Робин Грейди – One Kiss in... Paris: The Billionaire's Bedside Manner / Hired: Cinderella Chef / 72 Hours (страница 24)

Bailey’s hushed voice came from behind. “Why is he upset, Mateo?”

He looked over his shoulder. “He thinks you’ve shoplifted.”

Her eyes rounded. “That’s crazy.”

Yes. It was.

And yet he couldn’t help but wonder why a security officer from a well reputed store should stop them if there was no basis to the accusation.

Stepping beside her again, Mateo assessed her knee-length coat. “He wants you to empty your pockets.”

“What on earth does he think I stole?”

“The quickest way to end this, Bailey, is show him the contents of your pockets.”

If she had nothing to hide, she would have nothing to fear and, doing his job or not, he would then demand an apology from this man. If, of course, the security guard was right.

As shoppers swirled around them and a toddler, trying a mini slide, squealed close by, Bailey reluctantly dragged something shiny from her right pocket then held out her hand, palm up. The officer preened his moustache before leaning in to take a better look. Mateo didn’t need to. He knew what Bailey had hidden in her pocket.

The officer angled his head and frowned. “What is this?”

Sheepish, Bailey found Mateo’s eyes. “You were right. The clasp broke when I was looking through a display. It fell in with some necklaces. I put it in my pocket and was going to have it fixed, first thing, when we got home.”

Mateo let out a lungful of air. Her charm bracelet. She was lucky she hadn’t lost it. He knew how much it meant to her. He should have made her listen.

Mateo explained the situation to the officer who accepted the story with an apology before allowing them to be on their way.

“I know what you’re thinking,” she said as they walked out onto the pavement. “It could have slipped off without me knowing.” She cringed. “I hate to think what my father would say.”

“He wouldn’t be happy.”

“I’m used to that. But you don’t need to be upset.”

He didn’t reply.

As they cabbed it back to the suite, Mateo mulled over the incident. What really bothered him was that for a moment he’d been prepared to think the worst of Bailey—again. But it had been a misunderstanding, something similar to when he’d jumped to conclusions the second she’d confirmed she’d taken that money from Mama. But that hiccup was long behind them. Bailey wasn’t dishonest. Wasn’t manipulative.

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