Revenge With Benefits (Sweet Tea And Scandal 3)

She nodded again. “I’ve poured everything into Second Chance Treasures and we’re starting to show a small profit, but not quite enough yet.”

One dark eyebrow went up, but something akin to

approval flickered in his gray eyes as he asked his next question.

“How long have you been living here?”

“Nearly six months. As my divorce dragged on, I gave up my apartment so I could pay the lease here.” Zoe had no idea why she was pouring out her problems to Ryan, but it offered her some relief to share her troubles with someone.

“Are you waiting on a settlement?”

Zoe shook her head. “I barely received enough to pay my lawyer.”

“Because you signed a prenuptial agreement?”

“That and according to Tristan’s financial records, he’s heavily mortgaged on every piece of property he owns. He maintains a lavish lifestyle.” Her voice grew bitter. “Keeping his prize stable of polo ponies happy and healthy is very expensive.”

“But—”

Zoe broke in. “Believe me, I hired the best lawyer I could afford and we looked at everything.”

At least everything they knew to look at. Based on Tristan’s spending, he had to have been hiding money somewhere. Yet tracing it had proved impossible.

Zoe’s thoughts went back in time to that Beautiful Women Taking Charge event and the investigation London was doing on Zoe’s behalf. A tiny portion of her held out hope that the event planner might just find something that Zoe could use to take Tristan back to court.

“Looks like you have a fair amount of money tied up in inventory.” Ryan indicated the stacks of boxes before striding toward the door that led to the main part of the store.

“I mostly operate on a consignment basis.” She trailed after Ryan, letting her fingers drift over the wall until they encountered the light switches. She flipped them on and the space was bathed in a soothing glow. “I buy outright from some of my artists because I want exclusive rights to their work, but most of what I sell I take a fifteen percent commission.”

“Wouldn’t you be better off owning the inventory?” he asked.

“Probably.” Zoe straightened a rack of children’s dresses made from organic cotton and nontoxic dyes. “But at first I couldn’t afford to buy everything and the women make more by going the consignment route. Now, have I answered all your questions?”

“All but one.”

“Fire away.”

“Did you join Susannah’s campaign on behalf of anyone connected to Lyle Abernathy?”

“What?” Surprise and relief flashed through her in rapid succession. “No. Of course not. Why would I work for Lyle Abernathy?” she asked, the truth coming easily. “I don’t know the man. Or anyone connected to him.”

Doubt was written all over Ryan’s face.

“Look, I can see you don’t believe me,” she said. “And I will admit that I wasn’t up front with you about my past. But if I’m guilty of concealing anything, it’s who I am. Ending my marriage to Tristan caused a complete severing of every social tie I had. To the women I used to call friends, I am a pariah. Not one of them has reached out to me since I separated from Tristan.”

Hurt gave her voice a quaver. She didn’t try to control it. Appearing vulnerable would deflect Ryan’s suspicions. Still, discovering that this bothered her surprised Zoe. Those women had never truly been her friends and she should be happy that she was free of their petty mischief.

“I was looking for a fresh start with people who wouldn’t judge me based on a preconceived notion of who I was. So I changed my hair and bought some new clothes and joined your sister’s campaign because I believe she’s going to make a great state senator.”

Through her tirade, Ryan remained silent, his expression unreadable.

“I won’t apologize for following you here or checking you out,” Ryan said. “This senate race is really important to my sister and I won’t let anyone mess it up for her. So, if certain events have happened in the past year to make me suspicious as hell of people—”

“People?” she countered, interrupting him. “Or women?”

A muscle twitched in his cheek. “Look, I got burned because I didn’t see certain signs,” he admitted. But his candidness lasted no longer than a camera flash. “And I’ll be damned if I let anything like that happen again.”

“I can tell you exactly how to avoid any trouble with me.” At his disgruntled snort, she set one hand on her hip and gestured with the other toward the back of the store. “You can walk right out of here and never bother me again.”