by Katie Knight
“About what?” She frowned over at him.
“Your earrings.” He stirred the veggies on the roasting pan and closed the oven once more, placing the spatula in its holder on the counter. The air smelled of garlic and herbs and warm bread from the rolls also heating in the oven. His stomach rumbled. He’d skipped lunch working on those damned reports about Devon’s financial shenanigans. Pain pinched the side of his neck again and he rubbed the sore spot before asking. “I noticed them that first night but didn’t say anything. Why so many? And why only on one side?”
She narrowed her gaze on him, her eyes tracking his movement and her expression unreadable. “Have you got a problem with my piercings?”
“No.” Drake held up his hands in the universal sign of surrender, taking a step back. “No problem at all. Just wondered. If you don’t want to tell me, though, that’s fine. Trying to make conversation.”
“Hmm. I’m sorry too, for snapping at you like that. I guess I’m crankier than I thought after today. Or maybe it’s my blood sugar again.” She sipped her water, then exhaled slowly, her shoulders slumping slightly. Her stomach growled too, and she placed her hand over it, then gave him a small smile. “I got my ears pierced when I was eighteen. It was a…rough time for me. Things had happened in my personal life that made me want to rebel.”
Drake wanted to ask more about that but noticed the shadows crossing her lovely face. Whatever had happened when she was eighteen obviously hadn’t been pleasant. If she didn’t like to think back on it, then he wouldn’t force her to. She’d been through so much, he didn’t want to cause her any more upset, so he asked, “Does the right ear have significance? Is there a special reason you got five in that one instead of the other?”
“No. I wish there were a reason—some kind of purpose or message, beyond my own youthful stupidity.” Lake chuckled, the sound washing over his weary muscles like a balm, releasing the knots of tension between his shoulder blades. “And the only significance is as a warning. Whatever you do, kids, never get both ears pierced five times at once.” His eyes widened slightly at that and she grinned. “Yeah, it was a bad as it sounds. I couldn’t sleep for three days because of the soreness afterward. Then the left ones got infected, so I took the studs out on that side to treat the infection and so I could sleep again. By the time the infection cleared the holes had healed over already and I was too chicken to go back and get them redone.” She smiled wistfully, then reached up and traced her fingers over the glittering stones lining the shell of her right ear. “Besides, I kind of dig the look of having only one ear completely bedazzled, so I stuck with it. Plus, it’s a nice ice-breaker conversation-wise, right?”
“Right,” he said, his gaze still focused on her right ear. He had the crazy urge to follow the same path with his own fingers, but fisted his hands at his sides to keep from reaching for her. He had no business touching Lake Bailey. Not tonight. Not ever.
Thankfully, the oven timer dinged, distracting him. He slid on an oven mitt to pull out the roasting pan and rolls, then busied himself tossing their salad and putting the warm bread in a basket. Lake helped by putting out the salad and breadbasket while he gathered their plates, silverware, and napkins.
“Accounting sent over some financial reports I’d requested today,” Drake said as he worked, going over his day with her like an old married couple. They’d only known each other a few days, but it seemed so easy to talk to her. He didn’t want to think too hard about why that was, so he just went with it. This time with her was the most relaxing part of his day and he didn’t want to ruin it. “I spent the afternoon going over them. All those red flags you pointed out are there, plain as day. From what I saw, it’s hard not to believe Devon was an active, informed part of it.”
Lake stared down at her stockinged toes, frowning. “I’m sorry you’re having to deal with all of this after his death. Things must be hard enough for you without learning all these awful things about your brother. If it’s any consolation, it was hard for me to believe in Devon’s involvement too when I first saw the discrepancies. I thought there must be some mistake, or something I was misunderstanding. That’s why I went straight to him with my concerns. But after going over everything, it was the only conclusion I could come up with too. By the time of the accident, he had me questioning everything. I even wondered if he just slept with me to distract me. I don’t like to think of myself as a gullible person, but…”
“No. I mean, I can’t speak for my brother’s motivations in your relationship, nor would I try. Like I said, we weren’t close. But I wouldn’t blame yourself,” he said, setting out their dinnerware on the table, then returning to the counter to dish up their dinner. “And I can’t say I’m shocked by Devon’s behavior. He was always a ruthless son of a bitch. It’s one of the main reasons we never got along. But I am still having a hard time understanding why he’d put the whole company at risk that way.”
If she was bothered by him insulting her ex-lover, Lake didn’t show it. Instead, she took a seat at the table and nibbled on a roll from the basket he’d placed there. “I’ve no idea.”
After dishing up the chicken and veggies onto a platter, Drake set it on the table along with a bottle of ale for himself and more water for Lake, then took the chair across from her. “Once we finish eating, I was hoping to have you go over the reports too, if you don’t mind. I brought my laptop home with me from the office.”
“Sure, whatever you need.” She dug into her meal and moaned. “Man, this is great. Thanks for cooking.”
“Like I said, I enjoy it.” He grinned and twisted the cap off his bottle. “Thanks for eating it.”
As they continued eating, he studied her from across the table. She’d mentioned having a rough day and he could see the strain of it in her face. Shadows marred the delicate skin beneath her eyes, and her complexion looked paler than normal. Concern clawed up inside him and he wondered if she was taking on more than she should. After all, Devon’s death had to have been a major shock to her, as it had been for him. Plus, she had the pregnancy to contend with on top of it, and the fear of another attack like the one on her car. Maybe asking her to go over the reports tonight hadn’t been such a great idea after all. Maybe she’d benefit more from making an early night of it and catching up on some rest. They’d waited this long, one more night wouldn’t matter.
“You know what?” he said after a moment, pushing his empty salad bowl aside to start on his chicken. “Forget about those reports for the evening. They can wait until tomorrow. My head’s too full of numbers as it is and I could use a break, frankly.”
Lake glanced up at him, a mix of relief and wariness flickering through her lovely dark gaze. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. Absolutely,” he said, taking a long swig of his ale. “Let’s rest tonight and start fresh in the morning.”
“Okay.” Her small smile was rife with gratefulness and Drake felt an odd pressure in his chest. Protectiveness and appreciation. “If you’re sure, then I wouldn’t mind an early night either. I’ll check my schedule after dinner, and we can set up a time that works for both of us.”
Seven
“We want Shepperton in our portfolio of companies,” Mark Walden said to Drake the next day. He and his son, Clint, sat across the table from Drake in the boardroom. “I think our business philosophies mesh well together and we can take things even farther toward your family’s original vision—bringing the business to new markets while making adjustments to keep costs under control would allow Shepperton, Inc. to grow stockholder value to new heights. Win-win, am I right?”
This was the first meeting with prospective buyers on Drake’s agenda, and he had to say he wasn’t impressed. Mark and Clint reminded him way too much of his own father and Devon. That was bad. Sure, they talked about expanding the company’s operations, but behind the fancy language, Drake knew that “adjustments” to costs inevitably meant finding cheaper labor markets and cutting jobs. Sure, it would grow the comp
any’s bottom line, but at the expense of all the decent workers who had made this company into the industry powerhouse it was. What he wanted to do was tell them both to take their portfolio and shove it where the sun didn’t shine. What he did instead was steeple his fingers and tap the tips against his lips while taking a deep breath and praying for patience. There had to be better buyers out there. People who wouldn’t chop up the assets and sell them to the highest bidder, or lay off whole communities of dedicated employees. Devon and his father might not have cared about the people working for them, but Drake did. In fact, the employees were about the only thing Drake did care about at Shepperton. Well, that and Lake.
In a purely professional and protector capacity.
Yep.
He shifted in his seat and crossed his legs away from Mark Walden and his son. “Well, you’ve certainly given me a lot to think about.” He pressed the button on the intercom to have Maggie show them out. “I’ll be in touch if I need anything else from you.”
Before they could protest the abrupt ending to their meeting, Drake’s trusty assistant showed up to escort them to the exit. He reminded himself to give her a raise on her next paycheck.
“Oh.” Maggie stopped with the door nearly closed behind her and peeked her head back into the boardroom. “Ms. Bailey’s here to see you as well.”
His dreary morning turned a bit sunnier. “Send her to my office, please.”
“Will do, Drake,” Maggie said smiling.
Lake sat in one of the overpriced designer chairs Devon had recently redecorated the reception area outside of his office with and fussed with the pristine hem of her white shirt. It was probably her imagination, but it seemed that already her clothes were fitting a bit tighter. Silly, honestly. She wasn’t even showing yet. But still…ever since she’d found out she was pregnant, everything about her life had changed. Why not her clothing size too?
She snorted and looked up as two men came down the hall with Maggie, their voices carrying over the quiet classical music piped in over the built-in sound system in the ceiling.
“Nailed it,” the younger guy said. With his slick appearance and shark-like smile, he reminded Lake of Devon in all the worst ways. “They’d be idiots not to sell to us. No one gives better balance sheet appeal than us.”
The two men stepped aboard the elevator and the doors closed, cutting off the rest of their conversation. Still, Lake had heard enough to figure out they must be prospective buyers for the company. She’d known Drake was aggressively searching for new ownership, she just hadn’t expected it to happen so fast, she supposed. Her stomach cramped a bit and she rubbed her hand over the sore spot. Another change coming, and one she felt less happy about. With Shepperton, Inc. changing hands, there was no guarantee the new owners would continue with the foundation arm of the business, or that they would want her to continue running it. If Shepperton, Inc. was folded into another company, there would be redundancies that resulted in job cuts, which meant Lake could find herself out on the street just when she needed steady income the most.
Of course, Drake had assured her she’d be taken care of, but the prospect was still unsettling. She liked her independence. Avoided being beholden to people like the plague. But was that just her pride speaking? As a mother, shouldn’t she put the well-being of her child ahead of everything else? Or would she be sending the wrong message to her child if she let someone else take care of her problems instead of facing them herself?
Ugh, it was all so confusing and she was already reeling from everything else going on.
“You can go back to his office now, Ms. Bailey,” Maggie called to her.
“Thank you,” Lake said, standing and grabbing her bag with her laptop inside. The older woman smiled at her as she passed by the reception desk, her narrowed gaze far too perceptive for Lake’s comfort. Feeling the weight of the secretary’s stare on her back as she reached the hallway leading to Drake’s office, Lake couldn’t stop herself from asking, “What?”
“Nothing,” Maggie said, sitting down behind her desk once more. “You just look different, that’s all.”
“Different how?”
“Hmm. Hard to say.” Maggie peered at her over the rims of her glasses. “There’s a glow about you.”
Lake blanched slightly. No one knew she was pregnant except for her and Drake. Surely he wouldn’t have said anything. And if it was too early for her be showing, it was way too early to glow, right?
Feeling flustered, Lake tucked her hair behind her left ear and turned away, mumbling, “Vitamins.”
By the time she reached Drake’s corner office, her anxiety was mounting. It would be hard enough for her to find a new job once she told a prospective employer she’d be off on maternity not long after she started. Technically, they couldn’t not hire her because of it, but if it was down to her and another qualified candidate who wasn’t pregnant…why wouldn’t they pick the option that caused the least amount of trouble for them?
Her stomach churned again, and Lake forced herself to calm. She’d been sick earlier this morning as it was. No sense upchucking again now, especially outside Drake’s office. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, waiting to knock until the bile receded from her throat.
“Come in,” Drake called from inside and she opened the door, halting at the sight of him behind Devon’s old desk, the burn in her throat quickly replaced by a different kind of fire in her blood. At first she’d only seen the physical similarities between the brothers. Now the differences were more apparent to her than ever, in a good way. Drake was everything Devon wasn’t. Good, strong, moral, kind. And, if she was honest with herself—gorgeous as hell. Yep. She was attracted to him. No doubt about it.
Not that she planned to act on that at all. She smiled, then looked away from him fast before he noticed her staring. She closed the door behind her and took a seat in the single chair left in front of the desk. The atmosphere in the room was much more relaxed than it had ever been when the previous occupant was around. Devon was almost manic when it came to his appearance, always dressed impeccably, always demanding perfection of everything around him, never satisfied with “good enough.”
Drake, on the other hand, sat back in his temporary office chair stolen from in front of the desk, Devon’s old, uncomfortable designer model shoved into the corner where it belonged. After his meeting he’d loosened his tie again, the first button of his shirt open to reveal a small glimpse of his tanned throat. Lake found herself blinking at that tiny area now, feeling a strange urge to lick him right there to see if he moaned.
Whoops. No. She had no business having her tongue anywhere near Drake Shepperton. Nope.
“So, did you have a chance to go over those reports this morning?” he asked her, playing with a stack of paper clips on his desk. “Find anything new?”
“I did,” she said, glad for the distraction from staring at his muscled bod sprawled in that chair like he owned the place…which he did. But still. He carried the power so easily, so gracefully. There was no pretension with Drake, no need to prove himself to anyone, not like with Devon. He had always been so driven to prove he was number one, to stay on top, to keep his edge. Drake was comfortable in his own skin. That was it. He didn’t force things because there wasn’t a need to. It was one of the things she found most attractive about him. She cleared her throat of the sudden constriction there and continued. “Go over those reports from accounting again, I mean. And no. I didn’t find anything new.”
“Okay.” Drake sat forward, shoving the paper clips aside so he could rest his forearms on the desk. “Well, keep searching the financial records. And I’ve got an outside analyst probing Devon’s personal accounts for any irregularities. Also, I need you to give me a list of all the people who could sign off on outgoing grant money, please.”
“No problem.” Lake got out her laptop and typed notes into a new document. “What else?”
“Go over the top grants again and see if any oddities
pop out at you. You’d know better than me what should and shouldn’t be there.”
“Done.” She started to get up, but Drake stopped her.
“Unless you need to go back to your desk, you might as well work from here.” He pointed to the table across the office. “It looks like it’s getting ready to rain outside.” Years ago, when Shepperton, Inc. had outgrown the office space in its original building, the simplest way to expand had been to purchase the building across the street. A sky bridge had long since been constructed to connect the two buildings on the upper floors, but a bad storm the previous month had caused some damage to the bridge, so for the time being, a short walk outside was needed to pass from one building to the other.
“Oh.” She glanced out his window and saw the clouds increasing. It had only been overcast when she’d walked over here earlier. “Okay. Sure. I can work from here, I guess.”
Lake got herself set up at the table, then dug into the projects Drake had given her. While she worked, he handled more of the daily tasks of the business that required the CEO’s authorization, mainly phone calls and paperwork, from what she could tell. She did her best not to listen in, but with them sitting in the same room, it was impossible. As she pulled up reports and made lists, she noted the tone with which he talked to people. Courteous and clear, with none of the artifice and sarcasm that had been so evident in Devon’s voice a lot of the time. Devon had been too busy, too important, for those he felt beneath him most of the time, and it had showed.