In the Eye of the Storm / Catering to the CEO

by Samantha Chase

  Maybe it wasn’t goodbye; maybe he was distracted. Maybe his mind was on getting to work; after all, he had been away for almost an entire week. Cassie had no idea what to think or what to allow herself to feel, and she wouldn’t know until she saw Adam again.

  Wiping the tears that were streaming down her face, she walked to the bathroom, washed up, and composed herself. There was no use in getting all worked up when she had no idea what there was to get worked up about.

  The previous night had been like a dream, so full of passion like she’d never known. Perhaps Adam hadn’t either. Maybe he didn’t know what to do with what they had shared and it scared him. Cassie much preferred that scenario. Leaving the bathroom, she walked to the phone and decided to check in with her family. That normally made her feel better, and if she knew her family as well as she thought she did, she’d be sharing a meal with them within the hour.

  * * *

  Predictable was good.

  Unless you were Adam Lawrence.

  His life used to be predictable, and that was the way he liked it. Now it irritated the hell out of him. It was late Monday evening, and although less than twelve hours had passed since he had left Cassie, her face wouldn’t leave his mind.

  Her sleepy words stayed with him and made him uneasy. Damn, but he was being fickle. First, he was irritated because he thought she had no feelings for him, and now he was pissed because she did! Make up your mind, Lawrence!

  Memories of the weekend flooded his mind: their lovemaking, their conversations. Not once during that entire time did it feel awkward or uncomfortable. Being without her made him feel that way, however.

  Adam thought about the scene he’d witnessed when they were seeing the executives off. Cassie had been standing with the Chamberlains, and they were both beaming. Max Chamberlain had hugged Cassie, and Adam could tell that he was profusely thanking her, and then Danielle took a turn hugging her. He understood Danielle’s enthusiasm, but why had Max felt the need to thank her?

  Then there were the Chapins. As Cassie had walked over to say goodbye to them, he saw, unbelievably, Elizabeth Chapin smile and hug Cassie. He’d nearly fallen down the steps in shock. The woman who rarely cracked a smile or said a kind word to anyone actually hugged Cassie, and what was more, Cassie seemed genuinely pleased by the embrace.

  She fit.

  She fit into his life in every possible way. Looking back, Adam couldn’t find it in himself to be angry over the initial disagreement they’d had. If it hadn’t been for that moment, for that fight, they might not be where they were today. He might not have ever known what it was like to be with her, to know who she truly was. He might have lived his same, empty existence these past six weeks had it not been for that one fateful day.

  How could he continue to hold a grudge against it?

  Adam stood abruptly and looked at his watch. Dammit, it was too late to call or go over to Cassie’s. Tomorrow was another day, and he’d have to wait. Knowing that he hated to fail at anything or to be wrong, Adam knew that waiting the night could only help him to see things more clearly. He was willing to take a chance with Cassie. He was willing to see if he could possibly have a relationship with her and see where it went.

  He liked her; he trusted her.

  He knew it was possible to love her.

  One more check of his watch had him cursing his own timing. He was anxious to explain everything to Cassie, and after her declaration that morning, he knew she’d feel the same way as he did. He wanted to be wide awake and looking at her when she said it again.

  Tomorrow couldn’t come soon enough.

  * * *

  Unfortunately, tomorrow had other plans. When Adam arrived at the office, Grace was waiting with a stack of messages from his client in South America who was still having issues. Adam knew that he would have to go himself and fix the problem in person, but for the first time in his entire professional career, he wished there was someone else to do it for him.

  Barking travel instructions at Grace as he packed up his briefcase, Adam made a mental note to call Cassie once he was in flight and on his way. With a swiftness he was known for, Adam had everything he needed packed and ready to go within the hour and the company jet waiting for him at RDU Airport. A driver brought him directly to the tarmac, and he shared a brief conversation with the pilot and flight attendant as they prepared to take off.

  Knee-deep in paperwork and on his fifth call to South America to confirm his arrival and accommodations, Adam took a brief moment to call Cassie. He got her voicemail, and while he hated leaving messages, he was willing to make an exception.

  “Hello, Cassandra, it’s Adam…I am on my way to South America for a few days…I’ve got a difficult client I’m dealing with…but when I get back, I’d like to talk to you. You can reach me on my cell.” He paused, unsure of himself and what to say. He hated having conversations with machines! “Anyway, I look forward to hearing from you. Bye.”

  Even to himself, Adam knew that he sounded awkward and uncomfortable. He was sure that he’d hear from Cassie at some point during the day, and if all went well, he’d be home within two to three days and he’d see her. The thought made him smile.

  But best-laid plans and all that… It was almost a week before Adam returned home, and while he was gone, Cassie had tried to call him several times only to get his voicemail. By the time Adam was able to try and return her calls, it was always too late at night her time to call or he got her voicemail.

  He was beyond frustrated.

  It was Saturday evening when Adam finally found himself in Raleigh. Without bothering to stop at his home, he drove directly to Cassie’s in hopes of finding her in.

  The shop was dark, and there was no answer in her apartment. A look around the parking lot showed him that the catering van was gone, so she must be on a job. Dammit! Adam could have kicked himself for not calling first, but he had been so anxious to see her in person that he couldn’t wait.

  It was only after seven p.m., so he climbed into his car and called his mother. Maybe she would have some idea of what kind of event Cassie was doing and when she could be expected to be done.

  “Adam! How are you, sweetheart?” Bev gushed at the sound of her son’s voice.

  “Fine, Mother, fine. I just got back from six days in South America.”

  “Oh my! Is everything okay?”

  Adam gave her the quick version of his week, sparing her the specifics. “Anyway, I was driving home from the airport and wanted to see how you were doing.”

  “We’re all fine here. Stephen and I are watching Ella tonight because the girls had a big event. Katie said that we shouldn’t expect to see her until around three a.m.” She made a tsking sound. “They all work so hard, and I know it kills her to be away from Ella for so long.”

  A noncommittal sound came out as Adam waited to hear any news about Cassie. “The party is so big that Lauren is helping out. They are catering a wedding for two hundred people!”

  Adam groaned with frustration. That meant that not only would he not be seeing Cassie tonight, but she was probably going to sleep all day tomorrow.

  “Listen, Adam, while I have you on the phone, we’re all going out to dinner Tuesday night. Nothing fancy, coming together to celebrate the end of Lauren’s semester and some other family stuff. Would you like to join us?”

  Normally, Adam would have avoided such a gathering like the plague, but if it meant being with Cassie and learning to be part of the family dynamic, then he was willing to give it a try.

  Bev gave him all the information, and with promises of seeing each other Tuesday night, they hung up. Adam sat in the car staring at Cassie’s building as if willing her to appear. Monday would have him swamped in the office from being away all week, and so with cursed luck, it would seem that the next time he would get to see her would be Tuesday night at this family din
ner. Maybe he would call her and have Cassie meet him at his office on Tuesday and they could drive to dinner and go home together.

  Starting the car and leaving the lot, Adam sighed with resignation and found himself wishing for Tuesday to arrive.

  * * *

  Cassie was nervous as she rode the elevator up to Adam’s office. They had been playing phone tag ever since they’d left the beach, and although she took it as a positive sign that Adam was coming to a family dinner, she couldn’t seem to shake the feeling that something was going to go wrong.

  Grace smiled broadly when Cassie approached the desk. “Hey, Cass! Adam said to tell you that his meeting is running a bit long and that you should make yourself at home in his office.”

  Adam’s assistant was nearly bouncing in her seat, and her eyes were bright with expectations. Cassie smiled at her. “Something on your mind, Grace?” she asked lightly.

  “Who? Me? I’m wondering how all this family togetherness is working out.”

  With a chuckle, Cassie shook her head. “It’s strange, right? No matter how much time passes, I still cannot believe that my father is marrying Adam’s mom. I mean, what are the odds of that happening?”

  “Small world and all that.”

  “That’s for sure. Anyway, we all adore Bev, and we’re truly excited about the wedding…” She paused, and Grace could tell that Cassie was searching for the right thing to say.

  “But it’s still awkward because of Adam, right?” Grace supplied.

  “Yes!” Cassie said, relieved that someone understood. “I think things are getting better, but sometimes he…well, you know how he is.”

  Grace nodded and smiled. “Yes, I certainly do.” The phone on the desk rang, and Grace held up a slender finger to indicate to Cassie to wait for a moment while she took the call.

  “Believe it or not, this call is for you.”

  “For me?” Disbelief laced her voice. “Who on earth would call me here?”

  “It’s Danielle Chamberlain.”

  A smile crept across Cassie’s face as she held out her hand for the phone. Grace swatted it away. “Don’t be ridiculous, you can take it in Adam’s office.”

  Not wanting to keep Danielle waiting, Cassie walked into Adam’s suite, tossed her purse onto the nearest surface, and walked around his desk as she picked up the phone. “Danielle?”

  “Oh, Cassie, I’m so glad you were there! I was afraid that I’d have to make a dozen calls before I found you.”

  “Is everything okay? Are you all right?”

  “Everything is beyond all right,” Danielle said, bursting with excitement. “I took your advice and went to see my doctor as soon as we got home from the trip.”

  “And?” Cassie prompted, praying that she was going to hear good news.

  “We don’t have to try to get pregnant because we already are!” The two women screeched with excitement, and Cassie felt a twinge of jealousy toward Danielle. She knew that now wasn’t the right time for her to be pregnant, but at the same time, Cassie knew that she was anxious to have a family of her own.

  “I wanted you to be one of the first to know. You were so wonderful to me that entire weekend, and you helped me put things into perspective. I don’t have a lot of friends who understood what I was feeling.”

  “I’m so glad I was able to help, Danielle, really, and I’m so excited for you.”

  “What about you, Cassie? When are you and Adam going to get married and start a family?”

  For a moment, Cassie was too stunned to speak. She had thought that she’d made herself clear on that last day about her and Adam’s relationship. “Um, I don’t think that’s in the cards. Like I told you at the beach, our relationship isn’t like that.”

  Danielle laughed. “Then you weren’t seeing what the rest of us were seeing. You’re in love with Adam! You’ve told him that, right?”

  “No, I’m not in love with Adam, and—”

  “You are, and wouldn’t you love to have babies with him? Have you told him that?”

  “The subject of a baby hasn’t come up, and—”

  Danielle was on a roll. “What are you waiting for? You’re both crazy about one another!”

  At that point, Cassie zoned out. She knew that her feelings for Adam were deep and they were real and that she was quite possibly already in love with him. But marriage and babies? Could they have that kind of a future together? Thinking on some of their previous conversations on the whole concept of love and marriage, she couldn’t fathom Adam wanting any part of such a thing.

  Danielle was still rambling on about all her baby plans, and Cassie made the appropriate comments when necessary. A quick glance at her watch told her she and Adam were going to be late for dinner with her family if she didn’t get off the phone soon and go find Adam.

  “Listen, Danielle, I hate to cut you short, but we’re having dinner with my family tonight, and I’ve got to find Adam or we’ll be late.” Thank God she didn’t have to lie, she thought.

  “I understand. Oh, and Cassie? Please don’t say anything yet to Adam about the baby. Max wants to do it.”

  “Believe me,” Cassie stated with more than a little relief in her voice, “I will not be telling Adam about the baby.” She quickly hung up and went to grab her purse as Adam walked into the office.

  “Hey!” she said cheerily, the sight of him making her smile. “Is your meeting done?”

  Adam stood in front of her, merely staring. “Adam?”

  He cleared his throat. “Yes,” he said gruffly. “Let me grab my jacket and we can go.”

  The walk to the car was relatively quiet. Cassie figured he was smoothing out from a tense meeting and was willing to let him unwind before meeting with everyone. She knew these get-togethers were new to him and a little overwhelming, so if he needed a few minutes of quiet, she was fine with that.

  With fists tightly gripping the steering wheel, Adam drove toward the restaurant, his mind spinning. Was Cassie pregnant? He had only heard part of her conversation, and from what he did hear, that seemed to be the logical conclusion. When his meeting had let out and he’d returned to his office, Grace had notified him that Cassie was in his office on the phone. Out of consideration for her privacy, he’d waited until she was done. Unfortunately, her voice carried, and whomever it was she was speaking to, the talk was mainly about babies. He would have passed it off as a friend’s pregnancy until he heard Cassie say that she wasn’t going to tell him about it.

  Why the hell would she keep that from him?

  Glancing at Cassie, he felt his heart lurch. She was so damn beautiful that she made him ache. There had to be a way for him to find out if she was pregnant and why she was keeping it from him. But how? He could come out and ask her, but that might put her on the defensive and she’d deny it. He had to come up with a plan.

  For tonight, he’d observe her, see how she behaved and how her family acted toward her. The thought of her keeping such a huge secret from him burned. He wanted to trust Cassie and believe that he’d misinterpreted what he’d heard, but Adam knew that trust was not his strong suit. If she thought that she’d keep his child from him and then demand money from him later on, she’d be in for a huge surprise! There would be no payout for having his baby. She could make her money some other way other than bargaining for what was rightfully his!

  Hell, even in his own mind he sounded slightly deranged. Cassie had never asked him for anything; how could he possibly believe that she would do something so underhanded? She came from an honest family who worked hard for what they had. Adam was finally starting to see and respect that about them. The whole Jacobs family was made up of career-minded, good people. He was glad that his mother was going to be a part of such a group.

  As they pulled into the parking lot of the Italian restaurant, Cassie turned to Adam and smiled. “I’m so glad y
ou were able to join us tonight. I know family dinners aren’t your thing, but tonight is a big night.”

  He was about to ask her why when the valet appeared and opened her door. Adam climbed out and rounded the hood of the car to join Cassie, and within minutes they were surrounded by her family’s hearty greetings.

  Over the next thirty minutes, they were seated and enjoying drinks while looking over the menus; the conversation never seemed to stop. He engaged in conversation about his recent trip to South America and saw both Cassie and his mother smile with pride. It all made him feel so good, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was up. What had she meant about it being a big night? Would she announce her pregnancy here at the table in front of her whole family?

  “So what do you think, Adam?” Cassie’s father was looking at him expectantly across the table with a smile on his face. What had the man been talking about? “You’re a businessman. Ever dabble in real estate?”

  Before he could answer, another wave of conversation started to his left. He heard Lauren talking about trying to find a major company to take her on. She wanted to stay close to home right now, preferably in Raleigh, but the thought of soliciting strangers made her uneasy.

  To his right, he heard Cassie and Katie talking about expanding CJ’s: taking on a bigger staff and possibly adding a bakery to the business. The words around him became a loud buzzing in his head, and all he could hear clearly were Cassie’s words from earlier: “Believe me, I will not be telling Adam about the baby.”

  He heard his name several more times; everyone was trying to engage him in one conversation or another, and they all seemed to be based upon wanting something from him: business advice, a job, perhaps money for expansion. Maybe that was her game: see if he would help her family and then tell him about the baby. Hell no, he thought. He was going to put a stop to this right now. Flattening the menu against the tabletop, he stood abruptly.