Perfect Stranger

by Sofia Grey

  “Not leaving us already, are you, Kate?” Adam gave me his shark smile. “Colin was hoping to pick your brains about ComCo.”

  Paula and Dave stood nearby, listening. Could I tell Adam to go to hell? Rip into him, for turning my team meeting into a comedy show? I tamped down my fury. “What would you like to know? Where should I start?”

  Colin shrugged. “Perhaps I should spend some time with you next week. Get to understand your accounts a bit better.”

  “Tell me, Colin, what exactly does a Relationship Manager do?” I forced the words out.

  “Ah, well, now you’re asking. Better get the full role spec from Adam, but in essence, I cultivate the relationship with key accounts, manage the ComCo services—that sort of thing.”

  The sort of thing I did.

  * * * *

  I didn’t get much sleep that night, but I had the satisfaction of emailing the monthly report to Adam first thing in the morning. I pressed SEND and sat back in my chair, as I contemplated going out to grab a coffee. The early starters were trickling into the office, and I had time.

  My email chimed. An out-of-office note from Adam. I opened the notification and scanned the sparse message.

  I’m out of the office until Friday. Please address any issues to David Brewster, Head of UK Sales.

  What the fuck? Normally, if he was away, he’d direct people to me, as his second in charge. What kind of issues did he expect that I couldn’t handle? And—even more frustrating—would he look at the reports I’d worked on all night?

  I headed to the nearest coffee bar and found a long queue waiting to be served. At least if Adam wasn’t around, he wasn’t breathing down my neck today. I could focus on my work, and maybe slip out early today, to meet my sister. She was in transit back to Manchester, and I was sketchy on the details.

  The girl taking the coffee orders had a drawling American accent that reminded me of Jordan, as so many things did. Damn. Would I ever forget him? I’d tried an internet search for him, but when I searched for Jordan M, Houston, London, I’d turned up half a million hits.

  I faced up to the fact that I’d never see him again. It wasn’t a nice thought.

  6.2 Jenny

  I was at my desk early on Thursday morning. Rob had a site meeting on the opposite side of town but insisted on driving me to work. He was being lovely. He’d pretty much spent the past four days apologizing for losing his temper and making it up to me. I’d been pampered on Sunday, from lunch at a cozy little pub in the country, to drinks and snacks in the evening, and snuggling while we watched a movie. My shock at his anger was fading. I’d been drinking on Saturday, and my judgement had been off.

  A niggling sense of doubt remained. He’d never hurt me before. If he had, I wouldn’t have stayed with him. To be fair, he hadn’t hurt me on Saturday night, and if I’d been clumsy picking up the broken bottle, that was my own fault. Rob was my husband, my rock, and my harbor in a storm. He wanted the best for us, and as he frequently reminded me, he loved me more than anyone ever had. More than my parents, who effectively washed their hands of me once I’d married.

  “Ahem.”

  I looked up, startled, and saw Cade standing beside me. He dressed casually, as all the developers did, but he somehow looked better in jeans and a shirt than the Sales guys in their flashy suits. “We should talk. Is now a good time?” He shoved his hands in his pockets and gazed down at me. “I’m going to get a coffee, if you want to come with me.”

  The last thing I wanted was to talk to Cade. I’d take a wisdom-tooth extraction without anesthetic over a little chat with him, but it had to be done. I squashed down the butterflies flitting inside my stomach. We had to work together, but that was all.

  He waited for my reply. My mouth was so dry, I didn’t think I could speak, so I nodded. I picked up my security pass, dug into my desk for coins, and stood. My knees shook, but I could brazen it out.

  I followed him into the elevator. “Level Five? The coffee bar there?” I’d no intention of venturing outside with him. I pressed the button for the fifth floor before he could reply. One coffee. Ten minutes. It was nothing.

  He didn’t speak until we queued up to place our orders. The café area was noisy, with pockets of staff chattering in bright voices, and I relaxed a little. It was a very public place. Our conversation would have to stay within safe lines.

  “What did you do to your hands?” he asked.

  I glanced down. My palms were crisscrossed with thin red scratches. “Oh, it was nothing.”

  “Doesn’t look like nothing.”

  Why did he have to be so nice? Why couldn’t he ignore me? “I was cleaning up some broken glass.” I focused on the girl behind the counter. There were still two people ahead of us. “What do you want to talk about, Cade?” As if I didn’t know.

  We shuffled another step closer to the cash register. I refused to look at Cade.

  “We need to clear the air. Does your husband know I work here?”

  “Ah, no.”

  He cursed softly. “You need to tell him, Jen. I refuse to spend the next six months looking over my shoulder. And I promise you, if he tries to take me on again, I’ll press charges.”

  I couldn’t get enough air into my lungs. Fear and panic jostled together, and for one horrifying moment, I thought I was going to faint. I grabbed the counter with one hand, while I fought to catch my breath.

  “Hey.” Cade slung an arm around my shoulder and held me upright. “You okay?” He veered me away from the counter, to a nearby seat, and guided me to sit down. “Stay here while I get the drinks. Skinny latte?” He remembered what I liked.

  Shame washed over me, and I hung my head and tried to drag back the shards of my composure. I couldn’t have been more embarrassed. Minutes later, he sat opposite me, two steaming mugs between us. He stared at me, as though he could pluck out the thoughts from my head. “We used to be friends, Jen. I know we can never go back to that, but we need to figure out how to stop your husband from going psycho on me.”

  “I don’t want that,” I whispered.

  “Neither do I.” He leaned back and dragged a hand through his short hair. It suited him rumpled—and why on earth was I thinking that? “So how are we going to do this? We’re grownups, not kids in the playground,” he said.

  I nodded, then shook my head. “I don’t know.”

  “Okay. So how about you tell me what I did wrong? I never really understood.”

  Oh, God. Without thinking about it, I looked left and right and contemplated fleeing. My chest tightened, and the sick, swirly feeling kicked off in my stomach again. I couldn’t talk about this.

  “Jen?” Cade reached across the table to touch my hand. “I think you owe me that.”

  I wrapped my hands around the mug and stared at the thick milk froth. “Not here. Not right now. I can’t.”

  “So when? Until we talk about this, it’s not going to go away.”

  “Friday.” I swallowed. Hard. “I’ve got some time free. I’ll book a meeting room for a brainstorming session, and we’ll talk then.”

  6.3 Kate

  I met Sophie at Piccadilly Station. I was thrilled to see her again and eager to meet her boyfriend, Isaac. Tall and lanky, he had thick dark hair, a fuzz of stubble on his face, and a friendly smile. He also clearly adored my little sister, and that was fine by me. He squeezed into the back seat of my Mini Cooper with good grace, despite how cramped it was.

  “Are you Australian?” I asked him, and noted the look of amusement on his face. “Sorry. I’m hopeless with accents.”

  “Naw, I’m a Kiwi,” he replied. “From New Zealand. After being in Europe for a year, I’m used to people getting it wrong.” He didn’t seem offended.

  Sophie was tanned from her backpacking adventures, and as she twisted in her seat, chattering non-stop to both Isaac and myself, I wondered how we’d turned out so different yet were so close. I was eight years older and was at boarding school while she was growing up. />
  Mentally shaking my somber mood away, I butted into the conversation. “How long can you stay? You know you can always move in if you decide to go to university here in Manchester.”

  “We’d like to stay for a few days if that’s okay. I want Isaac to meet Gran while we’re here.”

  That was a good idea. I hadn’t seen our grandmother in a few weeks, and it made sense to go at the weekend.

  “And yeah,” Sophie continued. “Let’s talk about everything else later. I’m starving. Can we stop and get a Chinese takeaway? French food was lovely, but I could kill for some Yang Sing salt-and-pepper ribs.”

  * * * *

  The food was excellent, but I wondered if Sophie was up to something. She seemed bubblier than usual. After a couple of glasses of wine, she sat up, a determined look on her face. “You know how I was thinking of going to university in the autumn? Well, I’ve changed my mind. I’m moving to London with Isaac instead. He’s got a place on a design course at the Royal College of Art, and I’m going to get a job.” She snuggled into his side. “And we’re getting engaged. I wanted you to know first.”

  Isaac put his arm around her and promised he’d look after her, which amused me.

  “No one’s ever been able to look after Sophie. She has a tendency to do her own thing.”

  He conceded maybe I was right and proposed a toast. As they sat planning their life, I leaned back in my chair, content to watch. It wasn’t the future I’d have chosen for Sophie, but it wasn’t my decision to make.

  My mind drifted back to Jordan. He popped up in my thoughts most days, and I tried to ignore the longing I felt. One night wasn’t enough to make a relationship, even if it was a night of heaven.

  I came to with a start, my cheeks heating as I realized I was daydreaming.

  Sophie regarded me with an amused stare. “You know, I was sorry to hear about Tony.” She was blunt at the best of times. “By the look on your face, someone else has taken his place?”

  “Not a chance. I was thinking about how happy you are.”

  Sophie didn’t look convinced but let the matter drop. “Do you fancy meeting for lunch tomorrow?”

  I shook my head. “I’d love to, but we’ve got a new customer coming in to see us. They’re getting the full tour of the warehouse and order-processing facility. I’ll be spending most of the day with them.”

  “Anyone I may know?”

  “Probably not.” I frowned, deep in thought. “Its TM-Tech. Among other things, they make components for the aerospace industry. Adam, our Sales Manager, has been trying to get in there for months. They normally use of one our competitors, but they’re considering a tender we submitted. We’re hoping that, once they’ve seen our operation, they’ll be so impressed they’ll make us one of their suppliers. It would be good business.”

  I said goodnight to the happy couple and spent the next hour reviewing my notes on the customer and the details of the tender. I liked to have all the facts at my fingertips and hated being put on the spot.

  Exhaustion took over, but not before another memory of Jordan surfaced.

  * * * *

  Arriving early the next day, I was pleased to see the offices were tidy and businesslike, and the small reception area gleamed like a new pin. Adam would greet TM-Tech on arrival, and he’d call me into the boardroom for the presentations. It’d be my responsibility for the rest of the day to show them around the site and give them a guided tour of the Distribution Center. It’d be a busy day, but the kind I enjoyed.

  Armed with my presentation notes, I walked into the boardroom where the four customers chatted over coffee and biscuits.

  Adam turned around as I entered the room. “Ah, here she is. Let me introduce our Operations Manager, Kate Archer.”

  Oh, God. Oh, my dear God. It felt as though the floor moved beneath me.

  Jordan.

  He leaned against the radiator, looking utterly relaxed.

  For one heart-stopping second I thought I’d faint. Random thoughts fired through my brain. Was I still asleep and this was a dream? Would he take me in his arms in front of everyone in the boardroom? Was I hallucinating?

  I’d longed to see him again; maybe I superimposed his face on every new man I met? Why was he here? Did he know I’d be here? Was he equally surprised? Pleased?

  I stared into his face for what felt like an eternity, feeling very much like the deer trapped in the headlights, while he looked calmly back at me. As if he expected to see me here.

  In desperation, I squeezed my fingernails against the palm of my hand. The pain cleared my head, and I tried to concentrate on Adam’s jovial introductions. I shook hands with Jordan’s colleagues and spoke politely, hoping the panic and turmoil didn’t show on my face.

  When it was time to shake Jordan’s hand, I froze. Would he say he knew me? The amused twinkle in his eyes told me he’d play the game.

  He shook my hand a fraction too long and spoke in his devastating cowboy drawl. “Very pleased to see you, Miss Archer.”

  There was the tiniest wink from him, and I had to stifle a giggle. All through Adam’s opening presentation, I pretended to be keen and interested, but instead tried to peek at Jordan without being noticed. He wore an expensive-looking suit and a crisp white shirt, and it was easy to see he was in charge of the group. He was Vice Chairman, and the other guys were directors, which explained his confidence. TM-Tech was a family-owned corporation, and he was most likely in line for the chairman’s position.

  I feasted my eyes on him. My mouth was dry, and I yearned to touch him again, to convince myself he was real. He looked as sexy as I remembered. It was a struggle not to picture him lying next to me, entwined around my body.

  He had the upper hand here, I realized. He was expecting to see me.

  I dug deep into my reserves of confidence and made my presentation without faltering, answered questions on the company and how we’d handle the extra business, then suggested we break for lunch. While the caterers laid out the hot buffet, Jordan asked if there was a room he could use, to make some private phone calls. Adam suggested I escort him to his office.

  It still felt unreal. My heart pounded, as I led him through the Sales Department. Jordan walked silently by my side. With every step, my pulse notched higher.

  We reached Adam’s office, and I opened the door for Jordan. Hoping my voice didn’t come out as a squeak, I said, “Can you find your own way back to the boardroom, or would you like me to wait?”

  He paused, a smile tugging at his lips. “Wait please. Do you have a minute to talk?”

  Chapter 7

  7.1 Jordan

  It was a gamble, joining the review trip to ComCo. I wasn’t sure my team bought my story about wanting to visit an old friend in Manchester, but they could hardly say no. However, I was careful not to announce my presence until we arrived, in case Kate found out and ran away again.

  I’d learned many things from my father, but one gem stood out. Never back down from what you want. I wanted to see Kate again, and now I could figure out if she felt the same.

  I couldn’t take my gaze off her. She was every bit as desirable as she had been in the hotel, but wariness flashed in her eyes. I caught her by surprise. I needed to tread carefully.

  “Oh, my God.” She raised both hands to cover her cheeks, but not before I saw how pink they were. Her eyes were wide. “It’s really you. Did you know I’d be here?” She clucked her tongue and rolled her eyes. “Well, duh, you must have, and I feel like an idiot now.” She clamped her lips shut and stared at me, mute.

  It must have been one hell of a shock, and I still didn’t know if she was pleased to see me again. “You ran out on me. Was it something I said?” I meant it as a joke, but she didn’t smile.

  “I’m sorry.” For what—for disappearing like Cinderella, or for me going to the trouble of finding her? I never chased women. What the hell was I even doing here?

  I looked at her more closely. Noted the tiny catch in her
breath, and the pulse that hammered in her throat.

  I’d come all this way. No sense in backing down now. Show time. “Kate, I’m gonna ask you a question. Will you be honest with me?”

  Her eyebrows lowered a fraction, but she nodded.

  Hail Mary pass, here we go. I forced a smile I wasn’t feeling. “If you tell me it was all a hideous mistake, I won’t ever speak of it. I promise.” Fuck. The little speech I’d rehearsed in my head now sounded gauche. Lame. “I really enjoyed the night we spent together, and if you did too, maybe we could see each other some more?”

  I waited.

  “Yes.” She gave a surprised laugh, as though she didn’t believe what she said. “Yes, I’d like that.” Slowly, she moved her hands, one dropping by her side, the other smoothing over her glossy hair, her gaze never leaving my face.

  The subterfuge had been worth it. I wanted to make her smile. See the light dancing back in her eyes. “You did great by the way. In the boardroom. I was impressed with the way you handled yourself.”

  She huffed out a breath, her lips twisting. “I’ll say. I never expected to see you again.”

  Maybe I wasn’t out of the woods yet. “Is that what you’d prefer?”

  Finally, her lips curved up at the corners. “I’m happy to see you, Jordan. Shell shocked, but happy. I feel like pinching myself, to see if I’m dreaming.”

  I had to touch her. Need coursed through me, and standing apart was no longer an option. I lifted my hand and slid my fingers through her hair, to tuck a lock behind her ear. “You dream about me, huh?”

  She stared at my mouth, licked her lips, and tilted her chin. The world shrank to the space around us. I didn’t care that I was on a supplier site, in someone’s office, with a dozen people working on the other side of the flimsy door. I had to kiss her. Given the choice, I’d prefer to push up her skirt, drag her panties aside, and fuck her on the desk, but I’d settle for a kiss.