A Fortunate Arrangement

by Nancy Robards Thompson

  Is she your type, Austin?

  Stepping this close to the edge and looking down on the truth gave her a strange sense of vertigo that made her feel vaguely dizzy and queasy.

  The observation seemed to catch him off guard.

  “My type? I’m not sure I have a type.”

  “I mean she’s pretty and seems sophisticated and...”

  He shrugged. “Yeah, well, even if she was my type, as you say, she’s a prospective client. It might get weird.”

  Momentarily bolstered by Austin’s seeming lack of interest in Macks, Felicity let herself daydream a moment, pretending that the people who were dining around them looked at Austin and her, sitting cozy in the corner and deep in conversation, and thought they were on a date. Or that they were a couple.

  She tried to shut out the dissident voice in the back of her mind, warning herself not to get her hopes up, because it would be a long, hard fall if she was mistaken.

  * * *

  “Finally! It’s about time I get to see my big brother.” Standing just inside the foyer, where the elevator opened into Austin’s Central Business District penthouse condo, Savannah Fortune threw her arms around Austin. “You’d better have a good reason for not being at Mom and Dad’s last night and it better have to do with a woman.”

  “Yeah, well, not everyone is as lucky as you two lovebirds.” Austin turned to Savannah’s boyfriend, Chaz Mendoza, and offered a handshake.

  “Chaz, good to see you, man.”

  Chaz gripped Austin’s hand and clapped him on the back. Then he moved back to Savannah’s side, putting an arm around her waist. The two of them appeared so happily in love they were virtually glowing.

  Austin ushered them inside, went to the kitchen and brought back three IPAs.

  “Does anyone want a beer stein? I have some in the freezer.”

  “No, I’m good,” the couple said in unison. They sat on the couch so close to each other, legs touching, possessive hands on each other’s thighs, that they almost seemed to have morphed into one being.

  Austin was glad to see his sister so happy.

  As the trio sipped their beers, they chatted about life, catching up on the small things that mattered: how school was going for Savannah; what was new at the Mendoza Winery, where Chaz worked as their security specialist in addition to doing independent security work; the latest happenings at Fortune Investments; and what was happening in the search for the person or people that had been terrorizing the extended Fortune family.

  “I’m glad you’re living with Chaz.” Austin held up a hand to stop his sister from going on a tirade about how she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. “Not that you can’t handle yourself, but I can’t help but worry about you after what happened.”

  Savannah shrugged. Much to Austin’s surprise, she looked resigned to not putting up a fight. It was amazing how she’d mellowed after the break-in and her subsequent move-in with Chaz.

  “I feel safer living with him,” she said. “That way, I don’t have to worry about either of us. After all, the Mendozas have been longtime friends of the Fortunes and several members of the Mendoza family have married Fortunes. Who says their family won’t be next? But anyway, all signs still point to Charlotte Prendergast Robinson being the culprit.” Savannah shook her head. “Have you heard the latest developments in the search for her?”

  “No, what’s going on?” Austin sipped his beer and leaned forward, eager to hear the update.

  “From what we’ve heard—and this is from a reliable source—Kate Fortune is calling in all her favors and has used her influence to track down Charlotte. Kate is being merciless.” As the matriarch of the Fortune family, Kate Fortune had a vested interest in protecting her relatives and she had the resources to do it. “Everyone is expecting Charlotte to be brought in for questioning any day now.”

  “Any day now?” Austin asked. “That means she’s still out there. Why hasn’t she been found yet?”

  “It’s not that easy,” Chaz said. “She’s pretty slippery. From what I hear she knows we’re on to her, which sent her deeper into hiding.”

  “Good,” Austin said. “Maybe she’ll stay in her cave and leave us the hell alone.”

  “We hope so, too,” Chaz said. “Unfortunately, she seems to pride herself on catching us off guard. She lulls us into a state of complacency and then she strikes again. Savannah and I are not getting complacent. Not after what she did to Savannah’s apartment. We’re lucky Savannah wasn’t there when she broke in. If she had been, who knows how it would’ve turned out.”

  “You’re not considering going back to your apartment, are you?”

  “Nope. Not unless he kicks me out.” She smiled up at Chaz, who pulled her in closer.

  “Not if I have anything to say about it,” he said. “Not even after that woman is behind bars where she belongs.”

  They played kissy face for a minute, cooing at each other and giving pecks on the lips.

  “God, you two. Get a room, will you?”

  Inexplicably, Austin’s mind flashed back to last night with Felicity. He had as easy a rapport with her as Savannah had with Chaz. Only things seemed so much less complicated for his sister and her boyfriend. Why did the situation have to be so damn difficult with Felicity? If not, last night when he’d walked her to up to the door, he would’ve leaned in and sampled those lips to see if they were as delicious as they looked. But he’d managed to shove his hands in his pockets and keep a respectable amount of space between them. All in the name of propriety. And not making her uncomfortable.

  And, of course, because he was her boss, there was the issue of sexual harassment. But would it be so if they were both willing participants? The trickiest part about it was not to assume he knew how she felt about it. To not let himself get so carried away with the moment that he totally read all her signals wrong. Of course, the easiest way would just be to ask. But “do you mind if I kiss you?” would be just about the most unromantic way that he could think of to profess his feelings.

  And what were his feelings? Other than suddenly being overcome with the knowledge that he didn’t want her out of his life, he didn’t know what else he was feeling.

  That was why it wouldn’t be fair to Felicity to open that Pandora’s box.

  And, of course, that meant no kissing her just to see what it was like.

  “So, where were you last night?” Savannah asked. “You never answered my question.”

  “You never asked,” Austin said.

  “I did so. I said, ‘You’d better have a good reason for not being at Mom and Dad’s last night and it better have to do with a woman.’”

  For a fleeting second, Austin thought about saying he’d been with Felicity, but Savannah knew Felicity and since Felicity was a beautiful woman, his sister would take that and run all kinds of ways with it.

  “I had a business dinner.”

  “Well, that sounds boring.”

  Austin shrugged as he took a sip of his beer.

  Actually, it was one of the more enjoyable business meetings I’ve had in a while. One of the more enjoyable evenings, in fact.

  Thrown off the scent, Savannah changed the subject. “This is such a great condo, Austin. Who decorated it for you? Surely, you didn’t do it yourself.”

  “No, I hired that designer Mom uses every once in a while.”

  For the most part, their mother, Sarah, decorated the family home herself. She had great taste, a generous budget and the time to shop for just the right pieces to achieve the desired look. If she couldn’t find it herself, that’s when she called in a professional.

  “It hardly looks lived in. Does that mean you’re spending most of your time at the office?”

  He glanced around at the stark beige and chrome furniture and fixtures. He’d been meaning to frame some family photos to a
dd a more personal touch to the space, but he hadn’t gotten around to it. He’d bought the place because of the proximity to work and the million-dollar view of Lafayette Square. Given the fact that he really did only sleep there, it wasn’t surprising that it didn’t look lived in. Austin shrugged. “Duty calls.”

  “All work and no play will make Austin a very dull boy,” Savannah said. “You know you’re not getting any younger. When are you going to settle down?”

  “Gee, thanks for the reminder, sis.”

  On one hand, she was right. At thirty-two, he wasn’t getting any younger. However, he was in the prime of his business life. Besides, he’d already tried married life and it hadn’t worked out.

  “Been there, done that, not going back again,” he said. “I learned the hard way that I’m just not cut out for marriage.”

  “Do I need to stage an intervention? Or a round of speed dating to get you out there in the dating world? I really think you just haven’t met the right woman yet.”

  “Even if I did meet the one,” Austin said, “it wouldn’t be fair to get involved with someone who was looking for something as serious as marriage, because I’m married to Fortune Investments.”

  Which is why Felicity and I work so well. She understands my career. She’s like my work wife.

  As if the grace of God had staged an intervention, Austin’s door buzzer sounded, indicating someone was downstairs. He had no idea who it was, but he was grateful to them for providing an interruption.

  He excused himself and went to the intercom on the wall by the elevator. “Yes?”

  “Hey, Austin, it’s Felicity. I’m so sorry to bother you. I know you’re spending time with your sister, but I have some papers that need your signature. They’re time sensitive and need to be in today. Do you want me to come up or will you come down and sign them?”

  * * *

  Felicity hated to intrude. Austin and his sister were close, and Felicity knew he didn’t get to see her as often as he liked. That’s why when she visited, he took a rare day off. The last thing he needed was for Felicity to barge in, distracting him with work-related issues. She wouldn’t have bothered him if this hadn’t been time sensitive.

  In the elevator on the way to the top floor of Austin’s building, Felicity took a deep breath and checked her posture. She was glad she’d worn a simple, black, sleeveless dress and black slide sandals. She anchored the file folder with the papers under her arm and smoothed the skirt with her palms. It was a comfortable outfit but still looked pulled together enough to feel good about this impromptu visit and seeing Austin’s sister again.

  It wasn’t the first time she had been in his condo. In fact, she stopped by several times a week, on the evenings when Austin worked through dinner, to pick up the meals Derek, his personal chef, prepared for him and left in the kitchen’s warming drawer. But it was the first time she had been in the condo with him at home.

  The elevator doors opened, and Felicity gripped the folder with both hands and stepped into the foyer.

  “We’re in the living room,” Austin called. “Come on in.”

  Austin, Savannah and a good-looking guy she hadn’t yet met all looked up expectantly as she entered the room. They were all holding beer bottles and looking quite content.

  Austin stood.

  “Felicity!” Savannah handed her beer to the guy she was sitting next to and jumped up to greet her with a warm hug that made her feel as if she was her long-lost best friend. “I’m so glad I got to see you on this trip. It’s been too long. Chaz, this is Felicity Schafer. Austin would be lost without her. Seriously, he wouldn’t know his next move without her. Felicity, this is my boyfriend, Chaz Mendoza.”

  After she and Chaz exchanged pleasantries, Savannah took Felicity by the hand and led her over to the space on the couch next to Austin. “Sit down and join us. Can I get you a beer?”

  “Thank you, but I’m just here for Austin to sign papers. I wouldn’t have bothered him with it, but I have to scan them and send them off before the end of the day.”

  Felicity glanced at Austin to gage his reaction. She wanted to stay—even if it was only for a minute, but she didn’t want to intrude.

  “Join us,” he said. “Please.”

  His invitation spawned a crop of goose bumps on her arms. She ran her hands, envelope and all, over them.

  “Savannah, get her a beer,” he said. “You do like beer, don’t you?”

  Savannah and Chaz disappeared into the kitchen before she could decline.

  “Is that okay?” she asked. “I don’t want to be rude to your sister by refusing, but I hate to intrude on your time together.” She held her breath. In a way, it felt as if she was testing the vibes she’d felt last night at dinner, but everything felt a little off-kilter.

  “Sit down,” Austin said. “It’s fine.”

  Discreetly, she inhaled a deep breath. Right now, a beer and some time with Austin sounded exactly like what she was craving.

  She lowered herself onto the edge of the couch. Austin was sitting on the middle cushion. She sat next to him, leaving a respectable amount of space between them.

  “Do you want to sign these now?” She held out the file. “It would be just like me to have a beer and go off without you signing them.”

  He smiled at her in that way that made her wonder what he was thinking. “Then you’d have to come back and have another beer and you probably wouldn’t make it back to the office.” He smiled, and her heart melted a little more.

  “Great, thanks for reminding me,” she said. “If anyone at the office smells beer on my breath, I’ll need you to tell them it was okay.”

  “If anyone questions you, just send them to me.”

  “Even your dad?”

  “He’s out of town, remember?” Austin said with a grin.

  Felicity’s stomach knotted, but that’s when Savannah and Chaz came back into the room. As Savannah stood in front of her offering her the beer, she looked back and forth between Felicity and Austin with a knowing expression on her face.

  “Thank you,” Felicity said. She accepted the beverage that Savannah had poured into a frosty mug.

  “Maybe it would be a good idea for me to sign the papers now,” Austin said, seemingly oblivious to his sister’s smile. He took the file and used the pen Felicity had clipped to the front of the folder, wanting to be prepared in case he had wanted to meet her down in the lobby to sign. “Do you have the email address where they need to go?”

  “Yes, it’s on a sticky note on the inside of the cover.”

  Austin checked and tapped it with his finger. “Be right back.”

  “Are you sure you don’t want me to do that for you?” Felicity asked. She knew there was a scanner in his home office. It was the same model they used in the FI office. “I’d be happy to.”

  Austin waved away her offer. “I’ve got this. Relax and enjoy your beer.”

  After Austin was out of the room, Savannah asked, “How long have you been with Fortune Investments now, Felicity?”

  “It’s been almost five years.”

  “Has it really been that long? I remember when you started. Seems like yesterday.”

  “Seems that way to me, too.”

  “Does that brother of mine treat you all right?”

  “Austin’s a great boss,” Felicity said. “How many bosses take their assistants to dinner at a place like R’evolution? Are you familiar with that restaurant?”

  Savannah’s eyes widened as she nodded. “Of course. It’s a great place. Very romantic.”

  Yes, it was. Very.

  But she didn’t admit that to Savannah. “Well, I don’t know about that.”

  “When were you there?”

  “Last night.”

  Savannah’s eyes lit up and Felicity got the feeling that she’d just revealed
something she shouldn’t have. Suddenly, she felt like she was swimming in water way beyond her depth.

  “When were you where?” Austin asked, returning to the living room.

  Felicity turned and saw him standing behind her holding the folder of documents he’d scanned and emailed. Her cheeks warmed. She hadn’t heard him enter the room. How much of the conversation had he overheard and what did he think of her talking to Savannah about their dinner last night?

  That Savannah was a wily one. She seemed to have a talent for getting people to talk about things they shouldn’t. Felicity didn’t believe Savannah was doing this out of malice, but the air in the room had definitely changed.

  “I was just asking Felicity if she’d like to join us for family dinner tonight.”

  Felicity’s heart leaped into her throat. Then, when she saw the look of utter horror on Austin’s face, it plunged into her stomach.

  “You did what?” he said.

  “You heard me. Dad’s out of town. Things will be a little more casual tonight. Why not bring her to dinner? Mom would love to have her join us.”

  He turned to Felicity and before she even heard what he had to say, one thought flew into her head: Oh, dear God, just kill me now.

  “Felicity, please allow me to apologize on behalf of my sister. I know you have much more important things to do than to endure a Fortune family dinner.” He pinned Savannah with a pointed look. “Believe me, if I had the choice, I wouldn’t go tonight.”

  Felicity was usually pretty good at reading a situation and knowing what to do. But this felt weird, as if she was looking at it as she swam under water with her eyes open. The best thing she could do right now would be to leave. She didn’t understand what was happening between Austin and his sister, but he was clearly not happy about Savannah issuing an invitation to dinner. And why had she done that? She hadn’t even brought it up until Austin entered the room. Clearly, the invitation was meant to rankle him.

  And it had.

  This was Felicity’s cue to bow out gracefully before things got more awkward. She needed to excuse herself and leave.