Bayside Heat

by Melissa Foster

  “Sounds great.”

  A few minutes later Chiara brought her into Suzanne’s office, which was three times the size of hers.

  “Welcome to KHB,” Suzanne said as Chiara left the room. She waved to a leather chair across from her desk. “Sit down and get comfortable. Let’s get you up to speed.”

  Serena guessed Suzanne to be in her late thirties. She had olive skin and sharp brown eyes. Her dark hair was pulled back in a sleek bun, and she gave off an aura of sophistication. Her finely fitted gray suit and expensive heels further underscored her business-savvy nature. But it was her confidence and assertiveness that Serena had first noticed during their interview. Suzanne didn’t mince words, and Serena respected that almost as much as she admired her design abilities.

  “Do you have any questions before we dig in?” Suzanne asked.

  “No. I’m ready and excited to take charge of my first project.”

  “Great.” Suzanne picked up two folders from her desk and handed them to Serena. “You’ll be working with two major clients. Seth Braden, the president of BRI Enterprises, a major retail conglomerate, and Muriel Younger, a principal attorney at Younger, Lynch, and Ryan. We’ve worked with both of them before. All of the information you’ll need is in the files. Seth has just taken on a partner, and he’s doing a full-scale rebrand and redesign, and Muriel has expanded her offices and is taking over another floor in her building. You have a meeting scheduled to see Muriel’s offices Wednesday. I assumed you’d want some time to get your head wrapped around that job before meeting with Seth. He’s awaiting your call, but no pressure to get started yet. He’s out of town until next week. Since your last visit to the Boston Design Center was some time ago, I’ve asked Gavin Wheeler, another senior designer, to go with you Friday to help you get acclimated to the way things are done there.”

  “Sounds perfect. Thank you.”

  “You’ll also be working with two smaller clients.” She handed Serena two more folders. “The Wilkinsons are renovating their home library, and the MacIntyres have a small contracting firm. They want to redecorate their offices on an insanely meager budget.” She arched a brow. “We took them on as a favor to a big client. Good luck with that one. Did Chiara explain how to report business mileage and expenses?”

  “Yes, and she encouraged me to take clients to lunch or dinner. Is that appropriate?”

  “Appropriate and expected. The relationships are as important as the work itself. I also assume she introduced you to your team, Laura and Spencer?”

  “Yes. She did. They seem eager and nice.”

  “They’re loyal and creative. You’ve got a strong team behind you. Use them to their fullest extent. I believe you’re all set.” Suzanne rose to her feet and held out her hand. As Serena shook it, she said, “Welcome aboard. I’m really glad you’re here.”

  “So am I.” Serena walked back to her office—her office—feeling a strange sense of euphoria. She was thirty-one years old, and she had finally truly connected with her lifelong love, and now she had the opportunity she’d always wanted. What more could she ask for?

  Her stomach growled as she entered her office, where she found a box from Insomnia Cookies on the desk with a big pink bow tied around it. She opened the card, and her heart filled up with each word. Congratulations, Supergirl. I bet you didn’t eat breakfast. Hopefully these will make it to you by lunchtime. Knock ’em dead. Love, Drake.

  “Someone’s got a sweet tooth,” Gavin said as he walked into her office.

  “I have about twenty-five sweet teeth. The rest are just there to balance things out.” She untied the ribbon and set it aside with the card so she could take them home. “Want one?”

  “Absolutely. Why else would I be standing here drooling?” He arched a brow and took a cookie. “Are these from your boyfriend or your sister?”

  “How’d you know I have both?” She looked over the selection of delicious treats, itching to text Drake but not wanting to be rude to Gavin.

  “You’re spending more time looking at the cookies than looking at me, which tells me you’re not single, and you sort of give off a vibe like you know someone’s got your back.” He leaned closer and lowered his voice conspiratorially. “Could be the boyfriend, but in my experience, that kind of confidence usually comes from a girls’ club.”

  She laughed. “What are you, the woman whisperer?”

  “Something like that.” He glanced down at the files on her desk and winced. “She’s throwing you feet-first into the fire. Good luck with Muriel.”

  “Why? Is she awful?”

  “Nope. She’s a typical KHB client.” He pointed toward the left side of her office. “My office is right next door if you need anything. I’m looking forward to our field trip Friday. Plan for lunch. I’ll clue you in on how things work around here.”

  The second he left, she whipped out her phone and sent Drake a quick text. Can’t text too much, but thank you!! The cookies are a poor substitute for your kisses, but they’ll do. Miss you like crazy! She added a winking emoji and a kissing emoji. Then she sat down and prepared to research the mysterious Muriel Younger and powerhouse Seth Braden.

  “HEY, LONELY BOY,” Rick said as he came through the door of the music store late Monday evening.

  Drake hung up the electric guitar he was holding and climbed down from the ladder. “What’s up?”

  “Just making sure my brother’s not crying his eyes out or anything.”

  Rick and Desiree had gone sailing with them Sunday afternoon, and Drake had told them all about him and Serena. He was pretty sure they would have popped open a bottle of champagne if there’d been one lying around.

  Drake scoffed. “Thought I’d get a head start on things.”

  “Is that code for keeping your mind off Serena?”

  “Pretty much. She’s coming down for the weekend, and the last thing I want to do is spend the whole time getting the store in order.” But they had so much fun when they set up the stores, he felt her absence like a missing limb.

  “Makes sense. The grand opening should be fun. Are you still shooting for the twelfth?”

  “Yeah. We’ll make it in time. Serena’s on top of the media and advertising.”

  “As always.” Rick grabbed another guitar and handed it to Drake. “Climb up. I’ll hand them to you.”

  “Thanks.” He moved the ladder to the next group of hangers and climbed up. “Where’s your soon-to-be wife?”

  “We’re not joined at the hip.”

  Drake gave him a yeah, right look. He wished he could be joined at the hip with Serena like they used to be.

  “She’s having dinner with Vi. Sisterly bonding and all that. I figured it was a good time to catch up with you.”

  “You just saw me at the office.” He hung up another guitar and waited as Rick unpacked the next one, wondering what his brother really wanted. “Harper did a good job today.”

  “She’s great. She got in touch with Daphne and scheduled an interview for Friday. It’s on your calendar.” He handed Drake a guitar with a troubled look in his eyes.

  Drake hung up the guitar and climbed down the ladder, meeting his brother’s gaze head-on. “What’s really going on, Rick? You look like something’s on your mind.”

  “When we were sailing yesterday, I noticed a look in your eyes, like a fleeting moment of panic. You were there for me when I needed you most. You pushed me to get over my demons, and it helped me to move forward with Desiree. I have never regretted giving up my business or moving back to the Cape. I want to be here for you, too, Drake. So whatever that was, whatever I saw, I want you to know that you can talk to me. I’m not that angry guy who can’t face Dad’s death anymore.”

  They’d both been on the deck of the boat the night of the storm when their father had fallen overboard and been lost at sea, while their mother and Mira were down in the cabin, out of harm’s way. Drake could still hear the howling winds, still feel the cold rain pounding his cheeks, the del
uge of waves crashing over the deck in the pitch-black night, and the dense whoosh of the boom cutting through the air as it slammed into their father, sending him to his death. The ocean was a destructive, uncaring beast, and it had swallowed him to its dark depths so quickly, none of them could have saved him.

  Drake turned away, busying himself with unpackaging another instrument. He hadn’t thought anyone had noticed the fear that had risen inside him.

  “Dude…?” Rick put a hand on his shoulder. “What’s going on?”

  He faced the brother who had struggled for so long with guilt over their father’s death, who had fought him every step of the way to keep from healing. Until Desiree. Drake had dealt with the grief from his father’s death years ago. The only thing he had ever hidden from was his feelings for Serena. And he hadn’t hidden from them as much as he’d tried to outrun them for her sake. Now that he knew how she felt about him, he was done with that bullshit. But the path from here to a future with Serena was unclear. He was sick of things being unclear or off-limits, and when they were sailing, he was struck by another troubling gray area.

  “When we were sailing, all I could think about was what if the unthinkable happened when we were out there. Dad didn’t get to say goodbye to any of us. I was so damn focused on our pain and trying to hold everyone together, we never talked about what Dad’s last thoughts were. What went on in his mind as the boat keeled and he went overboard? What was he thinking during his last few seconds of life? I don’t want my last thoughts to be ‘I’ve wasted years,’ or ‘Why am I here while she’s there?’ I can’t go back and fix the years we’ve missed, and it’s probably too soon to figure out the second. That’s what you saw.”

  They stood there in silence for a few moments as their painful past wrapped around them. The haunted look in Rick’s eyes made him look five years older, and Drake was sure he was guilty of the same.

  “I thought about Dad’s last moments until I was sick with it,” Rick confessed.

  “I know. You and I talked about that when you and Des got together, but for me it’s a selfish thought. As much as I want to know what Dad thought, I kind of don’t.” He paused, his confession gnawing at his gut. “But I want to make damn sure I don’t regret a thing from here on out.”

  They worked in silence for a long while, putting up displays, each lost in their own thoughts. Eventually Desiree called, which was Rick’s cue to leave.

  He embraced Drake longer than usual. When they parted, he said, “Are you thinking of moving to Boston?”

  Drake shrugged. “I wasn’t,” he said honestly. He made enough money with his music stores that he didn’t need to work at the resort. But the resort had never been about money. It had been Drake’s way of bringing his family back together. Maybe Rick’s advice hadn’t been too far off when he’d said, At some point you’ve got to stop looking out for her and look out for both of you. Maybe it was time for Drake to stop putting everyone else’s happiness before his own. “But maybe it’s worth thinking about.”

  Chapter Twelve

  “THERE’S SOMETHING VERY wrong about you being dressed to kill when I’m this far away,” Drake said in a husky voice that made Serena want to crawl through the phone Wednesday afternoon instead of heading into her meeting with Muriel Younger.

  She was standing outside the building. She dipped her head as a couple walked by, so they wouldn’t notice the flush heating her cheeks, and spoke quietly into the phone. “If you’re lucky, maybe I’ll show you what I have on under this killer outfit on FaceTime tonight.”

  He made a growling noise, and she felt it against her skin like his rough, calloused fingers. “Let’s make that a promise, sweetheart, not a maybe, because just that thought is going to keep me on edge all day.”

  “I like you all edgy and hot for me,” she said seductively.

  “I’m hot for you every damn minute of the day. Two more nights, baby, and then you’re mine. I hope you haven’t made plans to see anyone else this weekend, because we might never leave the bedroom.”

  Her head spun with lustful thoughts. “I like that idea, but the girls might take issue with you hogging all my time.”

  The last few days had been a blur. In addition to researching Muriel’s existing offices, studying the layout and designs, and going over the previous presentations her firm had put together over the last few years, Serena began researching the other clients she’d been assigned. She also followed up on the entertainment for Drake’s grand opening, verified delivery dates for the furniture and other items that were still on order, fielded questions from both Justine at Shift and Harper, and tried to keep up with the girls back home via texts, but it wasn’t like she could keep her phone by her side every second. By the time she fell into bed at night with Drake on the other end of the phone, she was exhausted. Playful dirty talk had always been part of their friendship, but the truth behind their feelings had taken it to a whole new level. He revved her up every single night. They’d never taken it further than a few steamy comments, but the thought of being naughty on a video chat with him made her insides thrum.

  “A ravenous man can’t be given time limits.” His deep voice drew her attention.

  “Okay, dirty boy. Wish me luck, because if I stay on the phone with you, I’m going to need a panty change.”

  “That does not make me want to end this call.”

  “Yeah, me either,” she admitted, her temperature rising. “But duty calls. I’ll tell you what. If I have time, I’ll stop at Kane’s and have a Chocolate Orgasm just for you.”

  “Mm. Chocolate. I’m adding that to my grocery list for the weekend, right alongside whipped cream.”

  “Oh my goodness,” she said breathily. “Bye, dirty boy.”

  “Later, you sexy thing, and remember, you’ve got this. She’s lucky to work with you.”

  Serena took a moment to breathe before heading inside for her meeting. She should have known better than to talk to Drake before her first big meeting, but she missed him. Even though he turned her on endlessly, he also calmed her jitters and made her feel confident and capable in ways no one else ever had. Which was exactly how she felt as Muriel Younger greeted her twenty minutes later. Muriel’s capped-sleeve Elie Tahari black shift had three spearlike cutouts around the high neckline and clung just enough to her rail-thin frame to be business appropriate. Her coal-black hair was cut in a pixie style, like Chloe’s, but while the cut looked soft and elegant on her sister, coupled with Muriel’s black-framed glasses and perfectly penciled eyebrows, hers looked severe.

  “Serena,” Muriel said sharp and fast, as if chastising her. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  Muriel’s firm handshake validated Serena’s initial impression. “Thank you. I’m excited to get started on your project.”

  Muriel didn’t crack a smile as she headed for the door and said, “I’ll be out for the next half hour,” without turning to face the receptionist, whom Serena assumed she was talking to.

  She followed her out the office door, hurrying to keep up as Muriel sped through another door and up a stairwell to the next floor.

  “You’re familiar with Younger, Lynch, and Ryan, I assume?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Serena said, glad she’d done her research. “It’s the largest women-run law firm in the country, the fifth-largest law firm in the region. It was founded by your mother, who is now retired, and you’ve just acquired two more offices in New York and Philadelphia—”

  “You’ve done your homework,” Muriel said as they entered the partially unfinished space her company would soon be utilizing and made their way toward the offices along the exterior walls.

  A nearly blank slate. Serena’s dream come true.

  “We’d like to move our merger and acquisitions team in within sixty days,” Muriel said sharply.

  “Sixty days will be tight, with the build-out.”

  Muriel’s gaze turned colder. “Sixty days can be done.”

  “Yes, of course,
as long as there are no major last-minute changes.” Serena made a mental note to discuss the time frame with Suzanne.

  “Your firm has worked with our architect before, Drew Ryder at Ryder Associates. He’s expecting your call.”

  “I’ll call this afternoon. I’ve researched your existing offices and have a handle on your brand and the mood you typically like to set. Are there any chang—”

  “If you’ve studied our brand, then you know there is only one mood,” Muriel said as she crossed the concrete floor, her Christian Louboutin heels tapping out a fast beat. “We portray utmost professionalism in every office, on every floor, in every location.”

  “Yes, of course.” Broken record much? She wanted to offer something new to this woman. If she wanted a rerun of all her other offices, why go with one of the most expensive companies in the area? “I’ll make a note that you’d like to carry over the same color scheme as downstairs. What about walls? Glass walls, at least in the conference rooms, would allow for more natural light in the rest of the office.”

  “And less privacy,” Muriel said sharply.

  “Noted. Let’s talk about the flow of the office. Will there be a reception area on this floor?”

  “Yes. Let’s go back downstairs and I’ll have my assistant walk you through. She can answer any other questions you may have,” Muriel said as she walked back toward the stairwell.

  So much for Serena’s dream come true. She was as hamstrung as a mummy.

  Two hours later she returned to her office, scheduled an appointment to meet with Drew Ryder the following day, and headed straight to Suzanne’s office. She found her studying floor plans at her desk.

  Suzanne waved her in. “How’d it go with Muriel?”

  “I’m not sure, actually. She’s worked with the company for eight years, and you’ve designed six suites for the firm. I assumed she might want to freshen things up, but she has no interest in any design suggestions. Do you think I missed something?”