Without Regret

by Aubrey Bondurant

  I was organizing my notes when Emma walked in. She was clearly surprised to see anyone else in the office before she arrived, let alone me.

  “What are you doing here so early?”

  I gave her a lazy smile. The kind which before she’d come along actually had an effect on a woman. “Working. Simon is off, but I thought I’d get an early start to the day since we’re traveling to New York tomorrow.”

  “Oh.”

  I could tell she wasn’t thrilled with either idea, me being here or the fact we’d be alone. “I’ll be certain not to bother you.”

  “Okay, then.”

  She seemed appeased by my answer.

  It wasn’t until after twelve that I saw her again. I’d been knee-deep in my due diligence while trying in vain to get my presentation to print. No dice. Couldn’t find the printer on my computer.

  She peeked her head in the door after a curt knock. “Hi.”

  I peered up from a contract, the fine print of which would be the death of me. “Hi, yourself.”

  “Um, I was heading out to get lunch. Do you want me to get you something?”

  I leaned back in my chair, taken aback by her offer. I was in fact starving. “I don’t want you to go to any trouble.” I meant it.

  She waved me off. “It’s what I would do for Simon. What do you want?”

  “Sandwich with meat of any kind. I’m pretty easy. Just no tomato, please.”

  “Easy enough.” She hesitated but then asked, “What are you working on today?”

  I was happy she showed interest, especially since Simon had said she was such an asset when it came research. “I’m working on a presentation for a possible new acquisition. I’ll show it to Simon tomorrow on the plane as my first attempt at analysis. You know, whether I think this company would make a good investment or not. Then, we’ll discuss it with Phillip once we’re in his office.”

  “What type of company is it?”

  “It’s an online gaming company in Houston. They specialize in fantasy sports.”

  “Fantasy sports?”

  “Yeah, like fantasy football, baseball, basketball. I think they even have hockey.”

  “I have no earthly clue what that is.”

  Judging from the pink tinge in her face, I guessed the word ‘fantasy’ had her imagination going in the wrong direction. Whatever that was, I wasn’t touching it. Instead, I simply explained. “It’s an app where people sign up to play in a league or team with other people and pick their teams from the best players. They score depending on how the players they picked do in their next real-life game. A lot of sports fanatics love it. I’ve dabbled in fantasy football in college. Baseball, however, takes real commitment given how many games are played.”

  “So you’re a sports guy?” she queried, looking surprised the words had exited her mouth.

  I chuckled, trying not to read into her curiosity. “Nah. Don’t get me wrong; I enjoy watching, football especially, but I was never one to spend a lot of time in front of a computer for fun.”

  I was much more of a hands-on type of guy, whether it was working on my motorcycle or my truck.

  “I’d better go grab lunch. Be back in a few.”

  “Okay. Thank you.”

  I forced myself to shake off the thought that she could be interested in any more than the job and a good working relationship.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Emma

  When I first walked in and discovered Trevor was here already at the office, I thought he might be playing some sort of game. I was apprehensive it was another angle to try to get to spend time with me alone. That idea went out the window, however, when he didn’t bother to engage me all morning. Then, once I went into his office around lunch, there was no doubt he was fully immersed in his work. In fact, his hair was all messed up from putting his hands through it while he reviewed whatever it was he’d been reading most of the morning.

  So, come lunch time I took pity when he didn’t come out of his office. I told myself it was only a professional courtesy, the same thing I’d do for Simon, but the truth was I wondered what he’d been up to.

  He surprised me by telling me about the company he was working on. Often Simon would bounce ideas off of me, but I’d wondered if Trevor would see me as simply an assistant to make his copies and get him coffee. I was pleased that he was treating me as a member of the team.

  After picking up food from a sub place a couple miles away, I came back to the office and saw his phone light was on. I went in with his lunch anyhow. And, yes. Maybe I listened to a little of his conversation. Because despite the warning bells telling me not to become friends with him, I felt drawn.

  “Sure, Dad. I get it. Okay, then. Talk to you later.”

  He hung up and fixed his gaze on me as I was about to back out of the room. Then, smiling, he picked up the bag. “Thanks for this. What do I owe you?”

  Huh. Simon was the only one who ever asked me that. Every other rich guy assumed I’d bill it to the firm, or who knows what they thought? They certainly weren’t ever concerned about paying me back.

  “My treat,” I said hastily, wanting to leave all of a sudden.

  “Wait. Did you get lunch, too?”

  “A wrap. Why?”

  I got the impression he’d been about to invite me to eat with him. “Nothing. Have a good lunch.”

  I intended to stay quiet and turn around in order eat at my desk alone. But he had a certain puppy-dog sincerity, as if he simply wanted company. I was also very curious about how things were going with his presentation, so I said, “I could eat in here with you if you want.”

  It wasn’t like I didn’t eat lunch plenty of times with Simon. That was what you did with coworkers. And despite telling myself I didn’t want a friendship with him, I did wish to know more about him. I reasoned it was because we’d be traveling and working together. I ignored the inner voice calling me a liar.

  “If you want.” He seemed unsure, which was my fault. I needed to clear the air.

  “It’s not a problem. I’ll be back in a moment.”

  He was halfway through his sandwich, obviously starving, when I returned with my wrap. He grinned sheepishly after swallowing. “Sorry. Guess I was hungry.”

  Bloody adorable. And the warning bells were back. “Guess you were. Look, did you mean what you said the other day about being okay with a friendship?” I was acting a bit like a bull in a china shop because I wanted to get this conversation out of the way.

  He stopped mid-chew and then proceeded, holding up a finger until he took a drink of his water, so he could swallow before speaking. “Yes, definitely okay with friendship. And I apologize if I came on too strong in the beginning.”

  His agreement didn’t give me the relief I’d thought it would. “I take a while to warm up to people. But if the offer for friendship is there, then I wouldn’t be opposed to it. Might make things easier in working together.”

  I’d thought he might be disappointed since most men I knew didn’t like having their ego checked. But he only grinned. “Good. As with any relationship, whether it’s professional or not, we’ll go slow. Trust takes time to build up, and I’m the new guy coming in after years of you and Simon alone together.”

  Truer words couldn’t have been spoken. I did have a tough time with trust. “Good. Glad that’s settled. How’s it going so far with fantasy sports? Is it a yea or nay for the investment?” I was surprised he wasn’t more into this transaction. He had jock written all over him with his athletic build.

  “Straight to the verdict, huh?”

  “Sort of cuts through the bullshit.”

  He laughed. “True, but I have seven pages of analysis. Not that it matters because I can’t seem to get the damn thing to print.”

  “I can certainly help with that. Email it to me, and I’ll print it.”

  He looked skeptical.

  “What? I won’t look at it if it’s confidential. Although you probably shouldn’t have told
me because now I’ll have to sneak a peek.”

  He chuckled. I found myself enjoying the way he did so, as though he couldn’t help himself. “I hesitated because I didn’t want to bother you with it. You work for Simon, not me.”

  That brought up a curious point. “True. But we’re a team.” And now that we’d addressed the elephant in the room, hopefully we could behave as such.

  “Agreed, but I’m not good with knowing what I should or shouldn’t be asking of you.”

  “Surely you’ve had an assistant before.”

  He blushed. “I made the mistake once when I was nineteen and interning for my father of asking his assistant for something. Pearl is all of eighty pounds soaking wet and reminds me of my grandmother, but she set me straight.”

  “And how did Pearl set you straight?”

  “She informed me she did enough of one man’s shit; she certainly wasn’t about to do another’s.”

  His amusement was contagious. I could picture it all too well. “And what did you say to that?” I knew many a man who would’ve pitched a fit about such an attitude coming from someone they deemed beneath them.

  “I told her, ‘Yes, ma’am. Sorry, ma’am.’ Nobody messes with Pearl.”

  I loved the idea of a little old lady ruling the suits in the office with an iron fist. And I found myself unthawing a bit. “That’s classic. So no more assistants for you?”

  “Nope. I’d say I’m proficient, except I can’t seem to print this thing.”

  “Let me take care of that. Send it to me.”

  He went back to his mouse, clicking a few times. “Done. Thank you.”

  A few minutes later, I’d printed from his email and returned with his pages. “Here you go.”

  He took the papers from my hand. “Thank you. I’m curious. How did you and Simon start working together?”

  That was one story I didn’t mind sharing. “I was nineteen and had started working as the receptionist in the New York office for the Stone Group. Simon needed an assistant temporarily, so they asked me to fill in. After a full day, he requested I stay with him for the week. And from there, he brought me on as a full-time team member for acquisitions.”

  “He speaks very highly of you.”

  “Yes, well, he makes it easy to do good work considering I feel the same way about him. Anyhow, I should get back to it. Email me your changes once you need them printed again.”

  “Thank you. Not only for that, but for lunch, too. I appreciate it.”

  I knew he meant it. I turned to go, but he stopped me.

  “Oh, and Emma?”

  My heart raced at the way he spoke my name, to the point I had to grip the door jamb. Definitely not thinking of him as a ‘friend.’ “Yes?”

  “The verdict is I’m suggesting we buy the company. Work to grow its app and platform.”

  I grinned. “I know. I skipped to the end of your presentation before I handed it to you.”

  He threw his head back with laughter.

  I went back out to my desk thinking it was too bad I didn’t go for nice guys; otherwise, Trevor would be a tough one to resist.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Trevor

  As much as I’d love to have sat there all day and ask Emma questions about herself, I knew two things. One, she needed to open up in her own time, and two, I still had a lot to get done. After she shut my office door, however, I did feel as though we’d made some progress in her warming towards me.

  The next time I heard from her was a knock when the sun was going down.

  “Come in.”

  “It’s near six o’clock. How much longer are you here for?”

  I glanced up to see her standing in my doorway, bag in hand, obviously ready to go home for the evening. How could it be so late already?

  “A little while yet. What’s your take on Phillip?”

  Her face gave away nothing regarding her feelings about the owner of the Stone Group. “He’s tough, but fair. I thought your father knew him?”

  I shrugged. “He does, but I’ve never actually met him. Seeing as I have this presentation for him in a couple of days, I thought I’d get your opinion.”

  She hesitated but then simply said, “He respects Simon, so if Simon signs off on your presentation, then you’ll do fine.”

  “Thanks.” My head was pounding from the numbers. I considered myself smart enough when it came to business, but there was a lot to consider when it came to evaluating a company for purchase. Oftentimes the best deal wasn’t the most profitable company because the purchase price would be high. The key was to find a diamond in the rough, so to speak, and shine it once it was purchased. At least that was the philosophy I kept thinking of.

  Emma snapped me out of my thoughts. “So, how late are you planning to be?”

  “I can lock up if that’s the issue.”

  “It’s not.”

  She chewed her lip in an adorable way that made me want to suck on it. So much for friend-zoning my feelings—they were busy figuring out a way to friend-suck her bottom lip.

  “What about Rufus? Won’t he need out? Or is your sister back in town?”

  I grimaced. My poor dog. Hopefully, he could hold it. “No. She’s still in Houston. The dog walker came about four hours ago, but I’m waiting on a phone call from Phillip, so I don’t want to be in the car.”

  She sighed heavily. “Is he walkable?”

  My brows shot up in shock. She couldn’t be hinting what I thought. “What?”

  “Will Rufus pull me over or go crazy if I take him outside for a quick bio break when I get back to the complex?”

  She might pretend she didn’t have heart, but it was quickly becoming apparent that under her tough exterior there beat a good one. “He’s like walking furniture. Probably the easiest dog in the world. True, he will get excited once you take out his leash, but make him sit, and he’ll be all yours. But are you certain you don’t mind?” The very last thing I wanted was to take advantage of her generosity and allow her to feel uncomfortable, given she was nervous around big dogs.

  She wavered but then walked forward holding out her palm. “I wouldn’t offer if I minded. Give me your key. And will he be hungry?”

  I couldn’t hide my grin and hoped like hell Rufus would be on his best behavior and not slobber her. “He’d be your best friend for life if you give him two scoops of his food when you get back from his walk. It’s in the kitchen along with his bowls, but he can also wait another hour or so if you’re not comfortable.”

  “I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

  I put my key in her hand, more than impressed that she’d gone from the baby step of petting him to offering to let him out. “I’m in apartment number 310, just down the hall from you. Thank you, Emma. I owe you big time.”

  “No, you don’t. This is for Rufus. Just so you know.”

  I had to keep myself from smiling. “Absolutely.”

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Emma

  What the ever-loving fuck had I been I thinking? This thought slammed into me as I pulled into the car park in front of the housing complex.

  Rufus weighed more than me and slobbered horribly. I had nothing personal against the big oaf, but now Trevor probably thought I was like the coeds his sister said fell all over themselves for him. They’d probably pick up Rufus’s shit with a smile.

  Damn. I hadn’t thought about that. What if the dog pooped? I always saw people with those tiny little bags in a thing clipped to the leash. That certainly wasn’t going to work for a dog this size. I’d need an entire bin bag.

  I let myself into Trevor’s flat on the third floor. It was an exact replica of mine, with the exception of an extra bedroom. I was immediately greeted by Rufus at the front door.

  “Hey, big guy. Simmer down, and I’ll let you out. Sit.” I said the last word in an authoritative voice which seemed to do the trick.

  “Good boy.” I probably should’ve changed my clothes before coming over, but I had a long
rain jacket on, the snaps of which I did up to save my dress just in case. A nearby towel appeared to be his. I grabbed it and did a good wipe down of his face so we wouldn’t have another drool incident. I was thankful to see his leash by the door. Next to it were grocery bags which I assumed were for pickup duty.

  After taking one of those, putting it in my pocket and clipping the leash to his collar, I led him down the stairs to the grassy area in back. Huh. It was a bit like walking furniture. The dog moseyed. I could do mosey.

  I found myself relaxing with each step as I took him further out into the field. Rufus peed and then sniffed around. But as I was about to lead him back inside, he perked up and stared off into the distance. Too late, I realized there were three deer about fifty meters away. Before I knew it, he launched himself towards them. The leash nearly took my arm off its socket before I landed on the ground with an oomph and let go. It was that or get dragged behind as he ran.

  I grimaced at the fact I’d likely ruined both rain jacket and dress. Bloody dog. But that annoyance had nothing on the fear suddenly welling up. I now realized that on the other side of the field was a busy motorway. A nightmare flashed in my mind of Rufus getting hit by a car. And me having to tell Trevor. It would be all my fault. Oh, God.

  Discarding my heels, I took off in a dead run, screaming after him like a madwoman. Thankfully, he either realized they were too fast once they’d bolted, or he ran out of breath. In any case, he abandoned the chase. I caught up and grabbed his leash, taking deep gulps of air. My lungs were burning and my adrenaline spiking.

  That wasn’t all. I was covered in mud, and so was he, having found himself a particularly mucky place to lie down. But he was safe. And I was completely, irrationally emotional over it. I bent at the waist, trying to recover, feeling tears run down my stupid face. “You scared me, you big, silly dog.”

  There was no actual heat to my words. Finally, after I’d taken a few deep breaths, we made the slow trek back to where I’d ditched my shoes. I picked them up, hoping they weren’t also ruined. Then I took him over to the outside steps, where I sat trying to get my heart rate and emotions under control. I must’ve sat there a while, with Rufus finally lying down beside me, before I heard Trevor’s voice.