Lydia slammed her laptop shut and glared at me.
I smiled weakly. “You wanted to see me?”
Did she growl? I think she growled.
Gulp.
She leaned back and stared me with her frigid, slitted gaze. “I was surprised to see you at Indigo last night.”
Her even tone chilled my heart. I tried to recall what Indigo was. Oh right—that club.
Should I sound casual or feign ignorance? I decided just to shrug and keep quiet.
Her gaze narrowed even more. “It doesn’t seem like the kind of place you’d frequent.”
Didn’t Drake say almost the exact same thing to me? I just shrugged again.
“But what surprised me most was to see you with Viggo Drake.”
Straightening my glasses, I remained silent and waited to see where this was going. I couldn’t help thinking that maybe I should move to Maine. There were no poisonous snakes in Maine, and suddenly it seemed like I was dealing with a very cunning asp.
“I was so surprised because I thought you were loyal to me, Katherine.”
I frowned. That wasn’t something I could just let pass without comment. “I am loyal.”
She leaned across her desk and slammed her fist on the glass top, her voice almost shrill. “Then why were you with Drake?”
I replied slowly, “I’m not sure I understand what that has to do with my loyalty to you.”
Lydia laughed. (Personally, I wouldn’t have called it a laugh because it was more like a cross between an evil cackle and a snort, but I didn’t know what else to call it.) “Associating with the person trying to overtake my company has everything to do with loyalty.”
“What?” The bottom fell out of my stomach, but after last night it barely registered.
“Don’t play innocent, Katherine.” She stood up and stalked toward me. “I see exactly what you’re up to.”
Swallowing the rising nausea, I whispered, “I’m not up to anything.”
“Bullshit.”
I cringed.
“Don’t think I don’t know how chummy you and Drake have become. He’s been hovering around you. Don’t try to deny it.” Her cheeks flushed and, for a moment, I was certain she was going to pop. “He’s vying to take over Ashworth Communications. I couldn’t figure out how he was receiving the confidential information he was obviously getting, but now we know, don’t we?
“I should have figured it out sooner. He does have a history of seducing trade secrets out of women,” she said with a bitter sneer.
Shit. I’d wondered what Drake was up to, but he’d been so nice to me I forgot my misgivings. The bastard.
I cleared my throat. “I’m not denying anything except knowledge of Drake’s intent. He never told me anything about wanting to take over the company.”
“You expect me to believe that?” she asked coldly, towering over me.
“Yes.” I hoped I sounded strong. Any weakness and I knew she’d pounce. “I never told Drake anything about you or the company.”
She stared at me, her arms crossed. I think she was waiting for me to break down and confess (I expected someone to shine a bright light in my eyes at any second), but I had nothing to confess, so I just stared right back.
When she realized I wasn’t going to break under her scrutiny, she strode back to her desk, opened her laptop, and jabbed a couple of keys. “You do understand that I can no longer offer you the promotion. I need people I can trust on my team and, frankly, I don’t believe you qualify any longer.”
My heart stopped. No promotion? Tears filled my eyes and I quickly blinked them back. “But, Lydia—”
“I believe I’m being generous allowing you to continue working here,” the ice queen said. “Not that you’ll have a job if Drake is successful in his bid to take over.”
Pushing my glasses up, I opened my mouth.
But she cut me off. “You have Luc to thank for your job. I couldn’t very well fire the friend of the man I’m involved with, could I?”
Involved with? What did that mean?
“That’s right. Luc and I are going away for a romantic weekend together.”
I think if I’d been in my right mind I would have noted that Lydia didn’t sound exactly thrilled about it. But the only thing resonating in my head was the word
involved
.
Lydia began banging away at her laptop. “You’re dismissed.”
I nodded and stood up, hesitating for a second to make sure my legs would support me. Vaguely aware of Jessica’s smug look (I wouldn’t have put it past her to be listening at the door), I walked out in a trance all the way down the several floors to my office, where I sank into my chair. My head hit the desk with a thunk.
The first thought resonating in my aching head was that Drake was planning to take over AshComm. Hostilely, by the way Lydia talked about it. I remembered every prying question he’d asked me about Lydia and the company and felt like a fool. And betrayed. I’d thought Drake was my friend.
Then I heard Lydia telling me I’d lost my promotion, and my heart just shattered. I
needed
that raise.
I groaned. My dream of owning a home seemed more unattainable than ever.
Maybe I could still pull it off. If I was a little more frugal, I could probably afford to buy a house out someplace remote where housing was less expensive than the Bay Area. Like Lodi. Or Fresno.
“It’d make the commute hell,” I mumbled into the plywood of my desk.
But I felt a little less doomed. Not much, but enough that I was no longer tempted to slit my wrists.
Until I started thinking about Luc. On a romantic weekend with Lydia.
My stomach churned.
The phone rang.
Luc. I grabbed it. “I was just—”
“Katherine,” a masculine voice boomed.
“Yes?” I asked with a frown.
“It’s Gary. I just wanted to let you know I finished your portrait and have already delivered it to Luc. It’s magnificent, even if I say so myself.”
My portrait? Who cared about that at the moment? “Um, thanks, Gary.”
“I have another showing next month. Different gallery and a bigger show. You’ll have to come. Luc promised I could have your painting back to display.”
“Sure, Gary.” Anything to get him off the phone so I could call Luc. I needed to tell him he didn’t have to go out with Lydia anymore.
“You sound busy, so I’ll let you go. You’ll have to come over sometime soon. With Luc. Ta-ta!”
I didn’t wait for the dial tone before I hung up and punched in Luc’s number.
His machine clicked on after four rings. I didn’t want to talk to it, but I didn’t have any choice. I had to stop him from going away with Lydia. “Luc, it’s me. Uh, Katherine. Listen, I wanted to thank you for everything you’ve done—it was beyond the call of duty, really”—I gave a pale chuckle—“but—”
The phone clicked. “Kat?”
I sighed in relief. “Luc! You’re there.”
“What do you want, Kat? I’m kind of busy.”
I bristled. “I know. That’s why I’m calling.”
Silence.
Okay, so he wasn’t going to make this easy for me. “I just wanted to tell you that you don’t have to go away with Lydia anymore. It’s okay. Thanks, though.”
When he spoke, his voice was as cold as Lydia’s. “What happened to your promotion?”
I swallowed the ashes of my broken dream. “She decided not to give it to me.”
“If the promotion were still on, would you be making this call?”
That was an excellent question. I wish I had an answer for it.
Luc grunted. “I see. Well, thanks for calling, Katherine.”
“Wait!” I felt him slipping away and nothing I did to stop it seemed to make a difference. Panic made my heart beat so loudly it resonated in my aching head. “Maybe we could have dinner or something this weekend.”
“Can’t. I’m going out of town.”
“Still?” My voice broke with disbelief.
“I love you, Katherine, but I’m tired of waiting for you to get it.”
Get what?
“I understand your need to succeed, but your priorities are out of whack. I just can’t do it anymore. And Lydia’s a warm, intelligent woman who’s interested in more than just working.”
I shook my head. “Oh, no, she’s not.”
That
I was certain of.
“You’re hardly the perfect judge, are you, Katherine?”
Ouch.
He sighed. I could see him rubbing his neck, like he’d always done when he was really tense. “I’ve got to go, Kat. I have a lot to do before leaving this afternoon. Take care.”
I listened to the dial tone in disbelief. Luc was leaving me.
I dropped my head onto my desk, beating it on the surface a couple of times for good measure. Maybe I could knock an idea of how to fix my quickly disintegrating life into it.
“How are you feeling, Katherine?”
I scowled at Drake’s voice and lifted my head. “You bastard.”
Amusement lit his eyes but he looked solemn. “Not too well, I see. You were quite knocked out last night.”
“You got me drunk on purpose, didn’t you? To wheedle secrets out of me.” I fervently hoped I hadn’t said anything damaging to the company. It was all a little fuzzy. “I thought it was strange that you showed up there, but you’d planned it, didn’t you? You probably followed me.”
Then I remembered he’d said he was there to spy. I glared at him. “You bastard.”
He stepped in and closed the door behind him. He wasn’t extremely tall, but his presence was huge and filled my closet of an office to the brim. I scooted back involuntarily.
He sat on the edge of my desk, studying me in silence. Finally he spoke. “I suppose you’ve found out that I’m trying to take over Ashworth Communications.”
I lifted my chin. “Lydia will never let you do it. In fact, I don’t know why Lydia hasn’t banned you from the building.”
His lips twisted in a wry smile. “Lydia doesn’t have much choice in the matter at this point.”
He said it so matter-of-factly I couldn’t help but believe him. I made a mental note to dust off my résumé.
“And you can’t ban a major shareholder. But I’m starting to reconsider my ... agenda.”
I looked up. “You are?”
He nodded. “If you’ll give me some information.”
Ha! “What kind of idiot do you take me for? Don’t underestimate women. We’re responsible for inventing fire escapes, bulletproof vests, and laser printers, you know. Not to mention windshield wipers.”
His lips twitched. “I’d never presume to underestimate you, Katherine. I have great respect for you. But the information I want isn’t about the company. It’s about Lydia.”
If I were intelligent, I would’ve given Drake anything he wanted and made him promise to give me a job when he took control of AshComm. Only I couldn’t. I just couldn’t. “No.”
“You’re still loyal even after the tongue-lashing Lydia must have given you this morning,” he said in wonder.
I winced at the reminder. Then I shrugged. “I’m sure it’s a habit I’ll break myself of. Eventually.”
“I’m not so sure,” he murmured, tapping a finger against his chin. He studied me quietly.
I lifted my head, pursed my lips, and studied him right back. I didn’t want him to think he could intimidate me into giving him what he wanted.
How long our staring match went on, I have no idea. But finally he spoke. “I owe you an apology, Katherine.”
“Excuse me?” I knew I had to be gaping. Drake didn’t seem like the type of man who apologized. Ever.
He nodded. “I’m sure you understand that I couldn’t have divulged anything before, given the circumstances, but I should have been straightforward with you last night.”
I didn’t say anything (stunned into speechlessness really), so he continued.
“Lydia and I used to be involved.” He ran an impatient hand through his hair. “We were more than involved—I was going to ask Lydia to be my wife.”
My mouth fell open. “
What?
”
He didn’t hear me. At least, I don’t think he did, because he kept on his train of thought. “I realize we were young, but I was committed and she wasn’t. Not as committed as she was to her career and the drive to prove her father wrong by succeeding without his help.” He smiled but it was unamused. “She was just as driven back then as she is now. Maybe more so.”
Now that I couldn’t imagine. It was too scary.
“Passionate. She was so passionate, talking about what she was going to accomplish. That was one of the reasons I loved her.”
I cleared my throat. “What went wrong?”
He stiffened. I almost felt bad for asking, but I really wanted to know. (Curiosity is a great asset in fact-finding but a detriment in a lot of other facets of life.)