Framed!. Robin Caroll
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you realize your mother will have a fit if I so much as park in the parking lot at Renault Corporation, right?”
“You saw her at the funeral. There’s no way she can oversee the company right now.”
“You’ll need to get your company lawyer to obtain a power of attorney over the corporation—otherwise, you can’t sign anything.”
Something else she’d have to handle. Alone. “I’ll get on that.”
“What about your business?”
“My assistant is handling things for the time being.”
“Then I’ll see you soon.”
“I really appreciate it.” Her words lilted with relief. “I mean it, Max. I really do appreciate your willingness to help me out.”
“No problem.”
The familiar beep of another call coming through sounded against her ear. “We can talk more when I see you.”
“Looking forward to it.”
She pressed the button on the phone to answer the other call. “Hello.”
“Ava? It’s Jocelyn.”
“Hey, girl.”
“How are you?”
“I’m fine. As well as can be expected.” Ava traced the engraved scrollwork on the edge of the desk with her fingernail.
“If you want to talk, you know I’m here for you.”
Ava smiled, knowing her friend actually meant what she offered. “I know. I’m holding my own.” She glanced at her appointment book. “About to dive into work. It’ll at least keep my mind occupied.”
“That’s actually one of the reasons I was calling.”
“Really?”
“Sam and I are getting married, and we’d like you to plan the blessed event.”
“Congratulations.” Ava glanced at her planner again. “When were you thinking of having the wedding?”
“As soon as you can plan it, if you feel up to it.”
As if she wouldn’t plan her close friend’s wedding? Then again, Sam had questioned Dylan. She tried to remember…Dylan being a suspect in Angelina’s murder had been Sheriff Reed’s idea. Wait a minute—Jocelyn said as soon as possible? “Um, is there any particular reason for the urgency?”
Jocelyn laughed. “Just that we’ve wasted enough time, don’t you think?”
Ava chuckled as well. Joceyln’s excitement was contagious. “Of course. I’d be happy to plan your wedding.” When she’d have time, she hadn’t a clue. “When would you like to meet to set a date and go over preliminary details?”
“Sam and I are both free tomorrow morning. How about the breakfast buffet at the hotel? I’m actually thinking that might work for the wedding reception.”
Nodding, Ava grabbed a pen. “Let’s plan on, say, nine tomorrow morning?”
“Perfect. Thanks, Ava.”
The morning sun shone down on Loomis, despite the fogginess hovering over the bayou. Max slipped his sunglasses into the truck’s holder after parking at Pershing Land Developing. He gazed next door at their real estate office. At least Georgia Duffy’s car wasn’t in the lot. He’d dodged the bullet again. Ever since he’d broken up with her years ago, the woman seemed determined to worm her way back into his life. She’d even gone so far as to work at Pershing Real Estate. The fact that she lived in Pershing Plaza didn’t help matters, either.
He headed into the building on Church Street, nodding at the receptionist on his way to his office.
“Why, Max, aren’t you here bright and early?” Patsy Thomas, his secretary, sounded shocked.
He smiled as he unlocked his office door. “Good morning to you, Patsy.” He winked and turned on his lights. Since he normally came in around ten, he understood her surprise at his darkening the door before nine. “I’m just getting work lined up for the troops as I’ll be out of the office most of today.”
Helping Ava. Getting to be with her again. Working with her.
Patsy followed him into his office, taking his jacket to hang on the brass hooks behind the door. “Playing hooky, are ya?”
“Sort of.” And with the only person he wanted to play hooky with. “Will you bring me the February projections report?”
“Certainly. I’ll bring it with your coffee.”
Max grinned at the secretary who’d served him for more than five years. Patsy was about twenty years older than he and almost motherly, but not in the same manner as Max’s own mother. No, Patsy couldn’t compare with Lenore Pershing. Patsy was kind and gentle. Not a control freak. “Thanks.”
Once alone, he booted up his computer and checked his e-mail. The flood of business had his agents booked solid for the rest of the week. Fear of what would happen to the Renault Corporation after Dylan’s death had everyone running for cover. Ava truly did need his help.
Charla Renault, now there was a woman who could give his own mother a run for her money in the control-freak department. That they were arch rivals and had been for decades…well, it just fit. Everyone in Loomis had long ago picked which side of the feud they fell on, and were very careful not to stray too close to the middle…All because of a marriage that went bad and a public embarrassment generations ago. It made no sense to Max. Then again, there’d been a couple of business deals that went sour because of the family feud over the past couple of years. Still, that hadn’t been enough to send Ava away to boarding school…had it?
Patsy tapped on his door and entered without a response. She set a steaming cup of coffee on the desk in front of him alongside a spreadsheet. “Anything else?”
He took a sip of the black coffee. Strong, just the way he liked it. “Thanks, Pats. I really appreciate it.”
“Want to tell me what’s going on?” She perched on the arm of the leather chair facing his desk.
“I’m just helping out a friend. She needs help managing her company on a temporary basis.” He took another sip, then stared at his secretary.
“What friend?”
He shrugged, but felt the heat creeping across his face. “Just a friend from school who needs a bit of advice.”
Patsy stood and made a clucking sound with her tongue. “That friend wouldn’t happen to be Ms. Ava Renault, now would it?”
Max grinned. “Does it make a difference?”
His secretary chuckled, loud and hearty. “Not to me, but I bet it does to your momma. What’s Lenore say about this?”
The smile slid off his face. “She’s none too happy.”
“Bet that’s putting it mildly.”
“Yeah.” He ran a finger around the lip of the cup. “But I just have to help Ava out.” He lifted his gaze to his secretary’s face.
“I understand.” Patsy moved toward the door. “Have a good day, and I’ll hold down the fort here.”
“Thanks, Pats.”
Someday, sooner rather than later, he was going to have to sit his mother down and tell Lenore to back off from his life. Once he figured out what he really felt for Ava, he would.
Confusion wreaked havoc in his heart. Ava definitely sent him mixed signals—ignoring him for years, even going so far as to cross the street to not have to pass him, refusing any eye contact with him, then working with him on the committee and allowing him to hold her at the funeral. Okay, so she’d