Page 50 of Break My Rules
“Of course! Don’t worry about it.” I get up, realizing I haven’t even begun to quiz her about Hugh and Max. Still, I’ve learned some interesting intel about Ashford and the families, so my trip hasn’t been a complete waste. “You go fix the balloons. I’ll see you soon, I’m sure.”
“Are you coming with Saint to the event?” she asks.
“He hasn’t said anything about it yet.”
Imogen sighs and shakes her head. “Ah yes, the usual, ‘if I ignore something long enough, my attendance will be optional’ move. Somehow, it never seems to work for me!”
“Probably because you’re necessary to the whole thing,” I point out, and she smiles.
“Clearly, I need to work on that!”
Imogen whisks away, to conjure the correct balloons, so I take my time packing up and wandering towards the elevators again, looking curiously around. It’s clearly a hive of activity up here, but I can already see why Saint has stayed away: Everyone looks so corporate and serious, dressed in sensible suits, dashing around like they have a million urgent fires to put out. I try to picture Saint’s devil-may-care attitude and dark-wash jeans blending in for a team meeting and have to smile.
The rebel heir…
I just know that I’m going to tease him like crazy over that nickname. I’m about to send him a text, when I hear my name being called.
“Tessa?”
I turn to find Saint’s younger brother, Robert, striding down the hallway. I guess this place really is the epicenter for the St. Clair family right now. “Hi,” I greet him, smiling. If Saint is the rebel, all chiseled jawline and wicked, tempting smile, then Robert is the opposite: broad-shouldered, with blond hair and more rounded, friendly features. He looks perfectly comfortable in a button-down shirt and tie, clutching a bottle of mineral water, and checking his phone in his other hand. “Sorry,” he tucks it away. “Things are hectic right now. It’s good to see you. Stopping by to see Saint? I’ll walk you out.”
“Actually, I was here to see Imogen,” I reply, as we step onto the elevator. “But she’s racing around setting up for the big campaign event.”
“Right, I almost forgot about that,” Robert gives a chuckle. “There are always a million things on the calendar. I’d say things will calm down soon, but, well, Ashford seems to only have one speed right now, and that’s flat-out.”
“Well, it seems like an exciting time. I know Saint’s been working hard.”
“And we have you to thank for that.”
I frown. “What do you mean?”
Robert gives me a conspiratorial smile. “Come on… I know my brother, and he’d never willingly step foot in this building even once, let alone put in a full workday. Not unless he had an angel on his shoulder pushing him in the right direction. Whatever you’re doing, keep it up,” he adds, his voice turning urgent: “It’s high time he came home to what matters in this family. The stakes have never been higher for us.”
I blink, a little unsettled out by his intensity. Maybe the stress of filling in for his father is getting to him. “I can promise you, I’m not an angel, and I definitely haven’t been pushing Saint anywhere,” I reply firmly. “This is all him. He wants to help out,” I add. “Your father’s heart attack was a big deal; he’s been different ever since. Well, at least when it comes to Ashford and his family responsibilities,” I say, thinking of the reckless, sensual streak that’s still just as dominant as ever.
“Really?” Robert looks surprised. “Still, he’s a changed man, ever since you two started seeing each other.”
“Different good, I hope?” I say lightly, as we step out into the bustling lobby on the ground floor. I’m still weirded out by the idea they have that I’m some kind of role model, dragging Saint back onto the straight and narrow.
In fact, with all my investigations, I’m the one leading him astray.
“Different excellent,” Robert assures me. “I hope we’ll see you both tomorrow at the Ambrose event,” he says, still a little urgent. “It’s important that he be there, so we can show a united front.”
“I hope so too,” I reply evenly. Then I try to change the subject: “I’d love to find out more about the work you’re doing here. You know, my sister was actually working on an Ashford Pharma research project, before she died,” I add, as Robert takes a sip from his bottle of water. “At the lab up in Oxford. Wren Peterson, maybe you met her?”
Robert chokes on his drink. “Sorry,” he splutters, hitting his chest. “Went down wrong.” He takes a moment to recover, red-faced, then gulps the rest of the bottle. “Wren, you say? I don’t recall crossing paths,” he answers finally. “My dad runs all the cutting-edge research operations, you see. At least, he did. It’s a big company.”
I nod. It figures.
“I better get back,” Robert says, already backing away from me. “Meetings, calls, you know.”
“I’ll try and drag Saint here for the event tomorrow,” I reassure him, but Robert barely offers a smile.
“Don’t trouble yourself. Saint is, well, Saint. Take care!”
Then he turns and bolts, leaving me alone again.
I head backto Saint’s place, thinking about Robert, and his weirdly urgent vibes. I guess that he’s under a lot of pressure, too. He’s been the one holding things down at Ashford Pharma without Saint until now, and with their father out of commission, it must be even more stress for him, prepping for the big launch.