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ChapterFour
“Mom,” Rose complained, trying to interrupt the steady stream of chatter Annabel DuLoe had kept up ever since Rose had answered the phone twenty minutes ago. She blew out an annoyed breath as her mom rambled on about thenice young manshe’d gone on a date with two nights ago and Rose was close to pulling her hair out. Conversations with her mother were always the same: Rose being spoken at and over for the majority of the time and then grilled incessantly towards the end of the conversation about her love life, her job, and whatever else her mother could think up. It was why she normally checked who was calling before she answered, but she’d been distracted this morning.
“Pleasetell me you are tapping that fine piece of interior design ass.” Maia’s voice cut through her mother’s rambling and Rose looked up sharply from her perch at the breakfast bar to the large TV that Maia was watching across the room.
David Blake’s wide grin took up most of the screen as the paparazzi grilled him outside of his estate. The topic of conversation? Her. “What was the nature of your meeting with Ms. DuLoe yesterday, David?”
Rose opened her mouth for a denial once her friend’s words sank in, but Maia shook her head. “Uh-uh, it iseverywhereright now that you strolled into his house. Thatsuit! Thathair! God, I fuckingdied,Ro. It was like art. No – poetry! In motion!”
She couldn’t help the laugh that escaped her as she strode over and wrapped Maia in a hug while her mom chattered away, not realizing her daughter’s attention was elsewhere. Thank god the photographers seemed to have lost interest in her quickly and not captured her awkward walk up Blake’s driveway.
Maia grinned and her teeth were a perfect white against her dark skin. “For real, what is going on with you and Blake? You could tell me about the horrible blind date Sam set up, but youconvenientlyleave out these deets?”
Just then Blake’s voice caught her attention. His voice was deep and might even have been relaxing if it wasn’t accompanied by his smug face and hateful personality. “Well, you know me, gentleman. I don’t kiss and tell.” Then he winked.Winked.Like a damn Bond villain or something, and she could feel her molars grinding as she thought about the fervor his words were undoubtedly going to ignite among the press.Fuck.Next thing they knew, she and Blake were going to have a ship name. There was no way she was going to let herself –letthem– become DuBlake. No way.
“Mom, I’m going to have to call you back,” Rose cut off the call in the midst of her mother’s squawking protests, and Maia let out a low whistle as she saw the expression on her face. “Thatbastard.”
Maia settled back against the sofa and sighed. “You’ve got some explaining to do, girl.”
“There’s nothing to say! It’s justhimtrying to piss me off. He knows I can’t stand it when the press butts into my life.” Rose spun towards the door as someone knocked and thanked the security guard standing at the door holding a large bouquet of pink roses as she took them inside and checked the note.I liked you better in pink.Was Blake for real? Why on Earth would he – Rose glanced back at the TV and fought back a growl. David fucking Blake got on every single one of her nerves. Riling her up was one thing, but riling up the press to piss her off on his behalf?
Maia stood and peeked at the note over her shoulder, snorting as Rose crumpled it up. “Nothing to say, huh?”
“Nothing! I don’t care if David Blake likes me better in gods-damned pink! His opinion means nothing to me. He’s an arrogant, pig-headed, cocky–”
“Gorgeous,” Maia cut in as she sat back down again, and Rose glared as she threw the flowers in the trash. God, if the press got wind of those… Generally she could trust the staff atThe Hartto be discreet, but it only took one slip-up and she would be the talk of the town. Not that it would make much difference if Blake kept up with those interviews.
“Nothing happened between us, and nothing ever will. He’s just riling the press up because he knows it’ll piss me off.” Rose folded her arms across her chest as she scowled at the handsome face on the TV, annoyed that he knew her well enough to know what buttons to push. Already there was a sub-headline running beneath his chin that questioned whether the Blakes and DuLoes might be about toformally unite– wow, they’d blown right past dating and headed straight for marriage.Over my dead body would I ever marry David Blake.
Knowing Maia was going to need more information than that, Rose flopped down onto the sofa next to her friend and groaned. “My parents have got me working a job with him, that’s all. If you’re free, I was hoping you could be my consult for the décor?”
Maia clapped her hands together as she jumped up and down on the seat in a show of excitement that had her bright red gauzy scarf drifting about in the air. “Hellyes! That sounds amazing!”
Possibly her favorite thing about Maia was her unending enthusiasm. She was the kind of person who always wanted to try new things and make the most of everything. She was also one of the most fashionable people Rose knew. It was what made her such an excellent designer, both interior and otherwise.
“God, this would be perfect. Maybe he’ll let me consult forHorizonsif I do a good job.”
Rose blinked in surprise. “Horizons? I had no idea you were even interested in working there. I thought they designed office spaces?”
Maia shrugged. “They do a lot of different work, but even their office spaces are ridiculously chic, Ro. They’re not exactly gray cubicles and fake plants. We’re talking designer CEO suites.”
“Huh.” She’d honestly had no idea what Blake’s company did despite the quick research she’d done a few nights ago. In the past, she’d made it a general rule to ignore any articles or mentions of her childhood enemy. “Why didn’t you mention this to me sooner? You know I can set that up easily for you. You’re practically family.”
Maia smiled but rolled her eyes. “I know, Rose, and as much as I love you, I just wanted to do this by myself. I know that me consulting on this is because of you, but if he likes my work and offers me a job? That’s because he likes whatIcan do.”
Rose nodded slowly and settled back down in the soft material of the gray couch. “Yeah, okay, I get that. Really, I do. But you know if you ever need anything, you can tell me, right?”
Maia grinned and stopped bouncing, settling down next to her, dark curls springing in every direction at the sudden movement. “Yeah, I know. Thanks. I mean it.”
It went silent, and Rose squealed and threw her arms around Maia. “I still can’t believe you’re finally back! We have so much to catch up on.”
Maia grinned. “I know, we’ve got like, three episodes ofKUWTKstill to watch,andI haven’t even really told you much about Thierre yet.”
Rose gasped. Maia only ever told her about the guys she considered serious. For the longest time, Rose had been pretty sure there was something between Maia and Callum, Rose’s cousin, but Maia’d never mentioned it, and Rose knew better than to pry. If Maia wanted Rose to know something, she’d tell her. “I want details! Is he tall? Is he gorgeous? Well, of course he is if he’s dating you. I bet he’s model-pretty.”
Maia laughed with her head tipped back. She could easily have been a model herself what with her height and bone structure. Plus, Maia was effortlessly stylish in a way that Rose sometimes envied but mostly utilized. There was nobody else’s fashion advice Rose would place higher. “Right on all counts. He’s 6’5, dreamy, and he works for a Parisian design company. He flew back with me to meet up with some high-brow client of his or something.”
“Cute, you sound like you’re already picturing your arty babies.”
