time. He usually didn't stretch himself thin like this but it was hard to say no to a good opportunity and some seemed to come up now. A lot of times conversations broke down anyway so it was worth trying to hustle when it happened.
Then, of course, there was clean up after Beth's stunt which cost him time from other tasks, a fact he was not happy about. If she was actually hoping to work for him again this wasn't the way she'd get there. Still, he couldn't not admire her spunk, as he admitted to himself that what she'd done was something he'd tried when he was first in the business. Couldn't get anywhere if you didn't take a few risks. That was before he recognized a smarter way to makes moves to get ahead.
He could never say that to her. Didn't need to encourage that way of thinking. She was cocky enough, not recognizing just how much who she was, what she she was, color protected her. Despite that, she'd impressed him with the risk she took.
Amy was walking beside him, a woman he'd chatted with the night before. They'd bumped into each other again as he strolled on the deck, taking a breather.
"Did you expect to be working this late?" She asked him.
"No." He shook his head. "It was supposed to be over hours ago. Sometimes you got these nights too."
"Hard to do that on a nice night like this."
"Sometimes." He put his hands in his pockets.
"I got 20 people I'm responsible for," she said. "I know sometimes it's good to take a break."
He rubbed his chin and nodded.
"It'd be nice if we could keep this night going," she said, slowing down her steps, eyeing him with sultry eyes.
"I know," he said with a smile. "Any other night, I'd say yes."
"I'm sure," she looked him up and down. "It was real nice bumping into you," she tilted her head. "Again."
"You too." Rio flirted back.
"And you sure that you don't want to come by?" She stretched her round body and he could see his fingers touching her.
"Nah," he weaved silk into his tone to soften his rejection. "I got someone waiting for me."
She pouted and he smiled. "If you change your mind," she put her hand on his arm. "I'm in 305."
She gave him a lingering hug. He looked after her as she strutted away. Pretty Amy. She loved a challenge as much as he did. He gave her one last look before he changed directions for his cabin. He still had work to do. He always had some work to do. He glanced at his phone as he paced down the hallway.
Usually he could take a bit of time off, could unwind a little, even on a business trip. But not this time. Too many conversations were happening at the same time. Too many negotiations. He turned a corner and another.
It was addictive, the feeling of being in charge, knowing other people counted on him. He was there for his family, for his employees. Knowing he was needed. As much as it was exhausting. She was right. He turned back. He couldn't tell her that. Not in that moment. Not ever. But he knew very well what it was like to be the one who has to make the smart decision. Just sometimes it wasn't clear what that decision was.
His mind cleared with a reminder. He'd almost forgotten a new meeting that had crept up last minute. The time indicated he wasn't in a huge hurry, he could still make a few calls, maybe- No. He needed a second. Maybe he'd take a shower first to recharge. His boss didn't need his place quite yet.
He stopped at the door. He had reached her cabin. How'd he get here? He knocked on the door before he could change his mind. No answer. Hm.
Didn't he already tell himself that he needed a minute? He'd worked without barely a break over the last week and it had been a meeting after a meeting these past two days. Yeah, this wasn't what he planned, to end up outside her door – but he was already here. Pushed forward – or was it pulled? It was hard to tell with her. But—
She'd invited him over but she hadn't given him a key. What if he – he turned the doorknob and light from the hallway spilled on the carpet in her room. He pushed the door open with his palm. He exhaled, half in anticipation, half in resignation.
This woman really had to learn to lock her doors.
A/N
I'm so bad.
Guest: Thank you! I'm happy to hear that. I hope you enjoy this chapter. :)
******** Spoiler for next chapter below, skip if you don't want to know. ********
***** Spoiler ******
***** Spoiler ******
***** Spoiler ******
**** Last chance ****
******* This fic is rated T. With the timeline and tone of this story I felt it'd be too soon for Beth and Rio to get it on. Still think next ch will be good and hope this doesn't stop you from continuing to read. Upated - 18/8/19 Fic updated to M to be safe but it's not for smut ********