Sapphire Attraction (The Drakes of California)

by Zuri Day

  “Yes, she did. Congratulations.”

  “Thank you. It took several years to get to this point. That our company came out on top is a coup, given the competition. That is why the importance of everything handled from here on out cannot be overstressed.”

  “The former Compliance National building, correct? East of Kearny?”

  Ike’s brow creased. “Lydia told you that?”

  Quinn shook her head. “I read it on some of the material I copied.”

  “The paperwork you filled out contained a confidentiality clause, which prohibits your discussing Drake business with anyone not directly connected to the company. You do understand that.”

  Quinn had never mastered patience and had little tolerance for elitist BS. “Yes, Ike, I’m familiar with the word and know what it means. Although I don’t understand your reaction. A deal like this doesn’t take place behind closed doors. Every real estate company in San Francisco probably knows about it, not to mention the companies that were beat out.”

  “Obviously,” Ike responded, his displeasure apparent. “My comment is regarding the details that you may learn during your stint with us. I’m not sure of your level of corporate experience, if any, and want to make sure you’re clear on protocol.

  “Again, this isn’t personal and not meant to demean you. But there’s too much at stake for any part of this process to be assumed or left to chance.”

  Quinn listened and wondered what had brought on the change. On the drive over, Ike had seemed relaxed, casual. Was even nice enough to ignore her brief weirded-out state. Now she had relaxed and here he sat behind a corporate mask. So far it was obvious they brought out the best in each other. Nothing could make a meal last longer than discomfort. At least she was hungry and knew the food would be good. Deciding to concentrate on that, she picked up the menu.

  “It appears I’ve upset you. That wasn’t my intent.”

  “I don’t believe you were intentionally insulting, but yes, your comment was quite condescending. Perhaps you’ve heard the rumors about me. But I can assure you that I am much more than a pretty face.”

  “That’s good to know. The next four weeks should go by quickly.”

  “I sure hope so,” Quinn mumbled.

  The waiter entered with the fresh rolls and homemade fruit compotes for which the establishment was known. Quinn quickly reached for one, slathered it with butter and jam, and took a healthy bite. The more time her mouth was filled with food, the less she’d have to talk to Ike. If they were to survive these next weeks without killing each other, less would be more indeed.

  Chapter 9

  An hour later Ike reached his office, closed the door and took a deep breath. While they’d managed to regain a semblance of cordiality by the time the entrées arrived, the first part of the luncheon had not gone as planned. In fact, it began to go awry as soon as Quinn came around the corner.

  He’d been expecting an inappropriately dressed brat and instead saw a woman—poised, professional, and stunning in the simplest of ways. The fresh face almost devoid of makeup, framed by wisps of hair that had escaped the loosened chignon. He’d seen the hairstyle on Lydia, his mother and other women. It looked different on Quinn. She made it look classy and sexy, even a bit naughty, at the same time. Or maybe the naughtiness he saw was a simple reflection of his thoughts as they rode down the elevator. How at that moment he would have liked nothing more than to push the emergency button, stop between floors and slowly pull away the pin that held her hair captive. He could imagine her lush, thick curls falling around her shoulders, could see those doe-like, trusting yet somewhat impish eyes giving him a baleful look. He’d slip in for a kiss and plunder her mouth while relieving her of that formfitting blue dress. She didn’t wear pantyhose, he’d noticed. Her bare legs were flawless. He imagined she wore a thong, which would make the tryst easy. He’d simply unzip his pants, push the small triangle of fabric aside and...

  He angrily pushed off the wall and crossed the room. Two more seconds and he would have been standing in his executive corner office with a full-blown hard-on. Wouldn’t that have been a fine how-do-you-do? He wasn’t some snot-nosed teenager experiencing his first crush. He was part owner of a successful real estate company, who’d dated some of the finest, most intelligent women the West Coast had to offer. His ex Audrey was one of them. They’d dated off and on for almost a decade, and Ike knew one thing for sure—Audrey had never made him feel the way he did right now after a somewhat acrimonious luncheon with Quinn.

  Hearing a light tap on the door, he made a beeline for his desk and sat down quickly, just as Lydia opened the door. The thought of what she might have seen had he allowed his train of thought to reach the station left him feeling horrified.

  “You all right, boss?”

  “I’m fine.” He picked up one of several folders strewn across his desk and browsed its contents. Not giving Lydia his full attention was a silent way he’d developed to convey that he was busy and didn’t want to be bothered. The sound of her plopping down in the chair facing his desk was a clear indication that his message had not been received.

  “Can’t you see I’m busy?”

  “I can see you’re acting like it. I know you too well, Ike Drake. And while you’re my boss and the way I make a living, you’re also the kid I used to bully when I was twelve and you were seven.”

  Ike gave up the ruse and leaned back in the chair. “Yeah, you had about a foot on me then. Good thing my dad taught me manners. Otherwise three years and several inches later I would have doled out some serious payback.”

  “So?”

  “So what?”

  “So how did it go, the luncheon with Quinn? I like her!”

  Ike shrugged, went back to reading. “It went all right.”

  “All right,” she repeated sarcastically. “Dressed to the nines and a college graduate? Tell me you weren’t impressed.”

  “I knew she’d graduated college.”

  “Did you know it was with dual degrees, Master’s in both business management and international relations?”

  “No. I didn’t know that.”

  “She absolutely did, and she was modest about it. Earlier, I asked if she graduated college. She just said yes but didn’t go into detail. She also graduated at the top of her class.”

  The shocked look on Ike’s face made words unnecessary.

  “Uh-huh. I thought that would get your attention.”

  “I can’t deny that I’m surprised.”

  “Beautiful and smart, too. Doesn’t seem fair. I’d be jealous if it would do any good.”

  “Where’d she go to college?”

  “That’s a good question, Ike. You should ask her.”

  “Wait, if she didn’t tell you all this, how do you know?”

  Lydia spoke quickly as she stood and went for the door. “My, oh, my, would you look at the time. That memo you need isn’t going to type itself. I’d best be going.”

  “Lydia...” Ike warned.

  She’d escaped his office but stuck her head in. “Don’t forget your appointment with Jim is in an hour.”

  “While you’re out there, type out your termination papers.”

  She laughed. “You know this office wouldn’t function without me.”

  No one was indispensable, not even Ike. Yet what Lydia had said was more truth than fiction. She was an extremely talented assistant with stellar organizational skills and a near photographic memory. She was loyal, trustworthy, a lifelong friend whom he respected. But that didn’t mean that she sometimes wasn’t also an ulcer-causing irritant who warranted the occasional scolding. Ike loved her to pieces and was glad for her levity. It allowed him a cover for how uncomfortable her carefully and strategically dropped morsels of information had made him. Morsels she knew would pique
his interest in a woman he’d denied any interest in.

  Out, damned spot!

  Ike tossed the paperwork aside and walked to a panel of windows that took up most of the corner office’s back wall. Drake Realty Plus was situated on a piece of prime real estate in Paradise Cove’s tony downtown, a corner lot of buildings that covered a quarter acre. Five stories high at its zenith, it was one of the town’s taller buildings, reaching as high as city ordinances allowed. The executive offices were on the fifth floor. They offered pristine views of downtown and the mountains to the north and Paradise Valley’s vast plains—including his brother Warren’s thriving vineyard—farms and a new strip of businesses to the south. Ike’s corner office afforded him the ability to see portions of both views, ones he’d often take in to help clear his head or focus on which business decision was best for both company and client. Today, however, clarity eluded him. There were several important matters that required his focus. Yet his mind was filled with thoughts of Quinn and an inexplicable attraction toward her that could no longer be denied. It was also one that couldn’t be acted upon or publicly acknowledged. Which made Ike sure of at least one more thing—it was going to be a long month.

  He left his desk and headed down the hall to Terrell’s office, walked in and closed the door.

  Terrell looked up from his laptop. When Ike closed the door, he sat back in his chair. “What’s up, man? Did you read the last report for U Capital?”

  “Did you know that Quinn has a college degree?” Ike perched on the edge of Terrell’s desk.

  “Sure, I knew it. Dual degrees, in business or finance or something like that. Graduated from Columbia.” Terrell resumed work on his laptop. “Move, man!”

  Ike got up. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I tried. You weren’t interested.”

  “When?”

  “Or maybe I just started to tell you, but didn’t after I heard that you were unimpressed. Thought she was too young, immature, yada yada. From what I saw the other day, looks like you’ve changed your mind.”

  “What you saw wasn’t as it appeared. Stay on track. When did I say that about her?”

  “I don’t know. Ask Warren. That’s who told me.”

  After a light knock Warren walked in, as if on cue.

  Ike started right in. “When did I talk to you about Quinn?”

  Warren chuckled. “Damn, bro. That woman’s got you bent!”

  Terrell laughed, too. “Right.”

  “To hell with both of you,” Ike grumbled.

  “Don’t get mad at me,” Warren said. “You haven’t been right since she hit your car. And the accident has nothing to do with what I’m talking about.”

  “If you’ll remember, I hit my head.”

  Terrell glanced over. “So you’re blaming your fixation on a head injury? Good try, Ike. Look, put yourself out of misery and ask the girl out.”

  “Considering the lunch we just had, that’s not likely.”

  “You took her to lunch?”

  “For business purposes.”

  Warren groaned. “Oh, here we go.”

  “Seriously. An orientation.”

  “For a four-week internship.” Terrell was not convinced.

  “During our biggest close ever. So yes, her understanding of protocol and this job’s importance had to be confirmed.”

  “So what happened?” Warren asked.

  “I said something she considered insulting. In hindsight, I agree.”

  “All the more reason to ask her to dinner. Sometimes making up is the best part. Now, unless you two are staying to discuss Ten Drake Plaza, I need my office back.”

  Warren held up his tablet opened to an Excel graph. “That’s the only reason I’m here.”

  “Then let’s get down to business.” Terrell tapped his computer to life.

  “It’s about time,” Ike said, taking a seat next to Warren. “Instead of going off on fantastical tangents, you two need to focus on the deal.”

  Chapter 10

  The next morning, Quinn arrived at Drake Realty Plus ten minutes early. As she approached Lydia’s desk on the way to the file room, it was obvious that the talkative executive assistant had gotten there much earlier. Lydia was on the phone but smiled and held up a finger, a silent signal for Quinn to wait. She stopped and observed what looked to be a whirlwind of activity. Several projects in various stages of completion were scattered across Lydia’s desk. Folders, some bulging with files and other content, covered the credenza behind the desk. The inbox was full, a large mug of coffee nearly empty. Lydia continued to chat, typing information into the computer as she talked.

  “That’s already done, Ike, and on your desk. No, your dad hasn’t yet signed off on it. As soon as it comes back, I’ll have it couriered over to the bank.” She switched to another screen. “There’s the ten o’clock with Mr. Langston and...okay, push that back?” Her fingers flew across the keys. “No problem. I’ll call and change that to a luncheon meeting at the club. Don’t forget the conference call with GOE is at one. Ike, stop worrying and let me get back to work. I’ll have the revisions on the report done by the time you get back. Okay, see you then.”

  She ended the call. “Good morning! Don’t you look cute? Is that a skirt?” She stood and came from behind the desk.

  “No, they’re wide-legged pants.”

  “Gosh, I could never wear those things. I’d look like a whale. They look fab on you, though. And I see you wore shoes with a lower heel. Good girl.”

  “Spending all day in the file room definitely called for a different wardrobe. So I took your advice and went casual.”

  “Honey, I don’t know that anything could look casual on you.”

  “Thanks but if you ever saw me lounging around the house in shorts and a tee, you’d change your mind.”

  The phone rang again. “Oh, darn. Give me just a sec, I need to ask you something.” Lydia answered the call. “Ike Drake’s office, Lydia speaking. Could you hold a moment, please?” She looked at Quinn. “What are you doing for lunch?”

  “No special plans, why?”

  “I’d like us to go together, if that’s okay. I need your help with something.”

  “Sure, what time?”

  “Eleven thirty. I know that’s early, but I need to be here when Ike gets back.”

  “That’s fine.”

  Two and a half hours later, Quinn and Lydia headed for the parking lot.

  “I’ll give you fair warning,” Lydia said, having segued from one topic to another without taking a breath. “My car’s a mess.”

  “I’ll drive.” Quinn took a right down the first row of cars and pointed her fob at a white Corvette.

  “This is your car?”

  “A rental, actually. My car won’t be ready for another week.”

  “Oh, right. The accident, I forgot. Wow, fancy schmancy,” Lydia exclaimed as she got in. “I thought it belonged to one of the salesmen. Would never have suspected a woman drove a Corvette. Not that there’s anything wrong with it, of course.”

  “I was seven years old when I saw my first one, my dad’s. It’s always been my favorite car. So, where are we headed for lunch?”

  “Cove Plaza, if you don’t mind. There are a couple choices over that way—Acquired Taste and a new Mexican restaurant I’ve been wanting to try.”

  “Works for me.” Quinn started the car and headed toward the strip mall.

  “The main reason I want to go there, and why I asked you to lunch, is because there’s a clothing store over that way, too, and I want to buy something to wear to Mr. Drake’s birthday party. Not my boss, the elder.”

  “His birthday is coming up?”

  Lydia nodded. “September seventeenth. Every year he throws a company p
arty to celebrate it. You’ll enjoy it. They’re lots of fun.”

  “I don’t think I’ll be going. I’m not an employee.”

  “Not technically, perhaps, but you’re still invited. Temps, interns, important clients, vendors—everyone comes out. In the past they’ve held them at the country club, but this year it will be at their center.”

  “Their center?”

  “Yes, the Drake Community Center. It’s mainly an educational and activity center for kids, but the auditorium is often rented out by different groups and organizations. And there’s a big room that can convert to a large dining area that’s used a lot, too. You’re obviously not from here.”

  “No. I was born in Maryland and lived in San Francisco after my father relocated.”

  “What brought you here?”

  “Life.” When Lydia looked over questioningly, Quinn continued. “I was engaged to a...guy with a high profile and broke things off right before the wedding. It created a scandal, negative attention that my dad abhors, and another in what he considers a long list of my transgressions. I came here to hide out but am glad I did. My grandmother is getting older. It’s better that she not live alone.”

  “If you don’t mind me asking, why’d you break up with your fiancé?”

  “He was a serial cheater. I never should have accepted his proposal.”

  “Well, if you’re interested, the man you’re working for is an eligible bachelor and a really super nice guy.”

  “Thanks, but no thanks. I probably won’t get married at all—doubt there’s a man out there who can be faithful.”

  “They’re out there, Quinn. So try to stay open. You’re much too pretty to spend life alone.”

  They pulled into the mall’s parking lot. “Shop first or food first?” Quinn asked.

  “I’d like to find something to wear first, unless you’re real hungry.”