the leather jacket and the motorcycle?”
Rafe’s eyebrows arched. “She told you about me?”
Dane tipped his head. “Yeah, well, you did break her heart.”
Damn it. His brother was in love with the woman Dane was having a rampant affair with. And she used to be in love with him. And maybe she still was.
But Rafe had walked away, hurting her deeply.
Just like he’d done to Dane.
Rafe dropped into a chair. “I know. It was the stupidest thing I’ve ever done.”
“That’s saying a lot, given you walked away from this kind of success to be a rock musician.”
“Damn it, Dane. You sound just like Dad.”
Dane sighed. “Right. Sorry.”
What the hell was he doing? Rafe had come back, giving Dane the chance to mend their relationship and move forward. He had to keep a tight rein on his words.
“Mr. Ranier?” Melanie walked into the office and Dane realized Jessica had left the door open when she’d fled. “I wanted to tell you—”
Her eyes widened as her gaze shot to Rafe.
“Mr. Ranier, you’re back.”
Rafe smiled, revealing the straight, white teeth their father had paid thousands in orthodontia to ensure. “Melanie, you used to call me Rafe.”
Although the employees all called Dane Mr. Ranier, since he liked to keep a level of discipline in the office, Rafe had the staff that worked closest with him call him by his first name. It did make things simpler when they were in a meeting with Melanie, so she wasn’t calling them both Mr. Ranier.
She nodded. “Rafe,” she said quietly.
The softness in her eyes when she gazed at Rafe hit Dane in the gut. How could the man look at her and not realize she had feelings for him? Sometimes his brother could be an idiot.
She turned back to Dane. “Mr. Ranier, I just wanted to let you know that Jessica has left for the day, since she’s not feeling well. Your two o’clock appointment will be here in a few minutes. Would you like me to have someone fill in for me at my desk so I can take over Jessica’s duties during the meeting?”
Dane glanced at his watch.
“Take your meeting, Dane,” Rafe said. “You and I can catch up later. I just stopped by to let you know I’m back, and now I’m headed to my apartment. I trust you didn’t sell it on me?”
“It’s still the way you left it. You can thank Melanie for that. I had her arrange to keep it cleaned and maintained while you were gone. She even has someone come in and water your plants.”
While Dane lived in a residence at the Ritz-Carlton, where he didn’t have to worry about any kind of upkeep or meal preparation, Rafe had bought a penthouse apartment.
Rafe turned to Melanie and smiled. “Thanks.”
The poor woman nearly melted into a puddle at his charming smile. His idiot brother really was blind not to see the effect he had on her.
Dane walked to his desk and skimmed through the small pile of folders that Jessica must have brought in.
“It looks like I have everything I need, Melanie. I can get by without Jessica.”
Melanie nodded. “Yes, Mr. Ranier.”
She turned and left the office.
“Are you free this evening?” Rafe asked.
“I’ll make sure I am,” said Dane. “I’ve got a dinner meeting, but meet me at my place at eight. We’ll have drinks.”
Rafe smiled. “I’m looking forward to it.”
Before Rafe turned to walk away, Dane saw the truth of those words in Rafe’s eyes.
Maybe there was hope for them yet.
* * *
The elevator doors opened onto the executive floor and Melanie stepped off.
“Hey, there you are.”
She glanced around to see Rafe sitting in one of the chairs by the large windows. He stood up and walked toward her. Her heart fluttered as he drew closer.
“I thought we might grab a coffee before I head back to my apartment.”
“Um, I’d really like to, but I shouldn’t leave my desk again.”
“Don’t worry. I arranged for someone to come and answer the phone.”
She smiled. “Oh, thank you.” Damn, she sounded
Rafe’s eyebrows arched. “She told you about me?”
Dane tipped his head. “Yeah, well, you did break her heart.”
Damn it. His brother was in love with the woman Dane was having a rampant affair with. And she used to be in love with him. And maybe she still was.
But Rafe had walked away, hurting her deeply.
Just like he’d done to Dane.
Rafe dropped into a chair. “I know. It was the stupidest thing I’ve ever done.”
“That’s saying a lot, given you walked away from this kind of success to be a rock musician.”
“Damn it, Dane. You sound just like Dad.”
Dane sighed. “Right. Sorry.”
What the hell was he doing? Rafe had come back, giving Dane the chance to mend their relationship and move forward. He had to keep a tight rein on his words.
“Mr. Ranier?” Melanie walked into the office and Dane realized Jessica had left the door open when she’d fled. “I wanted to tell you—”
Her eyes widened as her gaze shot to Rafe.
“Mr. Ranier, you’re back.”
Rafe smiled, revealing the straight, white teeth their father had paid thousands in orthodontia to ensure. “Melanie, you used to call me Rafe.”
Although the employees all called Dane Mr. Ranier, since he liked to keep a level of discipline in the office, Rafe had the staff that worked closest with him call him by his first name. It did make things simpler when they were in a meeting with Melanie, so she wasn’t calling them both Mr. Ranier.
She nodded. “Rafe,” she said quietly.
The softness in her eyes when she gazed at Rafe hit Dane in the gut. How could the man look at her and not realize she had feelings for him? Sometimes his brother could be an idiot.
She turned back to Dane. “Mr. Ranier, I just wanted to let you know that Jessica has left for the day, since she’s not feeling well. Your two o’clock appointment will be here in a few minutes. Would you like me to have someone fill in for me at my desk so I can take over Jessica’s duties during the meeting?”
Dane glanced at his watch.
“Take your meeting, Dane,” Rafe said. “You and I can catch up later. I just stopped by to let you know I’m back, and now I’m headed to my apartment. I trust you didn’t sell it on me?”
“It’s still the way you left it. You can thank Melanie for that. I had her arrange to keep it cleaned and maintained while you were gone. She even has someone come in and water your plants.”
While Dane lived in a residence at the Ritz-Carlton, where he didn’t have to worry about any kind of upkeep or meal preparation, Rafe had bought a penthouse apartment.
Rafe turned to Melanie and smiled. “Thanks.”
The poor woman nearly melted into a puddle at his charming smile. His idiot brother really was blind not to see the effect he had on her.
Dane walked to his desk and skimmed through the small pile of folders that Jessica must have brought in.
“It looks like I have everything I need, Melanie. I can get by without Jessica.”
Melanie nodded. “Yes, Mr. Ranier.”
She turned and left the office.
“Are you free this evening?” Rafe asked.
“I’ll make sure I am,” said Dane. “I’ve got a dinner meeting, but meet me at my place at eight. We’ll have drinks.”
Rafe smiled. “I’m looking forward to it.”
Before Rafe turned to walk away, Dane saw the truth of those words in Rafe’s eyes.
Maybe there was hope for them yet.
* * *
The elevator doors opened onto the executive floor and Melanie stepped off.
“Hey, there you are.”
She glanced around to see Rafe sitting in one of the chairs by the large windows. He stood up and walked toward her. Her heart fluttered as he drew closer.
“I thought we might grab a coffee before I head back to my apartment.”
“Um, I’d really like to, but I shouldn’t leave my desk again.”
“Don’t worry. I arranged for someone to come and answer the phone.”
She smiled. “Oh, thank you.” Damn, she sounded
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