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“I’m going to give you a piece of unsolicited advice,” she says and pushes her dark hair behind her ear. “Ryan wants to do this for you. For the both of you. He wants you to get whatever you want, to really experience every minute of this trip. Take him up on it, Polly. He can afford it, and it’s all his idea. It’s a gift.”
“I know.” I nod and take a long, deep breath. “I know it is, but I’m not used to any of this. And maybe I wonder if it’s possible to get used to it.”
“He’s worked hard for his money,” she counters. “Damn hard. He’s generous with charities and causes and gives away more money than he keeps. You wouldn’t be with an unethical man.”
“I’m not saying that.”
“And you work hard, too,” she continues. “You work your ass off, and you’re good at your job. Consider this a work event, Polly. You’ll be networking and getting ideas for your shop. Even if you don’t carry luxury labels, the entire fashion industry takes its cues from these brands. The colors, the cuts, the styles. It all trickles down.”
“You’re right about that.”
“So, it’s for work. And maybe a little for fun.” She winks at me, covers my hand with hers to give it a reassuring squeeze, and then stands. “Now, we have an appointment across the street there at Louis Vuitton.”
“And we don’t want to be late,” I agree as butterflies set up residence in my stomach. “Let’s go do some damage.”
“Are you ladies headed out?” Drew asks as he draws London in for a sweet kiss.
“Hell yes, we are,” London replies with a grin.
“The boutique has my card on file,” Ryan informs me as he also pulls me in to kiss me. “Get whatever you want. Don’t look at price tags and freak yourself out.”
“Ryan—”
He covers my lips with his. “Don’t freak yourself out,” he repeats. “And have fun.”
“Thank you.” I cup his cheek and smile up at him. “I already am having fun.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
RYAN
“Iactually have work,” Drew tells me after the girls have left. “I think I’ll head back to our suite for a while and hammer some of it out.”
“I can get on board with that,” I agree. “I have some things to see to myself. I’ll see you at dinner.”
“See you,” Drew replies and lets himself out of the suite.
I open my computer and am in the middle of replying to an email when there’s a knock on my door.
With a frown, I set the computer aside to open the door to find both of my security details here.
“We have a situation,” Mark, the head of my European team, says.
“Come in.” I step back, glad that Polly isn’t here for this. When both men are inside, I close the door and turn to them. “What’s going on?”
“We got word that Claudia Dubois is here in Paris,” Mark replies.
I narrow my eyes on him, not thrilled, but also not surprised. “She’s a runway model. Of course she’s in Paris.”
“This isn’t ideal, sir,” Mark says with a sigh. “I can find out which shows she’s working and make sure you and Polly don’t attend those.”
“Fuck that.” I push my hands through my hair, frustrated. “I’m not about to let the likes of Claudia Dubois intimidate me or keep Polly from experiencing anything she fucking well pleases on this trip.”
“We know she’s unstable,” Mark says with a shrug. “And could very likely make a scene.”
“Then she makes a scene.” I brush it off. “It’ll be her own reputation she hurts, and I don’t give a rat’s ass. Just make sure that Polly isn’t hurt in any way.”
“Understood,” Mark says with a nod. “One of us will be nearby twenty-four seven. I’ll have a man outside this door, and we will go with you when you’re on the move, just in case.”
