Page 81 of Flare

Kip’s gaze slid away. “I’ve no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Kip.”

He set about tidying a column of T-shirts looking as shifty as I’d ever seen, and my bullshit feelers grew twitchy. “What have you done, Kip?”

He groaned and fell forward over the stack, sending them toppling. “Okay. So, I might’ve set a teensy-weensy little plan in motion regarding our little...problem.” He hesitated and I narrowed my gaze.

Dear God. “And I take it Hunter is involved?”

Kip winced and held two fingers apart. “A little.”

“Fucker. I knew he slipped out of here way too fast.”

Kip waved his hands. “It wasn’t his idea, and to be fair, he tried to talk me out of it, but we both agree... it’s fucking brilliant.” He beamed and I was hard pressed not to laugh.

“Come on then. Let’s see how much trouble you’re in.”

He bounced on the soles of his feet like a little kid. “Well, paying attention to what you said, that we can’t accuse Gloria outright, agreed?”

I nodded. “Agreed.”

“But also, if we simply let her carry on, we’re facilitating a fraud, right?”

I narrowed my gaze.

“Anyway—” He moved along quickly. “—I got talking with my people.”

“Yournetwork.”

“Exactly.” A grin split his face. “And I was reminded about what happened with that British designer whose T-shirt was ripped off by that huge American franchise last year. They were selling a close copy for half the price.

“Yeah.” I pushed off the shelving I’d been leaning against. “Her Instagram followers went viral, and the American company had to pull the shirt from their stores. They lost a lot of face.”

“Exactly,” Kip enthused. “So, I was thinking, we don’t have to do anythingofficially. All we have to do is drop a few comparative photos to a couple of people and just stand back and see what happens. Photos they could get anywhere. They might run with it, they might not. It’s importantwedon’t post ourselves, and no comments either. It can’t hurt. Come on, Rhys, we’re leaking money like a damn sieve.”

We were, and I couldn’t deny the appeal of doingsomethingeven if it felt slightly murky. “Do I even have enough followers for something like that?”

“Oh. My. God.” Kip patted my hand. “This is precisely why we can’t have you in charge of your own social media. You have plenty. But Hunter and I need to plan a little more first. I can see your morals already bristling on that high ground you like to live on, so this has to grow as naturally as possible. The only thing we do is provide the images in some way that protects us as the source.”

I chewed my lip and thought on it. “And you really think this could work?”

He shrugged. “It’s pretty much all wecando, so why not give it a try? We can’t make her take the pieces down, but maybe if people know, some will choose to buy the real deal instead.”

“But I could be accused of copyingher.”

He spread his hands. “That’s a risk. But at least three of those pieces predate hers. And what newbie designer is gonna steal from a much bigger name and then put it in their own store for a heap more than the original. You’d have been bonkers to do that.”

He had a point. “But it doesn’t solve the jacket problem.”

“No. But I think that new one you’re working on is amazing. You’ll be fine.”

I wished I was as certain. I caught his gaze. “Thank you. You’ve made my day. Come here.”

He stepped into my arms with a smile that let me know he hadn’t missed the importance of the gesture. “You’re welcome, Boss. I’ll let you know when we’re ready to go, but I figure we should try and get in before that jacket hits the racks. Now go see your boys.”

I went looking for Jack and Drew and found the two of them sitting on the back porch staring through the mist and drizzle at the dull grey skies.

“Hey, guys.”

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