Page 75 of Escorting the CEO
I faced him. “Can you say the same? Were you going to tell me the truth?”
The muscle in Rhodes’s jaw worked. He didn’t answer me, which was an answer in and of itself.
I turned away from him and looked at the garden. It was pristine. Every hedge trimmed to a perfect angle, every flower in its appointed place, nothing left to chance. It was just like Barrington Manor—immaculate, perfect, intentional.
It was just like Rhodes.
He’d wanted to protect me from my mother, which I appreciated. That made me feel like I meant something to him, maybe. But there was an ‘and’ here that was tearing me apart.He wanted to protect me, AND he wanted to protect his company.
Was that at my expense?
“I feel like you were hiding this from me.”
He scowled at a nearby bush. “I wasmanagingit. And I needed you to stay focused—I didn’t want you to worry.”
“You didn’t want me to worry, or you didn’t want my performance to be affected?” I’d been so upset about Miranda’s threats, dying inside, so anxious about how it could impact Rhodes. Because Icaredabout him. Because I’d thought that there was something real between us, no matter how tenuous.
But Rhodes had concealed something from me, something close to home and deeply personal, and he hadn’t given it a second thought. This conversation was making me feel more than ever that I was just another employee, the hired help, like Philips the butler or Chef. I was necessary, but just like any other hireling, I was replaceable. My feelings weren’t what mattered most: it was the job.
“I think I understand the arrangement better now,” I said. My voice came out steadier than I expected. I was grateful for that, at least.
“Rory—”
“No, I mean it. I do.” I crossed my arms against my chest. “I signed a contract. You signed a contract. You need me to be convincing, and you needed the variables managed. My mother is a variable. I get it.”
“That’s not…” He shook his head. “That’s a massive oversimplification.”
“Is it?” I searched his face. He was watching me with those dark eyes, unreadable as ever.
I pressed my lips together, regrouping. “You manage risk, Rhodes. That’s what you do. You saw a liability in my mother, and you had her handled. I get it. You left me out of it because you wanted it to be a non-issue.”
“She showed up, anyway. She was never a non-issue—she’s a person.” He raked his hands through his hair. “I should’ve told you, Rory.”
“I should’ve told you about Miranda.”
“Does that mean we’re even?” he asked, sounding hopeful.
The breeze moved through the garden, stirring the leaves, carrying with it the smell of cut grass and flowers. It was so beautiful here. I had been so gobsmacked and intimidated and stupid and soRoryabout the whole thing—mooning around his manor, falling for both Rhodes and little Luke, letting myself imagine that being needed was the same thing as being wanted.
Like I said, I had a broken emotional compass. Just look at my mom. She’d had a history of trading her family for a string of men who’d ended up leaving her. Nothing ever lasted. Nothing ever got better. No one stayed.
I was my mother’s daughter. The apple hadn’t fallen far from the tree, no matter how hard I’d tried to get away. I had no business ever falling for anyone, let alone a man like Rhodes Barrington.
“Sure,” I said carefully. “We’re even. And I think that’s good—a clean slate.”
Rhodes watched me.
“I also think we should be clear with each other going forward. About what this is. I’ll do my job, you do yours. If there are developments I need to know about—things that affect myfamily or me—I’d appreciate being informed. And I’ll extend you the same courtesy.” I paused. “No more surprises.”
Something shifted in his expression. I couldn’t tell if it was relief or something else, but I looked away before I could talk myself into trying to decipher it into something positive.
“That’s very reasonable,” he said.
“Good.”
“Rory.”
I looked at him in spite of myself.
