“Things change. I’m enjoying San Francisco. I have nothing back in D.C. to return to except memories that would only make me sad.”
She at least kept Alan in the forefront. He could do the same. He owed Alan and would deliver.
“Let’s discuss it more when we get upstairs,” he said. Getting out of the car, he waited for her and they walked to the elevator together.
“You’ll have a tough learning curve to come up to speed on the product, on how we tailor plans for individuals and corporations. We’d have to expand to local markets. Targeting individual women living alone would be a radically different tack. We could see what we could incorporate from what we already have, and what other avenues to explore.”
“If I’m in on the ground floor of developing strategies for women, I’ll learn as we develop. Maybe that’s the direction we should take. I can’t come up to speed for a while with your current standard operations. And I might not be as impressive to businessmen as a male operative would be. But I would be as knowledgeable as anyone on a new program. And a woman could sell to another woman.”
“It could work.” He hated to admit it, wished he could find a way to keep her away from the business, and happy to return to Washington next summer. But it looked as if Shannon had her own plans. And they seemed to differ from those Alan had for her.
He’d had six years to get used to treating Shannon as Alan’s. He could do it forever, he hoped.
She barely waited until they were in the apartment before she started in on her idea.
“Have you been thinking about this for a while?” he asked, going to sit on the sofa, his legs stretched out before him. Despite his best intentions, he couldn’t keep his eyes off her. She was so pretty when she was excited. She sat beside him, almost bubbling with energy.
“Actually, yes. I spoke about it to Alan several months ago, but he didn’t think you’d be interested. I thought more about it since staying here. I never felt nervous in Alan’s house, we were so far out in the country and all. But first you insist on using the security panel, then when you came in last night you scared me to death. I was thinking how flimsy doors and windows really are. And what are we taught as kids? Nothing about security or self-defense. Seriously think about it, Jase. I think it would be a good addition to our offerings. And it’s something I could really feel involved in. Like a real partner.”
A real partner. Linked together for as long as the company lasted.
Alan, what have you done? How will I resist Shannon?
“Tell you what, I have to return to Vancouver as soon as the flu has worked its way through all the principal players, so why don’t you work with Sam and Howard and get some basic ideas in hand, and then we’ll all discuss it when I get back. That’ll give you some time to get enough of a handle on what we’re doing to see what might apply to your idea.”
She stared at him, almost bemused.
“What?” Wasn’t he moving fast enough for her?
“Thank you, Jase. It means a lot to me.”
He shrugged. Restless, he rose and headed for his bedroom where he kept his home computer. “I need to check my e-mail,” he said in passing. He was running, but he didn’t see another choice that worked.
Shannon watched him leave, her heart thudding in her chest. He had listened to her idea—really listened. And was giving her the okay to proceed. She almost couldn’t believe it. Alan had not taken her idea seriously, simply telling her he’d look into it. But Jase was giving her free rein. Amazing.
She jumped up and hurried to her room. She needed paper and pen to jot down all her ideas. She was thrilled to be actually doing something important, rather than just processing paper. Sadly she was doing it after Alan’s death. Her husband had considered his role to take care of her. She always thought it was because he was so much older, and viewed life a bit differently than she did. He hadn’t liked her working, but she’d convinced him she needed to do something or go crazy, and why not keep her where she already knew something about the business?
But she had never been considered partnership material by Alan. He’d tried to keep her sheltered from the realities of life, although he couldn’t keep her away from the final reality—his death.
Shannon plunged into her ideas, jotting notes as random thoughts flashed into her mind. She wanted to review them with Jase, to see if he had other suggestions, but she hesitated. Would he take that as confirmation she wasn’t ready to head a project? Or did the men also brainstorm ideas for new ways to protect people?
By Tuesday, Shannon was a nervous wreck. She had to move into her apartment soon because living with Jase—living in Jase’s home, she corrected herself—was driving her quietly insane. Ever since he’d returned from Vancou-ver, she’d become more and more aware of the man. She listened for him when she was in her room, trying to guess what he was doing. They kept apart, he in his office, she in the guest bedroom. But despite the walls that separated them, Shannon was attuned to his presence.
She’d hear him on the phone, and try to ignore his voice and the tingles of awareness that coursed through her. When she’d hear him in the kitchen, it was all she could do to keep from dashing there to get a glass of water or cup of tea. Forcing herself to wait until it was silent, she’d then walk down the hall for a snack. Twice she almost stopped to ask Jase if he wanted to join her. But better sense prevailed. She was trying not to see him, not to depend upon him like she had Alan. She had her own plans, her own future to see to.
But it was hard to resist.
She looked again at the project proposal she’d written. It followed the same format as others she’d seen over the years. She was ready to present the preliminary idea to Jase, and with luck, to the rest of the operatives. She knew it needed more work but she wanted some feedback to make sure she was on target.
She picked up the report and headed for Jase’s office.
“Got a minute?” she asked from the door Maryellen had waved her through.
He looked up. It was the first time she’d really seen him since their apartment hunting trek last Saturday. He looked tired. Was something wrong?
“A few.” He tossed the pen he’d been using onto his desk and leaned back in his chair. “What’s up?”
She stepped inside and put the proposal on his desk.
“I have a preliminary work-up for the idea I had and wanted some feedback.” She felt like a kid in school trying for an A. But it was her first major contribution—if that—and she wanted him to like it.
He glanced at the top page, then pulled the report closer and began to read. Shannon sat on one of the visitor chairs and watched him. With his concentration on the pages, she could look to her heart’s content.
He did look tired. There were faint lines around his eyes she didn’t remember. His hair was dark and gleaming in the light from the windows. It looked thick. She looked away before she began fantasizing about running her fingers through it. His hands were large and strong, with neatly trimmed nails. He turned a page. His concentration was something she found intriguing. When he focused on anything, he gave it full attention.
She remembered how she felt when he looked at her—as if she was the only woman in the world. She swallowed, wondering what a woman in love with Jase would feel when he turned his gaze on her. Her heart pumped a bit faster and she took a deep breath, trying to quell the excitement that raced through.
He finished reading and looked at her. Their gazes locked and Shannon felt as if he’d physically touched her. She felt alive as never before.
“Good work,” he said.
She let go the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding, the warmth of his praise flooding through her.
“Thanks. It needs work, I know, but it’s a start.”
“A very good start. Present it to the next staff meeting, ask for feedback and see who wants to work on the project. I think Howard would be a good man, but there may be others.”
She nodded, feeling alm
ost giddy with relief. She didn’t know what she’d have done if he’d thought it to be a load of trash.
“Do you see any glaring holes?” she asked, not wanting to leave just yet. They shared an apartment, but rarely saw each other. Work was the only common ground they had. She wanted to hold on to this connection just a little longer.
“I think you should offer a few different options, to make the program flexible and more affordable to the average working woman. You can target different age groups, and focus on what they do—like the elderly who shop during the day, or young singles who go bar hopping and all. Home security is good. How about car safety, or public transit awareness?”
She nodded. “I’ve thought of some of those, but didn’t know how exactly to address the safety issue.”
“Bring it up at the meeting,” he said again. He looked at the report. “Good job,” he said again.
She wanted him to look at her. To feel that shiver of sensation when his eyes met hers. But he picked up his pen and began to fiddle with it. It was clearly a dismissal. She smiled and rose. “I’ll have Maryellen put it on the agenda,” she said.
It was as if he didn’t even want to talk to her. Had she done something to offend him? Make him angry? She reviewed Saturday’s outing and every day since. She could find nothing out of the ordinary.
Pausing at the door she looked back. His dark eyes were watching her. She swallowed. “Is anything wrong?”
He shook his head slowly.
Shannon left, wishing they had built up a friendship over the years so she could talk to him more easily.
I wanted to date you. The words echoed. Did the past have any bearing on the present? What if he wanted to date her now?
She went to the ladies’ lounge and splashed cold water on her face. She wasn’t ready to date anyone. She still missed her husband. At this point she knew intellectually she might move on, but emotionally she wasn’t ready. She was still grieving over her loss. How could she even think about something from the long distance past? She and Jase were business partners, nothing more.
CHAPTER FIVE
September
SHANNON LET HERSELF into her apartment and carried the bag of groceries into the small kitchen. She had eaten dinner before stopping by the small corner store for a few items for breakfast.
She put everything away in only a couple of moments, folding the bag and stuffing it in the space between the fridge and the counter. The kitchen was immaculate. It didn’t take much to feed one person, especially as she was eating lighter than normal. Except if she stopped to eat at one of the restaurants between work and the apartment.
Walking back toward the bedroom she glanced around. This was her home. The furnishings had arrived a couple of weeks ago, and filled the small apartment. She missed the spaciousness of the big rambling home she and Alan had shared, but tried not to regret the loss. She had enough to do in San Francisco to keep her focused on the future.
Reaching the small bedroom, she looked at the new queen-size bed. The one she and Alan had shared remained in the old family home in Virginia. This was symbolic of her new life. One that was easier to deal with because she wasn’t still surrounded by familiar things, she thought, shedding her business suit for more comfortable attire.
Wandering back into the living room, she sat on the love seat and gazed out the window. The view was not of tree-covered land, or even a pretty view of one of the Bay Area bridges. Just another apartment building across the street.
She’d deliberately left work at the office tonight. She’d brought files and reports home with her every night since she’d moved in a week ago, to fill the evening hours. But today she had decided she needed to get a life in San Francisco. Now that she had a home, however, she had no energy to go out to meet people, or find new activities to join. She’d noted a series of lectures at one of the library branches close to the new apartment. But she didn’t feel like attending.
She had met another tenant on her floor, but only in passing. The woman was older, married, and the likelihood of their becoming friends was remote.
Being a partner in the firm wasn’t any easier, either, she thought. Since technically she was the boss of almost everyone in the company, friendships at work were unlikely. Unless it was with Jase.
Which was the crux of her problem, she admitted. They had not made any overtures as friends. He was gone almost as much as he was there. After he’d returned from the curtailed Vancouver trip, he had almost immediately left for Hong Kong. He’d been back in the office two days and she’d only caught glimpses of him.
He’d been out of the country when she moved.
Not that she needed help moving, she’d had professional movers for that. But she’d hoped to have him over for dinner or something to celebrate her new independence.
And to discuss the problems Dean was causing.
Almost as if thinking about her former brother-in-law conjured him up, the phone rang. She let the answering machine pick up.
“Shannon, this is Dean. Call me. I tried you at work, but they said you were in meetings. How many meetings does a glorified secretary need? If you think avoiding my calls will change anything, you’re wrong. I have an attorney preparing a request to audit funds.” There was a moment of silence. “Call me,” he said again and hung up.
It was the same old story, she thought. He knew, or suspected, Alan had taken extra money those last months and he was determined to get every penny back. Maybe she should consult an attorney on her own. She felt the money was hers, but maybe she was wrong.
“Oh, Alan.” She sighed. She no longer felt his presence. He had been dead only a few months, but everything had changed in her life. She didn’t miss him with the crushing pain as she first had. Being in a different setting, a different home, doing completely different work had had the effect of separating her from the past. Everything had changed, so she wasn’t constantly reminded of him by places and things they’d seen and done together.
Even her furniture was different. Her own things had been in storage for six years because they hadn’t needed them for their home. She’d almost sold everything a couple of years ago rather than pay storage fees, but was glad now she’d delayed. Alan had sat on this love seat when he’d courted her. But it wasn’t tied to him like the furnishings in the old house had been.
She hoped she’d done right by moving.
Acting on impulse, she reached for the phone and called Jase. When his home line rang and rang, she tried the office.
“Pembrooke,” he answered. He was still there. Did she know her partner or what?
“Shannon here.”
“Something wrong?”
“No. Do you always assume the worst when I call?” she asked.
“You don’t usually call to just talk,” he said.
“This time I’m calling with an invitation. I’d like you to come to dinner on Saturday night, to celebrate my new apartment.”
He hesitated.
“You’ll be in town, I checked with Maryellen. It’s just dinner, Jase.”
“Very well, I accept.”
She wanted more than politeness, but would take what she got.
“Come around seven, I’ll fix us a special meal.”
“All right, see you then.”
“If not at the office,” she murmured.
“What?”
“I work a few feet down the hall from you, yet I’ve hardly seen you at all since you returned from Hong Kong.”
“I’m catching up. I’m still here reading reports.”
“When you could be home working,” she teased. “You need a life, Jase.”
“You could be right. I’ll have to see what I can do about that.”
Shannon didn’t like the answer. What was wrong with her? His private life was none of her concern. Still, she wished he wanted to do something with her. Maybe take her to a showing at the DeYoung Museum, or invite her to go jogging with him.
Not that she ne
eded taking care of as Alan had thought. It’s just that she would like a bit more than the cut and dried atmosphere of the office.
“You do that. See you,” she said, hanging up quickly before she said something she’d later regret.
Rising, she slipped on some walking shoes and left the apartment. September was a beautiful month in San Francisco. She’d catch a cable car to the wharf and walk along with the tourists. And get her mind off Jase Pembrooke and the promises her husband had extracted from them both.
Jase hung up the phone and glared at it. He was a glutton for punishment. He should have said he was busy Saturday night. In fact, why wasn’t he? Tossing down his pen, he rose and crossed to the window. Gazing out he wasn’t soothed by the thoughts that jumbled in his mind. He was used to a healthy social life and he hadn’t asked anyone out since Alan’s death.
He wanted to ask Shannon out.
He gave a disgusted sound and turned around. Time to head for home. He’d change and go running; burn off some of the frustrations being around her was guaranteed to bring. He’d promised his friend he’d watch out for his wife, not put the make on her. Anyway, she’d settle in soon enough, make friends, form her own interests.
He had his own interests as well. Tomorrow he’d call Zach Warren and see if he was up for a game of hand ball. Or see if Marc Hamilton wanted to go rock climbing at Yosemite this weekend. No, he’d promised dinner with Shannon on Saturday.
What would they talk about? Business? Alan? Dean? Was the man still giving her trouble, or had he ended that nonsense? He’d have to check with his hostess when he got there.
Shannon with the pretty blue eyes, the excitement over the new division of women’s security, the silky golden-brown hair, and radiant smile.
He punched the elevator button with more force than necessary. Running would clear his mind and give him some peace. And then maybe he’d call a woman or two he knew and ask them out. It was definitely more than time to get back in the dating scene. Alan’s death had hit him hard, but life moved on.
His Inherited Wife Page 6