Tears streamed down her cheeks. "Chris, I can't… this is just… too difficult… too complicated. I have to salvage what's left of my career. What am I going to do now? If I get fired, do you really think anyone's going to want to hire me when word gets out that we— No, how I feel is irrelevant. There's too much at stake. I'm so sorry." She covered her mouth with her hand and ran out of the school. Her shoulders shook as she sobbed into her hands. She'd dreamed of hearing those words for so long. He loved her… and now she had to walk away.
"WILL YOU PLEASE TELL me what the hell is going on with you and Mia?" Rachel handed Chris a coffee mug. "What happened to you last night? She was a hot mess when we met her outside, but she wouldn't say anything."
Chris stared at the steam rising from the cup. "I'm in love with her."
"Un-freaking-believable. And you're the work guy she'd been talking about all along. How did I not connect the dots on that one?"
"Maybe because you're not so great with details, either."
"Did you tell her? What did she say?"
"She blew me off… twice. It's done. She doesn't feel the same way."
"Don't be so quick to close the book on her. Based on the few conversations we had, it seemed pretty clear she was into you but knew there wasn't a future. Your philandering tendencies were a definite red flag. Maybe she's rebelling against her feelings because she's afraid of getting hurt. I don't think you should give up."
"It's over. I've tortured myself enough."
"Wrong answer. You think you know girls, but you have no idea. You hear one thing, and you assume it's what she means. If your feelings are real, prove it to her. Show her you're not going anywhere, and you'll do whatever it takes to win her trust. Jeez, since when do you need to take romantic advice from me?"
Chris gave her a playful nudge. "Since I became a grown-up and finally figured out what life's all about."
"WHERE'S YOUR DRILL?"
"What would I do with a drill?"
"You're a homeowner. Did you ever consider the fact that you might need to, I don't know, tighten a screw here and there?"
"But I have you for that, dear brother."
"Lucky for you I came prepared." Sean grabbed his toolbox. "Have you heard from Alex since the other day?"
"No, nothing. Maybe he finally got the message."
"We'll get you locked up nice and tight. You've got the alarm, which is a good thing. A few more deadbolts, and you'll be all set."
"Thanks. It doesn't take the edge off completely, but it makes me feel safer." She checked her emails. Nothing from Chris, but was that so surprising? A sick feeling in the pit of her stomach plagued her. It wasn't like she'd left him an opening the night before.
"What's wrong?"
"Hmmm, where to begin? I'm crazy about a guy I can never be with. I basically told him off twice in the same weekend, which will pretty much guarantee he'll never want to speak to me again, and I'm probably going to get fired tomorrow morning for inappropriate behavior in the office. You know, just typical everyday crap."
"Do you think you may have overreacted just a bit?"
"Seriously?"
"The guy pretty much laid his heart on the line, and you stomped all over it. Twice. What's the problem?"
"I'm feeling a million things right now. Yeah, he's fabulous and sexy and adorable, but we work together, and that's a huge no-no. Besides, he's a total player, and I don't want to be another notch on his bedpost. I can't make foolish choices anymore."
"It's pretty clear you have feelings for this guy. Why are you running from them?"
"After what happened with Greg, I just…" She toyed with her ponytail. "I was so wrong about him, and he broke my heart. I never saw it coming at all."
"Easy there, killer. You fell for a guy who turned out to be a grade-A jackass, but that doesn't mean you take yourself out of the game forever. And stop using Chloe as an excuse for not getting involved with someone."
"I don't use her as an excuse!"
"Yes, you do. She's your top reason for avoiding a relationship. And as much as you try to convince yourself that you're out to protect Chloe, deep down I think you know it's you who needs the protection."
"Thanks for the psychoanalysis."
"Look, he obviously cares about you, enough that he's willing to let you yell and scream at him and then come back for more."
"I doubt he'll ever speak to me again after last night. I really messed up. I'm not sure I can fix it."
"Yes, you can. Tell him how you feel. Stop running away. It's okay to be scared and out of control. Jesus, I'm gonna be a dad soon. I'm scared shitless I'll screw up my kid beyond belief. What the heck do I know about being a parent? But I'll figure it out. I don't want to avoid the joys of parenthood because I'm afraid I may fail."
"And Chloe…?"
"Don't worry about Chloe. She's a pretty tough cookie, just like her mom. If it doesn't work out, at least you know you tried. Be honest with him."
The damage she'd done might be beyond repair. Chris's eyes had held so much hope — hope she'd single-handedly destroyed. Admitting his feelings… laying all his cards on the table… it didn't sound like some fleeting crush, and that scared the hell out of her. There was too much intensity and raw emotion on both sides. How could it possibly end well with so much standing in their way? So she'd ignored her heart yet again and left him behind to pick up the jagged pieces of his own.
THE AUDI'S ENGINE ROARED to life. Chris pressed on the gas and zoomed down the street. A quick glance at the clock told him he had about ten minutes to spare.
He punched the speed dial on his dashboard and waited for James to answer. "Hey, what's going on? Why are you calling so early?"
James was never up before nine unless it was a life or death situation. "You know you're like a brother to me, right?"
"Yeah…"
"I'm going to do something you won't be happy about. But I need you to know how hard it's going to be, and I don't want it to come between us, okay?"
"You woke me up at the crack of dawn for this shit? Spit it out already!"
"I'm leaving LazerShark."
James snickered. "I know."
"What do you mean? I haven't even told anyone."
"I'm your best friend, and I know you better than anyone. This is about Mia, right? You're doing this to be with her."
"Yeah, but I don't under—"
"You're the guy who goes for what he wants, no matter what. When you're invested, nothing gets in your way. You're the most loyal guy I know, and it's no shock you're doing this because you're really serious about her."
"I promise I'll take care of any loose ends before I leave. I just… I can't let her go. I need to make her understand how much she means to me. I'm headed to Blue Coat right now. Paul is about to fire her because he caught us kissing in the office the other night and I—"
"He what? Jesus Christ! That's so you, isn't it? What are you going to do, just barge in?"
"Yep."
"Paul's gonna love another replay of that."
"What are you talking about?"
"Nothing, don't worry about it. Listen, do whatever it takes to get your girl. I'll make a fortune with or without you."
"I know you will."
"Alright, I'm going back to bed. Don't call me until much later to report the details. Oh yeah, and please don't fuck up my partnership with Blue Coat."
"Deal. Sweet dreams." He didn't know how any of this was going to play out, but it was the right decision. He had to make her believe in him.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
MIA LEAPED OUT OF HER CHAIR, unable to sit any longer. Minutes crept by so slowly; they seemed to stretch into hours. Her stomach churned as she paced the length of her office, waiting to be summoned, like a death row inmate.
Alison poked her head into the office. "Paul's ready for you now."
"Okay, thanks." She smoothed the front of her skirt. Anyone could have had a slip, right?
She
walked down the hallway to Paul's office. Her throat was so tight she could barely suck in a breath. Cringing with each step, she finally arrived in the doorway. Hopefully, those recruiters would have some good leads for her in about twenty minutes. Maybe she could get an interview that afternoon before anything leaked.
Paul looked up and, without a word, waved her inside. She took a seat in front of his desk, ignoring Dan and his shit-eating grin. The bastard had probably hidden out and called Paul back to the office to catch them in the act.
He fixed an icy stare on them and folded his hands. "I'm not going to mince words. Someone's getting fired today."
Mia rose on shaky feet. "I made a severe error in judgment, and I—"
Alison's panicked voice drifted into the office. "Chris, you can't go barging in there. He's in a meeting."
A few seconds passed, and Chris appeared, jaw set and eyes steely.
"Paul, don't do this. Hear me out first."
Paul slammed his hands on the desk. "Camden, what the hell are you doing here? This is a private meeting." He pointed to Chris. "You know, you and James have a serious problem with observing boundaries."
"Not sure what you mean by that, but I'm only here because I—"
"Quit while you're ahead, Camden. Trust me." He pointed to Mia. "Your indiscretion has the potential of causing Blue Coat a lot of headaches — bad press, lost investments, tarnished reputation. Do you realize that?"
"Yes. That's why I'm resigning."
Dan's grin widened, and he shifted in the chair, practically salivating. Scumbag.
"Please don't let my error in judgment impact LazerShark. I'm stepping out now because I don't want to compromise the future of either of your companies."
"No!" Chris looked at Mia. "I'm not letting you do this. I know how important this job is to you. I'm leaving LazerShark. I already arranged to sell my shares. I want to be with you. And if you need proof that I'm serious about you and about us, then here it is. I'm giving it all up and taking another leap. Some might say I'm a glutton for punishment."
"You'd walk away from LazerShark for me?"
"Oh for Christ's sake!" Paul interrupted, annoyance lacing his words. "This isn't a goddamn Lifetime movie! Camden, sit down. I'm running the show here. Got it?" He turned to Mia. "Anywhere else, you'd be fired on the spot for your little tête-à-tête."
Heat singed her cheeks. No words could justify her actions.
Paul turned his attention to Dan with a nasty smile. "Harris, I know you think you're ready to steer this ship into the sunset."
"Paul, I'm so ready to—"
"Let me finish. For future reference, if you want a shot at the helm, don't get caught talking shit about the captain."
Dan's face drained of color, and Mia swallowed a chuckle.
"That's right. I've got eyes and ears everywhere. You had the audacity to question my decisions, so now you can pack up your grievances and find another place of business. By the way, this doesn't entirely have to do with what you said. Your numbers are pathetic. You haven't brought any value to Blue Coat's portfolio since you started. You're lucky I kept you on as long as I did. You're officially relieved of your position. Get out."
Dan's mouth dropped open. He'd have a hell of a time getting another job in this town once people found out that Paul Emerson kicked him to the curb. Good effing riddance.
Dan stood up and took a breath in preparation for a response. A menacing look from Paul apparently changed his mind, and he slinked out of the room without a word.
Paul walked to the large window and stared at the city below. "I'm in the business of making money. That's always been my objective, and I think I've made that clear to you both, correct?"
"Yes," Mia and Chris responded. What was he getting at?
"Camden, you're not leaving LazerShark."
"But I've already—"
"Whatever you did, reverse it. Otherwise, the offer is off the table. The McMillen Group wants you and James, the dream team, so to speak."
"I don't understand."
"A.J. and I went to New York last weekend to meet with one of the legal teams for McMillen. They approached me with an offer to acquire LazerShark for forty-million dollars. They want you both to continue leading the charge, and they're going to direct you right onto the New York Stock Exchange."
Mia's eyes widened. "Are you serious?"
"We went through the details of the offer so I could bring it to you today. You beat me to the punch."
Mia clasped her hands. "Chris! That's amazing! I'm so happy for you guys!"
"I think we've made it clear that we're not ready to walk away from LazerShark. I'm not so sure that—"
"Camden, relax and enjoy. This is a good thing. I'm not about to let you sign a bad deal. They want to absorb your company. LazerShark isn't going anywhere. You guys are still in control, and you take the team with you. We'll negotiate every last detail so you guys feel comfortable. I can appreciate your concern, but this is a great opportunity. You get to keep a stake in your company, and you get to run the show day-to-day. It's very rare that this kind of opportunity comes along. Pretty soon, all the stock options you provided to your associates will turn into a giant windfall for them. This is the goal you guys have been working toward. You know what else it means, right?"
"It means we execute the exit strategy." They could be together! She stole a look at Chris. Warmth radiated throughout her body as she drank in his longing gaze.
"Correct. You did great work here, and your efforts contributed to this offer. I'm not about to let you resign, Mia." He pulled out his iPhone. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to make a call. Why don't you do the honors and inform James about his newfound fortune?"
She pulled Chris into her office and shut the door. "You were willing to walk away from LazerShark just to be with me?"
"Yeah."
The featherlight touch of his fingertips on her cheeks made her shiver against him. "I'm so sorry about everything. I never should have left the other night without telling you the truth. I'm in love with you, Chris. I have been for a while, and I was too scared to do anything about it. I was afraid of getting hurt, and, by walking away, I ended up hurting you instead."
"Are you still afraid?"
"Yes. But I want to be happy, and all I know is when I'm with you, I'm happier than I've ever been in my life."
"You know what this means, don't you?" Chris asked, mimicking Paul.
"What?"
His arms tightened around her waist, evidence of his longing pressed against her. "It means you'll have to take the rest of the day off so I can take you home and ravage you. I think we need some time alone to celebrate. How do you feel about that?"
"Sounds like a plan to me, as long as we can stop at Jamba Juice on the way." She trailed her lips over his neck. "Maybe I'll get an extra power shot in my smoothie. I have a feeling I'm going to need all the energy I can get."
"WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO now?" Mia sipped her smoothie. A satisfied moan escaped her lips.
"Whatever we do, I definitely want to hear a lot more of that. But first, I really need to find Jay and tell him the good news."
"Great. I'm coming with you."
"Promise?"
She swiped at him. "I'll follow."
It was a quick drive to the LazerShark office. Mia toyed with the satellite radio, searching for a song to fit her mood. A quick glance in the rearview window made her blood run cold. Alex? No, why would he be behind her? He must be at work by now.
She squinted to get a better look, but before she could confirm, the car made a sharp turn and sped down a side street. Mia expelled a shaky breath. Was he stalking her again? Had he ever really stopped?
Chris pulled into the parking lot with Mia in tow. She stepped out of the car, her legs wobbly.
He put his hands on her shoulders, and she collapsed against him, heart thundering. "What's wrong? You're white as a ghost."
Her eyes darted toward the road. "I think
Alex was just following me."
"Are you sure? Was it definitely him?"
"I'm pretty certain, but he made a turn before I could get a closer look. Oh God, do you think he'll try something?"
"I honestly don't know. The guy's a complete wacko. Let's go down to the police station this afternoon. I know it'll be a tough sell, but maybe they can do something."
"I doubt it."
He tilted her trembling chin. "I won't let anything happen to you and Chloe. I promise. I'll take care of it."
The look in his eyes told her everything she needed to know. He'd always protect her, always keep her safe. "Okay, I believe you. Let's deliver some fantastic news."
STREAMING VIDEOS DISPLAYED ON the walls of the bullpen, and numbers of viewers climbed with each passing second. Competing voices bombarded them as they entered the expansive office. The whole place buzzed with activity and excitement. It was contagious.
"Oh my God, Chris. Look at those numbers! No wonder McMillen wants LazerShark so badly. You guys have taken over the cyber gaming space."
"I know, it's pretty crazy. I can't believe we really did this."
James popped his head out of the office. "Hey, guys, what's going on? How did Paul take the unexpected drop-in?"
"He mentioned something about us not observing boundaries. What was he talking about?"
"I may have barged into his office to confront him about Jessica before we accepted their offer."
"Seriously, man? And you have the nerve to accuse me of messing things up?"
"Wait, what happened with Jessica?" Mia looked at Chris then at James. "Am I missing something?"
"Yeah, Jess and Paul had a little fling a long time ago, and Jay couldn't handle it. He finally came to his senses, though. Lucky for him."
"Okay, enough. Why are you here anyway?" He smirked. "Shouldn't you be interviewing or something?"
"We have some news." And the faster he delivered it, the sooner he could get Mia naked.
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