He was quiet so long his silence made her uneasy.
Eventually, he said, “Everyone has to grow up sometime, right?”
“Yeah, but not everyone’s idea of growing up is the same, Ev.” She coaxed him down on the bed beside her and settled her head on his chest. “Not every person’s ideal life includes kids, pets, a house in the country, family vacations to Disney World, baseball games, dance recitals…” A tear slid down her cheek as she thought about how much she wanted those things with him. “That’s my fantasy, but you want to take Titan Records to new heights. You want to sign the biggest names in country music to your label. Those are your dreams, right?”
He traced a finger up and down her bare back. “Why can’t I have it all? You, the family, the occasional vacation… Why does it have to be all or nothing?”
A sigh escaped as she rolled on to her back. In the comfort of his arms, letting her heart lead her was too easy, but she needed to be pragmatic now. They were talking about the rest of their lives. “You’re the president of a large company, Evan. Hundreds of people rely on you for their livelihood. I’m not naïve enough to think that’s ever going to be a 9-5 job. You will have to work nights, weekends, travel…” Her head hurt just thinking about losing him to his job all over again.
“Look,” he said, rolling on to his side to face her. “I’m not a banker or an insurance salesman, that’s true. My phone doesn’t stop ringin’ at five. Artists expect me to be available whenever they have a problem or a question. That’s the commitment I made to them when they signed on with our label. I vowed to make their careers a priority, and I intend to honor that promise.”
He leaned in to kiss her and the love he poured into that kiss broke her heart.
“I know that,” she said. “I would never ask you to renege-”
He pressed another kiss to her lips to silence her, smiling when he pulled away. “But you come first. Period. Sorting out my priorities took a long time, and I’ll admit, you didn’t become my top priority until you weren’t in my life anymore, which I know is ironic, not to mention stupid.”
She smiled and held her finger and thumb up a fraction of an inch apart. “Maybe just a little.”
“Honey, dumpin’ me was the best thing you could have done for me. It was exactly the wake-up call I needed to help me get my life together, figure out what’s important and what’s not important. I don’t have to be at every A-list party. That’s my brother’s deal. He loves to schmooze, I don’t, so he can handle that stuff.”
She listened as he laid out his game plan, and with every passing second, she got more excited as their future began to take shape before her eyes.
“Trey has come on board to deal with artist acquisition and development. It’s perfect. Who better to mentor new talent than a guy who’s sold a hundred million records?”
She couldn’t argue with that logic. “Makes sense,” she said, reaching out to stroke his chest. With him lying there, looking so sexy and rumpled, telling her everything she’d waited years to hear, the urge to touch him was irresistible.
“Just makin’ those changes is gonna free up a lot of my time. I meant what I said; I’m shiftin’ my priorities because it’s time for me to have a life that doesn’t revolve around Titan.” He kissed her gently, as though he felt the need to punctuate his promise. “There hasn’t been anyone else for me this past year, Erika. Hell, I couldn’t even think about lettin’ anyone else in. You’re the only woman I’ve ever wanted. You know that.”
She was stunned to learn she wasn’t the only one who’d been celibate this past year. “I love you,” she whispered, deciding now was the perfect time to tell him everything in her heart. “I never stopped loving you.”
He winced as though he was experiencing physical pain. “That night at Jimmy’s…”
“I said what I thought I had to say to convince you to move on.” She pulled him down into her arms. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered in his ear. “So sorry that I hurt you, misled you…”
“It’s okay,” he said, kissing her neck. “The only thing that matters is that you’re here now and we’re gettin’ a second chance to get this right.”
She held his head in her hands and kissed him, hoping to convey the love, trust, and happiness he’d inspired.
Chapter Fourteen
Evan groaned inwardly when their party planner, Courtney, stormed in to his office first thing on Monday morning. “Didn’t your mama ever teach you to knock? I could’ve been in a meetin’ with a client.”
She tossed her long, dark red mane over her shoulder and narrowed her piercing green eyes at him. “Maybe if you’d answered my calls this weekend, I wouldn’t have to resort to these measures.”
He’d turned his phone off for most of the weekend, turning it on only to respond to the most urgent messages and emails. Courtney didn’t make the list.
“What the hell were you up to all weekend?” she asked, fisting a hand on her hip as she glared at him.
She was all decked out in a black business suit that did little to hide the luscious curves that routinely gave men whiplash.
When Evan didn’t respond to her question right away, she crossed her arms and began tapping her designer stiletto on the plush carpet under her feet. “I haven’t got all day. I asked you a question.”
Evan knew he’d made a mistake allowing the boundaries of their relationship to get blurred this past year. Evidently, he needed to remind her who the boss was. “Watch your tone with me, Courtney. Don’t forget that I’m the guy who signs your pay checks.”
Looking properly chastised, she relaxed her stance. “I’m sorry, but we have a lot of work to do on the benefit before this weekend.” She ran a manicured hand through her hair. “I still can’t believe you pulled the rug out from under me like this at the last minute.”
He glared at her. “I’m the client, remember? It’s my prerogative to change my mind.”
“Still,” she said, sinking into the chair across from him. “Pullin’ the plug on that other charity at the last minute was a pretty lousy thing to do.”
His conscience had chastised him for that, but he knew it was for the greater good. He needed an excuse to spend more time with Erika, and his plan worked. The only time they’d bothered to get dressed all weekend was when they took the dogs out for some exercise. “I made a sizeable donation to their cause. Besides, I didn’t like what I heard about their director.”
“You know they fired that guy, Evan.”
“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean some of the others weren’t in on it.”
She rolled her eyes. “If you believed that, you wouldn’t have donated your own money.”
He rolled his finger over the mouse to refresh his computer screen. “Bottom line, I’m more passionate about this cause. Second Chance is exactly the kind of charity I want Titan associated with movin’ forward.”
She crossed her arms again and glared at him. “That wouldn’t have anything to do with the fact that your ex-girlfriend is the founder, now would it?”
Evan sighed. Given the nature of their relationship, he knew he owed Courtney some explanation about his plans. “Yeah, as a matter of fact, it would.” Turning away from his computer, he pinched the bridge of his nose, wishing he’d taken the time to have an extra cup of coffee. This was bound to be a long day. “Erika and I have a long history, you know that.”
“Yeah, but I thought that was over. I mean, you and I have had this going for-”
He held his hand up to silence her. “You and I both know that was just a physical relationship, nothin’ more. I never made any promises. You were free to see other people and so was I.” Evan cursed softly when he saw the hurt in her eyes. “Look, I’m sorry that sounded harsh.”
“This has all been for her, hasn’t it?” she demanded, crossing one shapely leg as she leaned back in her chair, gripping her armrests.
He knew women like Courtney didn’t wallow in hurt for long before anger and resentment moved in. “Wh
at’re you talkin’ about?” He didn’t want to continue this conversation, but he knew getting rid of her would be easier if he just answered her questions.
“All of these changes you’ve made. That house in the middle of nowhere, that mangy old dog, bringing Trey on board…” She ticked the items off on her fingers, but she dropped her hands when she saw the warning in his stare.
“First of all, I don’t need your approval to buy a house or adopt a pet, and I sure as hell don’t need you to tell me how to run my business.”
“Just tell me one thing,” she said quietly.
If she’d demanded to know, he would have thrown her out of his building, but the twinge of sorrow lacing her words made him realize she was smarting beneath that ice cold veneer. “Fine, what do you want to know?” he asked, leaning over his desk.
“Did you do all of this just to get her back?”
He knew there was no point lying to her. The truth would literally set them both free in this case. “Yes, I did. There’s nothing I wouldn’t have done to get her back. That’s how much she means to me.”
She smirked, looking more like the business-savvy woman he knew and respected. “So you turn your whole life upside down, for what?” She lifted her palms in the air. “You really think you’re gonna be happy living like this?” She got to her feet. “You and I are cut from the same cloth, Evan. We’re both driven to succeed, and if you think you can be satisfied being less than the best, just to make the little woman happy, you’re deluding yourself. You’re going to make yourself miserable and her too.” She began walking toward the door, turning back to face him just before she reached the threshold. “Just don’t say that I didn’t try to warn you.”
***
Erika had hired another veterinarian to replace Jeff, giving her the opportunity to sneak away at lunch and surprise Evan with a sandwich from his favorite deli. She left his house only a few hours before, but she was already anxious to see him. Besides, she reasoned, they hadn’t discussed the benefit as much as they should have this weekend. They’d been too busy… reconnecting.
Just as she stepped off the elevator on the top floor, Ryan came out of his office. His handsome face split into a huge grin at the sight of her.
“Hey, this is a nice surprise,” he said, opening his arms to her. “You here to see my brother?”
“As a matter of fact, I am,” she said, slipping her arm around his waist as they walked down the hall.
“Does this mean what I think it does?” he asked, grinning. “Are you two back together?”
“We’re working on it.” She was trying to be cautious, but she knew she was doing a terrible job of keeping the excitement out of her voice. Finding their way back to each other was something she wanted more than she’d wanted anything in a long, long time.
“I can’t tell you how happy I am to hear that,” Ryan said, kissing the top of her head. “We’ve all missed you.”
“Thanks, Ry,” she said, smiling up at him. “I’ve missed hanging out with you guys, too.”
“Now I know why he shifted gears at the last second, changin’ things up for the benefit.” He winked. “It pays to have friends in high places, huh?”
Before she could question that comment, he waved off Evan’s secretary and turned the doorknob to his brother’s inner office. The last time she’d seen Evan, he’d been kissing her good-bye at the door wearing only a towel. She didn’t know which was sexier: a semi-naked Evan Spencer or the man standing before her in a black Armani suit with a pale blue shirt and silk tie that matched the color of his eyes.
Forgetting he was this uber-powerful record mogul was so easy when it was just the two of them curled up on his couch with a bowl of popcorn and their dogs at their feet. But he was, and she was voluntarily stepping back into this world. Was that akin to emotional suicide?
“Hey, baby,” he said, coming around the desk to greet her. He reached for her hand and glared at his brother when Ryan kept a firm grip on her waist. “Hands off my woman.”
Ryan chuckled and released his hold. “You don’t have to worry about me, bro. I’ve got my own woman who keeps me more than satisfied.” His eyes roamed over Erika’s snug skinny jeans. “But if I were you, I’d keep my eye on her. There isn’t a single guy in the world who wouldn’t fight you to the death for a chance with this little lady.”
Erika laughed and Evan growled as Ryan slammed the door behind him.
“I’m sorely tempted to kick his ass sometimes,” Evan said, frowning at the closed door.
“Enough about him,” Erika said, holding up the paper bag. “I brought lunch. I thought we could talk a little more about the benefit.” She blushed a little, dipping her head when she said, “We, uh, kind of got distracted this weekend.”
He pulled her close and whispered in her ear, “Baby, feel to distract me like that anytime.”
She rolled forward on the toes of her flat, knee-high boots, inviting his kiss. Closing her eyes, getting lost in the magic of being back in the arms of her first love was something she knew she’d never tire of… or take for granted again. She’d once thought she and Evan were unbreakable, but this year apart taught her that no relationship is invincible, and maintaining that connection had to remain a priority for both partners.
“Hmm,” he said when they were finally forced to break the kiss. “I could get used to this.”
She laughed as she stepped out of his arms and headed toward the conference table. “I can’t promise I’ll be able to sneak away every day, but Elise seemed to have everything under control, so I thought it was safe to leave her alone for a bit.”
Evan claimed the seat next to her as she unwrapped their roast beef and pastrami sandwiches. “Elise, that’s the new vet you hired?”
She passed him a small tossed salad with several packets of his favorite dressing. “Yeah, she’s great. She has several years’ experience working in an animal hospital, so she’s used to dealing with emergency situations.”
“Did I mention how happy I am that you hired a woman this time?”
Erika rolled her eyes. “I see you’re every bit as jealous and possessive as ever.”
He scowled before getting up and walking over to his mini fridge to extract two bottles of water. Passing one to her, he said, “Can you blame me, given what happened with your last new hire?”
She knew they would have to talk about Jeff eventually, though she didn’t want to risk their newfound happiness with a conversation that was bound to anger him. “He wasn’t to blame for our break-up, Evan.”
He twisted the cap off his bottle before settling his eyes on her. “How can you say that? From the first time that guy laid eyes on you, he decided he wanted you and he was determined to figure out a way to get me out of the way so he could have you.”
“That’s not how it happened,” she said cautiously, knowing this could easily escalate to a full-blown argument. That was the last thing she wanted, especially when their relationship was still so tenuous. “He was being a friend, encouraging me to talk about my problems.”
“Yeah, I’m sure he was,” Evan muttered, re-claiming his seat. “Did he tell you I didn’t love or appreciate you anymore? I’m sure he said I didn’t deserve you.”
Erika took a bite of her sandwich, taking the time to chew slowly, hoping he wouldn’t expect a response. When he raised an eyebrow, she knew she wouldn’t get off that easily. “He offered his opinion when I asked for it. I thought I was being too sensitive sometimes and I wanted another man’s opinion. I was hoping he would tell me what we were going through was normal.”
“Oh please,” Evan said, pushing his sandwich away. “Anyone could see how much he wanted you and that he hated me. You honestly expected him to give you an unbiased opinion? Or maybe you just wanted someone to tell you what you wanted to hear… that I was a selfish bastard who didn’t deserve you. Maybe you were lookin’ for a way out?”
She opened her mouth and snapped it shut before she could say
something she might regret later. Sliding her chair back, she said, “I’m not even going to dignify that with a response. I loved you. I begged you to make some changes so we could find a way to fit our relationship into your new life, but you wouldn’t hear anything I had to say.”
“Where the hell are you goin’?” he asked when she got to her feet.
“I didn’t come here to argue with you about Jeff or the past. I thought were trying to move beyond that.”
“We are, but-”
She held her hand up as she slung her purse over her shoulder. “I have to get back to work. I’ll see you later.”
***
Evan cursed his stupidity as she slammed the door behind her. He’d let his jealousy get the best of him again, but when he thought about what that man had cost him, he couldn’t help but see red.
A light tap on the door caused his spirits to soar. He hoped she was already regretting their disagreement because he knew he was. The last thing he wanted was to argue with her and jeopardize the relationship they were starting to re-build. Losing her a second time would kill him.
“Come in.”
Courtney poked her head in the door, holding up a take-out cup from his favorite café, located on the main floor of their office building. “I come bearing a peace offering.”
Evan beckoned for her to enter. “Come on in.” Realizing he’d suddenly lost his appetite, he wrapped the food and placed it back in the bag.
“I’m sorry about getting into it with you earlier, Ev,” she said, setting the cup down in front of him. “I know that’s the last thing you need right now.”
He smiled. It was nice to know someone understood the kind of pressure he was under trying to be everything to everyone. “You’re a goddess,” he said, taking an appreciative swig of the double espresso. “How did you know this is exactly what I needed? It’s been a hell of a morning.”
She winced as she sat down next to him. “No thanks to me, right?”
“It wasn’t just you, Court.” He sighed. “It’s everything.” He set his cup down and raked his hands through his hair before lacing them behind his head. “I can’t afford to screw this up. Everything is ridin’ on findin’ a way to make this work. How the hell am I gonna balance this company with the family I hope to have with Erika?”
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