Reluctant Romance

by Dobbs, Leighann

  Connor didn’t know what she was trying to hide, but he did know one thing for sure. He’d better keep a close eye on the beautiful and dangerous Risa Kennedy if he knew what was good for him and his father’s company.

  Chapter Four

  A trail of crumbs fell from Risa’s pumpernickel bagel onto the floor under her chair. She didn’t have to worry about cleaning them up. Bailey was on it in a second, inhaling every crumb. After she was done, she fixed her soft brown eyes on Risa’s bagel in case there was a repeat performance.

  Risa’s stomach flip-flopped, tossing the bagel around uncomfortably. She had gotten in early to meet with Caitlyn before Connor and his accounting expert arrived. It was almost time.

  She shoved the rest of the bagel into the bag, ignoring the look of disappointment on Bailey’s face. Pushing the chair away from her desk, she stood, brushed the crumbs from her slacks, and made her way to the door.

  Risa looked back at Bailey, still under the desk searching for crumbs. “Stay." Bailey hardly gave her a glance.

  Risa’s shoulders sagged as she walked down the hall to the accounting section. She wasn’t proud of what they were going to do.

  Reaching Caitlyn’s office, she could see the petite blonde engrossed in papers spread out on her desk. Risa tapped softly on the side of the door. Caitlyn jumped.

  “Oh, hi. Come on in.” Caitlyn stood up, running shaky hands through her silky hair.

  Risa walked over to her, standing close so no one would overhear. “Are you all set?”

  Caitlyn nodded. “I’ve done a little creative rearranging of files. Some of them are not where they should be. They’ll produce a database error when he tries to look at them so it will seem like a computer glitch.”

  “Good. So you didn’t change any of the records?”

  “No. That would be a last resort. We don’t wanna go there. I figure if he can’t look at the files, he can’t find…well, you know." Caitlyn’s voice was barely above a whisper.

  “And if he can’t see all the financials, he won’t know if the company is doing well or not. Plus the glitches will make it seem like we aren’t organized, or using best practices."

  “Right.”

  “Perfect. Hopefully that will be enough to give them a sour taste about Healthy-Pet.”

  Risa sensed the nervous energy coming from Caitlyn.

  “You can pull this off, right?" she asked.

  Caitlyn let out a deep breath. “Yes.”

  “Okay.” Risa looked at her watch and started toward the door. “I’ll be back around ten with Connor and his accountant. Good luck.”

  Caitlyn smiled and gave a thumbs-up.

  Risa walked back to her office on shaky limbs. She hoped Caitlyn’s diversions would work. If the accountant couldn’t see the full financials, how could he evaluate the company? It was smart to hide them through a veil of missing files and computer glitches.

  Risa knew Caitlyn would do her best; after all she had just as much of an interest in keeping their little secret hidden as Risa did.

  ###

  Back in her office, Risa busied herself with trying not to look at the clock every five minutes. At precisely ten o’clock, Meredith ushered Connor and a middle-aged man in an expensive suit through the door. Risa stood and came around the desk.

  “Good morning,” she said, trying to sound chipper even though she felt anything but.

  “Risa, this is Jim Abernake, my chief accountant. Jim - Risa Kennedy."

  Risa shook Jim’s hand. He had a limp, clammy handshake, unlike Connor’s firm, warm one. Risa was thankful it didn’t induce an annoying spark like Connor’s had the day before.

  Bailey bounded over to Connor like he was a long lost friend. Risa felt a little put out at the betrayal; after all, Connor Dunn was no friend.

  Connor bent down to return Bailey’s enthusiastic greeting.

  “I’ll take you to the accounting department. I have my head accountant ready to show you through the books,” Risa said, heading for the door.

  Connor and Jim followed her into the hall.

  “Will you be here all day?” Risa asked.

  “Probably only half the day today, but I may need to come back tomorrow. It depends on what I find. I have a few key things to look for,” Jim said.

  “I’ll just get Jim settled, then I’ll be on my way. Jim can return on his own tomorrow, I trust?” Connor glanced at Risa, eyebrows raised.

  “Yep, just sign in at the receptionist like you did today and she’ll call Meredith to escort you.”

  As they made their way down the hall, Risa felt a strange vibe from Connor. Did he suspect she was up to something? Risa couldn’t be sure if it was real or a figment of her guilty conscience.

  By the time they reached the accounting row, Risa’s nerves were raw, her tense shoulders felt like they were hunched up around her ears. She hoped Caitlyn wasn’t as jittery as she was.

  They stopped in front of Caitlyn's office. Much to Risa’s relief, the other woman seemed cool as a cucumber as Risa made the introductions. Caitlyn had prepared some papers and set up her office with an extra chair so she could walk Jim through the process on the computer.

  Risa felt the tension in her shoulders melting. “Well, it looks like you guys are all set, so I’ll get out of your hair.”

  The others said good-bye. Risa gave one final look back as she left. Hoping Connor didn’t pick up on the knowing glance she exchanged with Caitlyn, she headed off toward the product creation lab to put her next plan into action.

  ###

  The glass doors gave a full view of the production lab from the end of the hall. Inside, the company’s head chemist, Dana, was bent over a bowl mixing pasty brown stuff with pasty red stuff. The result did not look appealing.

  Dana looked up, her dark-brown bob framing her pretty face. She beamed a smile at Risa.

  Risa smiled back, hurrying faster down the hall. Dana had been her best friend since high school. She could tell her almost anything. She couldn’t wait to get Dana’s opinion on her plans to stop the acquisition and to enlist her aid.

  Risa plucked her employee badge from the edge of her jacket and slid it into the card reader. The door clicked open. She walked into the lab, her heels making hollow sounds on the white tile floor as she navigated the length of the stainless steel table to Dana’s side.

  “Hey,” Dana said.

  “Hey, yourself. What are you making?"

  “What, this?” Dana pointed to the red and brown goo. “This is a new chicken-flavored dog treat with extra Omega three oils. Want a taste?”

  Risa wrinkled her face at the mixture. “No.”

  Dana laughed. “Come on, you’ve had plenty of my concoctions before.”

  “Yeah, but those had rum or vodka in them." Risa smiled thinking about all the strange drinks Dana had made during their youth. Dana had always been the wild one with a talent for creating cocktails and getting into trouble. Becoming a chemist and creating healthy dog foods was her way of putting those skills to good use as an adult.

  “So how are things going?” Dana tilted her head and set the bowl aside.

  Risa’s chest tightened. She had confided in Dana about her worries over the acquisition and figured that’s what she meant by things.

  “Not so good.”

  Dana raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong?”

  Risa told her how Connor didn’t seem to be too keen on the clinic or the lenient company policies.

  “So, what are you going to do about it?”

  “I’m doing the only thing I can. Trying to make the company look unattractive for a buyout. And that’s where I need your help.”

  Dana’s eyes lit up. “You know I’ll do whatever I can.”

  Risa glanced around the tidy lab. Even though Dana was impulsive and erratic in her personal life, her work area was always ship-shape. “Can you make the lab seem disorganized? Maybe a bit messy?”

  Dana nodded.

  “I’m going
to bring Connor in for a tour of the lab tomorrow. Would you mind talking about what’s involved in making the products and emphasize the expense it takes to come up with a good recipe?”

  “Of course,” Dana said. “I could mix him up a sample to taste…" She tilted the bowl toward Risa.

  Risa scrunched up her nose and laughed. “If that gets him to leave us alone, I’m all for it."

  “So, is Connor Dunn as handsome as he looks in the papers?” Dana raised an eyebrow.

  “I guess so…I mean, I didn’t notice.” Risa shrugged, feeling a flush of heat creep into her cheeks.

  Dana looked at her sideways. “Seriously? You need to get out more if you didn’t notice. How long has it been since you and Ethan broke up?”

  Risa cringed at the sound of her ex’s name. Ethan had been her one true love…her soulmate. Or so she thought. They had met right after college. He was a struggling artist. She was just starting her veterinary career.

  It was love at first sight, but their five-year relationship was tumultuous at best. When they finally broke up for good three years ago, Risa had been devastated. It had taken her a long time to recover, and she had no intention of going through anything like that again.

  The last thing she wanted was to get involved with someone. She knew it just led to heartache and disappointment. Besides, she was perfectly happy with her family of pets.

  The only good thing her relationship with Ethan had left her with was an appreciation and knowledge of art. In fact, the hobby of collecting and supporting local upcoming artists had been one thing, along with her pets, that had filled the void in her life and helped her heal.

  “Long enough to know I don’t need a man,” Risa said defiantly.

  “Man or no man, you need to get out and unwind. You seem totally stressed out.” Dana’s look of concern twisted Risa’s heart. Maybe Dana was right; she had been working pretty hard lately.

  Risa sighed. “It’s this acquisition…it’s got me so worried. If Dunn International takes over, they could shut down the clinic, eliminate the pet-friendly policies and turn Healthy-Pet into a regular nine-to-five grind. The worst part is my father is really gunning for it and so is Tristan Dunn.”

  “They are? Why?”

  “Dad wants the money so he can travel and enjoy life. I don’t blame him and I want that for him too. I just wish he could find a company who won’t change things.”

  “What about Tristan Dunn, what does he care?”

  “I think he just wants to help Dad out. His company makes so much money, the acquisition is like pennies to him, so if it doesn’t work out…" Risa trailed off with a shrug.

  “And Connor, does he want it too?”

  Risa pursed her lips. “You know, I’m not sure. I actually don’t think he does. He seems to be totally unemotional and focused on the numbers, so I guess it depends on whether he thinks it will be a good investment or not.”

  “Well, it sounds like you are doing everything you can, so there’s no sense in worrying, right?” Dana put her hand on Risa’s arm. “Hey, tonight we have our weekly get-together, so you’ll have a chance to kick back and chill out.”

  ‘That’s right. I almost forgot,” Risa said glancing at her watch. “I’d better get back to my office; I have a lot to do today and I want to leave early to drop Bailey off and feed the animals before tonight.”

  Risa gave Dana a quick hug and turned toward the door.

  “So, I’ll see you at Dooley’s then…six o’clock, right?" Dana asked.

  “Yep, Dooley’s at six. I’ll be there." Risa gave Dana a wink, then slipped out into the hall.

  On the way to her office, she realized she was really looking forward to their weekly get-together this week. Risa, Dana, and several other girls had been meeting at Dooley’s every week for appetizers and drinks - chit chat and girl talk - for years now.

  Risa enjoyed the weekly outings, but tonight, especially would be a welcome distraction. A night out with the girls was just what she needed. Hopefully it would help get the acquisition—and Connor Dunn—off her mind.

  Chapter Five

  Risa rushed through the door to her condo, Bailey close at her heels. She threw her purse on the granite counter, collapsed into one of the stools at her breakfast bar, and kicked off her shoes. Her feet rejoiced at their first taste of freedom since she had stuffed them into her patent leather business pumps early that morning.

  Bailey sat patiently in front of her. She put her paw gently on Risa’s lap, letting her know she wanted attention. Risa stroked the silky fur on her head.

  “I’d love to play, but I don’t have time. Gotta be at Dooley’s in twenty minutes,” she said to the dog.

  A movement from the living room doorway caught her eye. Sylvester, her black-and-white tuxedo cat stared at her with large golden eyes. He arched his back, gave a disinterested meow, and continued on to the sunroom, presumably to catch the last rays of the day.

  Risa stood. Padding into the kitchen in her stockings, she rummaged in the pet food cabinet. Bending down, she scooped up Sylvester’s and Bailey’s bowls.

  She filled Bailey’s with premium Healthy-Pet dry niblets. The dog had her nose in the bowl before it hit the floor.

  Risa lifted the tab on a tuna feast Healthy-Pet cat food can. The lid made a metallic sucking sound which was answered by a flurry of running cat paws and a frantic meow.

  “You’d think you hadn’t eaten in a week,” she said to Sylvester, petting the top of his head as he bumped his cheek up against her calf, waiting for her to put his bowl down.

  With the dog and cat fed, she moved into the sunroom where her yellow parakeet, Tweetie, sat chirping away in his cage. Making sure he had fresh water, she clipped a millet spray to his door for an extra treat.

  On her way upstairs, she made a pit stop in the living room just long enough to sprinkle some food into the goldfish tank.

  Risa glanced at her watch. “Damn, I’m running late.”

  She took the stairs two at a time, barely looking at her gallery of local art paintings that lined the stairway walls. At the top of the stairs, she turned left into her spacious master bedroom.

  Ten minutes later, she ran back down. Skidding to a stop in front of the long mirror in the foyer, she assessed her outfit of comfortable faded jeans, plain gray v-neck T-shirt with cap sleeves and navy-blue Keds.

  She’d let her hair down so it framed her face in a tangled mass of auburn curls. Attempts to tame it had been futile; there wasn’t much she could do in this humidity.

  Risa never spent much time fussing with hair or makeup. Luckily, her naturally bronzed skin didn’t need any foundation. The only attention she’d paid to her face was to swipe on some dark brown eye-liner that brought out the green flecks in her hazel eyes.

  She turned to the side. The casual outfit complimented her tall frame, large breasts, and slim waist perfectly.

  In the kitchen she grabbed a dog treat out of the canister and threw it to Bailey, who caught it midair, then retreated to the living room.

  Grabbing her purse from the counter, Risa hurried out the door, to make it to Dooley’s for her six o’clock get-together.

  ###

  Risa scanned the dark pub looking for Dana and the other girls. A neighborhood watering hole, Dooleys attracted an after-work crowd and was packed even at this early hour. The tables were full. The noise level loud. The smell of burgers and fries hung in the air, inviting her further into the bar.

  As her eyes became accustomed to the dim lighting, Risa saw Dana waving from a corner table. She headed that way, noticing the rest of the girls were already there. Each of them had half-finished drinks on the table in front of them.

  “Hey, girl, you’d better sit down and catch up." Dana nodded her head to indicate her half-empty glass.

  Risa pulled out the remaining chair. The girls adjusted their positions to fit another body at the table.

  “I didn’t realize I was late,” she said, glancing at the cl
ock over the bar, which indicated it was only ten past six.

  “Oh you’re not,” Rachel, a bubbly brunette, chimed in.

  “Yeah, we just drink fast,” Dana laughed. “Actually, Deb and I got out early so we have a head start. Rachel really does drink fast, though.”

  Rachel swatted at Dana’s arm and everyone laughed.

  “So, Risa, we heard the scuttlebutt about Dunn International possibly buying your dad’s company. Is it true?"

  Risa turned toward her long time friend, Cara, who had asked the question. “It is.”

  “You don’t seem very happy about it. I mean you’d probably get quite a windfall of money, given all the stock you have." Cara, a top-notch financial advisor always saw the monetary benefits of every situation. Risa realized she’d probably already run all the numbers.

  “It’s not that, Cara. I mean I would get a lot of money, but the company … the people in it and the pets we help are what I really care about. I have plenty of money to live comfortably already.”

  “So you don’t think Dunn International will keep all those programs in place." It was a statement more than a question.

  “Nope. Doesn’t seem that way. Connor Dunn gave me every indication he didn’t approve of the pet-centric perks we have for employees and seemed less than enthusiastic about the clinic.” Risa waved her finger in the air, catching the waitress’s attention.

  Risa looked around the table at the other girls. “Did you guys order appetizers? I’m starved!”

  “Yep, we got you covered,” Dana said.

  Risa turned to the waitress. “I’ll just have a Bloody Mary, then.”

  The waitress jotted the order down on her pad, then disappeared into the crowd.

  “Did you say Connor Dunn was in town?” Deb asked.

  Risa nodded. “You remember him from when we were kids, right?”

  “Yes." Deb nodded, her blonde curls bobbing up and down. “He was kind of a cutie back then…shy, though. I bet he looks pretty good now.”