"What's Arrow Components?" I yawned.
I'd barely slept after Grey left my apartment the night before.
"Only G&G Components' biggest competitor," Bridget responded.
"So what does this mean? Is she some kind of corporate spy who started sleeping with him to get intel?" Grace asked, playing with her hair as she paced the floor.
"I don't think he was ever screwing her," I replied. "I haven't had as much time with him as I would have liked and though I hate to say this, he just doesn't give me that vibe I usually get with marks. Maybe the pictures were some kind of blackmail to get information?"
"Maybe, but you remember the Zimmerman case? We were convinced he wasn't a cheater until we finally figured out he was fucking the first PI his wife hired and she was helping him cover his tracks. Why wouldn't Gregory have told Elsa about the photos if it was just blackmail and he didn't screw Kristen? If he's faithful, nothing we do should change that. So until you know something for sure, I think we need to keep pursuing all the angles. Are you good with that?" Grace looked to me.
"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" I asked defensively.
"I don't know, Claud. You've just seemed off your game lately. Forget I said anything," she continued. "I'll talk to Patty so she can fill Elsa in. You go back to the office, keep working with Janet and let Gregory get comfortable with you being around. See if he slips or reveals something we can use."
She gave me a reassuring smile.
"You've got this, Claudia." Lydia looked up from her tablet.
"I know. I've looked through Gregory's schedule for the next few weeks, and I've found some times when I think I can get to him outside of the office. He's pretty booked up. There's a convention in Kentucky he's leaving for this Friday, and another in Dallas late next week, but there are some evening business dinners planned after he gets back from Dallas. I could easily be dining in the same restaurant and bump into him after he's had a good meal and a few drinks to loosen him up. Not to mention Janet wants me to start doing more on my own with Gregory. That will give me plenty of excuses to see him and work on getting closer."
"If he's gettable, you'll get him." Grace nudged my shoulder. "No man can resist your charms. Hell, I don't know how I keep my hands off you." She winked and stood. "I have to get going, have a lunch date to get to."
"The mystery man from the gala?" I raised my eyebrows. She just smiled. "Did you even make it home last night?" I asked, pushing her arm.
"I went home. I won't say what time, but I did go home," she replied with a laugh.
"You're going to have to give me the details tonight." I smacked her ass.
She just shook her head and walked out, although it was more like floated out. That must have been one hell of a date.
"Guess we should head back to the office." I turned to Bridget. "We can share a cab."
"Or you could let me drive your car?" she said, a question in her tone.
"No way. Once was enough," I replied, laughing.
"Um, Claudia, there's something I need to ask you about." She twisted her hands in her lap. "Last night Jason called me because Grace was on her date and I guess your phone was off or something."
Fuck, fuck, fuck! The tail on Grey; I'd completely forgotten about it.
"He said he followed Greyston Michaels to an apartment building and he went up and stayed for about twenty minutes. It was your building--your other building."
"Bridge, it's not what you think," I replied, trying to figure out what the hell to say.
"I don't know what to think about it," she said quietly.
"I met him the first day at G&G and he has a little crush on me, but I made it clear I wasn't interested and I needed to keep things professional. He didn't get the message the first time around and just showed up last night. He bribed the doorman to get up without being announced. I let him in for just a few minutes and made sure he understood he had no chance with me."
"Is that really what you want?" Bridget asked. I must have looked confused; in truth, I was confused by her question. "I mean, do you--you know, like him?"
"It wouldn't matter if I did, Bridget. We've got a job to do, which potentially includes me fucking his identical twin brother and capturing it on tape. Not exactly the stuff romances are built on."
"Oh," she said, "I just thought maybe, um, I don't know. Maybe you'd changed your mind about that stuff or something. I've kind of always wished you would so you could be happy."
"I don't need a man to make me happy. I've got you guys." I smiled. "I will tell you something strange, though. He asked me, since we couldn't be together like that, if we could be friends."
"What did you say?"
"That's the strange part. I said yes."
"But won't that end when the job is over?"
"Of course it will, but he was pretty clear he wouldn't accept anything less, and it would make my job a lot harder if he was actively pursuing me every chance he got, especially around the office where his brother might see. At least this way, I have a little control over the whole thing and can keep him at a comfortable distance."
What I didn't share was how much I actually liked talking to him and how I wasn't sure I could let go of him just yet. Being just friends, it would hurt less when things ended, as they inevitably would.
"So what now?" Bridget asked.
I wasn't sure if she meant for Grey and me or about work.
"Well, I hate to ask you this, but can you keep this just between us for the time being? I don't want to freak the others out. Grace is already worried about me and I've got it under control."
I sounded convincing, even to myself. I could do my job and be friends with Grey in the meantime. If Gregory was innocent, there was even a chance I could do it without hurting him any more than I already had. With the bonus we'd get from Elsa when the job was over, I'd be a lot closer to affording my vineyard, and if I could talk Grace into selling the penthouse, I'd definitely have enough. I could get out of the game, say good-bye to Grey, and move on without him ever having to know the truth.
"I won't say anything, I promise. You can always talk to me if you need to, about this, or whatever," Bridget replied, touching my arm. That girl was one in a million.
"Ditto, Bridget. I haven't asked you about Josh because I know you're a private person, but I'm here if you ever need to talk. Now I guess we should get out of here and get back to our fake jobs," I said, smiling down at her.
"Speak for yourself. I'm actually working really hard!" she said. "Ben has been running me around like crazy setting up their new inventory system. Which reminds me, he's probably going to want me to travel to some of the plants over the next few weeks. I could probably stall for a while. It's not as if I'm going to be staying on there after you're done with the case."
"No, don't stall. I think Lydia's got a handle on the camera feeds, and I have access to most of Gregory's files now."
I didn't want to bring it up just yet, but with Grace's new man in the picture and me thinking of starting the search for a vineyard, Bridget might want to consider extending her employment at G&G just in case.
❖
As promised, Grey stopped pushing me for anything other than friendship, and he was playing it pretty cool in that regard, as well. He'd stopped to talk to me in the office only once since showing up at my apartment. Janet had stepped out for a doctor's appointment on Wednesday afternoon and Gregory was meeting with a vendor across town, so I'd popped in to talk to Paul for a few minutes before lunch. He was busy hanging an interesting tapestry on the wall, but stopped to fill me in on a little office gossip he'd picked up from the receptionist. Nothing on Gregory, unfortunately.
"Ms. Winston, can I get your help on something for my brother's schedule." Grey poked his head in the door of the office the designers were working in.
Paul mouthed, "Oh my God!" to me before I followed Grey out.
"Way to keep it discreet," I said out of earshot as we walked down the hall.
"Oh, sorry. I, um, I--"
He cracked up laughing.
"You asshole!" I said teasingly, although my face was hot with embarrassment for being so presumptuous.
"Sorry, I couldn't resist. I just wanted to grab you for a second to see how you're doing, you know, since we're friends. I haven't talked to you in person in a couple of days," he said, giving me a genuine, warm smile. "I noticed you seem to be making a lot of friends around here. You and that little redhead from IT seem pretty chummy." There was a question in his tone.
"Bridget actually helped me get the job. We've been friends for a couple of years. She's a great kid," I said, meaning it wholeheartedly.
"Kid, huh? You're barely older than her and you're calling her a kid." He laughed as we entered his office.
"There's enough of an age gap I can get away with it. I'm turning thirty-two next week."
"I think I remember you mentioning something about a birthday coming up." He pulled a bag from behind his desk. My heart thudded. For a moment I thought he'd gone and bought me something, but seeing the restaurant name on the bag, I realized the appetizing smell I'd noticed when we first walked in was coming from it. "I know you want to keep things professional, aka, are ashamed of being seen out with me in public." The corner of his mouth lifted. "So I figured we could eat in every once in a while as a friendly compromise."
"I think I can live with that," I said, peeking into the bag. "I love Italian food."
"I know," he replied with a proud smile. Of course he knew. I'd mentioned going to Tuscany and even shared that I hoped to live there someday.
"So can I ask you something?" I said as he pulled out a loaf of Italian bread wrapped in paper and set it on the table in the sitting area of his office. "Joshua Slade, is he a good guy?"
Grey looked at me quizzically.
"Yeah, Josh is great. I've known him since we were kids. Why do you ask?" He looked more than a little worried, maybe even jealous.
"My friend Bridget mentioned they'd gone out once, and I was just wondering. I can't have my friend dating a complete douche bag on my watch, and I just thought given who he's related to--"
"You mean Ashley. Trust me, he's nothing like his sister. He's one of the nicest guys I know, maybe a bit on the nerdy side, but your friend would be lucky to have him."
Nerdy was definitely good for Bridget, and I was relieved to hear Grey speak so highly of him. Although other than the brief discussion we'd had about her date back in the office, Bridget remained silent on the subject. For all I knew, it'd just been that one date but as curious as I was, I didn't want to press her about it.
Now Grace was another subject. She'd seen her mystery man three times in under a week and couldn't stop talking about it. Well, the dates at least. She didn't really offer much about the man himself. I was happy for her, if not a little jealous. Her situation was considerably simpler than mine, especially if this job was indeed our last as Homewrecker Incorporated. I knew Grace was as ready to retire as I was, but we hadn't discussed it. I didn't see the point until I was more certain. With a connection like Elsa Michaels to help her and the money she'd get selling the penthouse, she'd be well on her way to starting the charity she'd talked about since college, and she'd be free to be pursue whatever kind of relationship she wanted. Of course there would be some concern the details of our former business could come out later but before Elsa's case, we'd taken steps to protect our anonymity, so it was up to Grace if she wanted to share that information with her significant other.
"I'm glad to hear it." I sat down on the couch in front of the place setting Grey made for me. He pulled over a chair from in front of his desk. He sat in it and pulled the lever, a whoosh of air following as he dropped down to the chair's lowest setting. I couldn't help but smile at him. It was so easy being around him, so natural, even though I was constantly reminding myself to keep my thoughts focused on friendship and not how sexy he looked when he smiled.
"So what's the deal with your necklace?" He pointed toward it with his fork before he took a bite of salad. "You always wear it."
My hand shot to it instinctually. I was surprised he'd noticed but he was right, I never took it off.
"It was a gift from my mother. The last one she gave me," I replied, letting my fingers slide over the delicate detail of the rectangular filigree locket. It looked like a typical pendant at first glance, but it slid apart to reveal three pieces, each with a tiny photograph tucked carefully inside. The front photograph, which faced toward my heart, was a picture of my mom on the day I was born. The next, which faced toward her, was of me, and the third was of Jessica, both taken while we were in Tuscany. When I was younger, I would open it often and stare at my mom's picture but in recent years, I'd allowed myself to open it only once a year on my birthday. It was an early birthday gift. When Mom gave it to me a few days before my birthday. She said it was because she wanted me to have it with me--to keep her in my thoughts while I was away at college.
"I'm sorry, I know you don't like to talk about your family."
"It's okay." I slid the panels of the locket between my fingers to open it. "This is a picture of her."
I turned the pendant around so he could see it but because of how small it was, or maybe just because he wanted to, he came and sat next to me on the seat to get a closer look. He took the pendant from me and studied my mom's picture before looking into my eyes.
"You look like her," he whispered so close his breath teased the skin of my face.
I wanted to kiss him so badly I could hardly stop myself, but I had to. I had to steer clear of the attraction I felt for him, so I thought of the one thing that could pull me from any other feeling.
"She committed suicide," I whispered so low it was barely audible. "Fourteen years ago," I continued. My voice sounded a bit stronger despite the tear that slid down my cheek. It'd been a long time ago but for some reason, I hadn't really been able to move on. I still felt the pain of her loss. Probably because I lost my father, and any chance I ever had of trusting a man, that day as well. Until Grey.
Grey didn't say anything; there was nothing to say. Instead, he pulled me into his arms and I buried my face against his chest and sobbed.
❖
On my way to pick up food on Friday for my third consecutive lunch with Grey, I thought about how strange it felt opening up to someone, about how something awful changes the dynamic of a relationship. Everything was just easier with him.
While the attraction between us simmered below the surface, waiting for a chance to ignite the flame once again, we both managed to stick to our agreement and remained strictly friends. He quickly became a very important part of my day, so much so I was sometimes able to forget it would have to end soon.
Whenever I did let myself consider the impending end of our friendship, my chest tightened and my eyes stung, only a tiny preview of the pain I was going to feel when it actually happened. Somehow I ignored it all and decided to enjoy the time I did have with him. It wouldn't be long before Gregory would be spending a lot more time in the office, and with me.
He was leaving in the afternoon for the convention in Kentucky he and Gregory were attending over the weekend, so I'd volunteered to pick up lunch for the second day in a row.
"Have a nice day," the girl who'd put together my order said as I passed her the signed credit card slip and picked up my bag of food.
I was excited to get back and share a sampling of some of the best sushi in Chicago with Grey, knowing it was going to be three days until I saw him again.
"Cynthia? Fancy meeting you here," a voice I'd hoped to never hear again said from beside me, far too close for comfort. "Surprised to see me?"
"Wow, Eric. What are you doing here, in Chicago?" I asked, trying to hide the fear that was prickling all over my skin. Not only was I running into a former mark at home, but it had to be Eric Bennett, the only one who
m I'd ever actually been afraid of.
"I could ask you the same thing. One day we're having a good time and I tell you I'm falling for you, and the next you're gone, your phone is disconnected and I never hear from you again. I checked at your job, and they said you'd quit, didn't even leave a forwarding address for your last check."
I smiled, looking around casually for a way to escape--a cop nearby I could grab. But what could I say? Eric hadn't actually done anything to me, and they couldn't exactly arrest him because he gave me the creeps.
"I'm really sorry, Eric. I meant to call you, but things just got really crazy for me after the last time I saw you. I came back here for a family emergency, and I dropped my phone rushing through the airport. It got crushed under some big guy's shoe and I lost all my contacts. I ended up just taking on an extra line my sister already had on her plan instead of forking over the money for a new phone."
"Things got really crazy for me, too, Cynthia. I'm getting divorced--thought you might be interested to know that little tidbit--but I'm actually here to check out possible locations for a new hotel." His tone was calm, but there was something brewing behind his eyes I couldn't quite read.
"Wow, that's crazy. Are you okay?" I tried to sound concerned and surprised.
"I'm great. Why don't you give me your number and we can get together later, talk about everything in a more private setting?" he said, moving closer to me.
I pulled the bag of takeout in front of me to hold it with both hands as if it was getting too heavy for just one.
"Actually, why don't you give me yours? I left my phone back at my sister's place when I ran out to pick up lunch for us, and I don't have the number memorized yet. How long are you in town? I can give you a call tomorrow or maybe this weekend."
"Or I could just follow you to your sister's and then you can give me your number, too, and I'll know where to find you."
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