Overlooked

by Lulu Pratt

  “His office is this way.” Cade glances at me with a smile. He’s moving with easy confidence again, the hostility left behind in the elevator. He’s all calm smiles and flashing eyes.

  When we stop outside a door, the plaque reads, “Adam Jones. Lawyer.”

  Cade doesn’t hesitate, knocking firmly on the door before glancing at his watch. We’re right on time, and the door swings open promptly.

  A man is standing in the doorway. He’s taller, younger than I expected him to be, and I am struck by how good looking he is. He exudes a completely different kind of confidence. He’s holding himself tall in a way that suggests he holds power, he holds knowledge, and he knows it.

  His eyes skim over me and over Cade, and I notice that they are the most brilliant shade of blue. Lively, sharp and very intelligent. I need to keep my guard up with his man. He’s dressed crisply in a shirt, tie and dress pants. No suit jacket. He’s at ease, even more so than Cade.

  He has nothing to lose. He holds all the cards. I feel a flush of heat down my body, lingering between my legs. His eyes find mine and for a moment, I am held in place, a butterfly pinned and unable to move. Then his eyes slide to Cade again and he smiles, extending a hand.

  “Ah, Mr. Harlow. Come in.” He shakes hands with Cade and steps back to let us into the room. “And you must be Miss…?” His eyes search my face and it’s like he can see right through me.

  “Cassidy.” I answer, a blush creeping to my cheeks despite my best intentions to stay composed. He holds out his hand and I take it for a moment in a handshake. It’s cool and dry and I hope that my hand feels the same way to him.

  “Please, take a seat.” He leads us to his office and pulls out my chair.

  He’s polished, unlike the womanizing confidence of Cade. It’s like being submerged into a pool of cool water. Too cold at first, but refreshing and beautiful and exactly what you need.

  “Coffee?” He steps away to the machine.

  Cade is leaning back in the chair now, looking perfectly at home. His posture is open and relaxed, but I see the flickering in his eyes, “Black, thanks.”

  I nod, even though I have only just finished a cup, “With cream, if that’s okay.”

  “It’s no trouble.” Adam turns to make the coffee and I glance at Cade. He gives me a reassuring smile and reaches across to take my hand.

  For a fleeting moment of insanity, I consider pulling my hand away. I blush at my own stupidity, the way I am fawning over a man I have just met. Sure, he’s magnetic, but that’s no reason to lose my head.

  Adam hands us our cups and makes his way to the other side of the desk, sitting down in his chair and surveying us, “So, Mr. Harlow… I trust you’ve brought the relevant paperwork?” He’s smiling as he skips straight to the point.

  “Of course, Mr. Jones. What exactly would you like to see first?” Cade smiles in return, flicking his briefcase open easily.

  “Please, call me Adam.” His eyes move to me as he says it, meeting my gaze. Electricity crackles in the air between us and I feel my breath grow short.

  He looks back at Cade, “The paperwork for the trust fund, thank you.” His voice is as polite as when he first opened the door, but I can feel the current running beneath. It’s almost patronizing and I see the tension grow in Cade’s shoulder.

  These men hate each other. They may wear suits and dance around the issue with polite talk and subtle digs, but their hatred for each other is clear. Not even five minutes in. I bite back a sigh and lean forward, trying to seem interested.

  I realize with startling clarity that I am going to have to do a damn good job of this if I want to convince Adam of our relationship. I rest a hand on Cade’s arm, “Is that the letter you mentioned?” I ask, naive and eager to help my fiancé. My voice is a soft murmur, as if I only want Cade to hear me. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

  To his credit, Cade doesn’t shoot me an irritated glare even though I feel him stiffen. Instead, he looks at me in a supportive sort of way, “Yes, that’s the one.”

  Tension cracks between us and I hope that Adam mistakes it for sexual tension, romantic chemistry or something other than anger.

  Cade finds the papers and passes them over to Adam.

  I wonder how long I can keep this up. The meeting is only meant to last for an hour, but five minutes in and I don’t know what I am supposed to feel.

  I focus on a point behind Adam’s head and try to breathe.

  I can do this.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CADE HARLOW

  Stress pounds through my temples, thudding through my head and making it ache. I’ve been working too damn hard to lose everything to this guy. He’s smooth, I can’t deny it. He’s crisp and well dressed and he talks to Ellen like he knows just what makes her tick. I feel an odd jealousy at the way he makes her smile, the way he elicits a laugh from her.

  She needs to be careful. Anger thuds at my chest. If she acts like a schoolgirl with a crush around Adam, he’ll know that our relationship isn’t for real. She’s playing her part well, touching my arm, asking innocent questions, taking an interest in me and what I am doing. But I wonder if she’s attracted to him.

  She nods at everything that Adam and I say, and she looks as polished as she did the evening I proposed to her. Everything is going perfectly – everything is going according to plan and, honestly, there is no real reason for me to worry.

  But I just can’t shake the concern from my bones. The way Adam looks at Ellen has me unsettled, and I have a bad feeling that she’s looking at him in much the same way. I can’t blow this.

  I need to come up with better ways to convince her to play her part. I need to find a better way to deal with Adam. I’d be doing so much better if I had actually slept last night and the ache in my head is growing blinding.

  “Okay, Mr. Harlow. Everything seems to be in order.” Adam is smiling as he holds up the paperwork, “Do you mind if I take a copy, just for the records?”

  “No, of course not.” I respond pleasantly.

  A moment later, he’s stepped out of the room. An obvious ploy. I turn to look at Ellen, cutting her off before she can speak, “Thanks for coming with me.” I take her hand in my own, speaking in low tones, “I know it’s boring, but I really appreciate it.”

  She smiles and it’s so warm and so sincere that I feel winded for a moment, “Don’t worry about it, Cade. I’d never make you go through this alone.”

  A hand seems to grip my heart, clutching it tightly in my chest. There is sincerity in her voice that I have not heard for so long. It makes me ache and I hate it. Of course she is acting sincere and loving. It would be silly of her not to – we’d both lose out if she decided to be snippy.

  Still… the feeling lingers in my chest long after the moment has passed. When Adam wanders back into the room, we shift apart again, my attention moving back to him. He hands me my papers and I nod.

  “Thank you.” I take them and tuck them back into my briefcase.

  “I don’t expect any delays.” Adam is smiling in a reassuring sort of way, “We’ll probably need to meet a few more times, to sign some papers, but I’ll be in touch.”

  “Is that all then, Adam?” I smile, shifting in my seat. He takes me in for a long moment and I am struck by the blue of his eyes. I shrug it off.

  “That’s all.” He smiles and it lights up his face, “Oh – I don’t think I’ve congratulated you.” He looks between me and Ellen, “Congratulations on your engagement – both of you. You must be very happy.”

  For a moment, I don’t know what to say. Ellen comes to the rescue with a bright smile, “Oh, very.”

  “Definitely.” I smile, taking Ellen’s hand as we stand.

  Adam follows soon after and we make our way to the office door, “I’ll be in touch then.” He smiles.

  “It has been a pleasure to meet you both.” He smiles again and I don’t like the way his eyes linger over Ellen. Her eyes meet his and I can practical
ly feel the chemistry between them. Ellen pulls her gaze away quickly and I feel relief settle within me.

  Good. She’s not going to blow everything on a silly attraction. I’m surprised that I don’t feel that much better. I push my emotions down deep and offer Adam my hand. He shakes it firmly, “Good to meet you too.” I fix him with a solid stare, “I look forward to a smooth transaction.”

  His grip tightens for just a second and we are locked in the moment, tension running through the both of us like a rod, connecting us together.

  Then Ellen clears her throat and the moment is broken. Adam nods politely, “I’m sure it will, Mr. Harlow. I’m sure it will.”

  “Call me Cade.” I add, and my voice comes out colder than I intended it to.

  Adam smirks, a faint one tugging at the corner of his mouth, “All right, Cade. I’ll call you to arrange another meeting.”

  “Perfect.” I turn to leave.

  “Goodbye.” Ellen smiles pleasantly as we leave. I can’t fault her. She is doing her job more perfectly than I could have ever dreamed. Yet there is still a bitter sort of feeling in my stomach, one that I just can’t shake.

  I don’t know why Adam sets me on edge this much, but I’m not going to let it get to me.

  I have to win this round, and I’m not letting anyone stand in my way. I glance at Ellen as we reach the elevator. We make our way down in relative silence. I guess she doesn’t want to break character any more than I do. Keeping this up is far too important to the both of us and messing it up is not an option, not something that we should even be considering.

  When the elevator doors open, I hear Ellen gasp. She looked dismayed and annoyed, “I can’t believe it! I left my purse upstairs.”

  I bite back the annoyance that rises in my throat and instead nod in sympathy, “Want me to go and get it?”

  She shakes her head, “I’ll do it. I’ll be as quick as I can.”

  She gets back in the elevator and I watch as she disappears behind closed doors. She’ll be alone with Adam and I only hope she keeps up the game.

  CHAPTER NINE

  ADAM JONES

  The moment they walk out my office, I breathe a sigh of relief. I sink down onto the couch in the waiting room and take a deep breath. My body feels like it is sizzling with tension and I don’t know what I should be doing first. I usually feel quite focused, but at the moment, I feel almost at a loss.

  I should feel triumphant – there are definitely gaps in their relationship, things I can use to slowly pull apart the fabric of their lie. I’m happy about that – happy to know that I will undo a lying bastard like Cade and put him in his place where he belongs.

  The triumph is still dulled by the burning anger that has lodged itself in my heart. I don’t usually feel this way, but everything about that man has turned my anger up to full blast. His arrogance, the way he looked at his fiancée, the way he treated me with contempt.

  I want to put him in his place and I cannot wait to do it. I swear nothing would give me more pleasure right now. Nothing that is, except for Ellen.

  She looked gorgeous in that dress. It was cut just right and fit her body like it was tailor made. It hugged all the right curves and the subtle sparkle on her neck was just right. The way she moved, her hair shimmering down her back. Her eyes meeting mine, locking and not wanting to let go.

  I can feel a stirring below my belt and I bite my lip. This is not the time. The intelligent sparking behind her eyes and her naive act, the way she sauntered out of the room, her hand in Cade’s. The way she had looked at me when she should have been looking at Cade.

  I have all the ammunition in the world to bring the two of them down, but the only one I want to hurt is Cade. I have a whole different list for what I want to do with Ellen.

  Desire surges within me and I push it down, stamping it into the dirt. I have a job to do and I will be damned if one pretty girl ruins that for me. I have plenty of women interested in me and I will not be distracted by the one who happens to walk through my door today.

  I have just composed myself, standing to head over to my desk, when there’s a knock on my door. I frown, surprised. I am sure I have no more appointments this morning. I specifically blocked out time so that I could focus on Cade Harlow.

  Confused, I head to the door and open it. To my surprise, Ellen is standing there, Cade nowhere to be seen. She smiles and it seems to open up her whole face, “Hi. Uh…” She shifts, looking awkward, “I left my purse. Sorry to trouble you…”

  “No, no… it’s no trouble at all.” I smile and step back, allowing her into my office. She looks even better alone and I watch her bend over to grab her purse. She smiles and holds it up.

  “Got it.” She smiles, sounding relieved, “My life is in this thing.”

  I smile graciously, “It’s no trouble. Really.” I look her over and an idea sparks into my head.

  “Say, Miss Cassidy…” I tilt my head, “Do you mind coming in within the next week or so?”

  She looks confused and I can’t blame her. “Isn’t that what you and Cade were talking about?”

  “Well, yes…” I concede, “But I meant a meeting with just you.” I smile apologetically. “I know it would be a bit of an inconvenience… but I’d like to discuss wedding dates and so forth… the family would like to know.” I shrug like this is all out of my control.

  “I know us men aren’t great with that, so I thought it would be quicker if it was just you.” I look at her quietly, “You’d really be doing me and Cade a favor. Get some of that stress off his shoulders and just handle it, you know?”

  She seems to be mulling this over, considering my words and I hold my breath.

  “Okay.” She eventually replies, “Here.” She grabs something out of her purse, jotting something down and passing it to me.

  I glance at it only to find her number scrawled onto a piece of paper. For some inexplicable reason, I find my heart stopping.

  “Out of business cards.” She smiles in apology, “Let me know when, okay? I’ll have to arrange something with work.”

  Then she turns and saunters out of the room. It takes all the strength I have not to take her by the hand and pull her close. I find myself wondering if Cade has kissed her. I wonder if he’s done anything more.

  And when she glances back at me, I see fire in her eyes and I know that I’ve made the right choice.

  A meeting along with Ellen Cassidy is exactly what I need.

  Strictly business, of course.

  CHAPTER TEN

  ELLEN CASSIDY

  I’m sitting in my apartment, feeling the hum of the past few days rush through me. It’s been one hell of a ride and I still feel a bit unbalanced. I’m curled up on my couch, waiting for the phone to ring. It might be Adam calling me, or it might be Cade. It might even be work, and at the moment, I’m not in the mood for any of it.

  Instead of being dressed up, I’m in sweatpants. Instead of working hard or being sexy and witty, I’m slouching on the couch, watching bad TV. I should be helping out my mother or working extra hours. Something, anything.

  Instead, I’m feeling flat out exhausted from the emotional rollercoaster. I’ve been proposed to, I’ve been wooed and taken out to dinner. I’ve also had my heart trampled over and over again. I’ve felt sparks fly with a man I can never have and I’ve felt the crushing guilt of the secret I keep close to my heart.

  If I tell Cade that I’m going to meet Adam in private, he’ll tell me not to go. I know he will. He won’t want me to do it – he’ll worry about me giving everything up. Resentment curls around my heart.

  We need to convince Adam and hiding from him is definitely not going to achieve that. I need to do what’s best, and what is right. I need to make sure that I give Adam the details he needs and make sure that Cade never finds out about the meeting.

  I bite my lip. I also need to make sure that I stay as far away from Adam as possible after the meeting. He’s bad news. I can feel it in my bones. H
e might seem polite and friendly, but I sense danger. He’s done this before – he’s used to pulling people apart and I can’t have that happen.

  I’m so caught up in my own thoughts that I almost jump out of my skin as the phone begins to ring. I clutch it in my hand as I try to still my beating heart, before I answer. I decide not to check the number before answering.

  “Hello? Ellen speaking.”

  “Ellen, it’s Adam Jones.” His voice, cool and soft and I don’t know whether to be relieved or disappointed.

  Adam continues, “I was wondering if you were free later today?” His question is polite, but worry sparks across my skin. It’s my day off and the convenience doesn’t sit right with me.

  “Yes, I might have some time this afternoon.” I answer, trying to keep the weary tone out of my voice.

  He chuckles, “Great. Would meeting for coffee work for you?” He sighs, “I don’t know about you, but I am sick of being in an office day in and day out.”

  “That works for me.” I feel myself relaxing, the phone call suddenly feeling so much less threatening.

  “Great. Say about… three?” He suggests, a friendly tone in his voice.

  I glance around at my apartment, the way I’m dressed in nothing but my dingy home clothes and I try not to laugh, “Sure, three is fine.”

  “What about the new coffee shop on Main Street?”

  I consider the place before nodding. It’s a lovely little joint, hip and fun and definitely not the sort of place I thought Adam would have liked. I’ll go along with it, though. Maybe I will learn something.

  “Sounds great. What should I bring?” I ask.

  “Just yourself and anything about the wedding.” He chuckles.

  His words are friendly but I feel a tingle of apprehension move down my spine. Cade and I have discussed what we’ll be doing, when we’ll be having it, all the details that make for a really convincing story.