At Your Service - A.C. Arthur Page 0,53

app provided. The only difference—and the one thing Major had repeatedly reminded himself of—was that his company did not retain vendors, nor did it plan to sell anything directly to the consumer. Their product—software and consultation services—was exclusively designed to benefit fashion houses.

But the similarity was still there, and it had been nagging at him for days. Their businesses were poised to clash big-time. His brow furrowed with the thought and he let out a little huff as he once again searched for a viable solution. There had to be one. There had to be a way for his business to coexist with hers without compromise or confusion, and he needed to find it before their planned breakup.

Or it could be the reason for the breakup. That thought came with a sharp sting to the center of his chest as he stopped moving in the chair and his frown deepened. Desta still hadn’t outlined what the final argument would be. The end of their engagement was coming quickly and he had no idea what it would be like. So what if it was the realization that their businesses would clash? Did that make sense? Was it believable? He sighed at the irony. It was the one thing that had come of their time together that was actually the truth.

A knock at the door jolted him out of his thoughts just as that pain in his chest started to spread.

“Hey, what’s up? Got a minute?” RJ opened the door without consent and walked in talking. He hiked up his slacks and took a seat in one of the chairs across from Major’s desk. “I need you to do something for me. You and Nina.”

His brother had his full attention the moment he mentioned her name.

“What?”

“Riley wants to meet with Dad and me in an hour at a proposed location for this expansion idea she’s got,” RJ said.

Deciding it was probably best for the moment to wrap his mind around something else, Major sat forward, resting his elbows on his desk. “Yeah, she copied me and Maurice on an email she sent earlier this week outlining her proposal. Her research and data pan out. An RGF-exclusive storefront in the city is a good idea. Lots of other fashion houses have one, especially overseas.”

“Look, I’m not totally opposed to the idea. So, Riley doesn’t need you to be her cheerleader,” RJ said with a sigh.

“That may be the one thing our sister has never needed. She’s always been capable of being her own biggest supporter, which is probably why she was able to fall in love with the family enemy and not bat an eye when we approached her about it.” Why his thoughts always returned to Riley and her relationship with Chaz, Major didn’t know. Perhaps he admired the fact that she’d found love, even though he didn’t believe in the concept himself.

“Ugh, that’s the last thing I want to talk about.”

Major chuckled, more so to keep his mind from drifting from the word love to the woman who would soon be meeting him in his office to go home. Or, rather, to his apartment.

“Fine, then what do you want, man? You come barging into my office at the end of the day like it’s some big emergency.”

“It is.” RJ leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “I was supposed to go to this trade show tonight to check out some new vendors for the Paris and Milan Fashion Weeks coming up, but now I can’t go, so I’d like you and Nina to go instead.”

“Isn’t that the production department’s responsibility? And did you say you want Nina to go?”

“Riley’s not the only one thinking about taking RGF to the next level. I’ve had some thoughts about expanding in the area of accessories. We already have purses and luggage. Why not create a full line, accessorize our customers from head to toe? So, yeah, I’ve been looking into Nina’s business a little more and watching the numbers from our temporary collaboration closely. If anybody should be checking out new vendors and giving her thoughts on specific items for the company, I think it should be her.”

“Wait, you weren’t even certain making this temporary arrangement with Nina was a good idea. What changed your mind?”

“You’re right. I wasn’t sure about her in the beginning because she was some woman from Pennsylvania who we’d never heard of until you agreed to meet with her and she presented this new app that would tap