by Dena Blake
Warmth shot through Carly as the back of her neck began to burn. “How do you know that?”
“You told me.”
She searched her mind. “I don’t recall ever telling you anything like that. In fact, I don’t recall us ever having a conversation with you that extended past the weather or the kung pao chicken at Suzanna’s events.”
“I’ve been living today over again. I guess it’s going to happen until I get it right, which I can’t seem to do.”
“Where is she?” She bolted up, went to the door, and pulled it open.
“Who?” Wynn looked confused.
“Suzanna. She put you up to this, didn’t she?” She went to her desk, picked up her phone, and hit Suzanna’s number.
Wynn raced to her and took it. “It’s no joke. It really happened.” She pleaded with her. “You love sunrises on the beach. We’re going to buy a house there and watch them every day together.”
“Oh my God.” It was like she’d read her every thought. “Tell me more.”
“And you want kids. Lots of them.” Wynn’s face lit up like she’d just made a new discovery. “You’re going to be such a wonderful mother to our kids.”
“You want kids?” She tilted her head.
“Absolutely. I love kids.” She smiled widely. “Have ever since Suzanna brought those sweet little munchkins of hers into the world.”
Warmth captured her. Wynn was her perfect match. “I didn’t know that about you.” She’d heard Suzanna talk about how much her kids loved Wynn, but they’d never discussed Wynn’s thoughts on having children of her own.
Wynn continued to explain the events of the past few days, and Carly didn’t know what to say. Wynn knew details of her life that she hadn’t shared with even Suzanna, and she was her closest friend.
“I know you think I’m crazy, but it all happened.”
“Something must’ve happened.” She put her fingers to her forehead.
“Do you believe me?”
“I don’t know. I’m not sure what to believe or what you want from me.”
“I want what we’ve had the past few days.”
She scratched her head and blew out a breath. “Uh. I don’t know what we had, but I’m not even close to the intimacy you’re describing.”
“I know. I’m not asking you to jump into bed with me, just to trust me and give us a chance. See where it leads.” Wynn looked sincere. She didn’t see any sign of deception, but none of this could be true. Could it? What was she going to do? She should call Suzanna. But how could she tell her that her sister was delusional? Panic raced through her. Maybe she was the one who was delusional.
She went against every professional thing she knew and said, “Okay. I’ll give us a chance.”
The expression on Wynn’s face went from distress to pure joy. “Thank you.” She took her hand and held it between hers. “I’ll pick you up tonight at six.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I want to. A beautiful woman like you should never go anywhere unescorted.”
In that moment, with that one small gesture, somehow amid all the craziness, Carly knew everything was going to be all right.
* * *
As soon as Wynn left Carly’s office, Stephanie rushed in. “What was that about?”
“She’s apparently had some epiphany about life that includes me.”
“Have you two ever dated?”
She shook her head. “No. Not really. I mean, we’ve spent time together at events, but not alone.”
“Are you going to in the future? It sure sounds like she wants to.”
“I agreed to see her tonight. Yes.” She closed her eyes and second-guessed her decision. “I’m not sure that was the right choice.” What if everything she’d said wasn’t a dream? What if it was some alternate reality created in Wynn’s mind?
“I think it’s a great decision.” Stephanie grinned. “You never go out. It’ll do you good to loosen up. I can think of worse things than indulging in some pleasurable satisfaction with someone as hot as her.” She fanned her hand in front of her face. “Even if it turns out to be only short-term.”
“I don’t think it would be all about sex with her.”
“Even better.” Stephanie strode to the door. “Your next appointment isn’t for another hour, so you have time to think about it.” She glanced over her shoulder and grinned as she closed the door behind her.
Carly paced her office and then flopped onto the couch and curled up on her side. What had she gotten herself in to? Everything Wynn had said spoke to her deepest desires. That had to mean something. Didn’t it?
* * *
Wynn knew she’d sounded desperate this morning. She’d seen that probability in Carly’s eyes as she explained the past few days to her. But the way Carly’s shocked expression had changed to one of curiosity as she provided all the details of what they’d shared over the past few days gave her hope. The intimate details of Carly’s hopes and dreams had seemed to make her more willing to listen and to give Wynn another chance tonight.
After they’d successfully united and presented their solution to leadership, Wynn, Evelyn, and Jack had entered each floor together and walked the halls reassuring the employees they would have no workforce reduction, that their jobs were safe. The relief among the different teams was evident, and the news seemed to precede them on each floor they entered until the last floor full of employees actually stood and applauded as they exited the elevator. A lot of fear, uncertainty, and doubt had been circling through the masses for close to a month now.
On each floor of the building, they’d also let all the employees know what they expected of them in the future. Anyone who wasn’t up to the task of bringing this company back into the black was free to find employment elsewhere. Not a threat by any means, only a subtle way of bringing everyone on board with their future success. They would all receive bonuses and salary increases when the company made money, but they needed to earn them. Their new positions in the company would ensure the plan was followed.
Once they were done spreading the good news, they all headed back into the elevator. When it stopped at the floor where Wynn and Evelyn’s offices were located, Evelyn stepped out while Wynn held the door and turned back to Jack.
“Can you meet me at my house in an hour? I have a favor to ask.” She didn’t go into the details of Buttercup’s adoption. That would take more time than she needed to waste this morning. She would find a way to make sure his wife, Maria, fell in love with her immediately today.
He glanced at his watch. “I guess I can go home for lunch.”
“Great. Can you get Maria to meet us there as well?”
“I’ll check.” He scrunched his eyebrows together. “What—”
“Thanks. I’ll see you both then.” She let the elevator doors close and then went into Evelyn’s office. Now to get her to come to the fund-raiser tonight.
“So. Hey. I’m going to a fund-raiser my sister, Jordan, is putting on for Children’s Hospital tonight. You want to come along?” She tried not to be too obvious.
Evelyn raised an eyebrow. “Where is it?”
“The Waterbar, her usual venue. The food is always fabulous.”
“Your sister works for a non-profit?”
“Yep. Has for years. Some influential people should be there.” She knew that would get her. Evelyn was all about schmoozing to get ahead.
“She must be very different from you.”
“Somewhat.” She saw the scrutiny in Evelyn’s eyes and didn’t dare tell her she’d learned all her business tactics from Jordan. She wanted her to see Jordan’s charming side first. “She does a lot of good for the community.” Which she did, but she just handled things in a different manner than Wynn.
“Open bar?”
“Always.”
“See you there.”
She gave herself a silent fist-pump. Now she had two matches for Jordan. Hopefully, she was one step closer to en
ding this crazy day.
Chapter Twenty-one
Wynn hadn’t been able to find a spot anywhere near Carly’s townhouse, so she’d called her and let her know she was double-parked in front of the building. Nob Hill was a beautiful area of San Francisco, but Wynn would never be able to stand the traffic or the noise. She enjoyed the serenity of the suburbs as well as the space. When she saw Carly come out the front door, she had to catch her breath. Dressed in the same black, form-fitting, sleeveless lace dress she’d worn every night before, Carly was stunning. The contrasting, creamy skin of her shoulders made memories of kissing them fill her mind. She shook the thought from her head and tried to calm herself as she got out of the Jeep and raced around to open the door for her.
“You look positively gorgeous tonight.”
“You look pretty dashing yourself.” Carly’s eyes roamed her from head to toe.
“Well, thank you.” She smiled as she held out her hand for Carly to hold as she got into the Jeep. She’d worn the same khaki pants with a long-sleeved cream-colored, button-down shirt and a tan cotton blazer just to match Carly.
The ride to the event wasn’t long, but it had been quiet. Did Carly’s silence indicate that she’d had second thoughts about everything they’d discussed this morning? She reached across the console and took her hand. Carly seemed to startle and then took in a deep breath.
“You’re not afraid of me, are you?”
“No. Not at all.” Carly glanced at her. “I’m just puzzled. It’s a lot to comprehend.”
“I can work with that.” She smiled, relieved Carly still wanted to understand.
“Everything in my nature—and my education—tells me this isn’t possible.” She glanced at their hands, clasped together perfectly. “Yet the lightest of touches from you does something to me that I can’t explain.”
She attempted to release Carly’s hand, and Carly held it tighter. “Do you want me to stop?”
“No. Please don’t. It’s a wonderful feeling. I want to follow my…” Carly veered her eyes to the road. “Instincts.”
She sighed as the familiar warmth rushed through her. Wynn knew exactly what Carly meant. She’d felt it since the day they’d met. “How was your day?”
Carly grinned. “You mean besides the distraught woman who broke into my office this morning.”
“Yeah, besides her.” She instinctively lifted Carly’s hand and pressed the back of it to her lips, holding it there briefly, indulging in the softness of her skin.
“It was interesting. I’ll tell you about it later.” Carly watched her as Wynn kept her hand in hers and rested them on her thigh.
The sexy, sideways glance Carly gave her sent a jolt directly between her legs and practically knocked her out of her seat. This was going to be the longest event ever. She returned her eyes to the road. All in good time. “That’ll be the highlight of my night.”
“Tell me about your day.”
“I did a few good things, I think.” She smiled as she weaved in and out of traffic. “I saved a few jobs at work.”
“Really? What happened?”
“There was a plan to cut the workforce, and three of us—me, my boss, and another manager—brainstormed a plan to save money without cutting jobs.”
“Hmm.” Carly pulled her eyebrows together. “What exactly do you do for a living?”
“Technically, I’m a corporate suit. In reality I manage day-to-day IT operations.”
“That sounds quite fulfilling.”
“It can be on days like today. Others not so much.” She glanced at Carly, who seemed to be scrutinizing every inch of her.
When their eyes met, Carly blushed. “Anything else?”
“I also adopted the mother of my Labrador-retriever puppy, Shadow.”
“That’s a cute name. How did you come up with it?”
“She has a habit of blending into the darkness during the night. I’ve tripped over her several times. Plus, it’s the only name she’ll answer to. Apparently, she didn’t like Raisin, Eggroll, or Rhubarb.” She grinned.
“Eggroll?” Carly raised an eyebrow. “Really?” She blew out a breath as though thoroughly disgusted. “I’m with Shadow on those. Who wants to be named after food?”
“Okay, Miss Smartypants. What would your choice have been?”
“If you were going to stick with food, Taco would be the best.”
“Why’s that?”
“No one would ever question when you brought her along because there’s always room for tacos.” Carly winked, and the familiar tingle in Wynn’s stomach appeared. “Shadow is good, though. I like it.”
“Okay. So, Taco is for our next dog.” She smiled as she pulled up in front of the restaurant.
“Deal.” Carly hadn’t hesitated. Maybe this would work out after all. The valet opened Carly’s door, and she slid out of the SUV.
Wynn usually parked herself because she could get out quicker at the end of the night. The valet always kept a spot for her, but she refused to make Carly walk even a block to the restaurant in heels.
She rounded the Jeep and took Carly’s hand before she opened the door for her. Suzanna raced across to meet them as soon as they entered the restaurant. “Wow. Aren’t you two prompt this evening.” Suzanna glanced behind them. “Did you come together?”
“Yes.” They responded at once.
Wynn bit her bottom lip and grinned as so many other meanings for that question flew through her head. Her cheeks were definitely on fire now. Carly seemed to notice and turned a beautiful shade of pink. Embarrassment had never looked so good.
“Wow. Now you have me wondering what happened in the car. You’re both glowing like you just ran a three-minute mile.”
She cleared her throat. “Carly’s place is on my way.”
“She offered to pick me up.” Carly finished the sentence.
Suzanna observed them suspiciously. “Um, I gathered that.” She moved her finger through the air in front of them. “You look good together.”
She smiled widely. She’d made the right decision by wearing the same clothes as before. They complemented Carly’s dress perfectly. Just one more thing to seal the deal.
Wynn glanced around the room, trying to get the spotlight off them. “Looks like everything is already done. What can we do?”
“We still need to bring a few things out from the kitchen. Napkins and silverware, but the restaurant staff has everything else under control. They hired extra staff tonight to help. Apparently, they like us.” She glanced at Jordan across the room, who was now greeting early guests. “If I can just manage to keep Jordan away from them, we’ll be in good shape.”
Jordan wasn’t very forgiving when it came to slow responses or dillydallying. If you were working an event, you should always be doing something.
Wynn smiled when she saw Jean enter with the bottle of cognac. She was dressed in a royal-blue slip dress that Wynn knew would enhance her eyes as much as all her other lovely body parts. She’d called her earlier and asked her to bring it by, told her she’d introduce her to her sister, who was much more interesting than her.
Evelyn always showed up late, so if Jean and Jordan didn’t hit it off and Jean left early, she’d be none the wiser. Hopefully her plan of finding someone to spark Jordan’s interest wouldn’t blow up in her face.
Wynn helped Carly and Suzanna with the mechanics of the event, and everything was running smoothly. Carly had stepped out of the kitchen to use the restroom. She just hoped nothing went wrong in the kitchen. Thoughts scrambled through her head—wrong food, not enough food, dwindling liquor. Fire. She took a sip of her drink. She had to stop panicking, or the night would go to shit anyway just because of her anxiety. She leaned back against the counter and heard a crash behind her. Fuck. She spun around to see that a huge bowl of lettuce had spilled to the ground. She immediately grabbed the metal bowl and began shoveling it back into the container.
“Wow. You sure know how to impress a woman,
don’t you?” The amusement in Suzanna’s voice was ridiculous. “Don’t worry. She’s not back yet.”
She grabbed the back of her neck, which was on fire. “Unfuckingbelievable.” She glanced around, looking for any sign of Carly. “Do I need to go get more?” This was the third accident she’d had in the kitchen tonight. They weren’t huge, but her mojo was definitely off.
“Nope. We have plenty.” Suzanna stared at her for a moment. “I was just teasing earlier, but you really like her.” She found a broom and dustpan and started sweeping the lettuce into a pile.
She nodded as she took the dustpan from Suzanna. “You have no idea.”
“Wow. I’ve never seen you like this. Are you okay?” Suzanna seemed concerned.
She knelt and held the dustpan while Suzanna swept even more lettuce into it. “Let’s just say the past few days have been a little freaky.”
Suzanna clenched the broomstick and squatted next to her. “What do you mean?” She plucked up a few outlying pieces of lettuce that had landed under the metal platform.
“I feel like some supernatural power is happening around me. It’s not like things are moving on their own around me, but it kinda is.”
Suzanna stopped as she knelt, lettuce in her hands, and drew her eyebrows together. “You’re scaring me a little.”
“I’m fine. Some things have happened with Carly, and I don’t know how to make them permanent.”
Suzanna laughed as she grinned. “Just be you, silly. You’re a fucking awesome woman.”
“I don’t know about that, but I’m trying to be a better person.”
Carly came through the door. “Oh, my. What happened?”
Suzanna sprang up and swept the remaining mess into the dustpan. “I caught the bowl with my arm.” Suzanna rubbed her elbow. “You know how clumsy I am.”
Wynn couldn’t love her sister any more than she did right then. She always had her back.