by Lexy Timms
When his eyes landed on an email from her he quickly opened the message, his heart hammering. He hadn’t heard so much as a word from her in days. The message was mundane. Very professional. She wanted him to choose some photographs to go into the new company magazine.
With a sigh, he fired off a quick response. He didn’t know what he had expected. Of course, she would have sent some business-related email. Heather wasn’t the type of employee to let things get unprofessional. Which was probably why she kept forcing him to stay at arm’s length. She was ashamed of letting their relationship get so uncharacteristically personal, and to make up for that she was determined to cut him off for good.
No wonder she had lied in her job interview. She had been trying to avoid letting their past catch up to them, but he had given her a hard time for lying. After that, he’d made accusations and belittled her. Regret roiled through him. If he could take it all back, he would.
“Are you busy?”
He looked up to find Linda stepping into his office.
“You’re here early,” he observed, surprised to see her.
“Dover’s new magazine needs extra attention,” she said.
“How has that been coming along?” he asked.
Linda gave him an incredulous look. “What you really want to know is how Heather is doing in her new position.”
Was he so transparent? If everyone could see how obsessed he was with Heather, then it was obvious that he was slipping. He’d been a closed book for years, but now it seemed everyone at Dover got constant updates about his private life.
“Well, how is she doing?”
“She’s settling in nicely,” Linda replied. “She’s got a great work ethic, and I like working with her.”
“Is the department staff treating her well?”
Linda frowned. “That’s been a bit tricky. They haven’t been harsh or anything, but I think it’s been isolating for her. The staff treats her professionally, but there isn’t a lot of friendliness or warmth.”
To him that sounded like absolute bliss. Idle talk and people digging into his personal life drove him insane. But, as shy as she sometimes was, Heather enjoyed getting to know people. A chilly environment couldn’t have been good for her.
If only he had been able to convince her and the board to let her stay on as his assistant. She’d seemed to thrive in the brief time they worked together, and it was unfair to transfer her to a department full of people who didn’t respect her the way she deserved. But even when he had tried to talk her out of it, she had dug her heels in and insisted she change departments. The fact that she was willing to endure isolation to get away from him stung like hell. He had really screwed up, and now Heather was suffering for it.
“Is there anything I can do?” he asked. “I can discreetly let the media department’s staff know that I don’t like how they’re handling Heather coming on board. If they know that I don’t like their behavior, they’ll fix it.” He was certain they would because he rarely got pushback from Dover staff. Simon wasn’t tyrannical, but his subordinates knew not to cross him. If he ordered them to treat Heather better, he knew they would do as they were told.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Linda said. “She’s already upset that you got me to help her.”
“What did she expect me to do?” he demanded. “Just sit around while her life got destroyed?”
“I know you’re trying to help, but maybe it’s best if I have a discreet chat with some of the staff,” Linda said. “That way, if Heather finds out it will look like it’s coming from me and not from you. She’s more likely to accept my help than yours.”
His jaw clenched. He didn’t like being refused, but Linda was well respected. If she could get the same results that he could, he was willing to concede to her judgment. “Fine. I’ll leave this in your capable hands.”
“Thanks, Simon.” She crossed the room to sit in the chair across from his desk. “Anyway, I’m here to talk about your trip to California.”
He frowned. “What trip?”
“Haven’t you seen the email?” she asked.
“I was just going through my messages.” He turned his attention back to his laptop and started scrolling through his messages. “Who sent the email?”
“Blue Naught,” she replied. “They’re on the verge of signing the contract.”
Over the past several months, he had been working on acquiring the promising California startup. Work might not have the appeal it once did, but he was still excited about taking it over and turning it into an extension of Dover. Blue Naught specialized in underwater technology, and that was something that thrilled him. It was a whole new frontier of technology and he wanted to be part of it.
Simon located the email from Blue Naught and opened it. He skimmed over the message. They wanted to accept the acquisition offer and hoped he would fly down to California to finalize the deal and see their work up close. It was short notice, but he understood why they’d want to hit the ground running as quickly as possible. Blue Naught was too valuable to sit around and wait on.
“This is great news, Linda,” he said. “It’s the best news I’ve gotten lately.”
“I knew you’d be pleased,” she said with a smile. “They want me to come down with you next week and work on their marketing strategy, but with the Dover magazine launching I just don’t see how that’s possible.”
“We need a marketing officer,” he said. “You’re the best we have. I can’t go down to California without you.”
“The magazine will never get off the ground if I go with you,” she said firmly. “And the board has made it very clear that the magazine is to be my top priority.”
He frowned. Of course, the board would see it that way. Even if he explained that Blue Naught had agreed to the acquisition, the board wouldn’t care. They saw the startup as a side project. The board treated it like a distraction they entertained to keep him satisfied. They had zero interest in underwater tech, which had always infuriated him. All they wanted to do was keep doing what they’d always done. Never change or grow. If they could get away with making nothing but word processing software, they’d do it without shame. Profits were all that mattered to them. Not innovation. Not improving people’s lives.
“So, what am I supposed to do? Figure out the marketing on my own?” he finally asked.
She shook her head. “No. You can take Heather with you.”
His heart slammed in his chest at the mention of her name. “You can’t be serious.”
“Heather is one of the few staff members in the department that I can actually spare,” Linda explained. “Besides, she has experience with marketing from her former job. And she knows what to say. She’s the best person to go, after me of course,” she added with a smile.
“First you want me to back off from helping her, but now you want me to fly out to California with her?” He drummed his fingers on his desk in agitation. “That doesn’t make sense.”
“It’s work. Helping her is too personal, given your tense relationship, but this is business. She’ll understand how great this will be for her career. It’ll give her a chance to prove herself despite what people think,” she said. “Heather is a professional. So are you.”
He looked at her meaningfully. “Have you seen my track record lately?”
“If you’re worried about this, leave it up to her,” Linda said. “If she doesn’t want to go, then she won’t have to.”
“And I’ll be out a marketing strategy,” he muttered. Blue Naught needed all the media relations help it could get. With a brand-new acquisition, they were going to have to reintroduce themselves to the media. He was good at a lot of things, but handling the media wasn’t one of them.
“Talk to Heather. I can always fill her in on my strategy and give her all the files and materials she needs to help you when you fly out,” Linda said, getting to her feet. “Show her how great an opportunity this is. Besides, you’ll be in sunny California for days.
Who wouldn’t jump at that chance?”
With a quick wave goodbye, she left his office.
Even with Linda gone, his pulse began racing like crazy. Going on a trip to California with Heather was exactly what his heart wanted. But his head knew how dangerous a trip like this could be. Spending days with her away from Dover staff was asking for trouble.
The kind of trouble he wanted to get in to but knew he shouldn’t.
HE MET HER IN HER OFFICE later that morning. The space was so small that regret twisted his gut. If he hadn’t behaved like an ass, she would still have her large office instead of this glorified broom closet. She deserved better than this.
As Heather shut her office door behind her, she regarded him warily. “What’s all this about, Simon?”
He glanced around the office, trying not to let the judgment show on his face. “Has Linda talked to you about my trip to California next week?”
Heather shook her head. “No. All she said this morning was that an opportunity had just come up and you wanted to talk to me about.”
“I know you’re probably hesitant to deal with me, so thank you for seeing me on such short notice,” he said.
She narrowed her eyes. “Simon, you’re the CEO. You’re my boss. Of course, I would meet with you.”
“I didn’t mean it like that,” he said.
Suddenly she placed her hand on her chest in alarm. “Oh, how rude of me. I haven’t even offered you a seat. Please sit down.” She motioned to the empty chair beside her desk and then opened her office door again. “I can get you something to drink as well. What would you like? The usual coffee?” It was clear that, despite the surprise of a visit from her boss, she was totally unfazed by his presence.
He held up his hands. “Please, don’t worry about getting me coffee. Let’s just sit and talk.”
“Are you sure?” she asked. “It won’t take long.”
“I’m fine, Heather.” He sat down. “Really.” After the way he had treated her, the last thing he wanted to do was have her running errands for him as if she was still his assistant. He had wanted to meet with her in her own office for this very reason. Meeting here was his way of trying to respect her wishes to transfer even though he didn’t agree with her decision.
Not to mention, after days of not seeing her even a glimpse of her was heaven to him. She was as beautiful as ever, but he sensed a change in her. Her hair was tied back in that severe bun, as always, and her freckles gave her the same appearance of angelic innocence. But there was something under the surface. An air of confidence perhaps? She seemed to be standing straighter, her gaze more direct. The size of her office didn’t seem to have diminished her at all. If anything, it made her appear more in control. More in charge. There was something thrilling about a shy wallflower like Heather coming into her own like this.
“Okay.” She walked over to her desk and took a seat. “What can I do for you?”
He explained the details of the Blue Naught acquisition, the trip, and his need for someone with knowledge of the media.
Her eyebrow shot up. “You think I’m the right person for something like this?”
He nodded. “I was hesitant to ask you given our... difficulties. But you have media relations experience and Linda recommends you. Plus, I know how good a worker you are.”
She crossed her arms. “I’m also the newest hire in this department, so they can afford to lose me for a few days.”
There was no way he could spin this. She might have been sweet and innocent, but with this new burst of confidence she was ready to face the cold, hard truth. As guilty as he felt about the uncertainty of her new position, he was proud of her. Proud that she didn’t need to be reassured.
“That’s part of it,” he admitted. “But this could be good for your career. You’d be making a lot of good out-of-state contacts, and you’d get credit for working on Blue Naught’s media campaign.”
“I’d be working with you, though,” she pointed out.
“You would.”
“This isn’t good for my reputation or yours,” she said. “The staff is already talking about us. What do you think they’d say if they knew we were going on a trip together?”
“Are you going to throw away an opportunity like this because of what people might say?” He focused his gaze on her, refusing to look away until he made his point. “This is a damn good opportunity, Heather. It’s the kind of chance people in this department dream of. You’ll be working on a media campaign for the most important startup in California. Maybe even the entire West Coast.”
“The staff will think I got this chance because of favoritism. Because of our history.” Her cheeks went pink again and she lowered her eyes. “Believe me, Simon, I’m grateful for this opportunity, but I want to earn it. I haven’t even worked at Dover that long.”
“You’ve earned it,” he insisted. “You’ve been recommended by your supervisor, you’ve already worked with me, which means we work well together, and you have prior experience with media relations. We have a history, but don’t sell yourself short because of it. You have just as much right to this chance as anyone else.”
“How long is the trip supposed to last?” she asked.
“Five days at most,” he said. “We’ll probably spend some of the time on the beach. Lounging on a beach sipping drinks is my idea of hell, but you’ll get the chance to unwind, and I’ll get to swim some laps. It’s a win for both of us.”
She chewed her lower lip, the sight of her teeth scraping across her full lip distracting him so much forced himself to tear his gaze away. This was the worst time for her to catch him staring at her like this.
Heather let out a shaky sigh. “I probably sound ungrateful.”
“Not at all,” he assured her. “You have the right to ask questions.”
“What about the media?” she asked. “This might just reignite the media firestorm and make them think we’re having an affair again.”
“The media will always be vicious, especially when it comes to women in the corporate world,” he said. “But I promise to stand by you. I know you don’t want my help with your investigation, but when it comes to the media I’ll defend you no matter what.”
“The last time we took a trip out of town things got a little... hot and heavy.” Her blush deepened, staining her cheeks. “Granted, that was mostly my fault, but we have a habit of getting into trouble when we’re away from prying eyes.”
“Do you think we need a chaperone?”
“Tell me you’re joking,” she said with a gasp.
“I am.” He shifted in his seat. “But if you think we need supervision—”
“No, definitely not,” she said. “What about the board? They’ll never accept this.”
“Leave the board to me.”
She paused and then nodded. “Okay. I’ll do it on one condition.”
“What’s the condition?”
Her lips curved up into a faint smile. “Just promise me we’ll have separate rooms this time.”
Chapter 8
Her mother gasped. “Good grief, Heather, you’re only going to be gone for a few days.”
Heather frowned and stared down at her overflowing suitcase that had taken up most of the space on her bed. “Yes, but Linda told me that we’d socializing. Lounging by the pool. Drinking on the beach. That sort of thing.”
They were in her bedroom, which she had spent the day turning upside down in an effort to pack everything she needed for this trip to California. Heather had been packing all day Sunday for the upcoming trip, but she still wasn’t finished.
She started assessing everything in her suitcase, cross-checking everything with the list she was holding in her hand.
“Sounds more like a vacation than a work trip,” her mother murmured. “I must say, it sounds exciting.”
She gazed at her mother, who was busy helping her pack toiletries into a small bag.
“It does,” Heather said. “I’m still nervous
, though.”
“Oh, Finn will be just fine, sweetie.” Her mother patted her shoulder gently. “Your father and I will take good care of him.”
“No, it’s not that. I know that Finn is in good hands with you guys.” Her parents always took good care of her son, spoiling him with affection. He was lucky to have such doting grandparents. “It’s the trip. I’m worried about how going on a trip alone with Simon will look.”
Her mother set the bag on her bed. “People are always going to gossip, sweetie. Even if the public hadn’t found out about your relationship with Simon, they still judge women in your position anyway. You know how people love to gossip about women close to powerful men.”
“Simon said something similar a few days ago.” Heather sighed. “I know how people gossip, but I was never the kind of woman people gossiped about.”
Ever since high school, she had just blended into the background. Most people didn’t notice her, and she liked that just fine. But Simon had noticed her. Even after he had become popular in high school. Even after he had become one of the richest men on the planet, he had noticed her. More than noticed her. Pursued her. Protected her. Then, he had betrayed her in the worst way possible. Her heart still hadn’t mended from that awful day. That awful day when he had told her he really thought she was capable of stabbing him in the back. Of spying on him and stealing his work.
The pain in her heart was still so sharp it hurt even worse than their first breakup all those years ago. The pain was so raw now. So much more acute. Back in high school, when Simon had broken up with her, she didn’t know it was to try and protect her from the stress of a long distance relationship. He’d ended things to follow his dreams which she knew he had the right to do. But his accusations hadn’t been about protecting her or chasing a dream. It had been deliberately cruel. And she had never envisioned Simon as a cruel person. That change in him had shocked her down to her core. Thrown her off balance.
But that didn’t stop her from yearning for him. When he had made the offer to come to California, she had projected an air of confidence to hide the fact that she missed him so much she could barely stand it.