by Shirley Jump
“The cost of doing business. It sounds harsh, but in the end, when there’s nothing more that can be done, a failure is reduced to dollars and cents.”
Under the desk, her hands curled into fists. She worked a smile to her face, even though it hurt. The smile, and the truth. “Well, I guess that’s all I need.”
Please leave, please get out of here before my heart breaks right in front of you.
The chips from earlier churned in her gut. She wished her day was over, because right now, all she wanted to do was go home, draw the shades, and stay in bed.
Not only had Jack just confirmed that her father’s business had been a negative number in the general ledger, but his asking her to find him a match confirmed she was a negative in his personal ledger, too. This was what she’d wanted—the truth and to be rid of Jack. But still, the success had a bitter taste.
“Thanks again for taking the time to see me today, Marnie.” Jack got to his feet. “I look forward to hearing from you, and seeing who you match me up with.” He looked like he wanted to say something more, but all he said was goodbye before heading for the door. One hand on the knob, he turned back. “You know, you should let your hair down more often. And I mean that, literally and figuratively. It suits you. Very nicely.”
The door shut behind him with a soft click. Marnie sat in her chair, watching the space for a long time. She shook off the maudlin thoughts and turned to her contacts database. Jack Knight had asked her for a match, and she intended to give him one—
A match that would challenge him and keep him far from Marnie.
Then maybe he’d stop flirting with her, and tipping her carefully constructed life upside-down. Because there was one thing she knew for sure. Jack Knight was bad for business—the business of Marnie’s heart.
CHAPTER SIX
JACK KNIGHT WAS rarely wrong. He had learned over the years to read people’s body language, the subtle clues they sent out that created a roadmap to their thoughts and actions. He’d used that skill a thousand times in negotiations, and in strategic meetings. But when it came to Marnie Franklin, his instincts had failed him, big time. He’d completely underestimated how angry she was—
And how far he was from proving himself as a different man than his father.
He strode into her office a week after their last meeting, waving off the assistant’s offer to help him, heading straight for Marnie’s desk. “What kind of match was that?”
“What are you talking about?”
“That date you set me up on. What were you thinking?”
She leaned an elbow on her chair, relaxed, unconcerned. Her eyes widened as he approached, then a flicker of a smile appeared on her face and disappeared just as fast. A smile like she knew what she had done. “I’m sorry you’re unhappy with the Matchmaking by Marnie match, but we truly thought—”
“Unhappy? I wouldn’t say that. The woman was nice and very energetic, but not my type, at all.” His gaze narrowed. “Did you do that on purpose?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Marnie said. With a straight face.
“Marnie, I have to go to that meeting with the caterer,” her assistant said. “But if you want, I’ll stay awhile longer.”
“I’ll be fine. Go ahead to the appointment, Erica.” Marnie waved her off.
Erica, Marnie’s sister. His gaze skipped to her, and he saw the same leery look in her eyes as in Marnie’s. Oh, yeah, they knew who he was here—or who they thought he was. Damn. How was he going to prove the opposite?
Once the door shut behind Erica, Jack winnowed the space between himself and Marnie’s desk. She looked beautiful today, her hair up in its perpetual clip, her button down white shirt pressed and neat, accented by a simple gold chain and form fitting black skirt.
“I’m sure Miss Stewart will be a great match for someone, but that someone isn’t me.”
“You just have to give her a chance,” Marnie said. “Roberta...takes some time to get to know.”
“Oh, I think she’s a great person. We went out dancing, and even though I run four days a week, she outdanced me ten to one. And she’s funny and enthusiastic, but not my type. What did you think we’d have in common?”
Marnie shrugged. Played innocent. “Sometimes opposites attract.”
“And sometimes matchmakers don’t play fair. I came to you as a legitimate client—”
“No, you didn’t.” She got to her feet, and her features shifted from detachment to fire. He could see it in the way her eyes flashed, her lips narrowed. “You might have said you wanted a match, but it didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out your true motive. You came here, hoping I’d think you were my perfect match.”
“You have made it abundantly clear that you are not interested in me. That’s why I think you should put your money where your mouth is.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“You go out with me on a real date.”
“Why would I do that?”
“Because despite your strong efforts in the opposite direction—” and thinking of the mismatch she’d sent him, he wondered if it wasn’t just revenge but that deep down inside, Marnie didn’t want to see him connect with another woman “—I think we’d be a great match.”
She scoffed. “That’s my job, not yours.”
“And yet you have not found the perfect man for you.” He leaned on her desk and met her green eyes. “Why is that?”
“I...I work a lot. I haven’t had time to date.”
“Is that all? Time? Because it’s the end of the day. We could make time right now.”
“Go out with you? Now?”
He grinned. “Why wait?”
“I am not interested in dating you. Ever.”
“What was that walk to coffee? To me, it was a trial date.”
She snorted. “There’s no such thing.”
He leaned in closer, until her eyes widened and that intoxicating perfume she wore teased at his senses. “We don’t have to follow the rules, Marnie. We can make them up as we go along.”
Her mouth opened, closed. She inhaled, and for a second, he thought she’d agree. A smile started to curve up his face, when he noticed the fire return to her green eyes. “I only have one rule. To stay far away from you.” She got out of her seat, standing tall in her heels and matching him in height. “Don’t think another Franklin will fall for your line of bull again, Jack. You don’t get to ruin any more lives in this family. We’re done believing in your lies and your charming little pep talks. So stay far away from this family.”
And there it was. The past he couldn’t run from, sweep under a rug, or ignore. Guilt rocketed through him. If Marnie knew how much of a hand Jack had had in her father’s business closing, she’d never forgive him. He wanted her to see him as the man he was today, not the man he used to be, but getting from A to B meant confronting A and dealing with it, once and for all. “Yes, we did work with your father and his shop. And I swear, I had no idea you were his daughter until you told me your nickname. He always called you Daisy when he talked about you.”
Hurt flickered in her eyes. “That business would still be operating today under Tom Franklin,” Marnie said, the words biting, cold. “If someone didn’t destroy it.”
“Marnie, there’s more to it than that. I—”
“I have no interest in anything you have to say to me, or any claims you intend to make about your ‘business practices,’” Marnie said. “My sisters and I watched our father fall apart after you stepped in and ‘helped’ him. You. Ruined. Him. And helped him...” she bit her lip, and tears welled in her eyes “...die too soon.”
“Marnie, I didn’t do that.” But he had, hadn’t he? He’d talked Tom into signing on the dotted line, knowing full well what the true intent of Knight
would be. And when Tom needed a friend, Jack was gone. You’re a cold, uninvolved man, Jack. “I mean, yes, I did invest in your father’s business, and yes, I did counsel him, but—”
“Get out of my office,” Marnie said, waving toward the door, her face tight with rage. “And don’t ever come back. I don’t want to hear any more of your lies and I sure as hell don’t want to date you.”
He opened his mouth, but she pointed at the door again. “For someone who’s perfected the art of matching people, you of all people should understand that some matches go well and some don’t. It takes two to make it work. And sometimes only one to destroy it.”
“Yeah, you.”
He took her anger, and let it wash over him. He understood now why she had bristled every time he talked about his job. Why she had been so warm at first, then so cold. And why she had set him up on a date that was bound not to work out. “Sometimes,” he said quietly, “our best intentions can go down paths we never saw. I’m sorry, Marnie, about your father and his business. If I could change any of it, I would.”
Then he left, and for the first time since he’d taken over Knight Enterprises, he wished for a do-over. Another chance to go back and do a better job.
* * *
Her mother had canceled Tuesday night dinner at her house, Thursday night’s card game, and Saturday’s brunch. And now, the morning after the confrontation with Jack in Marnie’s office, Helen was trying to get out of her regular Wednesday lunch with Marnie. “Ma, I haven’t seen you in two weeks,” Marnie said.
“I’m sorry, honey. We’ve just been so busy, going to the ball games and Bingo and...”
While her mother talked, Marnie debated the best way to tell her mother the truth. She’d spent a sleepless night debating the pros and cons of telling Helen the truth about Jack, but in the end, there was only one option.
Put it out there, and let the consequences fall as they may.
Her family had never been one to tackle the hard topics. They’d put a sunny face on everything, and done a good job avoiding. This, though, they couldn’t avoid any longer—because Helen was falling hard for Dan.
Marnie hated being in this position. Standing in the middle of two evils, both of which would hurt the ones she loved. She’d thought that standing up to Jack and telling him how she felt would make her feel better. But instead of relieving the anger and betrayal in her gut, the confrontation had left her restless, replaying every word a hundred times in her head.
No. She’d done the right thing. Now she needed to do the right thing again—
And break her mother’s heart.
“Dan and I have just been having so much fun,” Helen said. “Oh, did I tell you, he’s taking me to Maine for the weekend on Friday? He found this lovely little cottage in Kennebunkport. If we get lucky, maybe we’ll even see the former president on the beach.”
That meant they were getting serious. Damn. Marnie had hoped the relationship between Dan and her mother would fizzle, saving Marnie from having to tell her mother the truth about who Dan was.
She’d avoided the truth forever, but where had that gotten her? Nowhere good. And it had given her mother and Dan time to get closer, which only added more complications. Marnie took a deep breath. “Are you free for lunch today, Ma? I’ll stop on the way to get us some Thai food, if you want.”
“That sounds wonderful.”
Marnie said goodbye, then powered through the rest of her morning appointments, keeping her head on her job instead of what was to come. Lord, how she dreaded this. Her mother had sounded so happy, with that little laugh in her voice that they had all missed over the last few years. And now Marnie was about to erase it all.
But as she got closer to Ma’s house, and the scent of the Thai food overpowered the interior of the car, Marnie wanted to turn around. To delay again. It wasn’t just about breaking her mother’s heart anymore, but about facing the truth herself. All along, she kept hoping to be wrong about Jack. To find out that the guy with the amazing smile and earth-shattering kisses wasn’t the evil vulture she’d painted him to be.
But he was, and the sooner she got that cemented in her mind, the better.
Even if the man had asked her out. Why would he do that? Was he truly interested? Or was she just another conquest?
Helen greeted her daughter with a big hug, and a thousand-miles-an-hour of chatter about Dan. “He’s just the sweetest guy, Marnie. I can’t believe no one has scooped him up. He holds the door for me, brings me flowers, even sings to me.” She smiled, one of those soft, quiet smiles. “I really like him.”
Guilt washed over Marnie. “Ma, we need to talk. Come on, let’s go in the kitchen.”
A few minutes later, both women had steaming plates of pad thai in front of them, but no one was eating. “Okay, shoot. What did you want to tell me?” Helen asked.
“Dan isn’t...who you think he is,” Marnie said, the words hurting her throat. “I should have caught this when I interviewed him, but to be honest, I never ask about kids or stepkids and—”
“What do you mean? I’ve met Dan’s stepson. Remember? After the mixer. He seemed very nice—”
“He’s Jack Knight.”
Helen froze. “Jack Knight? That’s impossible. Dan’s last name is Simpson.”
“He’s his stepfather. Jack is the owner of Knight Enterprises. The same Knight Enterprises that destroyed Dad’s business. If you keep dating Dan, you’ll be seeing Jack, and the reminder of everything that happened to Dad. I’m so sorry to have to tell you this.”
Silence filled the kitchen, and the food grew cold on their plates. Helen got to her feet, waving off her daughter. Ma crossed to the sink, placed her hands on either side of the porcelain basin and stood there a long time, her gaze going to the garden outside the window. The rain pelted soft knocks on the glass, then slid down in little shimmering rivers.
“Ma?” Marnie said. She walked over to her mother, and placed a hand on Helen’s shoulder. “Ma, I’m so sorry. If I had known, I never would have fixed him up with you.”
“Dan is the best thing to come along in my life in a really long time,” Helen said, her voice thick with emotion that made Marnie’s guilt factor rocket upward. “Besides you girls, of course.” She closed her hand around Marnie’s, and gave her daughter a smile. “I’m glad I met him.”
“He is a great guy, I agree, and if he wasn’t related to Jack—”
“It doesn’t matter. Dan and I are happy. I don’t care who his stepson is.” Helen turned around and placed her back against the sink. Her features had shifted from heartbreak to determination. “We might work out, we might not, but we’re going to give it a shot. Life’s too short, honey, and I don’t want to spend any more of my time alone.”
This was a new Helen, Marnie realized. A woman who hadn’t been defeated by the loss of her husband, and the prospect of starting her life over again, but rather energized by it. She also showed an amazing strength that had probably always been there, waiting for the right moment to appear. Dating Dan had only emphasized those qualities, not detracted.
Her mother was happy. Taking chances. Making changes. Jumping into the unknown. All things that Marnie had held back from doing, sticking to her organized planner and her rigid schedule.
Still, the urge to protect her mother, to head off any further hurt, rose in Marnie. If Dan and Helen stayed together, it would be nothing but a constant reminder, a cut against an old scab, again and again.
“I just don’t want you to be hurt again,” Marnie said.
“If there’s one thing I’ve finally learned and accepted, it’s that life comes with hurt. But if you’re willing to risk that, you can find such amazing happiness, too.”
On the wall, one of those kitschy cat shaped wall clocks clicked its tail back and forth with the passing seconds. Helen gestu
red toward the black plastic body, a stark contrast to the pin-neat, granite and white kitchen. “Do you remember when your father got me that?”
Marnie smiled. “It was a joke Christmas gift. We never thought you’d hang it up.”
“It made me laugh. It makes me laugh every time I see it on the wall. That’s why I hung it up, and why I kept it there, to remember to have fun sometimes.”
“But isn’t that the problem?” Marnie said, the words tumbling out of her mouth before she could stop them. “We’re always having fun, never talking about the hard stuff. You can’t just keep ignoring the facts, Ma.”
Helen’s soft hands cupped her daughter’s face. “Oh, Marnie, Marnie. My serious one. Always trying so hard to keep the rest of us in line.”
“I just like things to...stay ordered.”
“And our lives when you were younger were far from ordered, weren’t they? But we had fun, oh, how we had fun. Your father never had a serious day in his life, bless his heart.” Helen released Marnie and the two women retook their seats at the table. “Let’s talk about Knight and your father. And what really happened.”
All these years, they’d avoided the subject. Whenever it came up, her mother would say she couldn’t bear to hear it, and they’d switch to something inane or trivial. But this new Helen, the one who had been tempered by life on her own, had a determination in her eyes and voice that surprised Marnie.
“What do you know about what happened to Dad’s company?” Ma said.
“Knight Enterprises invested in the company at first, made big promises about helping him get it profitable again, then deserted him and let him fail. When the business went south, Dad sold the rest of it to them for a fraction of what it was worth.” Marnie bit back a curse. “And after that, Dad just...gave up.”
“Part of that’s true.” Helen laid her hands on top of each other on the table. She smiled. “You and I are so much alike, Marnie. We both try to keep the peace, keep everyone happy. Sometimes, you need to rock the boat and tell the truth.”
Marnie knew what was coming before her mother spoke. She’d probably always known, but like her mother, found it easier to pin her anger on Jack, rather than accept the facts.