“For starters, I know you’re divorced, but you never talk about your marriage. I just can’t imagine any man would let you go easily.”
“I didn’t realize you knew I was divorced.”
“I make it my business to know the people I work with, Julie, remember?”
“Yes, that night in the limo,” Julie said, remembering how he had told her he had conducted a background check on her business. She hadn’t realized that he’d done a personal one, too. She could have been offended, but she was sure she wasn’t the exception and he did them on all the people who worked for him. Although her marriage wasn’t something she liked to discuss, it wasn’t as if it were a secret. If anything, she felt slightly flattered that he wanted to know more about her.
“We grew apart, and I didn’t do anything to stop it. In the end, it was a mutual decision. I’m not proud of how easily my marriage ended. I find it’s best to keep the past where it belongs.”
“I agree, but I’m baffled that someone like you, who works so hard to make whatever she touches a success, didn’t work harder to save her marriage.”
Julie blinked, her body going stiff. She felt as if he had knocked the wind out of her. Did he really think that hiring her for his event gave him the right to question her in this way?
“I’m sorry, Julie. I shouldn’t have asked that. I’m way out of line.”
“We didn’t fight to keep our marriage going because…we were never in love the way we should have been. We were friends who thought that was enough. We were wrong.” Julie had never voiced those words to anyone before. She couldn’t believe she had now.
“Julie, I’m sorry. I really am.”
“Me, too.”
“My story is not so unlike your own. Deanna was an author that I met at a conference, and it wasn’t until after we were married that I realized she had needs that far outweighed what I was able to give her. Except my ex wanted anything but a divorce. She liked our arrangement.”
“What happened?” Julie asked when Noah had gone silent.
“She was older than me and came into our marriage with a lot of excess baggage that included substance abuse and sexual desires that took her outside our bedroom. So like most out-of-control addicts, she made decisions and took what she wanted without thought to the consequences. By the time I finally figured it out, no matter what I tried to do to help her, it wasn’t enough.”
“She hurt you,” Julie said softly, reaching for Noah’s hand, but thinking better of it, she took another sip of her coffee.
“You can’t end something like a marriage and not be hurt. However, she hurt herself a lot more. She has a destructive nature.”
“Did you love her?”
“Do you think I would marry someone I didn’t love or at least thought I loved?
She felt his anger. She should have never asked that. It was rude and none of her business. Looking for a way out, she glanced up at the clock above the archway leading into the pantry. “I can’t believe the time. I have to get to work or my boss is going to kill me.”
Noah’s face went quickly from anger to quiet control before he grinned. “I’ve heard he’s a demanding man who works his employees to the bone.”
“You know him well,” Julie said over her shoulder, disposing of both their cups in the trash, happy that the awkward moment was behind them.
Pushing himself away from the bar, Noah stood up. “I’ll leave then. I can hear cars pulling up outside. I imagine your workers are here.”
Julie ran to the kitchen window and nodded. “Yes, the troops are arriving and a bit early, but that’s good.”
Within minutes, the kitchen was full of activity and Noah had escaped to another room. She knew his assistant was due any minute, too, along with other members of his staff. She had enjoyed having time alone with him even if the conversation had touched on some unpleasant memories. He had shown her a more vulnerable side of his personality that made her like him even more, and that wasn’t necessarily a good thing. She needed to stop thinking about Noah Jamison as anything but her employer.
However, against her better judgment, she slipped out from the kitchen after breakfast to listen to his speech. She knew he would be a dynamic speaker, and she wasn’t disappointed. He had a way of making everything sound exciting and possible—that risks were a necessary part of the business and could lead to the kind of success that dreams were made of. She wasn’t surprised that he received a standing ovation.
For a moment, he made her wish she were more than a member of his staff. But that was a dangerous thought and not one that would lead to anything but her own heartache. He was way out of her league, and she’d do well to remember that and not how much she enjoyed his company. The fact was, she needed to keep that in mind with both Keith Barnes and Mark Romano, too. She was going to need some space from all three men once today was over.
Running back to the kitchen, she was met with a whirlwind of questions that kept her mind occupied on the task at hand. More flowers were being delivered for lunch, and she needed to go over a number of items with the staff, especially the dinner. Although everyone knew their jobs, it was imperative that the lines of communication remain open to prevent any problems from creeping up unnoticed.
By all accounts the breakfast had been a success. The chefs had kept their stations moving along without sacrificing their tasty dishes. Julie had also noticed that the healthy menu station Kelly insisted on manning for her had received a lot attention. Kelly had been so great. She had stayed up half the night baking the muffins and getting things ready to bring over. However, it was tonight that would make or break them.
Julie was still a basket of nerves, but she didn’t let it get to her. She had a lot of faith in the staff Mark had handpicked for her to help her create something memorable. Mark would be a guest tonight along with Keith. She was sure they would each have a beautiful woman hanging from their arm. Funny, she hadn’t thought about that until now. She wondered what type of women they liked. She felt a stab of jealousy grip her that was totally foreign to her. She had no right to such a feeling, and yet the thought of them with another woman was actually painful.
I really do need space away from them, even if it’s not what I want.
* * * *
Mark had cleared his afternoon appointments to his secretary’s dismay, but there was nothing she couldn’t reschedule. Noah and Keith had been right when they told him she was special. He had sensed it from the moment they met. She was beautiful, there was no denying that, but it was her sweet nature that had drawn him to her along with her natural sex appeal. They had warned him that she was innocent to their lifestyle and would need time, but he knew they weren’t the type of men to wait.
He parked his car and walked around to the back of the house. He saw Julie through the window. He watched her move gracefully around the kitchen talking with the staff. Her face was flushed and her eyes sparkled. He had visions of her naked with another kind of flush on her face. Taking a moment to still his fantasy, he opened the door and walked into the flurry of activity. Julie saw him immediately and walked over to where he was standing.
“Mr. Romano, hello.”
“Hi, Julie. I hope you don’t mind that I stopped by. I thought I would check on things. Just wanted to be sure everything was going as planned.”
“Yes. Everything is going wonderfully. Thanks to you. You sent me a wonderful staff. I couldn’t be happier.”
“That’s exactly what I wanted to hear,” he said with a smile.
“Would you like a cup of coffee or something to drink?”
“Only if you’ll take a few minutes and sit with me.”
Julie looked around the kitchen before her eyes came back to his. “I think I could do that. The staff could probably do with a break from my hovering.”
“A cup of coffee would be nice. We could take it outside by the pool. If that’s okay with you?”
“I’ll pour us a couple mugs and meet you there.”
“I take mine black, so don’t worry about cream and sugar.”
“I take mine black, too,” she said happily.
Mark left the kitchen through the door he had entered and headed toward the pool. He was glad that there weren’t a lot of people hanging around. He didn’t want Julie to be hauled away before he had a chance to chat with her. He knew it was silly, but he felt like a schoolboy on his first date. He hadn’t felt this nervous with a woman in a long time.
Julie didn’t make him wait long. She walked toward him with a tray holding their coffee and some muffins. He eyed them more closely when she placed the tray on the table. Chocolate chip were his favorite. How had she known?
“I hope you like muffins. I took a chance that you might like the chocolate chip.”
“Good choice. Thank you.”
Julie sat down and handed Mark his coffee and a plate for his muffin. “Do you make it a habit of checking on all your new clients?”
“No, I don’t. You’re an exception.”
“I am? Why’s that?”
“Well,” he began, “besides the fact that your client is one of my best friends, I thought since this was the first time you’ve used my services, it would be a nice show of support if the staff knew I was here.”
“That was very thoughtful of you, Mr. Romano. But rest assured, the staff you handpicked are excellent. I would say that’s a reflection on your skills for hiring the right people.”
“I do have a knack for picking the good ones. I know a bad apple when I see it and I know the perfect peach when I see it, too.”
Julie looked down at her coffee. He knew he was staring at her, but he couldn’t help himself. She was perfect. Even though her hair was pulled back and she was wearing a uniform, it did nothing to detract from her beauty. He felt his groin tighten. Damn, all he wanted was to take her in his arms. Instead, he took a bite of his muffin.
Following the delicious mouthful with a swig of his coffee, he said, “Tell me about the dinner tonight.” He needed to put her at ease. “I’m looking forward to it.”
Julie smiled. “I hope you’ll find it to your liking.”
She explained the menu while he sat and enjoyed the sound of her voice explain what was in store for his palate. She was like a child who wanted him to be pleased with every detail, and he was very pleased. The more she talked, the more he wanted her. Tonight, he thought hopefully, was going to be an evening to remember in more ways than she could imagine.
“Noah asked me to put the dresses for you to choose from in your bedroom,” Jackie told her.
Julie stopped fussing with the table linens and tilted her head back toward Noah’s assistant. “I’m sorry, Jackie, did you say dresses?”
“Yes. You know, for tonight.”
“I must have missed something. I don’t understand.”
“Noah thought it would be easier to have some dresses brought over for you. He knows you wouldn’t have had time to shop for yourself.”
“I thought my uniform would be appropriate.”
Jackie looked at her quizzically. “I guess if you weren’t going to be greeting his guests with him. But, under the circumstances, I believe Noah is expecting you to be dressed more like his hostess than the hired help.”
“When did he decide this?” Julie couldn’t believe he hadn’t said something earlier.
“You really need to talk to Noah. The dresses are in your room.” Jackie spun on her heel and walked away.
Julie went to find Noah, but he was behind closed doors in a meeting. She knew she could defy his wishes and just do what she had planned to do, work alongside her staff, dressed in uniform. However, did she really want to go against Noah’s wishes this late in the game? She thought not. Besides, she could still keep an eye on things, and it could be fun.
So here she was looking at five different dresses and associated undergarments that probably cost more than most people made in a six months. They were all lovely, but it was the aquamarine chiffon that caught her eye. It was long and flowing with a tight bodice and no straps. It matched her eyes. She tried it on. It fit her like a glove. Obviously he or Jackie had guessed her size, and correctly. The shoes and undergarments that matched also fit her to perfection. However, this dress didn’t require a bra since it was built into the material. Why hadn’t he just told her he expected her to act as his hostess? She couldn’t worry about that now. The guests would be arriving shortly.
Julie had just finished her makeup when there was a knock at the door. She opened it to see Noah standing before her dressed in an elegant tux that fit him so well she knew it had been made for him. He took her breath away.
“That dress was my favorite,” he said, looking her up and down. She felt herself blushing.
“It’s a perfect match for your eyes. You look beautiful, Julie.”
“When did we discuss my dressing for the party and meeting your guests with you? Jackie seemed to think I knew all about it.”
“I’m sorry,” he said, looking somewhat chastised. “It must have slipped my mind.”
“Nothing slips your mind, Mr. Jamison.”
“Let’s just say I wasn’t sure you would be keen on the idea, and I hoped not giving you a lot of time to think about it would help my cause. I’m sorry. But there is one more thing that I need to ask of you.”