Page 34 of Romeo

She nods but doesn’t respond, her attention already focused on the contract in front of her.

Which is exactly why I feel confident in stopping near the door and studying her for a moment.Her emerald gaze is narrowed on the screen, her blonde hair loose around her shoulders.

While I’m watching, she shifts her attention away from the computer and retrieves one of the large Post-it pads I have near my desk along with a pen.She marks something down then returns to the contract.

I was lost trying to go through that thing.But she’s here, combing through it like a woman on a mission.It’s impressive.It’s yet another notch in my belief that I massively misjudged her.

Jules Landers is as prickly as thorns on a rose.There’s no denying that.But I’m starting to believe that there’s more to the red-carpet princess than I thought.

Chapter13

Jules

“This is not the contract he signed,” I say when Riley comes back into his office.

“What do you mean?”

I look up at Riley.He’s changed his clothes and is now wearing a black T-shirt stretched over his muscled chest, along with dark jeans that are stained, likely from work here on the ranch.I have to force my gaze away just to regain focus.

What is in the water here in Texas?

“I mean, I combed his publishing contract myself.I knew it like the back of my hand, and Ineverwould have let him sign this.”

“So this is not the contract he agreed to?”

I shake my head.“Not in a million years.”

“Which means someone changed it.”

“It’s his signature right here at the bottom though.Which means someone either forged it or merged this last page of the old contract with the new one.”

He reaches into his pocket and withdraws his cell phone.

“What are you doing?”

“Calling Tucker.I need to let him know that contract is a fake.He might stand a chance of helping us digitally trace whoever tampered with it.”

Relief rushes through me, and I relax slightly.While I know keeping Odie out of this is rare, if he starts tugging at strings, then he might end up just like my grandfather.

“Hey, Tuck.That contract I sent you is not the one Edgar Landers signed.No,” he adds, gaze locking on mine.“Think you can track down whoever tampered with it?Okay.Thanks.”He ends the call.“He’s going to start working on it now.”

“Thanks.”It’s silly, but the amount of joy I feel at the fact that he believed me is insurmountable.Ever since I got out of rehab the first time, Odie has dismissed my opinion every chance he got.He told me to my face that he didn’t trust my judgment and that I needed to get better before I tried to handle anything of any importance.

Before I knew it, nearly a decade had passed, and he still kept saying the same thing.So, for Riley to believe what I say and appreciate my input so much that he let his brother follow that lead does more for my tattered soul than anything else has in the past fifteen years.

“Are you hungry?”he asks.

I check the clock at the bottom right hand of the computer screen.“Oh, wow.I’ve been here for three hours.”

He chuckles.“Tucker does the same thing.He can sit in front of a computer all day and be shocked that it hasn’t only been an hour.Come on, let’s get you some food.”

My coffee is cold, abandoned in the mug, so I take it with me when I leave his office.After rinsing the mug in the kitchen, I set it aside.“I’m going to get dressed, but do you think I could have another cup of coffee?”

“Sure thing.Go, I’ll take care of it.”He reaches out and takes my mug from the counter.

“Thanks.”

“No problem.”