by April Wilson
I’ll never forget his pick-up line. Is that a good book?
I was so utterly mortified, I wished for a hole to open up and swallow me right then and there.
When he first spoke, I lowered my gaze to my hands in my lap, desperately willing him to just go away. I’d made it my life’s goal to avoid strangers, and here was this man – this gorgeous, blue-eyed man in a sexy dark suit and white dress shirt – trying to make small talk with me!
I tried to bolt, but he caught my hand and stopped me and convinced me to stay a little while longer. We ended up sitting at a window table in the bookstore cafe while he ate a sandwich and drank coffee, and I sipped a fruit smoothie. I still ended up bolting in a panic, but he didn’t give up. Exactly one week later, he found me again, right here in Clancy’s, and we went out on our first official date that evening.
My smile fades a bit when I think about how strained things are between us lately. He says all the right things, and he treats me like a queen. He spares no effort seeing to my needs in bed, but it’s all one-sided. He won’t accept any sexual pleasure for himself. And he’s so damn stubborn! I have to find a way to break his control.
Lia and I are standing just inside the store where the new release tables are located. Off to the side is the customer service counter with four busy registers. A long line of customers has queued up to check out.
“Business certainly looks good,” Lia murmurs into my ear. “I guess you won’t go hungry.”
I blush. “Well, if it is good, it’s absolutely no thanks to me.”
Since Shane presented me with the bookstore, I’ve only been here twice before today, and then only for short visits. I have yet to take an active role in the store – Shane asked me to wait until after I had healed. It’s like my whole life was put on hold because of the attack. I’m tired of the inaction – of putting things off. I need to move forward, to get my life back on track.
Fortunately, Clancy’s is in great shape with or without my involvement. I have absolutely no illusions that I’m needed here, because I’m not. When Shane bought this place, he kept the existing – and very experienced – management team and workforce in place.
There’s a general manager – a woman in her early 30s named Vanessa Markham – and four assistant managers, plus an assortment of employees to take care of all the business operations, everything from accounting to human relations to purchasing to IT. There’s also a beefed-up security team in place now, courtesy of Shane.
I imagine the employees would resent me coming in and having any say in how the business is run. Still, I’m curious about the bookstore, and I want to know more. I’m more than ready to learn whatever I need to learn so I can fit in here. This is my happy place, after all.
I catch sight of the general manager across the floor. She’s eyeing me disapprovingly, a frown marring her lovely, oval face. Vanessa doesn’t like me, and she makes no effort to hide that fact.
“Uh oh,” Lia whispers. “Dragon Lady at two o’clock. Brace yourself. Here she comes.”
“Shh!” I elbow Lia. Lia’s the one who came up with the nickname for Vanessa. “Behave. I need to make a good impression.”
“Why do you care? You own this place.”
“Shh!” I smile at the approaching woman.
“Hello, Miss Jamison,” Vanessa says, eyeing first me and then Lia. “What brings you here today?”
I respond to her cool, assessing gaze with my best friendly smile – at least I hope it’s friendly. “Hi, Vanessa. Please, call me Beth. I was downtown today, and I thought I’d stop by.”
I’m trying here, I really am. But the truth is, Vanessa scares the crap out of me. She has an MBA from the University of Chicago, and she’s been managing Clancy’s for nearly a decade. I suspect that Fred Clancy had given her the run of the place – carte blanche – and Vanessa resents a new owner coming in.
She’s dressed to the nines, as usual. Today, she’s wearing a classic, gray houndstooth skirt and jacket, with a cream silk shell blouse and a string of fat, luscious pearls. Her ash brown hair is neatly parted in the middle, and it hangs thick and perfectly straight past her shoulders. She’s beautiful and perfect and cold as ice. She has a way of looking at me that makes me feel like I’m twelve years old again and in trouble with the principal for running in the halls.
“Well, enjoy your visit, Miss Jamison,” Vanessa says, already turning away.
“Actually, Vanessa,” Lia says, derailing the woman’s abrupt departure. “Beth would like to see her office.”
I shoot a sideways glance at Lia. Office? What office? Lia!
Vanessa’s lips curve in a smile that definitely doesn’t reach her whiskey-colored eyes. “I’m afraid Beth doesn’t have an office.”
Lia props her hands on her hips. “Try again, sister. Since this is her bookstore, I’m pretty sure she has an office.”
I smile apologetically at Vanessa. “That’s okay – ”
“No, it’s not okay,” Lia says, and I can tell she’s just getting warmed up. “Did Clancy have an office?”
“Well, yes, of course he did,” Vanessa says, crossing her slender arms over her chest.
“Then I guess Clancy’s old office belongs to Beth now, since she’s the new owner. Take us to it.”
We follow Vanessa up a wide curving staircase to the second floor, where the business offices are located off a side hallway that’s closed off to the public. Lia and I follow Vanessa through a door marked ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE.
“This is the main office,” Vanessa says, motioning around the large room. There are a half dozen desks scattered throughout the room, all currently occupied by a half dozen curious employees, who are trying hard not to stare at me. On one wall is a massive shelving unit filled with hundreds of books, and there are boxes everywhere in various stages of unpacking. On the far side of the room is another door marked PRIVATE.
Lia scans the room. “Where was Clancy’s office?”
Vanessa’s lips flatten as she points toward the door marked PRIVATE. “Actually, I’m in his office now. As the general manager, I thought – ”
“Well, you thought wrong,” Lia says. “That is Beth’s office now.”
Vanessa glares at Lia, refusing to be cowed. “I doubt Beth will be here often enough to warrant having an office.”
“Actually, I’d like to become involved in running the bookstore,” I tell her. “I’d like to work here. But I don’t need an office. You can keep it.”
Vanessa crosses her arms again, and a slender, gold Rolex peeks out of her suit jacket sleeve. She eyes me sharply. “Do you have any management or business experience whatsoever?”
I feel a rush of heat sweep through me. “No.”
“Did you take any business courses in college?”
“I – no.”
“Do you have any retail experience? Fast food? Anything?”
I sigh. “Well, no.”
Vanessa gives me a brittle smile. “And you think you’re qualified to run a multi-million dollar business?”
My heart is hammering now, but I stand my ground. I’m not going to let her chase me off.
Lia pushes forward, stepping between us. “That’s all irrelevant, Vanessa. This is Beth’s business, and she can do whatever the hell she wants with it. If she wants to pass out free books on the street corner, that’s her prerogative. Not yours.”
Vanessa stiffens. “I doubt Mr. McIntyre – ”
Lia steps forward, getting right in Vanessa’s face, which isn’t easy as Vanessa towers over Lia. “Don’t you dare Mr. McIntyre me, Vanessa. I guarantee you he’ll side with Beth. You can count on it.”
“I’m willing to learn whatever I need to know,” I say, hoping to defuse the tension. “I’ve been thinking about going back to school – ”
“This isn’t your personal playground, Beth,” Vanessa says. “The livelihoods of twenty-two people depend on the success of this store. Just because you have a sugar daddy – ”
&n
bsp; Lia and I both gasp at Vanessa’s audacity, and for a minute, I think I’m going to have to physically hold Lia back – that is until we’re all distracted by a discrete cough – a deep, male cough.
“Excuse me, ladies.”
Everyone in the room turns to look at the man standing in the open doorway. He’s dressed casually in faded blue jeans, a button-down white Oxford shirt, and a navy windbreaker. He’s a big guy, with shoulders and a chest that won’t quit. He’s built like a tank, very tall, with legs like tree trunks. He’s huge! He has to be nearly six-four, and he ducks as he steps through the doorway.
He has short hair the color of dark chocolate and dark, perceptive eyes that are currently scanning the office. He’s fit and muscular – and very good looking. Definitely ex-military. I’ve learned to recognize them on sight. And he’s got to be carrying a concealed weapon strapped in a holster on his chest – wearing a windbreaker indoors in the summer is a dead giveaway.
“Who the hell are you?” Vanessa snaps, her slender hands going to her hips. “These are private offices. You shouldn’t be in here.”
Ignoring Vanessa, the man walks directly up to me and offers me his hand. “Ms. Jamison, I’m Mack Donovan, your new head of security here at Clancy’s.”
I glance at Lia for confirmation, and she nods. “Yeah, he’s one of ours.”
I have to crane my head up to look Mr. Donovan in the face. “Call me Beth, please.”
Vanessa sputters with indignation. “I beg your pardon! I did not authorize any new hires – ”
Mack smiles politely at Vanessa. “Begging your pardon, ma’am, but I report directly to Ms. Jamison. I don’t need you to authorize anything.”
Vanessa actually stamps her stilettoed foot. “On whose authority?”
Her perfectly made-up face is turning beet read, and I have to bite my lip to keep from smiling.
“I report to Ms. Jamison – Beth,” Mack says, correcting himself. “Her authority is the only one that matters here.”
“We’ll see about that!” Vanessa storms through the door to her private office and slams it shut behind her.
For a moment, everyone in the room is silent, as if we’re not quite sure the coast is clear.
Lia breaks the ice with a friendly wave to the half-dozen employees in the room who all look a little shell-shocked. “Hi, folks. In case you haven’t figured it out yet, this is Beth Jamison. It’s her signature on your paychecks, and that makes her your boss. So be nice to her.”
Their gazes dart back and forth between me and Vanessa’s closed office door. Eventually, they wave back, offering a weak “hi” in unison.
“Hi, everyone,” I say, my face burning as I wave at their wary faces.
Lia nods, apparently satisfied. “All right, then. Good job, people. Now get back to work.”
* * *
Lia flags down a cab in front of Clancy’s. “Overall, I’d say that went well.”
“Oh, my God!” I sink into the back seat of the hired SUV and buckle my seat belt. “That was a disaster.”
“No, it wasn’t. But you need to get rid of Vanessa. That woman annoys the hell outta me.”
The cab driver looks back at us and sighs. “Where to, ladies? I don’t have all day.”
Lia glares at him. “Just drive.”
“I can’t just fire her!” I say, grabbing the door handle to stabilize myself as our taxi pulls abruptly into the heavy flow of downtown traffic. “I can’t just waltz into Clancy’s and start taking over. Vanessa may be a bitch, but she was right about one thing. I have absolutely no experience running a business. The last thing I want to do is go in there and screw things up.”
I check the time on my phone, surprised to see it’s nearly five o’clock. Where has the afternoon gone? Obviously, we’re not going to make it back to Kenilworth in time for dinner.
Lia must be reading my mind. “Where to next, Princess? The day’s not over.”
Shane’s probably wondering where I am. “I don’t know.”
“Want to head back to the house?”
“Not really.” Suddenly, I have a pang to go home – to the townhouse I shared with Gabrielle in Hyde Park, at least until two months ago. I sink back into my seat. “I want to go home, Lia.”
Lia looks at me like I’m crazy. “Home where? To your townhouse? And bring down the wrath of Shane? Are you kidding?”
I think of the townhouse and how simple life was there before I met Shane. Before I found out that Howard Kline was a free man again. I shudder when I think of Kline loose on the streets of Chicago. That man has stolen so much from me. A monster who preys on children should be locked up, not roaming the streets a free man. I was one of the lucky ones – I was rescued. But not everyone is so lucky.
“I guess that’s not a very good idea,” I say. “Where I don’t want to go is back to Kenilworth. I just can’t face Shane right now.” My throat tightens up, and my eyes pool with unshed tears.
“Hey, it’ll be all right.” Lia reaches over to squeeze my hand. “Shane will eventually come to his senses and quit being a jerk. In the meantime, what do you say we go on the lam and stay out all night?”
“What did you have in mind?” I say.
“Let’s go to the penthouse, order in some Thai food, and watch a movie on the big screen. We can even spend the night, if you want. We’ll have a slumber party, just the two of us.”
“Really?” That perks me right up. I’m just not ready to go back, so staying gone a little longer really appeals to me right now. And I love the penthouse.
“But what about this?” I say, raising my cast. “My appointment’s in the morning.”
Lia shrugs. “I’ll take you.”
While Lia gives the cab driver the address, I relax back into my seat with a heavy sigh. The longer I’m away from Shane, the more I miss him, and the lonelier I feel.
Chapter 7
Just as Lia and I exit the private elevator in the penthouse foyer, my phone rings. “It’s Shane.”
Lia opens the door leading into the penthouse. “Don’t answer it.”
I give her a wry glance as I accept the call. “Hi, Shane.” I make an effort to sound happy and upbeat, as if today’s just any other day.
“Beth, where are you? It’s getting late.”
He sounds worried, and I feel a twinge of guilt for sneaking off the way I did. But then I remember he’s bugging my phone and my other accessories. “I’m pretty sure you know exactly where I am. Lia told me you bugged my phone. Is that right?”
There’s a moment of dead silence on the other end of the phone. Then, his voice very calm and even, he says, “Well, yes, I did. But it’s for your own safety, sweetheart. I’m not trying to spy on you. I just want to keep you safe.”
“Why didn’t you tell me? You should at least tell me when you do crazy stuff like that.”
He sighs. “Beth, when are you coming home?”
Home? Right now, Kenilworth doesn’t feel much like home to me. I’d rather be here at the penthouse – where Shane and I spent some very memorable evenings together.
“I haven’t decided yet,” I say, feeling my resolve to stay away grow. “Lia and I are going to order in something to eat and watch a movie. And then, I think we’re going to spend the night here.”
Once more, there’s silence on the phone, and I feel the bottom of my stomach drop, leaving me queasy. Clearly he isn’t happy about my little announcement, and that stupid twinge of guilt returns.
“Beth, please. Come home. I don’t want to sleep without you.”
Hot tears well up in my eyes, and I swallow against a painful knot in my throat. All of a sudden, I feel very much alone. I miss Gabrielle, I miss my brother, and I haven’t seen my mother in almost a month. But most of all, I miss Shane. I miss my Shane. I ache for my Shane. Not this Shane who’s holding part of himself back from me.
“I can’t.” My voice breaks as I try in vain to hold myself together.
“Beth.” I he
ar sudden movement and a heavy breath, and then the sound of a door closing quietly. His voice is low, practically dropping an octave. “Please, sweetheart, come home and we’ll talk. I promise.”
I wipe my eyes with the back of my hand and take a deep, steadying breath. The last thing I want is for him to pity me. “No, Shane. I need a break. I need some time away. To think.”
“Think about what?” His voice takes on a sense of urgency. “Damn it, Beth, what’s there to think about?”
“I need to go. I’m sorry, but Lia’s waiting for me.”
“Wait! When are you coming home?”
“I don’t know, Shane. But it won’t be tonight.” A little bit of space is starting to sound pretty good right now.
“What about your doctor appointment in the morning?”
“Lia’s taking me. I have to go now. Good night.”
“All right.” He sounds resigned, albeit unhappy. “Good night, honey. I hope you sleep well.”
That’s not an idle comment on his part. My sleep is haunted by monsters both old and new.
The phone line goes silent, and there’s another long, painful pause before Shane finally disconnects the call.
I stare at the blank screen on my phone and wonder what’s happening to us. And more importantly, how do we fix it?
I go through the motions with Lia, and Lia – sensing my mood – doesn’t push me. We order in Thai food, which a security guard from the front lobby delivers to us. We take our cartons of food and some soft drinks and freshly made popcorn into the screening room and watch Avatar on a 20-foot, high-resolution movie screen. The movie is stunning on the huge screen with its kick-ass Dolby surround-sound system. But the budding romance between Jake Sully and Neytiri just makes me miss Shane that much more.
“I guess we could have picked a better movie,” Lia says, when the film credits begin to roll. She looks at me. “A comedy or an action movie would have been better choices. Do you wanna do a double-feature? How about Die Hard? Something kick ass.”
I shake my head. It’s already after ten, and I’m exhausted. “I’m tired, Lia. I think I’ll go to bed.”