What to Read After FSOG: The Gemstone Collection (WTRAFSOG Book 7)

by Lexi Buchanan

  “Yes Mr. Lucas.”

  Fifteen minutes later, Becky walked nervously into the conference room. She sat down in a chair. Gavin walked in just after she did, closed the door, and sat down.

  “Go to lunch with me today so we can talk,” Gavin said.

  “I already have lunch plans today,” she answered. “Steve is taking me.”

  She could see the look on Gavin’s face darken.

  “Are you getting back with your ex?” Gavin asked. “Is that why you went home?

  “No,” she answered. “I went home to see my parents.”

  “Why are you going to lunch with Steve?” he asked.

  “This morning he asked if I wanted to go to lunch,” she answered. “I said yes.”

  “I don’t know what’s going on. I thought we were supposed to spend the weekend together. I know on the cruise, we said we could walk away. I was so happy when you showed up here. I thought there was a chance for us. I thought you had feelings for me. I just want to know what happened,” he said.

  “I can’t believe you just said that,” she replied. “If you can’t figure it out, then I don’t know what to tell you. Maybe you should ask your girlfriend. I should have believed your friends about you being a player. You’re right. We agreed to walk away and that’s what I’m doing. I came here for a fresh start. I can’t believe you can look me in the eye and act like you care.”

  Becky looked Gavin in the eye and could see the hurt in his face. Why was he acting that way? She had feelings for him, and he was playing her for a fool. First the flirty waitress and then the touchy, lovey woman in the restaurant. Becky was not a conquest. She wanted to find love one day, but not now. It was going to be all about taking care of herself. She had feelings for Gavin. So many feelings. She was glad she figured him out before she fell completely in love with him. Becky did everything she could to make sure tears did not fall from her eyes.

  “I need to ask you a question Becky,” he said.

  “Yes,” she answered.

  Gavin looked directly into her eyes and never looked away.

  “Do you have feelings for me?” he asked.

  Yes, Becky thought. I have feelings for you. I am in love with you. Becky wanted so badly to be with Gavin. There was something about him. When they were together, she felt safe and happy. Stop, she told herself. Don’t do this to yourself. You came here for a fresh start. End of discussion. You are not letting yourself get hurt by some rich, gorgeous man. It took all she had to answer Gavin.

  “No, I don’t,” she answered.

  Becky sunk down in her chair. She could see hurt in his eyes. Stop it, she thought. He doesn’t have feelings for you. Just do what you need to and get out of this office. They both sat quiet for a few moments. She refused to look him in the eye.

  “Will you still go to my cousins wedding with me Saturday?” he asked. “They think I’m bringing someone. Just go with me as friends. After that, I will leave you alone.”

  “Why don’t you take your girlfriend?” she asked.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he answered. “Just go with me. This is the last time I will ask you for anything. I don’t want to go by myself.”

  “You’ll leave me alone after that?” she asked.

  “Yes,” he answered.

  “Okay,” she said. “Just as friends.”

  Becky stood up.

  “There’s one more thing I need to talk to you about,” he said.

  She sighed as she sat back down. It was so quiet in the room. She was so nervous. What else did he want?

  “Please stay with the company,” he said.

  “What?” she questioned.

  “You did an awesome job on that project. I know how much skill you have. Please, don’t quit here,” he said.

  “Ethan told you,” she said. “I did that job with Steve.”

  “Yes, you did,” he answered. “I know Steve and his ability. I know how long it takes him to get things done. I know it was done that fast because of you.”

  “Ethan won’t hire me, will he?” she asked.

  “I can’t lose you as an employee too,” he said. “I will be completely professional.”

  “I don’t know if I can do it,” she answered.

  “You say you have no feelings for me,” he said. “I don’t see what the problem is. I will treat you just as I do everyone else.”

  “I need to think about it,” she said.

  Becky stood up and opened the door.

  “I need to step outside,” she said. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  Gavin nodded as she walked out the door. She walked outside and to her car. Becky sat thinking for a few minutes. She needed to clear her head before she went back to work. Could she work for him? How could she see him every day, knowing that she couldn’t have him? Why had Ethan told him? Her phone buzzed. It was a text from Gavin.

  “I’m sorry it didn’t work out for us. I thought we had something. From now on, I promise to be all business. I hope you find what you’re looking for. Thanks for agreeing to go as my friend to the wedding. It’s a backyard event, just so you know. I will pick you up at noon. I’m sorry for whatever went wrong.”

  She went back to her desk and got straight back into her work. Becky liked working at Gavin’s company. Maybe she could figure out a way to make it work. At least she could see his sexy ass each day. Could she do it? Only time would tell.

  At lunch time, Steve got up and she joined him. They walked to a restaurant around the corner. He was cute and nice, but she just wasn’t sure there could be anything between them. They got along pretty good. He seemed to have a lot of the same interests as she did. He really was a good guy. Maybe if she gave him a chance, she thought.

  When she got back from lunch, Gavin was gone and his door was closed. There was a global email from him. It said he would be out the rest of the day. If they needed anything, they could email him. He would be working from home.

  The rest of the week went pretty well at work. She worked hard, trying to take her mind off of Gavin. He looked so hot. She could see why the ladies in the office liked to look at him. There was something super sexy about that man. He hadn’t text or called her at all. Everything was just as he promised, professional. She had a couple of meetings with him and Steve together. The client who’s project they had worked on wanted to talk to them about his new project. The man said he had narrowed his decision down to two companies. He told them how impressed he was with what they had accomplished on the other project. He told Gavin that if he gave them the project, he wanted Steve and Becky to be the ones to handle it. Gavin looked over and Becky and she nodded. She would stay with his company long enough to finish the project. She knew how important it was for them. The client said he would get back with them Monday morning. Steve was excited as well as Gavin. This would be a huge deal for the company. It would be one of their largest projects yet.

  Steve walked Becky back to her desk. He leaned down next to her.

  “Go out with me this weekend,” he said.

  “I don’t know,” she replied. “I’m busy Saturday.”

  “Friday then,” he answered.

  “I don’t know if it is such a good idea, Steve,” she answered.

  “Give me one date. That’s all I ask. One date,” he replied.

  “Okay,” she answered.

  Steve was a really nice guy. Sure, he was not Gavin, but he was a good guy.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Friday night, Becky was getting ready for her date with Steve. He was picking her up at seven o’clock. She was nervous. When she was with Gavin, she was always comfortable and never had to worry about what she said or what she did. It was different with Steve. At work, and even that day at lunch, she found herself concerned with her every move. Feeling nervous, she finished getting ready. It’s one night, she thought. Steve asked her for one date. If she didn’t like him, she could tell him. Then they could go back to just work
ing together, and Steve would lay off. Okay, she thought. One date would be fine. She was snapped out of her thoughts when she heard her doorbell ring. Why would he show up a half hour early?

  Becky walked to the door and answered it, without giving it a second thought. Her mouth dropped open and she could feel her eyes widen. It was Gavin. She stood still, without saying a word. He walked in past her carrying two laptop bags.

  “I need your help,” he said.

  He looked up at her and she saw the smile fade from his face.

  “You look amazing,” he said. “Are you going somewhere?”

  Crap! How was she supposed to tell him she had a date with someone from the office? He was not fond of people dating from the workplace, except for him and her of course. She chuckled to herself.

  “Yes,” she said. “I have plans. What are you doing here?”

  “I was going to call you, but I knew you wouldn’t answer the phone,” he said. “I really need your help. I wasn’t sure what else to do. It is really important.”

  “I am supposed to be leaving in a half hour,” she said. “What is it?”

  “You know the project you and Steve worked on?” he asked.

  “Yes,” she answered.

  “The client called me to tell me there is something that needs fixed on it. His company needs it fixed by morning. He told me if I can get it done by tomorrow morning, the contract for the other project is ours,” Gavin said, as he rubbed his hand across his forehead.

  “Why didn’t you call Steve? He has worked for you much longer than I have,” she asked.

  “I know damn well you are the one that got that finished so fast. You both did it, yes. He would have finished it without you, yes. I know the only reason it happened so quickly was because of you. I have one night to make this happen. This contract would be huge for us. We are talking millions not thousands. If you say no, then I am going to have to call Steve,” he said. “I’m just not sure it will get done in time.”

  “Crap!” she said. “It doesn’t matter. Hand me my phone over there.”

  Becky pointed to the counter. Gavin picked it up and handed it to her.

  “I owe you Becky, big time,” he said. “Thank you so much.”

  “Don’t say that just yet,” she said. “I don’t know if I can get it done in time. I will do everything I can. I need to go in the other room to make a call. I’ll be right back.”

  When she came back from making her call, he was sitting at her kitchen table with his head down in his arms. He looked up at her.

  “You had to call Steve, didn’t you?” he asked. “He was the person you were going out with.”

  Becky nodded.

  “What does he have that I don’t?” Gavin asked.

  Becky stood still.

  “What did the guy tell you he wants done?” she asked.

  “It’s in my email,” he replied.

  She grabbed her laptop bag from Gavin. They both got their laptops out and put them on the kitchen table. Becky ran to get an extension cord for them to use.

  “Email me the stuff,” she said. “I’m going to run and change my clothes. I need to be comfy.”

  Becky disappeared out of room. When she returned, she saw Gavin smile. She had changed into shorts and a t-shirt and had her hair pulled up into a ponytail. She poured them each a soda and sat down at her laptop. Her left leg was under her and her right leg propped up with her arm on her knee. She opened her email and read it out loud.

  “What do you think?” he asked.

  “I think you’re lucky I’m on your team,” she said, as she laughed.

  “Can you pull it off?” he asked.

  “I hope so,” she answered. “You don’t have to sit here. I can show you where the television is.”

  “Are you kidding,” he said. “You’re saving my ass. I am staying right here.”

  She laughed. He looked over at her with a confused look.

  “What?” she asked.

  “You didn’t eat dinner, did you?” he asked. “You were getting ready to go out when I got here. Were you going to dinner?”

  “Yes, why?” she asked.

  “You must be hungry,” he said. “I’ll be back in a little bit.”

  Becky got to work on the stuff for Gavin. She was pretty sure she could get it done, as long as everything worked correctly. After about an hour, there was a knock at the door. She hurried to the door, opened it, and skid across the floor in her socks back to the table. Gavin walked in with two bags in his hands. He went into the kitchen. When he came back out, he had two plates full of food and a bottle of soda. He put the plates down on the table and refilled their soda glasses.

  “I wasn’t sure what to get, so I got the stuff we had at my place that weekend,” he said.

  “It looks great,” she said. “Thanks a lot.”

  She scooted her laptop to the side so she could eat. They talked while they ate. He asked her about seeing her parents and how her weekend home was. She told him about how excited her parents were to see her. Her mom made her favorite meals. She said it was nice, but that she was happy to be back. There was something about having her own place that made her feel so good. She explained how good she felt taking care of herself. Her apartment was perfect and she was making new friends.

  “Did you see your ex when you were home?” he asked.

  “Yes,” she answered.

  “How did it go?” he asked.

  “It was fine,” she said. “I explained to him that I’m in a different place. He didn’t understand how so little time could change me. He knew I wanted commitment and he was offering it. He didn’t understand what the problem was. I told him, I wanted him to want to have a future with me because that was what he wanted, not because he was losing me. I explained that I didn’t love him like I thought I did. He didn’t understand. I told him that something happened in my life those first few weeks I was gone that made me realize he wasn’t the one for me.”

  “What did he say?” Gavin asked.

  “Just that he didn’t understand what could happen that quickly to make me realize that,” she answered. “We were together for a long time. He couldn’t believe something could change my mind that fast. We talked about it for a couple of hours. He was pretty upset when he left. I had to be honest with him.”

  “What did you tell him changed your mind?” Gavin asked.

  “I need to get back to work,” she said, as she pulled her laptop back in front of her.

  They sat in silence as they worked and finished eating. After an hour went by, she looked over at him.

  “You can go watch television or I can get you a pillow and blanket and you can sleep,” she said. “There’s no reason for you to sit here.”

  “I have a lot of work I can do,” he said. “There is no way I am going to leave you sitting here by yourself.”

  Becky interrupted what he was doing a few times to ask questions. There were still some things she was not sure about. The more she did at the company, the less she would need to ask. Gavin got up and went into the kitchen. He brought out soda and offered some to Becky. He put the soda back. When he came back out, he two pints of ice cream and two spoons. Becky laughed when he put them on the table. They were her two favorite ice creams. It made her feel good to know he remembered. It had been weeks since she had mentioned it. He opened both of them and scooted his chair closer to hers.

  “You need to take a break,” he said. “It’s ten o’clock and you have only taken one break. Pick which ice cream you want.”

  “Can’t we just share them both?” she asked.

  “If you don’t mind,” he said. “Tell me more about your parents and where you’re from.”

  They sat and talked about both of their families. Gavin made her feel so comfortable. She laughed at something he said, when all of a sudden the picture of that girl and him jumped into her thoughts.

  “I have to get back to work,” she said, her voice back to serious.

/>   Becky started working as Gavin went to throw the ice cream containers away. She knew he came back into the room, because she could feel the air change around her. All of a sudden, there were familiar, strong hands rubbing her neck. She sat still for a moment as she soaked in the amazing feeling of his hands on her. How she missed those hands. She sat with her eyes closed as she imagined those hands all over her body. Why did she want him to touch her so badly? What was it about him that drove her mad? Snapping out of it yet again, she jumped up and took off for the bathroom.

  Gavin sat back down in front of his computer. Why is she so jumpy? She was having a good time and was laughing. Suddenly, a moment later she was stiff and rigid. When he rubbed her neck, she loved it. Again, she jumped and moved to avoid him. What the hell did he do wrong? He knew he couldn’t ask her. The stuff she was working on had to be finished. She was also going to the wedding the following day as his friend. It he brought anything up, he knew she would run from him.

  Becky came back and sat back down. Gavin stood up and asked her where the restroom was. She pointed him in the direction of the hallway. He threw some water on his face to clear his thoughts. She doesn’t care about you, just deal with it. At least she hasn’t quit her job yet. He laughed. On his way back to the kitchen, he walked past her bedroom. He thought he saw something out of the corner of his eye. Quietly he turned back and walked into her room. In the corner on a rocking chair, he saw his shirt. The same dress shirt she told him she didn’t take. He walked over, picked it up, and smelled it. His cologne was still on it. She hadn’t washed it. He turned to walk back out of her room and saw some pictures on the mirror of her dresser. They were the pictures of the two of them on the cruise at the fancy dinner. There were a bunch of them. That was strange. They went back and bought them each a copy of one picture. He had his at home. They only each bought one. There were five of them on the mirror. How did she get them, he wondered? Why did she get them? If she didn’t have feelings for him, there is no way she would have found time to ditch him long enough to go and buy them. He smiled and quietly walked out of the room.