Until You

by Denise Grover Swank

  Horror filled Stephanie’s eyes. “You didn’t tell me that part.”

  Lanie shrugged, trying to play off the omission. “You didn’t need the pressure. Just getting the store open after all the delays was pressure enough. Besides, it’s my issue to worry about, not yours, Steph.”

  “We’re friends, Lanie. Of course it’s my concern.” She was quiet for a moment. “What are you going to do?”

  Lanie forced a smile. “I guess I’ll see if Aiden will still take me.”

  “But you wanted to stay in Kansas City. What about the headhunter?”

  Lanie shook her head. “There’s nothing here. I told her to let me know if she found something, and I haven’t heard a thing.”

  “There’s an option you haven’t considered,” Stephanie said. “You can still come to Phoenix with me.”

  A sad smile crossed Lanie’s face. “No. Even if I wanted to go to Phoenix—and I don’t—corporate would never let me. If we don’t open, my career with Margo Benson and Montgomery Enterprises will be over.”

  “It was hard enough knowing you weren’t coming with me to Phoenix,” Stephanie said. “But at least I knew you’d still be my boss.”

  The lump was back in Lanie’s throat. “But I’ll still be your friend.”

  Stephanie bit her bottom lip and she offered a quavering smile. “I hope so.”

  Lanie vowed to make sure their relationship didn’t die like all her others. “Hey,” she said cheerfully. “Let’s not plan the funeral yet. Legal is working on it, and in the meantime, we’re going to keep working as though nothing has changed. Then, when legal works their magic, we’ll be ready to open. In the meantime, I need to make a call to Aiden.” She paused. “Just in case.”

  “What about Tyler?”

  She shook her head. “I don’t know.”

  Stephanie sensed her hesitation. “We’ll be ready. We will open on Monday morning. The attorneys still have a few days to figure something out.”

  Lanie wished she was as certain. “Everything’s ready for our training session tomorrow, so I think I’m going home. I have a massive headache, and a warm bath might help.” She grabbed her purse. “But I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow morning.

  Stephanie picked up her phone. “Let me call you an Uber.”

  “No. I need the walk.” Maybe it would help her to clear her head and figure out what to do next. She started to open the door, but an overwhelming sense of doom washed over her, and she stopped with her hand on the doorknob.

  “Lanie?” Stephanie asked, sounding worried. “Did you want me to call you a car after all?”

  “I’m going to lose him, Steph.”

  “What?”

  She turned to face Stephanie. “I’m going to lose Tyler.”

  Stephanie stood and pulled Lanie into a hug. “You don’t have to. You can make it work just like you and I will.”

  Oh, God. She was right, but the suggestion had the opposite effect of comforting. She’d tried to maintain friendships with a few high school friends during college, and a few college friends after graduation, but with the exception of Aiden, every single one had failed because of distance. The only reason her friendship with Aiden hadn’t died was because the business world kept throwing them together, and he was too stubborn to let it go.

  But it reinforced her belief about long-distance relationships. It wasn’t just her parents’ marriage that died because of distance. So had all her friendships. No wonder she’d walled herself off during the last nomadic five years. She’d been protecting herself from the inevitable heartbreak. Nothing lasted.

  But she couldn’t tell Steph any of that. Steph still believed they could make it work, and Lanie wasn’t going to take that belief from her. “Yeah,” Lanie said with a tight smile. “Thanks.”

  When she got to her apartment, she decided to skip the bath and, instead, changed into yoga pants and a T-shirt. No matter the outcome of the opening, she was moving out of this apartment within two weeks and she needed to pack up her meager belongings. Tyler had promised to help her on Sunday, but now she felt the urge to put as much distance between her and Tyler as possible.

  She couldn’t count on legal to come through this time, which meant she would soon be unemployed and homeless. She needed to be proactive, not reactive. She needed to take charge and make a plan. She found her phone and called Aiden.

  “Hey, Lane. Calling me late on a Thursday afternoon—is everything okay?”

  She didn’t blame him for his confusion. She rarely called him first. “Actually, no. The store just received a new injunction this afternoon, and unless legal comes up with something quick, there won’t be an opening on Monday.”

  “Shit.”

  She chuckled. “My feelings exactly.”

  “At least you still have your sense of humor.”

  “If I don’t laugh about it…” Her voice trailed off, leaving off the “I might cry.”

  “I’m sorry,” he said. “So that means no VP promotion, right?”

  “Yeah.”

  “My offer’s still on the table. You turned me down, not the other way around.”

  Lanie nearly choked on tears of relief. “Thanks, Aiden. You have no idea how much I appreciate that. Are we still working with the same timetable of when you need me to start?”

  “That doesn’t seem fair,” Aiden said. “That gives you less than a week.”

  “The sooner, the better,” she said. It was better to rip off the Band-Aid than draw out the agony.

  “Is your cousin disappointed?”

  “I never told her I was staying.” She took a breath, fighting the urge to cry. “I was going to tell her after the wedding. As a gift.”

  “You’d better have gotten her something else,” he said wryly.

  “Tyler and I bought them a gift last weekend.”

  Aiden was quiet for a moment. “And what does Tyler say about all of this?”

  “He doesn’t know yet either.” She paused, then said, “But I can’t stay here without a job. I have to go where the job is.”

  “Thanks for all the enthusiasm,” Aiden teased.

  “Aiden, you know it’s not like that.” Her voice broke.

  “Are you crying?” he asked in surprise.

  “No. Maybe.”

  “You must really like this guy.”

  “I love him,” she said with a sniffle.

  “Wow. I’ve never heard you say that before.”

  “Because I’ve never loved a guy before.”

  “That sucks, Lane. I’m sorry.”

  “Thanks.”

  They said their good-byes, and Lanie hung up the phone pondering the million-dollar question: How was she going to tell Tyler?

  Taking a deep breath, she texted Tyler that she’d meet him at his apartment later and bring dinner. She had to tell him. Tonight.

  Chapter Thirty

  Tyler was at a bar celebrating his win with Randy and several other colleagues over drinks when he saw Lanie’s text.

  He picked up his phone and called her. “Hey, don’t cook,” he said. “Let me take you out.”

  “Aren’t you working late?”

  “Not tonight. I can pick you up around six thirty. How about we go to Capital Grille, but sit in the actual dining room this time?”

  “Wow,” she said, but her voice lacked enthusiasm. “Are we celebrating something? Where are you? It sounds noisy.”

  He slid off the bar stool and moved to the hallway by the restrooms. “Lanie, is everything okay?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine.”

  She didn’t sound fine. “Do you have a headache? We can stay in.”

  “No, if you’re suggesting Capital Grille, it sounds like a special occasion. I’ll be ready.”

  A month ago, he would have bought that nothing was wrong, but he knew her now. He knew that something was off.

  “You know what I’d really like? A quiet candlelight dinner at my apartment with you. How about you head over to my
apartment and set the table, then open a bottle of wine and take a bath in my tub? That sounds relaxing, doesn’t it?”

  “Tyler.”

  Her voice broke, and now he was really worried. “Lanie, what’s wrong?”

  “You were right. I have a headache. If you don’t mind staying home, that sounds great.”

  “Head over to my apartment early so you can have a long soak. Don’t worry about setting the table. I’ll take care of everything.”

  “I love you, Tyler.” Her voice broke again.

  “Now you’re scaring me, Lanie. I think I should come home now.”

  “I’m fine. I promise. I’m just stressed. Go hang out with your friends, and I’ll see you when you get home.”

  Could she be any more perfect? “I love you, Lanie. I’ll be home soon.”

  She’d told him to stay, but he decided he’d tell his friends he was leaving early.

  “No!” one of the associates protested. “We’re celebrating! You can’t go!”

  “I need to get home to Lanie. She’s not feeling well.”

  “That’s what they all say, dude,” another guy said. “Who would have guessed that Tyler Norris could be pussy-whipped.”

  Tyler felt uncomfortable, not because he thought he was being controlled by Lanie, but because several months ago, he would have been on the other side, calling some other poor bastard the same name.

  Jesus. Had he grown up?

  “If you believe that, then you’ve chosen the wrong woman,” Tyler said, pulling out his wallet.

  Randy stared at him with a strange expression but he stood and pushed Tyler’s hand away. “I’ll take care of your drinks, but let me walk you to the door.”

  “I’m safe to drive, Randy. I’ve only had one beer.”

  “That’s not why I’m walking with you.”

  “Okay.” Now two people close to him were acting strange. What the hell was going on?

  When they were out of earshot of the other guys, Randy asked, “Do you think the injunction’s going to hold?”

  The injunction was solid, and he’d resisted the urge to tell the partners “I told you so.” Sure, he could have filed one earlier—and they had pushed hard for him to do just that—but that precedent had been shakier. He’d begged for more time to come up with something more ironclad, and he’d come through.

  His partnership was in the bag.

  But Randy rarely asked about his cases, so this was odd. “Why the interest?”

  He shrugged but looked uncomfortable. “Just curiosity. Britt would kill to have a Margo Benson store open here.”

  “Her and every other woman,” he grumbled.

  “Say…how serious is it with you and Lanie?”

  “Pretty serious.”

  “That was fast.”

  “I know.” Tyler grinned like a fool. “No one’s more surprised than I am.”

  “What do you know about Lanie’s job?” Randy asked, looking concerned.

  Tyler tensed. “Why are you asking?”

  “If things are serious between you two, then you really need to know.”

  “She’s signed an NDA, and says she can’t tell me anything.” Then a new thought hit him. Why hadn’t he thought of it before? “What about Britt? Does she know?”

  Randy’s gaze held his. “You need to talk to Lanie.”

  “Dammit, Randy. Does Britt know? Wait, do you know?” When Randy didn’t answer, he said, “You do.”

  “I can’t tell you. I’m sworn by attorney-client privilege.”

  Tyler shook his head. “Wait. Lanie hired you to be her attorney?”

  Randy leaned closer. “It was strictly off the books; I was doing Britt’s cousin a favor and looked over her contract. No one else knows, and I’d really like to keep it that way.”

  The firm frowned on pro bono work for extended family and friends, but something still seemed off.

  “You need to talk to her, okay?” Randy said. “Especially if things are serious with you two.”

  Tyler rubbed his temple. “Yeah. Thanks.”

  “She’s an amazing person, and Britt thinks the world of her,” Randy said as he walked out the door onto the sidewalk. “Don’t hurt her, okay?”

  “I love her. The last thing I’d ever do is hurt her.”

  Randy nodded but he didn’t look convinced as he walked back inside the bar.

  * * *

  Tyler let himself into his apartment, relieved when he saw the table set and the sound of running water in the bathroom. Between Randy’s chat and Lanie’s tears, Tyler was paranoid and freaked out, and nearly convinced himself that Lanie was about to break up with him, although he couldn’t figure out why she would. Sure, they’d both worked long hours the last week, but when they were together, it was amazing.

  He walked down the hall and stopped in the partially open doorway and peered inside. Lanie was in a tub full of bubbles with her hair up in a messy bun. Her eyes were closed, but her jaw still looked tense.

  Her eyes opened and she gave him a hesitant smile. “Hey, what are you doing home already?”

  He walked toward her, loosening his tie. “I was worried about you.”

  She sat up, the water and bubbles dripping down her breasts, completely oblivious to the effect she was having on him. “I told you to stay with your friends.”

  He sat down on the edge of the tub and cupped the back of her head as he leaned over to kiss her. “Funny thing. When I asked myself if I’d rather be with a group of drunken attorneys or you, it was a shockingly easy choice.”

  “They were drunk already?”

  “Well on their way.”

  She frowned. “I don’t want to be that girlfriend, Tyler.”

  “Which girlfriend?” His hand trailed down her cleavage. “The gorgeous, sexy girlfriend? Because, sorry, babe, you’re that girlfriend.”

  “No, the clingy girlfriend. The one you think expects you to spend every spare moment with her and never lets you hang out with your friends.”

  He sat up and unbuttoned the top button of his dress shirt. “Lanie, you are so not that woman, and if you became that woman, I’d wonder if you’d been replaced by your evil twin. Now tell me what’s going on.”

  She gave him a sad smile. “I’m just tired and I have a headache. I’m sorry you rushed home for nothing.”

  While she did look tired, he knew there was more she wasn’t saying. Nevertheless, he wanted her to tell him on her own. “Why don’t you stay in here a little while longer and relax?” He glanced around. “Do you want a glass of wine?”

  “No. I’m good.”

  She emerged fifteen minutes later, dressed in pajama shorts, a spaghetti-strap cami, and no bra. Her hair was still piled on top of her head, and she’d taken off her makeup. “Sorry,” she said with a warm smile. “I know it’s a little early in our relationship for me to be slacking like this, but this is what you get.”

  He’d been sitting at the island working on his laptop. He closed the lid and walked toward her, pulling her into his arms. “You’re absolutely perfect. You must feel better from your bath.”

  “Much better. Now let’s eat.”

  * * *

  Lanie overslept the next morning, so she took a quick shower, finding it difficult to brush off Tyler’s attempts to make it more leisurely.

  “You know, it’s next to impossible to tell you no,” she said, as he pretended to wash her breast for the fifth time.

  He lowered his mouth to her neck. “That’s what I’m counting on.”

  The night before, she’d decided she was done with secrets. She was going to talk about her work, NDA be damned. She was getting fired anyway. What did it matter? “I have to get to work. We have our first run-through today, and I can’t be late.”

  He lifted his head. “Run-through?”

  She turned around to face him. “I want to tell you everything, but I know you’ll have questions, and I don’t have time to answer right now. Tonight, okay?”

 
; He smiled. “I’ve waited this long for you to tell me about your job, I can wait until tonight.”

  “No more secrets after this,” she said, then grabbed a towel and stepped out of the shower.

  “Secrets?”

  She didn’t miss the momentary fear that flickered in his eyes. Of course he’d be worried about secrets after the crap his mother had pulled. Would he be upset when he found out his firm’s connection to the store? Would he be even more upset that she’d known and hadn’t told him? She leaned over to kiss him. “Nothing to worry about. Just my NDA stuff. I’ll tell you tonight.”

  She hurried to his bedroom and grabbed a dress out of his closet, thankful he’d insisted she keep several outfits at his place in case of mornings like this.

  He usually dropped her off at her office but she needed to go to the store, so as they drove toward the boutique, she decided to skip the usual routine. “Don’t drop me off at the office. My store’s just down the street.”

  Tyler shot her a surprised glance. “One of the stores you work at?”

  “The only store I work at.”

  He’d rounded the corner, and the store was in view halfway down the street.

  “Here at this corner is good,” she said.

  “Lanie, where do you work?” Tyler asked in a quiet voice as he pulled up to the curb.

  She could see he was putting things together. Was he worried about the conflict of interest with his firm?

  “Tyler, I know you must have a lot of questions, but…”

  He put the car in park and turned to face her with worry in his eyes. “You’re not a time management consultant, are you?”

  “No. It’s my cover,” she said. She gripped her hands in her lap to keep them from shaking. “I’m in charge of opening a new store for Montgomery Enterprises. My project is the opening.”

  His eyes widened. “Yesterday…you were upset…Randy…he knew.”

  “I know your firm represents the store trying to keep us closed. Randy had looked over my contract and asked me to keep it quiet. He didn’t know about your firm’s involvement when he reviewed it. But that night at Loose Park, when I talked to him after the shoot, he assured me you had nothing to do with the case.”

  “Lanie.” He sounded like he was strangling.