Fortune's Perfect Valentine

by Stella Bagwell

  “And you’re making me ill,” Adelle retorted. “Is that jaded image how you actually think of Ben’s marriage?”

  Releasing a long breath, he cast a rueful glance at his secretary. “I’m trying not to. I really do want him and Ella to be happy.”

  “Sounds like it.” She slanted a clever glance at him. “Could it be that you’re feeling a little jealous that you’re not the one on a honeymoon?”

  Honeymoon. The word had Wes’s thoughts drifting once again to Saturday night and those few mind-blowing minutes he’d held Vivian in his arms. Sure, he could imagine making love to her for two solid weeks. And even that much time might not be enough to satiate this appetite she’d unexpectedly aroused in him. But not on a honeymoon. Not with Vivian. Or any woman.

  “Jealous?” He made a scoffing noise. “Adelle, I’m blessed because I’m free. And I have every intention of staying that way.”

  She had opened her mouth to make a retort, when his cell phone signaled he had an incoming text message. He picked up the phone. “Get out of here. I have work to do,” he told her. “And when you get back to your desk, call Vivian and tell her to come to my office. Pronto.”

  Adelle slowly started toward the door. “I guess it’s not enough that you’ve ruined my morning with your grumpy mood. Now you want to ruin hers.”

  There were days Wes wondered why he put up with Adelle’s disrespectful mouth. And there were days when he treated her like anything but a secretary. They deserved each other, he thought wryly. Moreover, he couldn’t do without her as a secretary and his friend.

  He pointed toward the door. “Didn’t I tell you to get out of here?”

  She stomped off in the direction of his finger. “You sure did. And I hope to heck I don’t have to see the inside of this room for the rest of the day.”

  As soon as Adelle wrenched open the door, then shut it firmly behind her, Wes tossed the phone aside and left his desk. At the wall of plate glass, he stared broodingly out at the city, where dark, wintery skies matched the heavy thoughts swirling around in his head.

  After he’d raced out of Vivian’s apartment Saturday night, he’d driven straight home and downed a stiff drink of bourbon. But the alcohol hadn’t been nearly enough to quench the fire she’d lit in him. Now, after two sleepless nights in a row, he felt like hell.

  Kissing a woman shouldn’t have been affecting him this way. It certainly never had before. But this whole thing with Vivian was different. Out of the entire team of his developmental department, she was the one he worked with on nearly a daily basis. Of the whole group, she had the brightest, most innovative brain, and he didn’t want anything to hinder their productive working relationship. That made her off-limits to any sort of office hanky-panky. And even if she hadn’t worked for Robinson Tech, she was hardly the type for a short-term affair, he reasoned. No, when she went to bed with a man, it would mean more than sex to her. It would mean all the things he wasn’t prepared to give.

  *

  A few minutes later, on her way to Wes’s office, Vivian paused at Adelle’s desk, where the older woman was digging through a stack of handwritten notes.

  “I started to bring you a doughnut from the break room, but I know how carefully you watch your figure,” Vivian told the secretary.

  Looking up at her, Adelle peered through a pair of black cat-eye glasses. “Honey, I’m the only one watching my figure. I haven’t had a date in weeks. And the last one I had got so gassed on the dance floor, I thought I was going to have to drive him to the emergency unit.”

  Vivian studied the secretary’s dismal expression. “Maybe you should try My Perfect Match, Adelle. You might find a guy who enjoys dancing and is fit enough to keep up with you.”

  Adelle let out a short laugh. “Vivian, most men my age are in a nursing home. But your idea about the app might be a good one. At first I was opposed to the dating site. I thought it was a good way to run into a serial killer. But so far, you and Mr. Robinson have dated nice people, and it would give me a chance to meet new guys. And who knows? I might get lucky and find a young one. I’m not too old to be a cougar,” she added with a saucy wink.

  “I’d certainly give it a try,” Vivian said with a chuckle, then glanced at the door leading into Wes’s office. “Is Mr. Robinson alone?”

  “Yes, go on in. But brace yourself. He’s not in the best of moods. The man can’t take much merrymaking.”

  Vivian looked at her. “Merrymaking?”

  Adelle thumped her pencil against a notebook lying on one side of the ink blotter. “Ben’s wedding,” she explained. “He can’t stand being around that much happiness.”

  “Oh. Well, not to worry, Adelle. I don’t figure there’s any chance that seeing me will make him happy.”

  Her chin up, she walked over to the door and, after a light knock, stepped inside the large room. Immediately she spotted Wes standing at the windows with his back to her, his hands jammed in the pockets of his khaki trousers. Even though she hadn’t seen his face, the sight of him was all it took to zoom her pulse into overdrive. And as her gaze took in the back of his dark head and the faint ripple of muscles beneath his burgundy shirt, it dawned on her that after Saturday night, nothing would ever be the same between them.

  With that realization weighing heavily on her thoughts, she closed the door behind her and walked deeper into the room.

  “You wanted to see me?” she asked.

  He turned away from the windows and returned to his desk. But instead of taking a seat in the plush leather office chair, he leaned a hip against the edge of the desktop and gestured to one of the wing chairs positioned in front of him.

  “Have a seat, Vivian.”

  This morning, when she’d dressed for work, she’d donned her tightest black skirt and a close-fitting white sweater with a cowl neck that dipped to a provocative spot between her breasts. At the time, she’d thought the sexy clothing would help lift her squashed spirits, but now, as she eased onto the edge of the chair and smoothed a hand over her skirt, she felt like a fool. So far Wes hadn’t even made eye contact with her, much less noticed her clothing.

  “I appreciate you getting here so quickly. I wanted to talk with you. And it’s not something I wanted to discuss over the phone.”

  Vivian had hoped her heart would’ve slowed to a normal rhythm by now, but if anything, it had sped up to a dizzying rate.

  “I see.” She nervously licked her lips. “Is this about the app? I know it’s still very early, but have you gotten any sales data in yet?”

  He waved dismissively with one hand. “Relax. The app is selling like crazy. If things continue at this pace, we’re in for a huge success.”

  She breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s good news. So what—”

  “This is about Saturday night,” he brusquely interrupted. “I wanted to apologize again. That’s not the way I normally behave. I mean, not with an employee.”

  He might as well have stabbed her, she thought, as anger shoved its way to the tip of her tongue. “Oh, that’s right. I wasn’t your date. I was an employee pretending to be your date. Excuse me for forgetting that.”

  “Vivian,” he said, his voice rueful, “I’m sorry that you’re hurt.”

  “Hurt! You don’t know the first thing about me, Wes Robinson! I’m not hurt. I’m mad as hell!”

  His features twisted with frustration, his gaze remaining on her face as he straightened away from the desk. “Vivian, I—”

  Certain she’d just burned her bridges, Vivian jumped to her feet to interrupt him.

  “Go ahead,” she dared, her voice low and tight. “Order me to clean out my desk and get out of the building. I don’t care. Telling you what a creep you are is worth losing my job!”

  Before she could guess his intentions, he stepped forward and wrapped his hand around her arm. Shivers of heat instantly washed over her, and hating her helpless reaction, she pulled away from him and stepped backward.

  Blowing out a heavy
breath, he rammed his hands in his pants pockets as though he was afraid he might forget and touch her again.

  “I don’t want to fire you. I don’t want you to quit, either. Your work is very important to me—to Robinson Tech. It’s just that—the other night was a result of too much champagne and wedding celebration. Neither one of us was behaving like ourselves. We can’t let it happen again.”

  In other words, he deeply regretted those moments he’d kissed her. He regretted touching and holding her as though she’d meant something to him. The fact shouldn’t surprise her. And it certainly shouldn’t hurt her. But that night after the wedding, the passion she’d felt in Wes’s arms had blotted out her memory. For a few foolish moments, she’d considered herself his equal.

  Determined not to let him see he’d squashed her pride, she lifted her chin to a noble angle. “No. You’re right. It can’t happen again. And as far as I’m concerned, it won’t.”

  His sigh of relief was another kick to her midsection. No doubt he’d spent a big part of the weekend wondering how he was going to worm his way out of this awkward situation between them. While she’d lain awake the past two nights aching to feel his kiss all over again. How stupid could she get?

  “I’m glad you feel that way,” he said. “Because I think—well, I believe it would be best if we didn’t work so closely together for a while. At least until this dating wager between us is over and done with.”

  When would that time come? she wondered. How long would it be before he found the love of his life and announced it to the world? How many more boring dates would she have to endure before she admitted defeat? Just when she’d thought the weight on her shoulders couldn’t get any heavier, it did.

  “Fine. I understand completely. If I have anything to say to you, I’ll do it through Adelle,” she said coolly, then forced herself to meet his gaze. “The same goes for my work. Is there anything else before I go?”

  His face reminded her of a piece of stone, and suddenly Vivian was remembering all those critical things he’d said to her concerning his father. Someone needed to remind Wes Robinson that his cavalier attitude toward women was no better than his father’s. But she wasn’t going to bother with the task. His Ms. Perfect could be the one to set him straight, she thought grimly.

  “No,” he said. “Except that I regret things between us have become—strained.”

  Strained? Over. Finished. That was how she saw their relationship now.

  “I’m sure you do,” she said stiffly. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have work waiting on me.”

  Her back as straight as an arrow, her head high, Vivian headed toward the door. She was reaching for the knob while thinking it would be a long time, if ever, before she saw the inside of this office again, when the wooden panel suddenly swung forward.

  Vivian didn’t have time to move as a gray-haired man of considerable age stepped straight into her path, nearly knocking her over in the process.

  “Oh, pardon me!” His bony hand grabbed her arm in an effort to steady her on her feet. “I hope I didn’t harm you.”

  After what she’d just gone through with Wes, nothing could harm her, Vivian thought dismally. To the elderly gentleman, she said, “I assure you there’s been no harm done at all.”

  *

  As Vivian disappeared out the door, Wes remained standing in front of his desk, staring at the tall, slender man walking toward him. How had he gotten past Adelle to enter his office unannounced? Although something about him looked vaguely familiar, Wes was certain he’d never met him before.

  “I apologize for interrupting,” the man said. “Since your secretary was nowhere to be seen, I took it upon myself to enter your office.”

  Considering his advanced age, the well-dressed gentleman crossed the room with a surprisingly spry gait. Once he reached Wes, he extended his hand in greeting.

  “I’m Sterling Foster,” he introduced himself. “Kate Fortune’s husband.”

  Oh, hell, Wes thought as he stifled a weary groan. Meeting anyone associated with the Fortune family was the last thing he needed right now. The awful exchange he’d just had with Vivian was still tearing at him. She’d looked at him as though he was lower than pond scum. And at that very moment, he’d felt even lower. He’d handled the whole situation with the tact of a caveman. Now she would never consider him a man to be respected.

  But this new visitor to his office was an entirely different matter. One that Wes wanted no part of. And what was Sterling Foster doing here at Robinson Tech, anyway? To demand that Ben stop his search before more embarrassing family secrets were uncovered?

  “Wes Robinson,” he replied. With narrowed eyes, he curiously scanned Sterling Foster’s wrinkled face. “Is there something I can do for you, Mr. Foster?”

  “I didn’t make the trip to your office to acquire anything from you, Mr. Robinson. I came to reassure you that Kate hasn’t forgotten her promise to meet with your father, Gerald.”

  When Ben had crashed Kate Fortune’s birthday bash, he’d certainly gotten the ball rolling, Wes thought dourly. And now, for Ben’s sake, he had to keep it rolling. Otherwise, there’d be hell to pay with his twin.

  Deciding to take the diplomatic route, Wes gestured toward one of the wing chairs. “Please have a seat, Mr. Sterling,” he invited politely. “Would you care for a cup of coffee?”

  “Nice of you to offer, young man, but I won’t take up that much of your time.” He eased into the nearest chair and waited until Wes had taken the seat across from him before he continued. “I actually came here this morning to speak to Ben, but I was told he’s gone on his honeymoon.”

  “That’s right. He was married this past Saturday and won’t be returning to Texas for the next two weeks or more.”

  “I see. Well, as you might have heard, my wife has been very ill. She’s out of the hospital now and doing better, but her doctors are insisting she remain here in Texas. The winters in Minneapolis are extremely cold, and they believe she’ll recover better here in the milder climate.”

  “The weather here in Austin can be fickle. We’ve even been known to have ice storms. But let’s hope, for the sake of your wife’s health, that we’ll have an early spring.”

  “Thank you. I am praying she’ll be back on her feet soon. And as soon as that happens, I’m sure she’ll be contacting Gerald about a meeting between the two of them.”

  Wes could hardly keep from letting out a loud snort. He could have told this man that Gerald Robinson had no desire to meet with Kate Fortune or anyone connected to the Fortune family. In fact, Gerald knew nothing about a meeting. What Ben was planning was an ambush between the cosmetics mogul and their father. But Wes wasn’t about to reveal such a thing to this man and ruin his brother’s plans. This was all Ben’s baby, and Wes didn’t want to get involved. Not if he could help it.

  “Well, I’ll be honest, Mr. Foster. This whole thing between my brother and your wife really has nothing to do with me.” He paused and took a breath, but refrained from passing a hand over his aching forehead. Not for anything did Wes want Sterling Foster to think his visit was causing him any undue stress. “Tell me, have you tried seeing Gerald this morning?”

  A wry smile crossed Sterling Foster’s face. “No. I don’t expect just anyone can meet with your father. And in any case, when it comes to my wife’s personal affairs, I wouldn’t presume to speak for her. She’ll do her own talking.”

  Wes breathed an inward sigh of relief. He wasn’t sure how his father would react if any member of the Fortune family showed up here at the office, wanting to ask him awkward, personal questions. Most likely he’d have security escort them off the premises. Yet in spite of Sterling letting himself into Wes’s office, he got the impression this elderly gentleman appeared to have more tact than to take that approach.

  “I’m sorry I couldn’t be of more help, Mr. Foster. But like I said, this interest my twin has in the Fortune family is his, not mine. Unfortunately, I’m afraid Kate will
have to wait until Ben gets back to set up a meeting with Gerald.” And that might actually happen when hell freezes over, Wes thought.

  Sterling weighed his suggestion for a moment before he inclined his head in agreement. “As far as I can see, that’s not a problem. Right now Kate’s still weak, and I’m trying my best to keep her home and out of the cold and away from flu germs. The extra time will allow her the chance to get stronger.”

  The tender affection in Sterling’s eyes when he spoke of his wife surprised Wes. Probably because he’d never seen his own father display any sort of love toward his mother.

  Deciding the man couldn’t be all bad, Wes gave him a genuine smile. “I’m glad the wait won’t cause problems for you. And I’ll make a point to let Ben know about our meeting today. I can assure you that as soon as my brother returns to Austin, he’ll be contacting you.”

  Sterling rose to his feet and extended his hand to Wes, who quickly stood and obliged the man with a handshake.

  “Thank you, Mr. Robinson. You’ve been very helpful.”

  Wes walked him to the door. “Good day, sir. And best wishes to your wife’s health.”

  “That’s very kind of you. Goodbye.”

  Wes shut the door behind Kate Fortune’s husband, then walked over to his desk and flopped into the leather executive chair. Dear God, what a morning, he thought as he blew out a long, weary breath. And it wasn’t half over yet.

  Moments later, as he searched through a drawer in his desk for more aspirin, Adelle walked into the room. From the look on her face, he could tell she was fuming about something.

  “I’m glad you’re here,” he told her. “Would you get me a cup of coffee? I need to take something for my headache.”

  “I’ll just bet,” she quipped on her way across the room to a coffee pot and tray of pastries on a small, round table.

  “Okay, Adelle, I don’t have the time or energy to read your mind. What’s wrong now? Not that I should be asking. I should be chewing on your you-know-what for letting Sterling Foster slip his way into my office! Where in the hell were you, anyway?”