Page 6 of Risk Assessment
“There’s a welcome event for guests tonight, a dinner. It’s supposed to be starting shortly. I need to go so I can make sure the influencers are posting about it and there are good optics. Everyone will want their picture taken with the happy couple. Bedford Hills might be a suburb of NYC, but they say morebusiness deals happen at events like this and at the local country club than they do back in the city boardrooms, and I believe it.”
“I don’t doubt it.”
“The rich and powerful live in Bedford Hills. CEOs of Fortune Five Hundred companies, rub elbows with Senators and Supreme Court Justices. I heard that a former U.S. President is thinking of buying a place up here.” Raleigh sighed. “That’s why everything has to go perfectly. By establishing relationships with these people now, I might get to interview them one day for a story. I want to be an investigative reporter. PR hack is just a steppingstone in that direction. It pays the rent.”
Dylan nodded but didn’t comment. If she made up the stalker, it was understandable. Who could constantly operate under that kind of pressure? Being at the beck and call of rich people sucked. Doing it for a living would be hell on earth.
Raleigh asked, “How far from the resort are we?”
“’Bout twenty seconds.”
She grinned, then reached into her bag and brought out her cell phone. “I have to create memory book type thing for the client to give out to friends and people who couldn’t make it, so I need to record what everything looks like. Please drive slowly. I want to make sure I capture the details.”
He cocked an eyebrow. Who the hell were these people, the royal family? “Roger that.”
“Silver Springs Hotel and Resort located just outside of Bedford Hills, in upstate New York is considered one of the premier locations to hold events in the state. We turned right onto a long driveway that curved around a fountain at the entrance,” Raleigh narrated as the phone recorded everything. “The building has a brick façade with stately white columns out front, holding up a balconet. There are huge pots of multicolored flowers by the front doors and window boxes of flowers beneath every window on the front of the building. The cobblestonepavers of the drive surround the stone fountain. It gives off such a stately appearance, very New England meets British castle.”
She paused the dictation app on her phone and then snapped a few pictures. Starting the app again, she said. “Edit to add that resort is the wrong word for this place. More of an upscale luxury retreat.”
Dylan grunted. Everything reeked of money and privilege. His shoulders tensed as he put the pick-up in park. He glanced down at his jeans and collared shirt and then set his jaw. Spending the weekend with the idle rich was, no doubt, gonna suck. Out of place and out of time. Too bad it was too late to cancel.
One valet opened Raleigh’s door. Dylan opened his own and slid out, handing the other attendant the keys. A bellman came to collect their luggage.
Raleigh put her arm though his and pasted a smile on her face. “Are you ready? It’s show time. We have to sell the boyfriend thing.”
“Uh, sure.” He tried to relax, but it wasn’t working. The flowers and decorations were extreme, likeLifestyles of the Rich and Famoushad puked all over the place. The hotel had covered every surface in a riot of pinks and yellows and the overwhelming sickly-sweet smell of the flowers filled the air. It was giving him a major headache. There was even a fountain in the middle of the lobby. How many guests had taken selfies in front ofthat? How many of the drunk ones had fallen in?
He shook his head. Where the hell was the bar and was there a quiet corner where he could drink a beer in peace? He missed his couch and his big screen TV more than he thought possible.
Raleigh led him to the giant reception desk on the far wall.
Dylan glanced at her. She didn’t hesitate but strode confidently right up to the desk and she didn’t seem overwhelmed by the surroundings either. Almost as if she wasused to it. Was this her world? Or it could be she was an amazing actress. Time would tell.
The clerk announced that their cabin was ready. Cabin? They weren’t staying in the main building? What exactly did Raleigh have in mind? Was she just being super cautious? Now he had to worry about securing a whole cabin instead of just one room. Looking around the lobby again, his gut churned. So much for a quiet getaway with a bit of work. There was no part of this weekend that was going to be relaxing.
“So, cabin?” he asked as they waited for the clerk to come back with the keys.
“Uh”—her gaze darted around the lobby—“I’m a bit nervous with the whole stalker thing. The idea of people walking down the hall at all hours… I just thought the cabin sold the idea that we were on a romantic weekend a bit more. I don’t want to tell people I’m being stalked and you’re my bodyguard.
“Besides,” she added in a chipper voice, “it has two bedrooms, so we get a bit more privacy. Oh, by the way, I have hinted that I have a boyfriend across my social media platforms, but I’ve said you’re camera shy so you don’t have to be in any of the pictures.”
“Thanks.”Jesus, was she for real? There was no way in hell he wanted to be in any pictures. He needed this weekend to be over as quickly as possible.
They turned away from the reception desk and started across the lobby with the bellman in tow.
Dylan’s breath caught in his chest and his hands clenched into fists. “Son of a—” he mumbled.
Jenn Harris.
Of all the people he could run into, she was just about the worst-case scenario. She was exiting the bank of elevators. Her tall slender form was only emphasized by the light blue summer dress she was wearing. Her long blond hair hung down over bareshoulders. Her normally pale skin had a slight tan and a light dusting of freckles would be visible on her cheeks because of the summer sun. She would hate that. He’d always liked them. Now, he wanted to turn tail and run, but it was too late.
“Dylan!” Jenn called out his name and hurried toward him. The surprise on her face turned to anger about halfway across the lobby, and he couldn’t blame her.
His muscles tensed. Whatever she laid on him, he deserved. He hadn’t seen her since the night his whole world had changed.
The night he’d come home and broken off their engagement.
“Jenn,” he said in a gruff voice. He swallowed hard. Pain and sadness filled his chest, making it difficult to breathe. Guilt tied his vocal cords in knots. She looked beautiful—Jenn always did—but she also seemed tired and, judging by the tightness around her mouth, stressed.
