Easy Reunion

by Jerald, Tracey

  Seconds later, Declan Boudreaux and his fiancée, Callie, come through my door. “True, but at least you know it’s more of a social call than dealing with one of my pain-in-the-ass brothers.”

  I come out from around my desk to greet them. “Now, this is a pleasant surprise. I was thinking it was going to be Eli asking if…”

  My intercom beeps again. Vince’s voice is much more anxious. “I hate to interrupt, Ry, but Mr. Boudreaux—Eli—just called to ask when he can expect the combined quarterly contract summary.”

  “Well, I see my punching him during our workout didn’t knock some polite into him,” Declan grumbles good-naturedly.

  I shrug. “It’s always like this at the end of the quarter.”

  “Then we won’t take up much of your time,” Callie says.

  “What can I help you with?” I lean against my desk.

  “Well, you know my best friend, Adam?” Callie asks.

  I nod. Anyone who’s ever been to The Odyssey has seen the hijinks between the two of them behind the bar. It offers a whole different version of entertainment other than when Declan’s performing on stage.

  Callie shoots me a smile that likely broke more than a few hearts before Declan slid his ring on her finger. “Well, we’re expanding. And he’s becoming my partner. Actually, unofficially, that’s already occurred.”

  “That’s great news.” I truly mean it. The Odyssey’s made a hell of a reputation for itself.

  “We’re excited by it. What we came by to ask is, who would you recommend to draw up the formal paperwork?” Callie’s thoughtful. “I don’t want some yahoo playing in my business.”

  Declan picks up her hand and kisses the back of it. “I thought you wanted Adam as a partner, baby.”

  Callie turns and slugs him in the arm just as Eli comes through the door. “You both realize this is a place of business.”

  “And we’re trying to ask Ry for some legal advice,” Declan tells him smoothly. “It won’t be a minute, and then we’ll let you get back to sacrificing your employees for sport.”

  Eli narrows his eyes at his brother for the dig. “Is something wrong?” he demands.

  “Okay, boys, can we let this nice man answer the question so we can let him have his office back?” Callie says sweetly to the two grown brothers, but her tone implies she’s merely tolerating their behavior.

  While the byplay’s going on, I’ve walked around my desk and dropped into the chair. Pulling up a standard partnership agreement template we keep on file, I scan the clauses to see if there’s anything I’d remove. “Callie, can you let me know if you plan on expanding to Europe or Asia in the next twelve to eighteen months?” I call out amid the brotherly bickering.

  There’s a dead pause before Callie asks confused, “Excuse me? We’re just buying the building next door.”

  I mutter, “Good to know. What’s the address?”

  Callie rattles it off, and I begin typing. A blessed quiet descends on my office other than the clicking of my keyboard. A few minutes later, my printer’s whirling as I lean back in my chair. “Truthfully, there’s no real reason we can’t do it here in the office. Neither you nor Adam are employees of Bayou, and therefore the company holds no vested interest if your partnership fails…”

  “Hey, I do!” Declan objects.

  Both Eli and Callie hit him simultaneously in the arm.

  “A legal vested interest, Declan. Callie isn’t married into the family yet, so therefore unless she and Adam want to spend a fortune on legal representation”—I shrug—“they can come down here, have the papers notarized in front of Vince and Carol, and be done in a few hours. All that has to be done is they mail them in.”

  Eli smiles, wickedly. “I’ll pay for the stamp.”

  We all start to laugh. “That’s generous of you, Ry. That wasn’t what I expected when we came in to ask. Truly, Adam and I were hoping for the name of someone you trusted,” Callie says.

  “I trust me.” Pushing out of my chair, I extend my hand to shake hers. “Drop by tomorrow around lunch and we can get this settled.”

  “Great. We’ll see you tomorrow, then.” Callie smiles at me brilliantly. It makes my heart ache; I haven’t seen Kelsey smile at me in days. It doesn’t help I haven’t been home, and when I have, I’ve been doing my damnedest trying to avoid her since the nightmare the other night.

  Declan comes around to clap me on the shoulder. “Thanks, man. It is a huge lift knowing someone we all trust can help.”

  I wave him off. “It’s nothing,” I start, but Eli interrupts. “It’s not nothing, Ry. It’s family. And once again, you’ve come through for us. We appreciate it.”

  My lips quirk. “Good. Now get out of my office. My boss has been a jackass calling and asking when I’m going to give him reports.”

  Eli growls. “When is marketing going to get their head out of their ass and get their reports to you on time?”

  “Who said it was marketing?” I ask mildly just as Beau bursts through the door.

  “Jesus Ry, thanks for covering. Here they are. Don’t tell…” He stops in his tracks as he sees his brothers standing there. He shrugs. “Shit, caught.” Strolling over, he hands me the hard copies of the reports I know are now waiting in my email.

  I shake my head. “Thanks, Beau.”

  “No problem. I hope you don’t have to stay too late.” He turns as if he didn’t just get visually skinned alive by his younger brother.

  Declan says to Callie, “Now you know one of the many reasons I don’t work in the family business?” He wraps an arm around her shoulders.

  “That and you’re a musical genius,” she agrees, snuggling close. The light catches off the edge of her ring.

  “There’s that. Thanks again, Ry.” The two of them wave as they depart, leaving Eli fuming.

  “A man puts down rules so employees aren’t struggling at the eleventh hour…”

  “And something always goes wrong.” I drop back in my chair with the inch-thick folder Beau handed me. “Don’t worry about it.”

  “Except you have your own life you need to go home to. You should send Kelsey flowers; this is her first time going through the quarterlies with us.”

  “That idea holds merit. Look at you being all romantic.”

  He strolls to the door. “Open or closed?”

  “Closed. Otherwise, I won’t get a thing done.”

  Just before he shuts it, Eli grins. “Ask Kate how I wooed her if you don’t believe I can be romantic.”

  “Don’t think I won’t!” I yell through the door before I focus on the billions of dollars of contracts in front of me. Losing all track of time, I forget to send Kelsey flowers. I forget to call her to tell her I won’t be home for dinner.

  In fact, the next time I see her, she’s curled into a ball on her side of the bed looking so small and defeated, my whole heart shrivels in my chest.

  * * *

  The next day, Callie and her new business partner, Adam, have just signed the papers in front of Vince and another of my paralegals, Amanda. “Did you ever think this would happen?” Callie murmurs, leaning against Adam’s shoulder as Vince stamps and seals the documents transferring half ownership of The Odyssey to Adam.

  He shakes his head. “Never. Then again, there’s a lot in the last year I never expected.” He picks up her left hand and squeezes it. “It’s been a great year.”

  “The best,” she readily concurs. A happy silence steals over the room when Vince stands from the conference room table.

  “All set. All that’s left is to pay the state when you file these.” He holds out his hand first to Callie and then to Adam. “Congratulations. I’m a huge fan of your place. I can’t wait to see what you do with it.”

  “Thank you.” Callie grins. “Both of you.”

  Just then, my cell buzzes in my pocket. Pulling it out, I frown when I see it’s Kelsey. Pressing Accept, I answer, “Hey, Kels. Problem?” Other than the fact I have no idea what’s leavi
ng you looking so broken in bed by the time I get home, I think.

  Her soft voice is both a balm and a whip when she says, “Other than missing you, things are perfect. I don’t suppose you’re free for lunch?”

  With a long, drawn-out sigh, I spy the stack of work that’s come in from overseas since last night that I only scratched at before Callie and Adam came into my office. “I really can’t, sweetheart. My office looks like a poorly filed archives storage.”

  Her soft laugh lets me know once again I’m forgiven for being distant. I’m going to have to make up my behavior somehow soon, but how do I explain that something she wasn’t the cause of has sent me into an emotional tailspin? Instead, I offer, “When this craziness is over, I’m going to plan something special for us.” I don’t know where that promise came from, but down to my soul, I mean it.

  “As long as I get to spend time holding you, Ry, I don’t need anything.” And just like that, she destroys me.

  Avidly aware of the people still in my office, I gently let her know, “I have people in here.”

  “And that’s my cue to let you go before I turn a brighter shade of pink. Good thing I didn’t drop by.”

  The laughter that follows abruptly dies when I say, “Yeah, this is a crap week for unannounced guests.”

  Kelsey’s “Oh” seems to reverberate over and over in my head. “Well, I’ll let you get back to it.”

  “Kelsey…” But before I can tell her I love and miss her, she’s hung up. Before I lower the phone, signifying the end of my call, I replay what I said to her.

  God, I sounded like such a detached jackass. I need to send her more than flowers, but what? While I’m pondering the question, a feminine voice breaks through my reverie. “So, since you’re refusing our money for everything you did, Ry, Adam and I would like to steal you for a quick bite as a thank-you,” Callie declares.

  Having just said no to Kelsey, I immediately decline. “Thank you, but no. I have an insane amount of work to do…”

  Adam gets in on the act. “Dude, we’ll be in and out. Besides, we have to get to the bar soon. Let us do this for you.”

  Just then, my stomach decides to add its vote, growling loudly. With a sigh, I mentally debate calling Kelsey to meet us before realizing she’s probably going to need time to get ready. Giving up, I throw up my hands, still holding my connection to Kelsey in one. “What were you both thinking?”

  Together they exclaim, “Muffulettas!”

  I laugh, knowing the antics at The Odyssey are just going to increase as the size of the bar grows. “Let’s go. I have to be back soon.”

  Chapter 36

  Kelsey

  “What are you doing for lunch today?” I call Angel up after I get off the phone with Ry. I’m disappointed, but I understand his job is absolutely not as fluid as mine is.

  “Nothing. I was debating whether I wanted to call DoorDash to whine about bringing me food.” I smirk, knowing she means Darin.

  “Leave your poor husband to work. I’ll pick you up.” I’m already grabbing my purse from Ry’s counter.

  “Good. Then we can talk about when you’re moving the rest of your crap into your sexy man’s house.”

  I frown as I set the alarm behind me. “We’re not at that point, Angel.”

  “I’d argue that. In the meanwhile, come get my ass. I want a muffuletta like more than my next breath.”

  Laughing, I slide into the driver’s side of my car. “Be there in ten,” I say before I disconnect.

  Pulling out of the driveway, I check to make sure the gate closes behind me. But as I pull away, my thoughts drift back to the last week of missed nights with Ry. “I hope these hours ease up soon,” I murmur aloud. “I miss you, my love.”

  Ry said the end of the quarter is always a crazy time around the office as everyone tries to finalize last-minute contracts, which ultimately pass through his office in some way. Whether he’s scouring over high-level summarizations or writing modifications to billion-dollar agreements, he’s exhausted when he stumbles home late each night after going in before I wake each day.

  If I didn’t feel the soft press of his kiss against my cheek, then my collar, each morning before he whispers, “I love you, sweetheart,” I might feel more than just a knot of anxiety at the distance growing between us.

  “It will be over soon, and things will get back to normal,” I tell myself as Angel slides into the car.

  “What will? Is there something wrong with the new book?” Angel leans over, and we exchange kisses in the cramped space. “Can we put the top down?” she asks excitedly.

  I laugh before pressing the buttons to do just that. “Lift your arm,” I order her. Handing her one of the extra scarfs I keep in the center console, we both tie our hair back before I put the car in gear. “So, muffulettas?” I ask.

  “Yep. Now talk, Kels. What’s up?”

  “Nothing.” I evade a slow car as deftly as I hope I do her question. “I’m just working something out.”

  “Right. And Lucy has grown a penis overnight.”

  I can’t help it; I burst into laughter. “Jesus, I hope not. You bought so many clothes that would look awful if she became a Luc.”

  Angel glares at me as I park about a block down from an out-of-the-way place we love. I slide out, then snicker a little as I help my best friend from my coupe.

  “Laughing at the preggo lady means you’re buying,” she warns me. But her dark eyes are sparkling with mirth.

  “Like I wasn’t going to anyway.”

  “I’m glad you called. This was a good idea.” Angel says something else, but I can’t hear her over the roaring in my head. She steps closer and lays a hand on my arm. “Kels? What is it?”

  With a bright smile I pray she can’t see through, I say, “Nothing. I guess I’m just a bit dehydrated. It’s humid.”

  She snorts. “That’s because you’re expending extra calories banging your man lately. We need to adjust your nutritional intake for that.” Angel starts going off about protein and hydration while I nod, mentally noting I may not need to make the changes she’s suggesting.

  Because Ry and I haven’t made love in more than a week with his busy work schedule, but now I wonder if that has less to do with work and more to do with the blonde he’s cozied up with in the back booth.

  Stumbling behind Angel, every step I take feels like I’m crushing my own heart beneath my shoes. Finally, I have to stop and grip the handrail running along the half wall to keep myself standing because the pain is trying to drive me to my knees. And I won’t let it; I’ll never let my mind make myself doubt my self-worth.

  Even if the man I’m in love with is making that next to an impossibility.

  Unlike the strain he’s been wearing on his face whenever he’s been around me the last few days, he’s chatting with the woman easily. As if they’re old friends. Or old lovers, I think painfully. Why would he lie to me about being swamped working?

  “Kels? You okay?” Angel asks me worriedly. The server guiding us to our table has paused, waiting for me to catch up.

  I manage to plaster a smile on my face, I say, “Of course. My leg just cramped up for a moment. I was using the handrail to keep from falling. I told you, I think I’m dehydrated.”

  “That’s it. No booze for you; you’re drinking water.” Angel loops her arm through mine and guides me. “Maybe we’ll sit inside where it isn’t so hot out,” she frets.

  “No!” Her eyes lift sharply up to mine. I adjust my voice to a more reasonable level. “You know it’s cooler in the courtyard due to the trees than it is inside anyway, Angel. The kitchen only makes this place hot.” I give an apologetic smile to the server. “Sorry.”

  He laughs. “Nothing I haven’t heard before, chère. If you’re ready?” He sweeps his arm out to the side, indicating the double doors facing the courtyard. Angel takes the lead; the waiter follows closely behind. I’m close on their heels, but I can’t resist looking back one last time.


  Only, the beautiful sunny day seems to fade as the knockout blonde lays her hand on Ry’s arm and tosses her head back and laughs. He grins in response before picking up his sandwich.

  I turn and follow Angel outside. But by the time we reach our table, I’m numb to everything around me. We could be at a greasy chain restaurant, instead of smelling the frying onions and peppers that permeate the air. Unable to process the roiling emotions of fear and heartbreak simultaneously, I order the same thing Angel does and pray I can choke it down as well as I’m managing to keep down my tears.

  * * *

  It’s about nine when I hear the back door unlock. I’m sitting on the sofa in Ry’s office. I’ve been waiting for him to come home so we can talk.

  All I want is for him to talk to me.

  I’ve been over every moment, every conversation, in my mind since I dropped Angel off. Did I apologize enough? I think frantically. Ry said he understood my reaction to what happened in here that first day, but maybe what I said didn’t penetrate. Perhaps he needs to understand what was going through my head.

  Rubbing my hands up and down arms covered in a thick sweatshirt, I’m chilled despite the brutal temperatures. I need to understand what’s wedging itself between us. Hearing his footsteps on the hardwood before the carpet runners muffle them, I become more anxious.

  “Jesus, Kelsey, you scared the crap out of me.” Ry jumps back before I’ve spoken. “What are you doing sitting here in the dark?”

  “Missing you,” I admit softly. For a moment, his face softens before the bland look drops back down. God, I hate that expression. Does he even realize he’s been giving it to me? “I was hoping we’d have a chance to catch up since I haven’t seen you all week.”

  He sighs as if a sullen child was irritated they couldn’t go to the movies. “Kelsey, not all of us have your ability to set our hours. Every quarter at this time, I have to be in the office for ungodly hours to ensure people keep their jobs.”