by Nana Malone
“That doesn’t sound like you to give up so easily. Your stubborn streak is legendary...” Her voice trailed. “Unless, of course, he’s more than a client.”
Delilah choked on her sip of coke. “What?”
Mia’s eyes widened. “Oh My God, he actually means something to you.”
“No. He’s nothing to me.” Liar. “I know better than to believe the hype. He’s the kind of guy who could really break hearts. So I’m not interested.” She smoothed a hand over her bun. “I’m so screwed. I keep thinking I’ll be able to work with him, but I don’t know.”
“Does this guy legitimately need your help? Or is he trying to get himself on TV and get some press clippings?”
Delilah slumped into her seat. “He actually needs my help. In fact, he wants to avoid the press,” she mumbled.
Mia frowned. “Can anyone else do for him what you can?”
She really hated it when her sister had a point. Nate had been right when he’d said they had a connection, that she understood him. “Not exactly.”
“Then do what you do and help him.”
Delilah met Mia’s gaze. “And pretend the kiss didn’t happen?”
Mia whistled low. “I have no idea what to tell you. You can’t have him because of the job, and you can’t think of the job because you want him?”
“That pretty much sums up my private hell.”
Even after leaving lunch with her sister, Delilah still didn’t have an answer for Mia’s question. Mia was right, she’d fought hard for this job, and it wasn’t like her to give up on something she wanted.
The moment Delilah was back in her office, her phone rang. “Hi, Mom. Did Mia tell you she saw me?”
“When are you children going to learn I have a sixth sense?” There was a smile in Sara Donovan's voice.
“In that case, I'll say your ears were burning then. Mia said E.T. should phone home.”
“And your sister has to tell you to call before you even think of me?” Her mother’s voice was teasing.
“Come on, Mom, cut me some slack. Remember which child got you So You Think You Can Dance tour tickets.”
“The one I barely get to see, that's who.”
Delilah groaned. She might as well rip off the Band-Aid. “Yeah, about that Mom, let me remind you that Jezzy is international, so you barely get to see her. And Holden is in and out. So you see me more than you see either of them.”
“Is this your way of telling me you won’t be here for my birthday?”
Delilah stifled a curse. “I'm sorry, Mom. I just got a new client added on top of my original workload.”
“Honestly, Delilah, I don't know why you do this to yourself. Last time you were home, your blood pressure was through the roof. I need you to start taking it easy.”
Her mother was always trying to take care of her. “I hear you, Doc. I'm in the midst of trying to build my career. If I can do it, I can carve some time out for myself.”
“Baby, I understand, but it's all about balance, you know. When was the last time you had some fun?”
Fun, fun...when was the last time she’d had fun? Or not eaten standing up at her counter as she reviewed blogs for posts about her clients. Even better, just relaxed and had a date. She’d vaguely enjoyed dating once. She was normally so on the go, she didn’t stop to think about the vast emptiness of her apartment or the sometimes crippling loneliness. And at this point, it wasn't even a matter of selection. If she’d slowed down long enough, she might have met someone nice by now. Or even accepted one of her friends’ suggestions for a blind date. And sex. God, she missed sex. But she wasn’t into one night stands and didn't have time to invest in a relationship.
But Nate is here, and he wants you.
She ignored her libido’s play for attention. “I have fun, Mom.”
“Is it worth it?”
Delilah frowned. “Of course it’s worth it. Knowing I’m doing what I love and how proud Daddy would have been of me. I don’t care about the long hours. If I can make partner, it will all be worth it.”
There was a beat of silence. “Delilah, your father would have been proud of you if you’d decided to be a street artist. Sure, he wanted you to work hard, but you don’t have to sacrifice yourself to make him proud. He loved you.”
Delilah rapidly blinked away the tears that pricked her eyelids. “I know that.” But the truth of her mother’s words chipped away at her iron will.
“Did you go and ask for more work?”
“Well, I asked for better clients, although I’m not sure how this new one is going to work out. I think it's best if he and I don’t work together.”
“Is he a bad person, fundamentally incapable of changing?”
Delilah ground her teeth. The hurt child in her wanted to hold onto the pain Nate had caused. But the fixer in her was intrigued. She wanted to see what she could do with him. “No, not a bad person. Just complicated.”
“The Delilah I know and love wouldn't turn down someone who really needed her. No matter how complicated. That Delilah doesn’t think of herself first. Just a thought. Now if he's a bad man, then fair enough. Pull yourself off that case already. But remember everybody needs help sometimes. You've always believed that.”
After another seven minutes on the phone with her mother, she picked up the phone again and called Nate. Her stomach flipped the moment his strong voice reverberated over the phone line.
“This is Nate.”
She cleared her throat. “It's, Delilah.”
He was silent for several heartbeats before saying, “I didn't think I’d be hearing from you again.”
“Well, it appears I'm full of surprises. Are you in the office now? I can stop by and pick you up for lunch.”
He hesitated for only a moment. “Actually, I had a meeting downtown. I’m at the Geo building. Do you know it?”
“I know the one. I'll be there in seven minutes.”
Willow was still on assignment dealing with Michael Ross, so she headed over without her sidekick. As her driver wove through traffic, she tried to calm her nerves. It didn’t need to be awkward. She could do this. Nate needed her help. She could give it to him without going down that dark path again.
The real problem was that she knew herself. And if she wasn’t careful, she was bound to fall for him. She’d have to find a way to avoid that at all costs.
He’d been sincere when he said he needed her. But could she trust him? And more importantly, could she trust herself around him? She’d need to be careful if she wanted to escape her dealings with him unharmed. Absolutely no entertaining the thought that he was the young boy she’d saved. That kid was gone. As long as she could remember that, she’d survive unscathed.
The lobby of the Geo building was all sleek glass and chrome. Security directed her to the conference room where Nate was waiting. Marshaling her nerves, she strode in without knocking.
Relief crossed his features first, then disbelief, then longing. Finally, he closed his laptop. When he spoke, his voice was low. “Can I ask why you changed your mind?”
Delilah tipped her chin up. “Because you need my help. But we need to set some ground rules. Don’t ever kiss me like that again. You do, and I’m gone.”
His exhale was sharp. “If you’re sure that’s what you want.”
Delilah forced her head up and down against its will and lied. “Yes. I’m sure.” She met his gaze. “Nate?”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t make me regret helping you.” But being so close to him, she remembered his kiss. Remembered his arms around her. Remembered what it felt like not to be alone.
###
Nate didn’t want to let his relief show, but his body nearly vibrated with it. “Thank you, Lila. I was a little worried I’d have to go it alone.”
She pursed her lips. “What did I tell you about that nickname?”
“Sorry. Honest mistake.” He’d have to find a way to ignore the pull he felt to her. Hell, he’d be
en able to manage it as a horny teenager, why the hell couldn’t he control himself now? Probably because he’d never tasted her before.
Over the years, he’d tried to forget her. Even after seven years, she had a potent effect on him. Innocence and longing and sugar with the hint of sin. Then he’d been dumb enough to kiss her. Not his brightest hour. He needed to focus, otherwise, she’d leave him to his own devices. “Delilah, thank you. I'm not sure why you're doing this, and I don't care, just know that I'm grateful.”
She narrowed her eyes. “I'm not doing this for you. I have an assignment. I see things through.” She inhaled then took a deliberate step back.
Nate studied her closely. Well, at least he wasn’t the only one feeling the close proximity. But she’d made it clear that she wanted nothing to do with him. He could respect that. After all, it was just chemistry. Yeah... chemistry... When was the last time he felt chemistry like this?
“Like I said, whatever your reasons, I'm grateful.” He slid his hands into his pockets as he leaned against the window frame, resisting the urge to tug on his tie. He’d only been wearing it a few hours, and already he felt like the damn thing was choking him. He needed to find some common ground with her and quick. “I guess John is pretty proud of you. Hotshot fixer and all. You always wanted to solve the world’s problems.”
She made a non-committal sound as she set up her laptop on his desk. “I guess so. He doesn’t care one way or the other, just wants me doing something I love.” She crossed her arms, effectively closing off further discussion about her family.
He sighed. “So where do we start?”
Delilah sighed. “Well, first things first. We need to deal with the people in the building. You need some supporters. We need to be able to trust someone in here. Lachlan is good, but you’ll need at least one more. I don't care who it is.”
He frowned. “You’ve read the files. Do you have a suggestion on who I can trust?”
Delilah only grinned in return. “Who said anything about trust? But chances are there’s someone on that board who wants Chase to stay the CEO. We’re going to ferret out those people and make your case. And if they won’t cooperate, I can find some leverage to help make them amenable to your cause.”
He smiled ruefully. “I guess that sweet girl I knew is gone.”
“She's been gone a long time. But lucky for you, she's been replaced by somebody who knows what the hell she's talking about and how to get you what you need.”
It didn’t help his cause that he found this reincarnation incredibly sexy. “Fair enough. What else?”
“The other thing we need to be aware of is your past. There are people in here who will want to undercut you as well as exploit the opportunity and place themselves at the helm. They will try to dig up anything they can find on you. Anything you want hidden, they'll find.”
His jaw worked. “They won’t find anything.”
Delilah raised a brow. “Now is not the time for denial, Nate. You told me Chase is your friend, that next to us, he is the only family you claim. Like it or not, anything you want hidden will come out and put his company in danger. I need to know what we're dealing with so I can get in front of it.”
“No, Delilah, you misunderstand.”
“You have to learn to trust me, Nate. I’m on your side. I need to know everything. And I mean everything. You can’t hide things from me. For starters, why did you change your name?”
How did he explain this correctly? “I didn't want anyone finding me.” Namely his brother. “I wanted a fresh start. And you don’t have to worry. Nobody will find anything. I've already taken care of any records and any photos. My digital footprint is nearly nil. As far as anyone is concerned, Nathanial Williams doesn’t exist before college.”
“You're telling me you erased your past?” Dee shook her head. “That's impossible.”
He smirked. “Nothing is impossible. Look for yourself. You won’t find anything on me besides the fact that I grew up in the foster system and then eventually left for college where I met Chase. That's it.”
Delilah swallowed hard. “No mention of us?”
Nate winced. How was he supposed to tell anyone that he’d removed all traces to the person he’d been before college, including the only real family he’d ever had? “No. I figured after the thing at the clinic, you all wouldn’t want anything to do with me.”
She shook her head and licked her bottom lip in a nervous habit he recognized. “What happened that night? You were with me, then next thing I know, your brother is in custody and you’re gone. Why didn’t you ever mention you had a brother?”
He scrubbed a hand over his face as he tried to figure out what to say. He wasn't about to tell her that Trent blackmailed him into robbing the clinic. And he sure as hell wasn’t going to tell her that he’d threatened to hurt her if Nate hadn’t gone along. It wouldn’t matter that he’d been protecting himself. After all this time, she wouldn’t believe him, anyway. Hell, if the situation were reversed, he couldn’t say he’d believe her. “Trent was bad news. Everywhere he went, trouble followed. When he found out where I was, he couldn’t wait to exploit that. When I left, I knew if he found me again, I’d never escape my past. So I changed my name and never looked back.”
“You never gave us a chance to believe you. You never gave me the chance to believe you,” she said quietly. Then with a quick inhale, she continued, “The past is the past. For the few months while Chase is gone, I'll do my best to highlight you the best I can. I'm not doing an image makeover in this case. I'm going to completely invent you. You’ll need to trust me. Even if something I say makes no sense to you. Can you do that?”
“I trust you, Delilah.”
Delilah gritted her teeth and fiddled with the star on her necklace. “Okay, so I’ve got some ideas. I need to make you popular with the public and popular with the board. So it’s going to be a two-fold approach.”
“Okay, I’m listening.”
“First, the community outreach we talked about the other day. Jake will want to go over more details at lunch tomorrow, but I’ve got a list of schools already interested. I tried to pick the most underfunded schools in each borough then snagged a list of their best and brightest. I was thinking we could offer these kids something to give them access to this life. Maybe a contest for an internship or something. The key is, you have to be very involved. Make it your baby. Can you do that?”
His mind already conjured images of how to work it. “Yeah, I can manage that.”
“Good. And I know how you feel about press, so how about after the winners are announced, we limit the congratulatory dinner to them and one news outlet. Someone big though. I have a few ideas, but I’ll be calling in every favor I can. Can you stomach that?”
He sighed. “I think I can stomach that.”
“We’ll make it a huge deal and promote the hell out of it. Make these kids rock stars for a night.” She checked her notes. “Lucky for you, the board will be easier. I checked the financials that Chase sent over. You’re already on target to hit quarterly numbers and probably exceed them. Then, of course, with the release of the latest game, that should boost those numbers. But let’s make it clear to them that you’re planning for a future and that you and Chase are on the same page.”
“Already done. I’ll be syncing up with him in a couple of days as well.”
“Perfect. I’m going to have Willow start digging into those files of yours. If there is anything she can uncover, I want to know now. It’s better for you if I find anything you want hidden first.”
He only wanted one thing hidden from her, and she was never going to find it. He’d die before he let that happen. “Tell her to have fun digging. She won’t find anything.” He cocked his head. “I see you still have that necklace.”
Her eyes widened then she dropped her hand. “It’s the only thing I have that goes with my earrings.”
He nodded slowly. He’d saved for months to buy her that simple s
tar pendant and necklace for her sixteenth birthday. Back then, that cheap necklace was the only way he’d known to say thank you to the girl who’d saved his life. It touched some place long hidden that she still had it. That she still wore it.
Something icy slithered around his heart and squeezed. He knew what would happen if he got too close to her. Now was not the time to get distracted.
Delilah shifted from foot to foot. “You’ll also need a tux.”
“For what?”
“There’s a charity event tomorrow night. We’ll want to make it your coming out. Make a bold statement. The press releases have already gone out announcing you as interim CEO. We want to control the buzz around you, make sure we’re the ones driving it. We’ll need to give you a platform that shows you’re more than the complete package. You already have the background and the good looks, we’ll add the charm.”
He scoffed. “Gee, thanks. This event tomorrow, you’ll be there?”
“Yes.” She studied him and continued, “The brains are there and can’t be disputed. But we also have to show the heart, drive, and ingenuity. That’s what shareholders have to believe in. Real or imagined. I have a team coming in the morning to take care of the rest of your look.”
The rest of his look? “What do you mean?”
“Well, you still need a hair cut. And while your attempt with the tie today is a good one, I have people who do this for a living and will bring you choices you can live with.”
Nate ran a hand through his hair. He didn't particularly want a haircut. But this was her show. He wasn’t going to fight her. He leaned back against the window and crossed his arms. “You’re very good at this.”
“I hope so. It’s my job.”
Nate shook his head. This was more than a mere job to her. She believed in crafting the right image. Putting on the right kind of show for everyone to see. “I remember when you used to believe everyone was perfect as they were.”