Much More Than a Mistress

by Michelle Celmer

  “I’m listening.”

  He took a deep breath and blew it out, as if what he was about to say was a struggle for him. “Though I didn’t tamper with the equipment, or directly cause the explosion, I’m responsible.”

  Fifteen

  Jordan had been holding that in for so long, carrying the guilt, it was a relief to finally let it out. And he could thank Jane for that. At first he’d been pissed that she’d ratted him out, especially after claiming to love him. But she had done him a favor. She had stopped this before it completely spiraled out of control.

  “How are you responsible?” Adam asked.

  “I knew Peter was having a rough time. He’d just quit drinking and the pressure was high. Whoever tampered with the equipment clearly knew it too, because it happened in Peter’s section.”

  Adam sat back in his chair. “You think he missed something.”

  Jordan nodded. “I do. Knowing what a mess he was, I never should have allowed him to be a part of the safety inspection. I should have called someone else in, but he insisted he could handle it.”

  “Jordan, had you considered that he could be the one who tampered with the equipment?”

  “Considered and dismissed it. He’s a good guy. Besides, what reason could he have had to do it? I was giving him the money he needed.”

  Adam got a thoughtful expression on his face. “Maybe you did cut him too much slack, but you had no way of knowing that someone was planning to tamper with the equipment. Had it not been for that, things could have gone smoothly.”

  “But it happened, and it’s about time I take responsibility for my part.”

  “It was a judgment call. A bad one maybe, but there was no malicious intent. But something is going to have to be done about Peter.”

  “I know. Anyone else would have fired him months ago. Maybe I should have.”

  “I don’t want to tell you what to do, but sometimes you have to let a person hit rock bottom before they can learn to help themselves.”

  He honestly thought he could help Peter, that he would listen. Up until now, Jordan had always considered his arrogance an asset, but he had screwed up this time. Thought he was above reproach.

  He glanced up at Jane. She stood there taking it all in. He could only imagine what she was thinking. And he knew he couldn’t keep lying to her. He owed her and Adam the entire truth.

  “There’s something else I have to tell you,” Jordan told Adam. “I knew Jane was an investigator.”

  “How long?” Adam asked.

  He looked at Jane. “From the first day.”

  Adam shook his head. “Christ, Jordan. Why? Why didn’t you say something? Why go along with it, wasting everyone’s time?”

  He had a whole list of excuses, but there was really one reason. “Because I was pissed, and stupid. And arrogant enough to think that I could have a little fun at everyone else’s expense.”

  “Excuse me,” Jane said, her face pale, looking like she might be sick, walking past him to the door.

  “Jane!” he called after her, but she slammed it shut behind her. He cursed. If she would have just let him finish. “Are we through here?” he asked Adam.

  Adam’s laugh was a wry one. “Not even close, but what I have to say can wait. From the looks of it, you have bigger problems.”

  He was right about that, because at this moment, the only thing in his life that really mattered was Jane.

  By the time he caught up with her she was gathering the few personal items she had on her desk and shoving them into her purse.

  “We need to talk,” he told her. “You didn’t let me finish.”

  She didn’t even look at him. “What’s left to say? You played me. You were just having fun at my expense.”

  “Only at first.”

  “You know. I should have realized. I mean, someone like you being attracted to someone like me? How ridiculous is that?”

  “Not ridiculous at all.”

  “I’ve got to hand it to you though, you had me snowed. And everyone else apparently.”

  “I never once lied about the way I feel about you, Jane.”

  She turned to him. “Forgive me if I don’t believe you.”

  “You weren’t exactly honest either.”

  “I’m sorry that I lied to you, Jordan, but I was doing my job. And not very well apparently, because not a day went by that I wasn’t sick with guilt for not telling you the truth. I fell hard for you, knowing that the minute you learned my real identity you would probably never want to see me again.”

  “And you thought you would improve your chances by turning me in?”

  “What if I didn’t and something had happened? What if more people had been hurt?”

  “You didn’t trust me.”

  “You will never know how hard it was for me to give him that recording. But you’re right, I guess I didn’t trust you. Which is why I think we should end this right now.”

  “Jane.” He reached for her and she jerked her arm away.

  “Just tell me this,” she said. “If it hadn’t been for what happened today, would you have ever told me the truth?”

  “The point is that I did tell you.”

  She looked so…disappointed. “No, that’s not the point, not at all.” She grabbed her purse and her coat, turned to him and said, “Goodbye, Jordan.”

  And idiot that he was, he didn’t even try to go after her.

  “We found him.”

  Jordan looked up from his monitor to find Adam leaning in his office doorway later that evening, looking smug.

  “Found who?”

  “The saboteur.”

  His heart dropped. “Are you serious?”

  “Only he isn’t.”

  Yeah, it had been a really long day, but Jordan was coherent enough to realize that Adam wasn’t making sense. “I’m not following you.”

  He crossed the room. “After our talk today, I got to thinking. Call it a hunch, but I called Edwin Associates and told them to bring Peter Burke in for questioning.”

  “Adam, you promised—”

  “I told them to tell Peter that we’d caught the man responsible for the sabotage, and that it was you.”

  “Me?”

  “He cracked in ten seconds flat.”

  Jordan suddenly felt sick to his stomach. “It was Peter?”

  “Peter caused the explosion, but it wasn’t sabotage.”

  “Are you saying it was an accident?”

  “It was a few minutes before that section was supposed to come back online and he noticed a faulty gauge. Instead of calling in a maintenance crew and delaying things another day, he thought he could adjust it himself. And maybe he could have if he hadn’t been half in the bag at the time.”

  “So, all this time we thought it was deliberate, and it was really just an accident?” He shook his head. “Unbelievable.”

  “I think the guilt was getting to him. He was ready to confess.”

  “How did you even know to question him?”

  He shrugged. “Like I said, it was a hunch.”

  Everyone had been so convinced it had been deliberate, no one had even considered that it was just a stupid mistake. “This is my fault,” Jordan said. “In my attempt to help Peter, I only made things worse.”

  “Yes, you did.”

  “And you should be asking for my resignation.”

  “I should, yes.”

  “But…?”

  “When I consider all the good that you’ve done for the company, it only seems fair to give you another chance. But I will be watching you.”

  He didn’t have to ask to know that he’d lost any chance at the CEO position. He’d been so sure he was infallible, he’d gotten cocky. He had done this to himself.

  “So, what happens to Peter now?” Jordan asked.

  “Suspension. Only after he completes a rehab program will he even be considered for reassignment.”

  “You didn’t have to do that. You could have just f
ired him.”

  “I could have, but you vouched for his character, and I trust you. If you say he’s a good guy, I believe you.”

  “And if he screws this up?”

  He shrugged. “At least we tried.”

  “So, with the mystery solved, I guess that means you can retire now.”

  “That’s the plan. With any luck I’ll be out of here by the end of the month, which will give me a full month and a half with Katy before the baby is due.”

  “Then what? Stay-at-home dad?”

  Adam grinned. “Actually, Katy’s family owns a ranch, and since we own the adjacent land, I was thinking I may just give ranching a try.”

  “I guess that means your replacement will be announced soon.”

  “The board meets Monday to appoint my successor.”

  Jordan already knew that it wasn’t going to be him, not after today. Which seriously sucked, but he’d done this to himself. He thought he was invincible. That the rules didn’t apply to him.

  “I noticed that Miss Monroe is gone,” Adam said.

  “HR is putting in for a replacement. Someone should be here tomorrow morning.”

  “Did you and she work things out?”

  “If by working it out you mean her saying it’s over and leaving in a huff, then, yeah.”

  “Maybe this is a stupid question, but did you say you were sorry?”

  “Of course I did.” Hadn’t he? “She seems to be pretty clear about what she wants. Or doesn’t want. Besides, it’s better this way,” he said, knowing the second the words left his mouth that they weren’t true. But it was out of his hands. He couldn’t force her to love him, to forgive him. “When it comes to relationships the only thing I’m really good at is keeping them superficial and short.”

  “Well, if you change your mind, there’s always groveling.”

  That wasn’t going to happen. He had tried to reason with her, tried to work it out. The ball was in her court now.

  The board’s choice was announced Monday afternoon. As of March 1, Emilio Suarez would be appointed CEO of Western Oil. Nathan’s relationship with Ana killed his chances, and Jordan didn’t have to ask why he was passed over. Emilio had worked hard to become who he was, and he deserved the position. And though Jordan was disappointed, he was okay with it. Odd considering just a week ago he had been wholly convinced the spot was his. A lot had changed since then.

  He had changed.

  After Jordan returned from the refinery, Nathan stopped by his office. “Got a minute?”

  “Come on in.” It was only six, but he felt as if he’d worked a twenty-hour day.

  “I heard that the update at the refinery went off without a hitch.”

  “Yep. We’re running at full capacity.”

  “So…I guess you heard that Emilio got the job.”

  Jordan nodded. “Yep.”

  “I thought you should know that I turned in my resignation. I’m leaving Western Oil. Word is going to get around quickly and I wanted to be the one to tell you.”

  He should have seen this coming. “Just because you didn’t make CEO, you’re going to quit?”

  “That’s only part of the reason. You and I both know, now that I’m connected to the Birch family, it’s only a matter of time before they push me out. Ana’s father wants me to come work for him. He made me an offer I just couldn’t refuse.”

  Jordan didn’t have the energy to be angry. Nor did he know why he should be. He should be happy for Nathan, yet in a way he felt as if he was being abandoned. He didn’t like change, and with both Adam and Nathan leaving, and Emilio as CEO, Jordan had the feeling that things would be very different. But he forced a smile and said, “That’s great. You deserve it.”

  “I was afraid you might be upset.”

  “Because I’m that much of an arrogant jerk?”

  “Sometimes.”

  Yeah, he deserved that.

  “You know, if you ever decide you want to leave Western, I’m sure I can pull some strings…”

  Jordan’s main motivation for working at Western had been the need to prove that he was better than Nathan. To get out from under his brother’s shadow. In hindsight the whole thing seemed childish. And the real pisser was that despite what a jerk Jordan had been, and continued to be, Nathan was still looking out for him. He was a good brother. And clearly the better man. And though it might be easier to start over somewhere new, he needed to face what he’d done and make amends.

  “I appreciate the offer,” he told Nathan. “But I’m content where I am. I like my job, and the people I work with.”

  “Well, if you ever change your mind…”

  “You’ll be the first to know.”

  “By the way, the wedding is next weekend and you still haven’t RSVP’d. Will you be bringing a date or going stag?”

  Why did he get the feeling that Nathan wasn’t asking just to confirm his attendance at the wedding. “It’s over.”

  “I thought you loved her.”

  “I can’t make her love me.”

  “I was under the impression that she already does.”

  “She lied to me.”

  “And you lied to her.” At Jordan’s surprised look, he added, “Adam told me that you knew who she was all along and didn’t say anything. Dumb-ass move.”

  “There’s a first for everything.”

  Nathan laughed and shook his head. “Well, at least you still have your ego.”

  “I apologized, she walked out the door. The ball is in her court now.”

  Nathan shot him a disbelieving look. “You apologized. You actually said, ‘Jane, I’m sorry.’”

  Well, he thought he had, but when he replayed the conversation back in his head, he realized he hadn’t actually said the words. “There was an implied apology.”

  “How’s the view from up there, Jordan?”

  He frowned. “Up where?”

  “Your moral high horse.”

  Jordan rubbed his hands over his face. Nathan was right of course. He was being an idiot. But only because he didn’t know what else to do. “My longest relationship before now was less than six months. Even if I wanted to make this work, I don’t have a clue how.”

  “You’ll figure it out.”

  “How?”

  “You could start by telling her how you feel. And I suggest a real apology this time.”

  “And if that doesn’t work?”

  He shrugged. “You beg?”

  “And if she still says no?”

  A slow smile crept across his face. “You’re scared. You’re afraid of being rejected.”

  Damn right he was. He was Jordan Everette, billionaire. Ladies’ man. Women chased him, not the other way around. But Jane, she was playing by an entirely different set of rules. She didn’t want Jordan the billionaire, she wanted the man who, until recently, he’d kept locked up inside. She was the only woman who had ever really seen him.

  “I don’t have to tell you that this sort of thing doesn’t happen every day,” Nathan said. “You take the risk.”

  That was Nathan, still looking out for him. But this time Jordan didn’t mind. Because Nathan was right.

  Jordan pushed himself up from his chair and told his brother, “You’ve got a point.”

  “I do?”

  Jordan laughed. “Yeah, and I have to go.”

  Sixteen

  Jane was still at work Monday evening when her sister stopped by her new office.

  “It’s after eight. What are you still doing here?”

  “I was just going over a few of our active cases, bringing myself up to date.”

  “So, how does it feel to be back?”

  Last Friday after she’d left Western Oil, Jane swallowed her pride and went to see her parents. When she told them she’d just quit her job, they all but begged her to come back. She had insisted that this time things would have to be different. She wouldn’t let herself fall back into the rut of doing everyone’s grunt work. She planne
d to take charge of her career, build a client base. They promised to help make that happen. And on top of everything else, she even managed to negotiate a better salary. Then the family took her out to dinner to celebrate. They were happy to have her back, and it was good to be back, to feel as if she were in charge of her life again.

  “Good,” she told her sister. “It’s nice to be doing a job I know I don’t suck at.”

  “So…have you talked to him?”

  Jane didn’t have to ask who she meant. Jordan was all she had been able to think about. And she missed him. She missed their dinners in bed and the way he teased her. She missed the way she felt when she was with him, as if she were the most beautiful and desirable woman in the world. She felt as if a chunk of her soul had been ripped away, and she wasn’t sure how she would ever feel whole again.

  “Not a word,” she said.

  “He’ll call.”

  “If he was going to, he would have done it by now.” It’s not as if she hadn’t expected this. She knew that when the truth came out, it was going to end. She just hadn’t expected it to hurt this much.

  “You’re probably right,” Mary said in that deadpan tone of hers. “I’m sure he’s completely forgotten you by now.”

  Jane shook her head. “I really hate you sometimes.”

  “Don’t tell me you’re still mad at him.”

  “No.” Mostly just heartbroken. Because after obsessing over it the entire weekend, she couldn’t honestly say that his lie was really any worse than hers. Yes, she had been doing her job, but if she had done it properly, she never would have slept with him. She would have drawn the line. She was just as guilty as he was.

  But if he wanted to try to make it work, wouldn’t he have called by now?

  Maybe the sad truth was that when he had time away from her to think about it, he decided that he didn’t love her as much as he thought he did. Maybe she had just been a novelty. Because she may as well face it, men like him didn’t love women like her. Only in fairy tales.

  “You want to go out and get a drink?” Mary asked. “Or ten?”

  Jane smiled. “Maybe some other time.”

  “If you need to talk, just call. I don’t care if it’s 3:00 a.m.”