see.”
“A lack of willpower isn’t always a bad thing. I have several pairs of shoes I never would have owned if my willpower was stronger.”
“The Jimmy Choos?”
“Mm hmm,” Sil hummed with an exaggerated nod.
“God, I love those.”
“They’re my absolute favorites.”
Rylee resumed a quicker pace. “Do me a favor?”
“They’re a size six, Rylee. They are never going to fit you.”
Rylee pinned her with a level stare and Sil heaved a put-upon sigh.
“What’s the favor?”
“Butt out on the Coop thing, okay?”
“Oh, sugar…” She grimaced. “Really?”
“Really. The less involved you and Elliott are, the less damage when…” Rylee stopped when Sil pursed her lips in disapproval. “ If things don’t work out between me and Coop. Wave your wand in someone else’s direction for now. Focus on Brian for a while.”
“The man is a lost cause,” Sil complained.
“Admitting defeat?”
Her smile was keen. “Not on your life.”
Rylee laughed.
“Ah, there she is.” Sil waved at Ada Kelly, the park’s administrator, waiting for them at the foot of the large, central fountain. Business hat in place, Sil hurried Rylee across the lawn.
Over the next twenty minutes, they walked the venue. Clipboard in hand, Ada Kelly described the proposed layout for the booths as well as the placement of the main tent. While Sil and Ada huddled over the plans, discussing the details, Rylee wandered over to the river walk. Securing Lighthouse Park at the tip of Roosevelt Island was a real coup, thanks in no small part to Sil’s dogged determination to put Adam’s House on the charitable foundations’ map. With the courthouse building, the first of Adam’s House’s successful projects, visible from the park on one side, and the Manhattan skyline on the other, the location was perfect.
Rylee should have been on top of the world. Instead, a persistent echo of trepidation whispered through her head. Maybe her anxiety was due to the trip down memory lane with Sil, or more likely, it was due to the knowledge that her growing fascination with Cooper Reed was bound to leave her in tatters. Either way, today they were finalizing details that would put the foundation on a solid path forward. She should be celebrating, not staring gloomily out at a stunning view on a warm summer day.
“I wish you were here, Adam,” she whispered. Her cousin had always known just what to say when the specters of her father’s legacy reared up to rattle her. Movement out of the corner of her eye made her turn. Sil stepped to her side. “Sorry,” Rylee murmured.
“Why?” Sil kept her eyes on the flowing river. “I wish he were here, too. He’d get a kick out of all of this, you know?”
“More than a kick, I’d say.” A smile teased Rylee’s lips. “He’d be running the show.”
Sil’s sigh ended on a soft laugh. “Adam always did have the tendency to grab the reins of control. He’d be proud of what you’re doing here, Rylee.”
“What we’re all doing. I may have donated the money, but without you and Brian, people would look at Adam’s House with nothing but suspicion.”
“And they’d be wrong.”
Rylee shrugged, jerking her chin toward the panoramic view. “So, what do you think? Will Manhattan’s elite be dazzled enough by that to open their wallets?”
“Oh, they’ll pay up, sugar. If I have to pick their wallets myself.”
Chapter Ten
Rylee jumped at the chime of the doorbell. The contrast to the absolute quiet in her condo scraped at her already stretched nerves. “Damn it.” She raced across the room to the CD player and pressed the play button. “Calm down, Rylee. Just, calm down.”
Three deep breaths almost did the trick. A glance around helped. Sunset painted the sky a brilliant orange, flooding the room with ambient light. Candlelight flickered, the soft and sultry tones of Michael Buble filled the room and dinner smelled awesome. The tangy aroma of her red sauce had
“A lack of willpower isn’t always a bad thing. I have several pairs of shoes I never would have owned if my willpower was stronger.”
“The Jimmy Choos?”
“Mm hmm,” Sil hummed with an exaggerated nod.
“God, I love those.”
“They’re my absolute favorites.”
Rylee resumed a quicker pace. “Do me a favor?”
“They’re a size six, Rylee. They are never going to fit you.”
Rylee pinned her with a level stare and Sil heaved a put-upon sigh.
“What’s the favor?”
“Butt out on the Coop thing, okay?”
“Oh, sugar…” She grimaced. “Really?”
“Really. The less involved you and Elliott are, the less damage when…” Rylee stopped when Sil pursed her lips in disapproval. “ If things don’t work out between me and Coop. Wave your wand in someone else’s direction for now. Focus on Brian for a while.”
“The man is a lost cause,” Sil complained.
“Admitting defeat?”
Her smile was keen. “Not on your life.”
Rylee laughed.
“Ah, there she is.” Sil waved at Ada Kelly, the park’s administrator, waiting for them at the foot of the large, central fountain. Business hat in place, Sil hurried Rylee across the lawn.
Over the next twenty minutes, they walked the venue. Clipboard in hand, Ada Kelly described the proposed layout for the booths as well as the placement of the main tent. While Sil and Ada huddled over the plans, discussing the details, Rylee wandered over to the river walk. Securing Lighthouse Park at the tip of Roosevelt Island was a real coup, thanks in no small part to Sil’s dogged determination to put Adam’s House on the charitable foundations’ map. With the courthouse building, the first of Adam’s House’s successful projects, visible from the park on one side, and the Manhattan skyline on the other, the location was perfect.
Rylee should have been on top of the world. Instead, a persistent echo of trepidation whispered through her head. Maybe her anxiety was due to the trip down memory lane with Sil, or more likely, it was due to the knowledge that her growing fascination with Cooper Reed was bound to leave her in tatters. Either way, today they were finalizing details that would put the foundation on a solid path forward. She should be celebrating, not staring gloomily out at a stunning view on a warm summer day.
“I wish you were here, Adam,” she whispered. Her cousin had always known just what to say when the specters of her father’s legacy reared up to rattle her. Movement out of the corner of her eye made her turn. Sil stepped to her side. “Sorry,” Rylee murmured.
“Why?” Sil kept her eyes on the flowing river. “I wish he were here, too. He’d get a kick out of all of this, you know?”
“More than a kick, I’d say.” A smile teased Rylee’s lips. “He’d be running the show.”
Sil’s sigh ended on a soft laugh. “Adam always did have the tendency to grab the reins of control. He’d be proud of what you’re doing here, Rylee.”
“What we’re all doing. I may have donated the money, but without you and Brian, people would look at Adam’s House with nothing but suspicion.”
“And they’d be wrong.”
Rylee shrugged, jerking her chin toward the panoramic view. “So, what do you think? Will Manhattan’s elite be dazzled enough by that to open their wallets?”
“Oh, they’ll pay up, sugar. If I have to pick their wallets myself.”
Chapter Ten
Rylee jumped at the chime of the doorbell. The contrast to the absolute quiet in her condo scraped at her already stretched nerves. “Damn it.” She raced across the room to the CD player and pressed the play button. “Calm down, Rylee. Just, calm down.”
Three deep breaths almost did the trick. A glance around helped. Sunset painted the sky a brilliant orange, flooding the room with ambient light. Candlelight flickered, the soft and sultry tones of Michael Buble filled the room and dinner smelled awesome. The tangy aroma of her red sauce had
Similar Books
