High Society Secrets

by Karen Booth

  A look of horror crossed his face. “This is Astrid. She and I work together at Sterling Enterprises.”

  As if Astrid needed another reminder of the box Clay wanted her to stay in. Astrid stepped closer to Delia, crouching down to get on her level. “I already know who you are. You’re the famous Delia. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

  A slight smile crossed the little girl’s lips, but she seemed to be sizing up Astrid, trying to figure out what she was or where she fit into her life, if at all. “Hi.”

  Astrid planted her hands on her knees, still stooped down. “So, you like The Snow Princess?”

  Delia nodded eagerly. “It’s my favorite.”

  “Did you know it’s based on a story from Norway?”

  “It is? How do you know that?”

  Astrid smiled, thinking back to her childhood and the folk tales her brothers used to tell her. They always chose the darkest stories in the hopes of scaring Astrid, but it never worked, and they were confounded. Astrid always wanted to believe the happier parts of those fables. “It’s called The Three Princesses. The story is different in the movie. It’s much more fun.”

  “Where does the snow come from?”

  “There’s a lot of snow in Norway and the winter can be very long. That’s where I was born and where I grew up.”

  Delia’s eyes went wide. “Really? I’ve never seen snow in real life. Sometimes you can see it on the mountains around San Diego, but that’s not the same.”

  Clay was carefully watching over their exchange, not letting on as to what he thought of it. “Come on, Delia. Let’s get your things packed up. Astrid needs to get home. I’m sure she has a lot she needs to do today.”

  “Okay.” The pair started upstairs, hand in hand.

  Astrid couldn’t help but feel as though she would only be intruding during the drive home. Clay had made his priorities clear and she couldn’t blame him for it. Delia was adorable. Anyone would want to protect her. If she were Astrid’s daughter, she would have felt the same way. “Clay? Hold on a minute.”

  He came to a stop and looked down at her from the top of the stairs, his eyes dark and questioning. “Yes?”

  “I’ll call a car to take me downtown. You and Delia enjoy the rest of your day together.”

  Relief washed over his face. He nearly smiled. Nearly. “Thank you. That would be great. I’ll see you at the office on Monday.”

  Astrid forced a grin. The thought of work soured her stomach. “Yes. Absolutely.”

  Clay and Delia disappeared up the stairs, leaving Miranda and Astrid downstairs alone.

  “So?” Miranda started. “How was it? Do you think that spending that time with my brother will make things easier at work?”

  Astrid wasn’t quite sure how to answer that question. Nothing about her night with Clay was going to make anything “easier.” “We’ll see. Your brother is a tough nut to crack.”

  Miranda nodded. “He always has been. I’m sorry if it’s difficult.”

  Astrid shrugged. “Thank you. I appreciate it.” Astrid really had no choice but to soldier through all of this, but she was also starting to wonder if it would ever be worth it. “I wanted to ask if you’re available for dinner one night this week. I’d like to have you and Tara over.”

  “Is this for fun or are we talking business?”

  “A little of both. I’ve just been thinking about my future with Sterling.”

  Miranda reached for Astrid’s arm. “I hope you aren’t questioning it because of Clay. I promise he’s far more bark than bite.”

  If only Astrid could tell Miranda what she was really thinking, that Clay had already taken a chunk of her heart and she wasn’t sure she could stick around in the hopes of ever reclaiming it. “It’s more than your brother. A lot of it’s on me.” The words echoed in her head. It’s on me. If she wanted happiness and fulfillment, she had to find it for herself. Not that long ago, she’d thought she’d found a new purpose at Sterling, but the road ahead seemed bumpy at best. She was going to have to hold on tight if she wanted to get past it.

  Eight

  Astrid arrived at work on Monday morning to a surprise sitting on her desk—a photo of her and Clay from Friday night at the award ceremony. It came with a note from Tara: You two look great! I hope you had fun.

  Astrid slumped down in her chair and sighed, picking up the photograph and trying to ignore how sad it made her feel. She and Clay looked better than amazing together. They looked like they belonged together. Why did he have to be so deeply opposed to that idea? Did his hurt from his ex-wife really make him that unwilling to ever pursue love? She understood wanting to protect Delia, but surely he realized that all romance involved risk. There was no such thing as a relationship where you didn’t ultimately put your heart on the line. She wondered if she’d ever get the chance to tell him that much, or if he would even listen. His stubborn streak was a mile wide and just as deep.

  Astrid got to work, deciding to stay in her office and take care of things like paperwork, research, and answering emails. On any other Monday morning, she would have gone in search of Clay so they could regroup on the Seaport project and set the agenda for the week ahead. That would have to happen eventually, but for now, she was going to put it off as long as possible.

  A little after noon, she was about to head out to grab a salad for lunch when her cell phone rang with an unfamiliar number on the caller ID.

  “Hello?” she answered.

  “Ms. Sterling? This is Sandy.”

  Astrid sat up straighter in her seat and fumbled around the desk for a pen. She wanted to take notes so she could report back to Tara and Miranda. “Oh, hi, Sandy. How are you?”

  “I’m good. Really good. You said that morning we ran into each other at the bakery that I could call you.”

  “Right. Of course. Are you looking for a job? I haven’t had a chance to make a formal inquiry into what might be available, but I can certainly do that and get back to you. I would suggest a meeting with Mr. Singleton so you can discuss your departure. I do think the air needs to be cleared about that.”

  “I actually don’t need a job. I got a new one and it’s great. I’m working with the city planner’s office. That’s why I’m calling.”

  Astrid had not expected this, and she had to wonder why Sandy would choose to let Astrid know about it. Maybe she was just being paranoid. “Oh. I see.”

  “I feel bad about the way I left you guys high and dry last time. So I wanted to let you know that if you need anything at all from me, please feel free to ask. I’ll be here to answer any questions or provide details about any aspect of the process as we move through the second bidding phase of the project.”

  “Fantastic.” This truly was great news. Astrid’s other contact at the city was terrible. She rarely returned Astrid’s phone calls and if she did, it was always days later. This could be a real boon for Astrid. “Can I get your direct line?”

  “Actually, just use my cell. I called you, so you can grab the number from that. Our phone system here is a nightmare, and that way, you can reach me any time you need me. Even on weekends.” Sandy hesitated for a moment. “I did want to let you know that there’s been a change to the date for the next pitches. It’ll be Friday, November 13, rather than the sixth.”

  Astrid scribbled more notes. “Wow. So we have an extra week?”

  “Yes. One person on the committee had to take some time off with a sick relative. We thought we should give everyone some extra time. There will be a longer wait after this round until we announce the firm that will actually get the project. It won’t happen now until after Christmas.”

  That would be a long wait. The original schedule had it slated to be announced before the holidays. Apparently, Astrid would be staying in San Diego until at least January. Then she could decide if Sterling was a place where she had a real fut
ure or if it might be better to return home to Norway. “I see. Well, thank you so much for the update. I really appreciate it.”

  “My pleasure, Mrs. Sterling. I do have one more bit of information though, and I’m afraid it isn’t good news. I know that Sterling had inquired about naming the park that will be on site after Johnathon Sterling, but I’m afraid that just won’t be possible. The city will be retaining naming rights.”

  That made perfect sense to Astrid. Things like stadiums and museums and concert halls all had some sort of corporate affiliation now. There was simply too much money to be made. “I understand. Better to know now rather than later. Thank you for letting me know.”

  “No problem. I’m going to get going, but I guess I’ll talk to you soon.”

  “Bye.” Astrid hung up and knew that she was going to have to relay this information to Clay. Best to do it now and get it over with. She strode down the hall to his office, poking her head inside. He was at his drafting table, with his back to the door, headphones on. He often listened to music when he was working. Jazz, mostly. He said it helped him concentrate and create at the same time.

  Not wanting to surprise him, she knocked firmly on his door, but apparently the music was too loud. With no other option, she tapped him on the shoulder, then hopped back. Sure enough, he jumped. He grabbed the headphones and pulled them from his head, plopping them on the table. “Astrid. You surprised me.”

  “I’m sorry. I knocked, but you didn’t hear me.”

  He drew in a deep breath through his nose, but avoided eye contact. Apparently things were going to be awkward for a while. “Can I help you with something?”

  “I heard from Sandy. Tara’s old assistant? You’ll never guess where she’s working. The city planner’s office.”

  “Good for her.” He walked over to his desk and sat, waking up his computer.

  “Do you not understand what I’m saying? We now have a direct line of communication with them. Hopefully that will mean less red tape, which should make things easier on us both. In fact, she called to tell me the deadline has been pushed back a week because of some internal scheduling issues.”

  “I guess that’s good.”

  Astrid was so frustrated she was about to scream, and she was tired of hiding these emotions. She planted both of her hands on his desk. “Are you going to look at me, Clay? Are you going to engage in actual conversation with me?”

  His jaw tensed, but he finally looked up at her. “Astrid, I’m trying my best, okay? I just think that it’s better for both of us if we keep some distance at work.”

  “That would be nice if we weren’t working on the same crucial project, but we are. And again, just as I told you in LA, you don’t need to take everything so seriously. If we’re done, we’re done. Let’s move on.” She was going to have to repeat those words to herself until she began to believe them. But that was a problem she would keep to herself.

  Clay got up from his desk, looked out in the hall, then closed the door behind him. Astrid couldn’t help it, but knowing that they were alone made her stomach do a somersault.

  “Miranda knows.” Clay crossed his arms over his chest, which was its own distraction—the way it made his upper arms strain was a little too alluring.

  “Wait. What? How?” Astrid couldn’t imagine how they possibly could have given themselves up when they’d gone to Miranda’s house that afternoon. They’d been so careful. Clay had gone out of his way to keep his distance.

  “I really don’t want to talk about this right now. Not in the middle of the day in the office. There are too many loose lips.”

  He was right on the money about that. “Okay. Well, I’m guessing you don’t want to tell me over a drink or dinner.”

  “That’s probably not a great idea.” He ran his hand through his hair. Astrid wished she could be doing that right now. She wished everything standing between them would just go away. “Let’s talk at six, when most people are gone. I’ll get the nanny to stay late with Delia.”

  “It’s that serious? Why can’t you just tell me how Miranda knows?”

  “There’s more to it than that. I feel like I need to explain myself.”

  Astrid wasn’t sure what to think anymore. “Okay, then. I’ll be back at six.”

  * * *

  Clay was watching the clock. Astrid was always on time for everything, and he had a feeling tonight would be no exception. He didn’t relish telling her the things he was about to. He didn’t go about laying his soul bare. It was easier if her kept it all inside and hidden. That way, no one could use his feelings against him.

  But after Miranda deduced what had happened in Los Angeles, and after she’d found out that he’d ended things with Astrid then and there, Miranda had insisted. She said that at the very least, Astrid deserved a full explanation of why he felt the way he did. Miranda had also tried to encourage him to give Astrid another chance. He wasn’t sure he could do that. It didn’t seem smart, especially after he’d already done the hard part and cut things off. Still, he did rely on his sister for guidance when it came to matters of the heart. She had a way of getting to the root of things, and most important, she understood him like no one else.

  Astrid appeared in his doorway at 6:02, smiling wide and holding a recognizable bag from the bakery across the street. “They’re all sold out of doughnuts this late in the day, but they just pulled some of those monster chocolate chip cookies out of the oven. If we’re going to have a big talk, I figured sugar might lighten the mood.”

  For what felt like the one hundredth time, he felt as though he was stuck in the role of the beast while she was the kindhearted beauty. “Thank you so much. I could definitely use a pick-me-up.” He went to his office door and closed it behind Astrid. The click of the latch made it all seem more real. He had to come clean. “Can I get you something to drink?” Clay had a fully stocked mini-fridge in his office. It had been his only request when they’d designed his office.

  “Water is fine.”

  Clay retrieved two bottles and handed one to her. Drinking in the office might be a relic of the 1950s and ’60s, but Clay could see the appeal right now. A finger or two of bourbon might make this easier.

  He joined Astrid on the couch, sitting at the opposite end. She turned to face him, pulling her leg up onto the cushion between them. “I think we should start with how your sister found out what happened. I can’t see where we could’ve possibly tipped our hand at her house.” As if to soften the blow of the topic, she handed over the bakery bag after pulling out a cookie for herself.

  “When I was video chatting with Miranda and Delia, I sat in the chair in the corner of the room and you got up to walk to the bathroom. There was a mirror behind me and she saw your naked reflection. It was only a split second, but she saw it.” He’d been so distracted, he hadn’t noticed it at all, but then again, he’d had the real thing right in his field of view.

  “You don’t think Delia saw me, do you? That would be horrible.” She took an anxious bite of her cookie.

  “I asked Miranda that same question, but she’s pretty sure Delia would’ve said something.”

  “Okay, good.” Astrid cracked open her water and took a long drink.

  Clay tried hard not to fixate on the curve of her lips around the opening of the bottle, and instead focused on his cookie, which was impossibly good but still not as appealing as Astrid. “Miranda and I talked for a bit after you left, and after she told me she knew what had happened. Delia was occupied with saying goodbye to the fish in Miranda’s aquarium.”

  Astrid stuck out her lower lip. “That’s adorable.”

  “I know. It is.” Astrid wasn’t making this any easier. He brushed away a piece of lint on his trouser leg, searching for words. “Miranda didn’t want to let it go because I told her before we went to Los Angeles that I was struggling with my attraction to you and I didn’
t want anything to happen.”

  Her eyes flashed as if she was trying to solve a mystery and she’d just had her “aha” moment. “Was that why you were angry when we ended up in the same room?”

  “I wouldn’t say I was angry.”

  “Annoyed. Miffed. Irked. Those are all emotions you direct at me.”

  He sat forward and rested his elbows on his thighs, running his hands up over his face and back through his hair. “I know. I’m sorry I do that. It’s just that...”

  “I don’t need your apologies. I just want to know what’s really going on here. This feels like so much more than the fact that we work together. It feels like so much more than you not wanting to get involved. So, please. Explain it to me so I can understand.”

  “I can’t bring myself to trust a woman again, Astrid.”

  “That’s it?”

  “That’s the essence of it, yes. My ex-wife destroyed any faith I ever had in love, which wasn’t much to begin with. You know, Miranda and I have been on our own since we were young. Our mother left us with our grandmother, who was furious that her only daughter stuck her with such a huge responsibility.”

  “I didn’t know about that.” Her voice was so soft and understanding, it nearly broke his heart.

  “But, somehow, I fell in love when I met my ex-wife. Or at least I thought it was love. Obviously it wasn’t, because she left, too. And when she did, she took my trust and Delia’s along with it.” The emotion was welling up inside him, threatening to overflow. He wouldn’t let it. He had to stay in control. But still, it was easier if he kept directing his stare down at the carpet. One look at Astrid and it would be all over. “Do you have any idea how confused Delia was? The number of times she woke up in the middle of the night and wanted her mom and all she had was me? As hard as my childhood was, that was harder, and that was all while I was trying to get over a broken heart.”

  Astrid scooted closer on the couch and placed her hand on his shoulder. “You really loved her, didn’t you?”