Conflict of Interest (Employee Relations Book 1)
Page 33
I give her a weak smile.
“Stay here a minute, I need to grab something before you leave to meet your mom.” Summer takes off down the hall.
“Oh crap,” I grab my phone to check the time. “I can’t believe I forgot about meeting my mom.”
“Don’t worry,” Kyra reassures me. “A cab will be here in five minutes.”
Kyra calls for a taxi as Summer returns with a small box telling me to read it on the ride. They force me to take the bag of personalized T-shirts and send me on my way.
Once in the cab I open the box. It’s a binder. The same exact binder I gave to Lucas on his first day, but repurposed. Instead of pages and pages of organizational charts, reviews and other company information, it’s contains sheets of paper with Lucas’s scribble next to pink sticky notes.
My pink sticky notes to Lucas. And there are loads of them.
Holy shit. He saved them all.
I glance at the first page, reading my note.
I couldn’t tell. Do you need me now?
My eyes slide to his handwriting.
When I read this I was pissed for two reasons. I didn’t want your help. I wasn’t used to relying on anyone in the ways you’d explained and I didn’t want to start with you. That’s the second reason. Here’s the first. From the very beginning you got under my skin. Challenging me to think and behave differently and calling me on my shit when I didn’t. In some ways I wonder if I knew then that I was goner when it came to you.
I leaf through the binder. He’s responded to every single note I ever left for him, turning it into a scrapbook of our relationship. My heart flutters. Lucas certainly put a lot of thought and time into creating this.
For the duration of the cab ride I read and re-read every note, only stopping when I’ve arrived at Recollections. I return the binder to the box and collect my thoughts. I’d sit here and obsess over his notes all afternoon if I could. Along with my “session” with Kyra and Summer it’s a lot to take in, and it deserves more thought than I can give right now because no matter what’s going on in my life, today is about being there for my mom.
I pay the driver and grab the two small empty boxes I brought, along with the box containing the binder, and head inside Recollections to pack up my grandmother’s room.
“Hey mom,” I say, entering the room. “Sorry I’m late.”
She stops what she’s doing long enough to give me a sad smile, and then gets back to work.
“All that matters is that you’re here, Gabby.”
I put my hand on her shoulder. “Mom, stop for a minute.”
She reluctantly stops, brushing off her legs as she stands, like the motion will wipe away her sadness.
I take her hand in mine. Caring of my grandmother consumed her since my grandfather died and without either of them I know she’s feeling a bit lost even if she won’t say it.
“It’s ok to miss her. I do, too. But she’s in a better place, Mom.”
Silent sobs rack her body when our eyes meet. The minute her arms wrap around me we both break into an ugly cry that lasts until our faces are swollen and splotchy.
We dry our eyes and share stories about both of my grandparents, while deciding what to keep, donate or toss. Before too long, the room is completely packed.
“Well, I think that’s the last of it,” my mother says when I return from putting the boxes in the car.
I turn, taking in the empty room. Even if my grandmother didn’t live here that long, she enjoyed it. And though I should have gone about this a different way, I’m still proud of the Elder Care Program and the way my family benefited from it.
“Should we go out? Have a drink in Grandma’s honor?” I ask.
My mom rests her head on my shoulder. “I’d love that…after a shower. You could use one too.”
I can’t help but smile. “That’s twice today I’ve been told to shower.”
Laughing, we head to the nurses station to hand in our keys to the facility and to thank the nursing staff.
“We’re so sorry about your loss. We really enjoyed getting to know Ms. Nicolleta.” The nurse leans forward. “And we sure do miss having that hunky looking Irish man around. The way he danced with your grandmother,” she shivers. “Mmm, mmm. Made my ovaries sing with joy.”
I look to my mom and back to the nurse. “Excuse me?”
“Mr. McCarthy,” she clarifies. “Hold on, let me show you something.”
I wait as she scrolls through her phone. “I didn’t want to intrude but I couldn’t help it. It was the sweetest thing. Here.”
The nurse holds out her phone so that I can see. It’s a picture of Lucas and my grandmother dancing in the room we just cleared out.
“I had no idea he visited her,” I say just above a whisper.
“Rain or shine he was here at least three times a week. Never on Thursday’s though, that’s probably why you missed him.”
My mother places her hand on my wrist. “How about we get a drink tomorrow?”
I nod as tears roll down my face. Whatever reservations I was holding onto suddenly melt away.
“Come on,” my mom says rubbing my back. “I’ll drive you.”
My mom drops me off in front of Lucas’s and I waste no time running up the stairs to pound on the door.
Lucas opens the door in a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt. Talk about ovaries singing. He looks delicious and adorably flustered.
A slow smiles creeps across his face. “You’re here.”
“Can we talk?” I ask, fighting a smile of my own.
Lucas bites his lip and looks over his shoulder. “I wasn’t expecting you. Can you give me a minute?”
“Um, sure. Or I can come back.” To say I’m disappointed would be putting it mildly.
A crash booms from the back of his place. “No, just wait.”
He shuts the door leaving me on the stoop. Who does he have in there? Minutes later I consider leaving when he suddenly opens the door. “Sorry about that, come in.”
“Is this a bad time?”
“No, just…it’s fine. Come in. Can I get you anything?”
“I’m good,” I assure him.
I walk in and immediately notice there’s only two pieces of furniture in the living room. A plain grey couch and a bookcase lined with picture frames.
That’s right, pictures.
The closer I get I’m able to identify them all. Our first dinner when he was ambushed with a cake to the face. The two of us in London. One of me sleeping. And several more of us from our trip to New York City.
For someone who never had pictures before this is huge. With my heart surging inside my chest I put on my best poker face and turn around to face him.
“You lied to me?”
Lucas tips his head to the side, looking confused.
“For the past month I worried that you were some weight lifting junkie but really you were at Recollections with my grandmother.”
His eyes flicker between mine. “I didn’t lie,” he smirks. “I still went to the gym.”
“I saw a picture of you dancing with her. Why’d you do it?”
“Because she always asked and it seemed to calm her.”
“I mean why did you go see her?”
Lucas’s expression softens. “Because it calmed me too. I love you, Gabriella and I also love your family. My grandparents died when I was young. Getting to know your grandmother was a gift. Dancing with her was probably more impactful to me than her.” He pauses and leans against the wall. “I didn’t tell you because I guess I didn’t want you to think it was a burden to me, or that I was only doing it for you, even if that’s how it started.”
I look down at the box in my hands and then back up at Lucas. “I love the binder.”
Tilting his head, he smirks. “I’ve been told I need to work on my communication.”
A small giggle bubbles up.
“Glad you’re taking the feedback. I especially like the jeans.”
> He slowly stalks toward me. “Proof that I’m flexible and fun,” he says when again there’s a crash from the other room.
“What was that?”
Lucas cringes. “Probably a bad idea.” He shakes his head and pulls me toward the kitchen. “Gabriella, I’d like you to meet Rock.”
Crashing is replaced by a faint whimper. I step from behind him and take note of a baby gate blocking the doorway.
“Rock? You got a puppy?”
Eagerly waiting by the gate is the cutest chocolate lab I’ve ever seen. With his tail wagging he sits obediently while holding a stuffed animal in his mouth. Upon closer inspection it appears to be a cow with crazy eyes and its tongue sticking out.
“What a good puppy.” I bend over to pet him and he happily drops the toy to slobber my hand. “Make sure this is the only mad cow your daddy feeds you.”
“That was meant for you,” Lucas laughs. “I ordered it a few weeks after we got back from London and forgot about it. Rock found it and after he tore the ear off I figured I’d let him keep it.”
Rock nuzzles into my hand. “Smart move. Is he always this quiet?”
“Most of the time. I’ve heard pet’s personalities sometimes reflect that of their owner.” Lucas nudges my side.
I glance up at his towering frame. “You named him Rock.”
“Whether or not it comes across, I listen…I’m trying,” he says, shoving his hands in his pocket. “I fucked up royally and I get that you’re mad. But if you give me—”
“Do you really love me?”
He blinks at me, surprised and then sheepishly grins. “More than anything.”
I take three steps toward him and pause. “If I try to have my way with you now are you going to stop me?”
The corners of his mouth lift into a sexy smile. “I won’t if you say it back.”
I wrap my arms around his neck. “I love you too. Now take me to your bed.”
He laughs. “That may be a problem. I don’t have a bed yet.”
“Why? Are you waiting for furniture to be delivered?”
“I haven’t ordered any yet.” Pointing at the couch he tells me, “That’s all I have for now.”
“Why?”
“I was waiting for you. Thought it would be a good thing for us to do together.”
My heart swoons.
“Where have you been sleeping?”
“The couch mostly. If you remember you promised we could wake up a certain way on our first morning here.”
“So you waited to sleep in your bedroom until I was with you?”
“Our bedroom,” he clarifies, and I literally jump into his arms.
“I guess the floor will have to do.”
Lucas catches me and lifts me up so that I’m straddling him and quickly heads up the stairs. Then something occurs to me.
“Wait,” I say.
Lucas stops mid-stride and searches my face. “What wrong.”
“You weren’t expecting me yet you’re wearing jeans anyway.”
His eyebrows shoot upward. “Is that so important to you that it required us to change course?”
Biting my lip I shrug. “It’s the small stuff.”
The smoldering expression on Lucas’s face makes me wish I’d worn a dress. He dips his face to mine so that we’re nose to nose. “If we’re done discussing my attire I’d much prefer to show you the big stuff.”
Yes please.
I unhook my legs from his back and find my footing two steps up from him. Then I peel off my shirt and unhook my bra. I know he sees the Team Lucas shirt, but he must decide it’s not the important factor at the moment.
“Christ, love. Are you trying to kill me?”
Laughing I reach forward and undo his belt and pants and shove them down past his knees.
“No,” I say, shimmying out of my own pants and kicking them over the railing. “I was thinking we should stop wasting time so you can have another one of my firsts.”
“And what’s that?” he asks running his hands over the contours of my body.
I lean forward and kiss from the base of his neck to his ear lobe and then whisper. “I’ve never had sex on the stairs.”
“Neither have I,” he admits, kissing down my neck. “I’ve also never had sex with someone who’s unemployed.”
I pull back slightly. “Who said I’m unemployed?”
“Aren’t you?” he asks.
“Nope, I start a new job next week. Looks like I’ll be the one have sex with someone who’s unemployed.”
I lean forward to kiss him and Lucas laughs against my lips.
“What’s so funny?”
“I’m not unemployed either.”
“You aren’t?” I question.
“No. I figured out what I wanted to do and a great opportunity presented itself.”
“That’s great! Doing what?”
“I bought out the commercial real-estate side of your brother’s company. We’re partners.”
“Wait…you did what? Why? What made you want to do that?”
He shrugs. “It’s something I can be excited about. Plus, I needed to ensure I was tied to your family if you were going to keep being stubborn.”
“So you decided that inserting yourself into my family was the best way to go about it?”
“Actually, yes.” He winks and yanks me forward, causing me to stumble into his arms. “And if you hadn’t showed up I would have come up with another plan. You see,” he says, tucking a stray hair behind my ear. “There’s nothing I wouldn’t have done to get you back, and now that you’re here I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you. No policy or job is more important than what we have. You have my heart, Gabriella. It shouldn’t have taken me this long to show you, but I promise, I’ll never stop choosing you.”
I reach up and place my hand on his cheek. “I’ll never stop choosing you either.”
Lifting my chin, I press my lips to his and moan as he slips his tongue inside my mouth. God, I missed this man.
“Now, if we’re done talking about this I’d like to insert myself somewhere else.”
Yes, please.
Chapter 25
Gabby
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Chapter 1
Gabby
Chapter 2
Lucas
Chapter 3
Gabby
Chapter 4
Lucas
Chapter 5
Gabby
Chapter 6
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Chapter 7
Gabby
Chapter 8
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Chapter 9
Gabby
Chapter 10
Lucas
Chapter 11
Gabby
Chapter 12
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Chapter 13
Gabby
Chapter 14
Lucas
Chapter 15
Gabby
Chapter 16
Lucas
Chapter 17
Gabby
Chapter 18
Lucas
Chapter 19
Gabby
Chapter 20
Lucas
Chapter 21
Gabby
Chapter 22
Lucas
Chapter 23
Gabby
Chapter 24
Lucas
Chapter 25
Gabby
n Archive.