Chaos (Constellation Book 2)

by Jennifer Locklear

  “Many would agree, and then many would go on to say that your father is more of a risk-taker,” Josh responded earnestly, pleased to have broken the ice with Kathleen. She straightened up in her chair. “Many do say that.”

  “Yet he took Stanley Brighton’s company to the next level. Has Robert Brighton been as good to Oregon as Oregon has been to him?”

  “Without question.”

  The reporter and I both looked at Kathleen. My expectation was for her to elaborate on her answer, but she didn’t. Maybe she’d decided nothing more needed to be said about Robert’s professional success.

  “There is anticipation that Kathleen Brighton will take Robert Brighton’s company even higher,” Josh added, exploring another angle.

  She blinked in genuine surprise. “I don’t know about that, but it is kind of people to say so.”

  “You’d be the first woman to head Aurora Advertising. What does your grandmother think about Kathleen Brighton’s potential?”

  “I grew up admiring my grandmother. I’ve always considered her a woman ahead of her time. She’s feisty, funny and loving. She’s also cultured and intelligent. Above all else, she’s confident, and she’s never missed an opportunity to teach me how to embrace life the way she does. When the day comes, and my father retires, she will be right there, urging me to be the strongest leader the firm has ever seen.”

  “Your grandparents are in their eighties now. Do you think they will live to see you fulfill that dream?”

  “They damn well insist on it. They aren’t going anywhere until I take the reins.”

  Josh laughed while I kept my own considerable admiration of this woman to myself.

  “When your time comes, will you keep the company headquarters in Bend? Or will you bring Aurora Advertising back to Portland?”

  This was the first question that gave her pause. She stared at her interviewer, assessing her response. I’d coached her to think before answering any question that raised her suspicions. I held my expression in check but was anticipating her response with great interest. I’d been on the receiving end of her sharp intuition and wasn’t surprised when the young reporter fidgeted under her speculation.

  “I feel at home in either city, and it will always be important to me to maintain strong connections with both.” She leaned forward, clasping her hands together on the table’s surface. “But I think what you’re really asking me is who do I take after. Stanley or Robert?”

  Josh nodded, impressed with her observation, while my heart quickened with a surge of pride. “Perhaps. Are you a natural leader? Or more of a risk-taker?”

  “As far as who I am? I’m still figuring that one out myself, but I do know that I would never make a move like that on pure whim. Our employees and their families depend on Aurora for stability. I’m committed to doing what’s best for everyone.”

  As I absorbed her statement, Josh typed furiously on his tablet, recording the biggest impression of the interview so far. As soon as he finished, he returned to the conversation.

  “I’d like to circle back to Robert for a minute. His decision to move Aurora’s headquarters to Bend would make a certain amount of sense today, but thirty years ago Oregon’s business community found it perplexing. What has he explained to you about that decision?”

  “At the time, I was a child, so I understood very little. All I knew was that we were leaving Portland to live in Bend. We’d been here a few times and something about the area just connected with Robert.”

  At this, she turned to face me. “Jack is a newcomer here. As I remember from his recruitment, one of the things he and Robert had in common was a desire to make a meaningful change in their lives. Both men saw pursuing careers in Bend as the opportunity of a lifetime. In this regard, Jack has a better understanding of Robert’s motivations than I would.”

  The young journalist’s attention reluctantly refocused on me. “Is that so?”

  “I suppose so.”

  She had deferred to me and I understood why. She was allowing me the opportunity to praise Robert. I’d watched her since Christmas and knew she hid her frustrations with her father well from curious eyes. Josh was no exception. He hadn’t homed in on her hesitancy to share details of her relationship with Robert, and I was doing my best to respect her privacy.

  As my attraction to her grew, however, it became more difficult to ignore the cool relationship between the two. I wanted to understand more about why father and daughter had such trouble connecting despite the fact they’d both committed their own lives to continuing Stanley Brighton’s legacy.

  “When did you join the Aurora family?” Josh said, moving on to me, and I complied so that Kathleen could collect her thoughts.

  “Just a few months ago. I moved here from Baltimore.”

  “How does a professional from the East Coast decide to move out to Bend?”

  I tapped my fingers on the table as I began talking. I needed to proceed carefully. “I’d accomplished everything I could in Maryland, and I’d always heard remarkable things about Oregon.”

  Josh narrowed his eyes. “So, you’d never been out here?”

  “No, but the opportunity opened up at Aurora. The job was a great fit for me and when I flew out here for my first interview, I saw for myself how incredible Bend is.”

  “What do you like best?”

  “I’m still discovering new things every day. The open spaces are refreshing. Living in the high desert is an experience unlike any other. The people are welcoming, and the mountains fascinate my daughter.”

  Josh’s eyes darted to my left hand where my wedding ring was. Although my divorce from Allison was well underway, it wasn’t final. I was still married and would wear the ring for the time being. I was extracting myself from the marriage with as much care as possible. Despite our inability to reconcile, Allison and I were united in making this transition as easy as we could for Heide.

  Josh opted not to ask anything about my family. I watched with considerable scrutiny as his posture relaxed.

  “Has Robert given you any advice about making the change from urban to rural?”

  “I hardly think of Bend as rural. It’s Oregon’s largest city outside of the Willamette Valley. For the most part, I have the same comforts here as I did back east. I see myself making a very good life here.”

  “How does your experience working at Aurora Advertising compare with your experience on the East Coast?”

  “It agrees with me. Robert has hired a tremendous pool of talent, and the atmosphere lends itself to more creativity. The employees are encouraged to spend time with their families and be active in the community. The Brighton family understands that Aurora’s success relies on far more than keeping expenses in check. It’s also about the relationships the firm has with their clients and Oregon’s consumers. I’m proud Robert and Kathleen have brought me onboard and I intend to give them my all while I’m here.”

  “Kathleen says she’s still figuring out who she is. What are your thoughts about her?”

  My heart stuttered once again at the question. Without thinking, I turned my head in her direction and smiled. “The Portland event is the first project we’ve worked on together, and it’s been a real joy. She’s bright, level-headed and has a vast knowledge of the Oregon market. She may feel like she still has things to figure out, but from my perspective, Kathleen will be ready to take over when Robert decides to play golf full time.”

  JOSH LINGERED after the interview concluded, taking time to add more notes into his tablet. Kathleen and I rose from the table to give him space and to check our phones. I was in the middle of answering an e-mail message from Allison when Josh stood up from the table and approached Kathleen, his hands tucked into the pockets of his designer jeans.

  “Are you heading back up to Portland now?” she asked. “Or do you get to spend the night in town?”

  “I’m staying the night. I thought I’d go to Bend Brewing Company. I wondered if you’d join me for
dinner.”

  My fingers froze over my phone. It was impossible not to be within earshot of their conversation, but I was doing my best not to stare daggers at the young man. I’d never been in the position of having to size up any potential competition when it came to Kathleen. I didn’t know what type of man she’d dated, but Josh wasn’t right for her.

  I was right for her.

  “I’m so sorry, but I can’t.” She smiled at Josh and I turned my back to hide my own grin. “Did you get a chance to meet Tracie upstairs? She’s the one who introduced me to that place. She’s always looking for a reason to go. She’s a lot of fun, and she knows everyone down there. You should ask her.”

  “Great.” Josh was disappointed, but his recovery was quick. “She’s the one with spiky hair, right? Yeah. I think I will.”

  “Please do,” I encouraged him, unable to resist. “You’ll have a fun time with Tracie.”

  Josh returned to the table to gather his things. Afterward, he said his goodbyes and went upstairs to speak with his Plan B.

  “Who wants to go first?” Chad brought us back to the matter at hand.

  Kathleen stepped back to the table and picked up her purse. “I’d like a few minutes to check my makeup. Why don’t you go first, Jack?”

  “Sure.”

  Over the years, I’d gotten used to having my photograph taken for work, even to the point of adopting a trademark pose. I wandered across the studio and took my place in front of a dark blue backdrop. I took the familiar stance, but the photographer shook his head.

  “Too formal. You need to relax.”

  The smile slid off my face. “Um. All right?”

  I heard Kathleen’s light laughter from across the room and dared to look her way. She was watching this awkward moment and my face warmed. Kathleen took one last glance into the mirror of her compact before snapping it shut and setting it down. She rose from the chair and began a slow, thoughtful approach. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. Her figure was hypnotic.

  “He’s right,” she told me. “You just need to relax.”

  “How?”

  “Pace the room a little bit and then come back to your mark. Don’t think about anything, just come back and stand like you normally would.”

  I followed Kathleen’s instructions and when I returned to my spot she was standing right behind Chad’s shoulder.

  “What’s Heide up to at school right now?” she asked.

  My self-consciousness evaporated the moment I thought of my daughter. I grinned with pride and love. The photographer began taking his shots, one right after the other. I did my best to ignore him and instead focused on Kathleen and her question. I told her about Heide’s latest progress report and as I did I noticed a perceptible shift in Kathleen’s regard of me.

  “You have a great smile. These pictures are going to be amazing, Jack.”

  At first, I was embarrassed. She was watching me, but as the moments passed I grew more confident. I was flattered by her attention. Chad instructed me to reposition my stance and as I did, I asked, “You think so?”

  Kathleen nodded and smiled. “You’re always so well put together. You’re a good dresser. This backdrop is going to show that off.”

  She was complimenting the photographer as much as me, but she’d never spoken to me so personally and her words caught me off guard. I still wasn’t one to believe in signs, but this was an admission that she’d been noticing me.

  “Thanks,” I said, my voice deep with sincerity. I wanted to say something more, yet I couldn’t find the words. What would be the right response in this scenario? I recognized this rare moment of emotional vulnerability and made eye contact with her. It wasn’t just the lingering sting of my divorce that ruled me at this moment, it was also her. She was the one woman in Bend who had captured my interest, and I was experiencing her deliberate consideration for the first time.

  “I shouldn’t say this at work, but you’ve raised the bar around here,” she admitted with total honesty and a tender expression. “You’re one of those whole-package types. I have a feeling many women are going to develop a sudden interest in the business side of advertising when they see your photo on that cover.”

  “She’s right.” The photographer’s interjection jolted us both, severing our connection. We both glanced at him as he scrolled through the digital images on his camera. “I have what I need here. Why don’t you two switch places?”

  I stepped away from my mark and the backdrop with a bit of disappointment.

  “Should I go?”

  “Not yet,” Chad answered. “I want to take a few shots of you two together. It makes the most sense for the cover shot, but I may want to play around with the backdrops a bit. Let me take some pictures of Kathleen and then we’ll figure it out.”

  “Right. Of course.”

  I watched Kathleen as she took her place and saw a new and unexpected confidence appear. She needed no pep talk and Chad began taking photos right away. She was smiling appropriately and doing an excellent job of modeling for the camera. She came across as a natural, not mugging too much for the photographer or acting too bashful as she took her turn in the spotlight. Spending time at her side this afternoon, listening to her talk about her family and watching her watch me during my own photo session left a deep impact. My attraction to Kathleen had been growing, but this was the first time my guard was coming down in her presence.

  I was drawing closer and closer to asking her out on a date. I’d waded through a long mental list of pros and cons. We worked together, and not only that, her father was my boss. I was older, not quite divorced and a single parent. She was young, but not immature. Kathleen was someone I could introduce to Heide, but I was still contemplating how to approach my seven-year-old with the prospect. Dating Kathleen was not a carefree consideration but watching her date anyone else was unacceptable.

  The biggest barrier, however, was my own past. If I was going to pursue Kathleen, I was going to do so in a way far different from my past relationships. I was in my forties, but I had yet to successfully manage my love life. I had always approached romance with far less care than I should have. I was tired of losing at love and, more importantly, I had my daughter’s welfare to consider. I needed Heide to learn how a man should treat a woman.

  “Okay, Jack. Time for you to jump back in.” Chad had caused another interruption, but this time I wasn’t upset.

  I strolled over to Kathleen’s side, and Chad followed close behind. As she held her place, Chad instructed me where to stand behind her. He posed us close to one another and I detected a lovely, floral scent on her skin. In her high heels, Kathleen was nearly as tall as me. Chad retreated to pick up his camera while I racked my brain for something to say.

  “Sixty-four years of marriage?” I began. “I’ll never make that milestone.”

  Kathleen angled her head even closer to me. “If it makes you feel better, neither will I.”

  “He’s out there somewhere,” I told her, hoping I didn’t sound as wistful as I felt. “Probably closer than you think.”

  Kathleen looked over her shoulder and arched a playful brow. “Actually, I’ve decided to break the family record for remaining single.”

  “Oh? Well. Then I guess my proposal is out the window.”

  “No! No!” she protested even as she returned to her original stance. “Propose all you want. Just remember I’ll have to say no.”

  We both laughed, and I noticed a slight shiver move through her when my warm breath brushed the back of her neck. We were both doing our best to hold our pose for Chad, but I just couldn’t help myself.

  As the photographer brought the camera up to his eye and prepared to take the shot, I gave in to temptation, leaning forward. “Maybe I shouldn’t say this at work,” I repeated her words in a low cadence intended solely for her, “but the scent of roses on you is perfection.”

  I stretched an experimental finger forward, running it across the exposed palm of Kathleen’s
hand. “And your skin is as soft as a petal.”

  Her reaction was beyond my expectations. She smiled with luminosity at my touch, her own happiness encompassing me. I grinned broadly at my successful flirtation. We were both relaxed and radiant as Chad took our first picture together.

  My fingertip lingered on her wrist for the rest of our photo shoot, undetected by the photographer. Our first secret.

  The pleasure of this simple touch electrified me.

  Her acceptance of my admiration was flattering.

  My body surged with passion as though we were experiencing our first kiss.

  All too soon, the session ended. Chad told us we were free to go, and we no longer had a reason to stand so close together. With regret, I pulled my hand back from hers and held my breath as Kathleen turned to face me. She didn’t step back an inch, her full breasts so close to my own body I could feel their warmth. Chad was busy putting his equipment away, and I was thankful for the added seconds of privacy.

  “You surprise me, Mr. Evans.”

  I chuckled at Kathleen’s unusual formality. “Please. Don’t call me that.”

  Her eyes sparkled with an emotion I could only describe as pleading warmth. “You surprise me, Jack. You do.”

  “In a good way, I hope.” Recalling the moment I first touched her skin, I became nervous. I glanced at the backdrop we’d just posed in front of. “I know that was forward of me.”

  Kathleen’s face lit up with a blushing smile. I hoped the kindness in my stare was clear to her. She was also nervous and fidgeting in place, but not in a way that communicated unease or distress.

  She was the one to break the silence. “Thank you for everything you did over the past couple of days. You really helped me.”

  “Give yourself some credit.” I waved a hand around the studio. “This comes naturally to you. I doubt you needed my help at all.”

  “I absolutely did,” she disagreed, shaking her head. “Um… I like working with you.”