by Lee, Nadia
“What’s gotten into you? You usually enjoy having people over,” Ethan said. “Besides, this is social, not business. He’ll be dressed casually.”
“You’re purposely being obtuse, and I’m not hungry.”
Ethan frowned at her, checked something in the oven and then came around the island to put a hand on her shoulder. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine.”
“Let me guess: Daniel fired TLD.”
“No.” She sighed. “It’s just… I have a lot of things on my mind, that’s all.”
“Hey, if you don’t feel like dealing with TLD anymore, let me know and I’ll take care of it.”
She shook her head. “I can handle it.” Still, a part of her felt tempted. Ethan would do a great job at TLD, probably better than she could. But that would only prove Jacob right—that she was just some useless thing who should know her place and be grateful for every crumb people threw her way. Not who I want to be. She wanted her family to view her as capable and smart, not some nice but vapid girl who did charity work because that was all she could manage.
“Okay.” Ethan nodded. “Just so you know we can all chip in if necessary. You don’t have to do it all alone.” He tilted his head and peered at her. “Honestly, I’m a little concerned about you. I know Kerri and Natalie have been helping, but it’s not easy to fix the kind of mess Jacob left behind. I feel like I should be doing more.”
Meredith smiled. Her second oldest brother was such a sweetie, always worried whether everyone in the family was being taken care of. “I’m really all right, Ethan. I’ll ask if I need anything.”
He nodded and returned to the kitchen. Whatever he was making smelled amazing. The dinner would be fantastic. She just wished Daniel wasn’t joining them. It felt too intimate, like she was allowing him to see too much of her private life. He could look into her as much as he wanted, but she didn’t want him doing the same with Eric. Then again, it might not matter. She remembered how little he had interacted and spoken at the meals served at Ella’s home. What were the odds that he would bother to acknowledge some kid?
* * *
Daniel brought two bottles of excellent wine, a red and a white, for the meal. When he’d gotten the invitation from Alex, he’d figured why the hell not.
He was sort of curious about Ethan. They were friendly, but Daniel wasn’t too close to Ethan. He’d heard enough dirt on the oldest Lloyd brother Jacob to know Merry’s family wasn’t perfect. But every family had problems… It was just that some had worse problems than others.
When Daniel rang, the door opened and revealed a pretty, copper-haired woman. He remembered her. He’d been at her wedding, thanks to her grandfather’s invitation, even though he hadn’t had a chance to meet everyone with hundreds of guests milling around. That had been a seriously extravagant affair. “Hello, Kerri.”
“Come on in.” She opened the door wider. “It’s so good to see you. You look great. Tanned, too,” she said somewhat longingly.
“You’re welcome to stay at our property in the Caribbean or Bora Bora any time.”
“That sounds lovely. I’ll definitely take you up on it.” She winked.
Ethan’s open-layout penthouse was a lot more spacious than Daniel had expected. It had obviously been a bachelor pad at one point, but now it looked homey, with family and wedding photos on the fireplace mantel and built-in shelves. A vase of fresh calla lilies sat on the big dining table.
In the living room Alex and his wife Natalie greeted Daniel warmly, and Ethan stuck his head out from the kitchen with a big hello. “Home-cooked Italian. Hope you like it,” Ethan said.
Daniel grinned. “My favorite.”
A boy around the age of ten was seated scowling at a chessboard, but eventually looked up. “Hi. I’m Eric. Nice to meet you, sir.”
“Daniel.” The boy stuck his hand out formally and Daniel studied him as they shook. Eric had hair as dark as Merry’s and his uncle’s blue eyes. A small dimple appeared in his cheek when he smiled.
Then Daniel’s gaze finally fell on Merry. She was in a pink and yellow dress with long sleeves. The material hugged her, revealing every achingly curvy inch of her body. Her unbound hair framed her flawless face. She gave him a smile, but it lacked its usual radiance. There were lines around her mouth and eyes that hadn’t been there earlier. He cocked his head. If he didn’t know better, he’d think she didn’t want him there.
His musings were interrupted when Alex sat at the chessboard, facing Eric, and the boy groaned out loud. “I don’t know my next move yet!”
“What? You’ve had, like, five minutes,” Alex said teasingly.
“But I’m new.”
“Not that new!”
Daniel looked at the board over the boy’s shoulder. Alex was supposed to be very good at chess—or so Daniel had heard—but Eric seemed to be more or less holding his own. Either Alex was going easy on the kid or Eric was a pretty decent player himself.
Eric huffed, biting his lower lip.
Daniel studied the board for a few moments and then leaned over. “Take a look at your rook,” he murmured into Eric’s ear.
Eric perked up, and Alex said, “I heard that!”
Daniel blinked. “What? I just told him to look at a book.” He brushed away some invisible lint from Eric’s left shoulder. “That’s how I learned to play.”
Just then Ethan announced, “Dinner’s served!”
“Yes!” Eric forgot all about his game and rushed to the table.
Alex shook his head, and Daniel chuckled. “What do you expect from a ten-year-old boy?”
“Some respect for the game?” Alex let out an exaggerated sigh. “Well, let’s go before the food gets cold. Whatever Ethan’s whipped up is probably going to be excellent.”
Daniel had to agree with Alex’s assessment. Merry’s brother was an incredible cook. The fettuccine was fresh, and the sauce was thick with chunks of sausage, herbs and spices. Kerri laid out a big bowl of salad, homemade dressing that was served in a small glass pitcher—“Don’t worry; Ethan made it, not me”—and a big basket of garlic bread.
Everyone there was a couple except for Daniel and Merry, so they ended up sitting together. Eric sat on her other side. She appeared to be more relaxed once everyone had settled down at the table. Maybe she’d just been hungry earlier.
“Did you make everything from scratch?” Natalie asked after a bite of her fettuccine.
“Except the French bread. I don’t bake. And I didn’t have time to do the pasta, either.”
“You make your own pasta?” Daniel asked, incredulous. The only Italian cuisine he could manage was heating premade sauce and pouring it over a mound of spaghetti.
“If I have enough time, yes. But that dictator over there”—Ethan gestured at Alex with a fork—“kept me busy all day long.” Ethan was Alex’s second in command at Global Strategies, although it was rumored that nothing got done without his blessing.
Alex snorted. “Don’t believe anything he says. He makes his own schedule.”
Kerri poured the wine Daniel had brought, although he noticed that she didn’t take any herself and Natalie declined. As the alcohol flowed, so did the conversation. Merry seemed more animated now that she’d finished her fettuccine. She’d definitely needed some food to mellow her out.
Daniel watched his dinner companions with a nasty, sour feeling in his gut. The couples looked happy together, he had to admit. But none of them had been married for long, so they were probably still in the honeymoon phase. Once the glow wore off, things would change.
Afterward, Ethan served tiramisu. Merry sighed. “Now for the highlight of the meal.”
Daniel looked at the finger-sized dessert with skepticism. “It’s pretty small.”
“For Kerri’s sake,” Merry said. “She can’t eat a lot of sweets. Doctor’s orders. But it’s still worth it.” Merry took a small forkful and closed her eyes, her mouth curving in pure bliss. Daniel’s breath caught at
how radiant and peaceful she looked. Would she have an expression as sublime when he made her come in his arms?
The idea was as sudden as it was disconcerting. Merry wasn’t the kind of woman a guy could have a hot, dirty fling with. If half the things she’d said at their lunch were genuine, she was a freaking saint.
“You aren’t going to have your tiramisu?” Merry asked.
“What?”
“Your tiramisu.”
“Oh.” Daniel looked down at his plate. “You can have it.”
“You sure?”
“Why not? You seem to enjoy it so much.”
She gave him a sweet smile. “Thanks, but it’s yours. You’ll regret if you don’t have it.” She leaned closer. “What if we split it?”
“Okay.”
She left him a little more than half the dessert. It was just enough for a big man bite, so he put the whole thing in his mouth and almost moaned. She gave him a wink that said, “Told you,” and proceeded to lick her miniature fork clean.
Daniel’s mind overloaded with sensations. The sweetness of the tiramisu, the sensual visual of Merry’s small tongue on the silverware, her peach and jasmine scent, her warmth, the gentle sound of her breathing…
At that instant, he wanted her so badly he almost reached out to grab her. He wanted to forget how fleeting the moment would be. He could pretend it was everlasting and bury himself inside her and just…be content in the radiance of her presence.
Merry glanced his way, and he clamped down on the inappropriate thoughts. You’re at her brother’s table, for god’s sake, enjoying the man’s hospitality. Not to mention that Merry would run the other way if she knew what he was thinking.
* * *
Meredith saw the heat blaze in Daniel’s gaze, and her breath caught in her throat as her body seemed to liquefy. Then his eyes emptied as quickly as they had heated, and she felt it keenly, like a hole had been drilled in her heart. He stoked feelings in her that had lain dormant for years, making her feel like a desirable woman.
Careful, Meredith. He can change everything.
She dropped her gaze, looking away, and saw Eric’s upturned face. “Mommy, are you okay? You look a little red.”
“Yes, I’m fine,” she said with a smile, all the while wishing she could disappear under the floor.
“So how is it going with Todd?” Ethan asked.
Meredith could feel Daniel’s gaze upon her. She purposely looked straight at her brother. “We decided it wasn’t going to work some weeks ago.”
“Really? I thought he was such a perfect guy,” Kerri said. “Tall, handsome, settled in his career…the whole thing. He even has a badge.”
“What badge?” Daniel asked.
“He’s an FBI agent. Very sexy and proper.” Kerri took a small sip of her lemon water. “And he checked out.”
“Oh my god.” Meredith covered her cheeks with her hands. “Did you guys run a background check on him? Seriously? An FBI agent?”
“It was my idea,” Ethan said. “You can never be too careful these days.”
“I concur,” Alex said.
“Ethan, you had no right,” Meredith said, since she couldn’t very well yell at Alex.
“Hey, Gavin thought it was a good idea, too.” Ethan shrugged. “So did Barron.”
Her jaw dropped. “Barron joined in this nonsense? He’s too old for this.”
“Not too old to make sure you’re okay.” Ethan looked at his empty tiramisu plate longingly.
Oh god. Meredith couldn’t believe this. It was embarrassing to have Daniel witness how her family treated her like some naïve fool. She stole a quick glance at him and cringed at his unreadable face.
Natalie saw that Meredith was uncomfortable and came to her rescue. “Alex and I want to make an announcement.” Natalie held Alex’s hand and gave him a quick smile before facing everyone else. “We’re starting a family.”
The table instantly erupted with congratulations and well wishes. Even Daniel said something nice, much to Meredith’s shock.
Kerri asked, “Are you already pregnant?”
“A little over five weeks.” Natalie squeezed Alex’s hand. “And this means we gotta do some fun stuff before I get too big.”
“We’re hosting a Halloween party,” Alex said.
“You are? You hate Halloween,” Ethan pointed out.
“I’m making an exception this year.”
“It was my idea,” Natalie said, rubbing Alex’s arm. She rested her head on his shoulder briefly and smiled. “All of you are invited. I’ll ask Eleanor to send you a formal invitation. Dress accordingly.” Eleanor was Alex’s assistant.
“This is exciting. I’ll be there for sure,” Kerri said.
“How about you guys?” Ethan said, looking at Daniel and Meredith.
“Of course I’ll come,” Daniel said.
Meredith blinked at him. He would?
“You?” Daniel asked Meredith.
“Um…sure. Why not? I’ll just need to make arrangements for Eric.”
“Mom, I want to go too.”
“There won’t be any candy or trick-or-treating there.”
“Oh.” Eric scowled. “Then what’s the point?”
Meredith laughed. “Maybe you can stay with Grandma. What do you think about that?”
“That’s cool, as long as I can go trick-or-treating.”
After a while, Meredith made her excuses. It was a school night, after all, and Eric needed to go home before it was too late. Daniel also rose, claiming fatigue from his move. Meredith looked at Alex and Natalie, hoping they’d come as well. The last thing she wanted was for Eric to be stuck in close quarters with Daniel. But Alex and Natalie lingered to chat some more with Ethan and Kerri, so the trio left in the elevator together.
“Your family’s very protective of you,” Daniel said.
She made a face, making sure to keep Eric on the other side of her. “That they are.”
“You should enjoy it while you can.”
“I don’t think so. Siccing our family PI on Todd was too much.” She scowled. “He’s an FBI agent! I mean, how paranoid do you have to be?”
“It’s hard to be too paranoid. I agree with the background check.”
She shot Daniel a look. “Seriously?”
“You’re an heiress. Some unscrupulous man might find you an attractive target.”
“What I am is a mom.”
“Yes, and a successful one, with a very well-mannered son.”
She flushed at the compliment and pulled her son closer. Eric was a wonderful boy, the best son any mother could ask for. But her mind couldn’t relax entirely. She could never forget the fateful situation that had given him to her, and she knew she could lose him if she wasn’t careful. “Well, thanks. But my objection still stands.”
“Don’t you think you’ll be sad if the time ever comes when you have no reason to make such objections?” Daniel asked as the elevator reached the first level. The doors opened with a soft chime.
“Not at all. They’ll finally be respecting the fact that I’m an adult now.”
He shook his head. “You’re wrong. It’ll mean they don’t care anymore.”
Chapter Thirteen
Meredith focused at work, dividing her time between Houston and Virginia. From all accounts construction was finally moving in St. Cecilia, and they were starting to make up time and close the gap on the deadline. Rob had kept his word.
So had she.
Meredith began to implement a company-wide support network for anybody who needed help. It was a great way to boost morale, and she expected everyone to be on board.
But the resistance some of the executives showed surprised her. Apparently, she was an unrealistic dreamer when it came to this as well.
She was in one such meeting listening to the COO. “Meredith, this is just going to be too difficult to implement. Plus, TLD isn’t a charity. If people need help, they can get it from their community.”
&n
bsp; She raised her eyebrows. She’d kept the man from the team Jacob had left behind because he seemed good at his job. However, she hadn’t realized he was so mean-spirited. “Are you saying that TLD is somehow not an important part of our employees’ community?”
“That’s not what I’m saying and you know it. But a business needs to make a profit or there’s no reason to be in business in the first place.” He looked around for support. “This isn’t a church, Meredith.”
“And what happens to our employees who don’t go to church? Should they be on their own?”
Another executive spoke up. “That’s what families are for.”
She shook her head. “No. We’re going to do the right thing. Either you implement this company-wide by the end of this fiscal year, or you’ll be looking for a position elsewhere.”
The COO looked at her like she was crazy. “You mean…by December?!” There was a murmur around the executive table.
“Yes, precisely!” She snapped her fingers. “What better time to put a program like this in place? Don’t be a Scrooge.”
After that distasteful meeting, she spoke with the HR director about the company’s health insurance policy options. Meredith rubbed her belly. She hated confrontations, and she hoped Peggy Manning wasn’t like the executives she’d just had to deal with. Meredith could use somebody more sympathetic to her cause.
“Options?” Peggy said. “There aren’t any. We only offer the one plan.”
Meredith tapped her lips. “I heard it’s pretty bare-bones.”
“It’s nothing fancy,” the other woman agreed. “We did it to keep our costs down, and I understand the financial situation of the company doesn’t allow us to upgrade, so…” A shrug with a tight mouth.
The tension at the base of Meredith’s skull eased. Not everyone on Jacob’s team was stingy. Peggy seemed like a person who would understand what Meredith was about to say. “I think we should explore other options. Good people are difficult to find, and I don’t want them leaving or having second thoughts about staying with us because of our less than ideal benefits package. I’m not suggesting we splurge, but we can do better, can’t we?”