“That’s great!”
“It’s not! He wants me to work with him and that’s the last thing I want to do!”
Lee was suddenly very gentle and very serious. He pointed her into a chair and rounded the desk to make sure that she sat. Perching nearby, he said, “Okay, pretty lady. Tell me about it.”
She felt utterly helpless. “Ross is willing to make the changes, but he refuses to go by my report. He wants me to work with his people, in person, in New York.”
“gather,” he said, stroking his beard, “that you aren’t bothered by New York, per se.”
“You gather correctly.”
“Chloe, what’s wrong?” he asked softly. “The man seems intelligent and honest. You shouldn’t have any problem. You can be in and out of the city in no time.” At wit’s end, she said, “He thinks he’s in love with me, that’s the problem. If it were only a matter of business, I wouldn’t worry. But Ross says he wants to marry me.”
“So what’s the problem?”
“can’t marry him.” She pleaded for his understanding. “And I’m not sure I can take his constant pressure.”
“Are you afraid you might give in?” He erased the question with a wave. “Backtrack. Why can’t you marry him? You’re free.”
“Not quite.”
“You’re not making sense, pretty lady. From what I can see, there’s nothing in the world to keep you from marrying Ross.”
“What if I don’t love him?” she blurted out.
“If you don’t love him, then you’re right to hold out. And if you don’t love him, you’ll have no trouble putting him off. He’ll get tired after a while.” Lee was watching her face very, very closely. “That’s not the real problem, is it? You do love him.”
She blew out a breath, turning it into a sigh, and looked at the ceiling. “I suppose. But I can’t marry him. Being with him can only be painful for both of us.”
“If he believed that, he wouldn’t be asking to work with you.”
She grunted. “So why did he call you?”
“He wants to retain us as consultants. Did you actually say that you refused him?”
:,Yes. He brought it up yesterday morning before he left.”
“But it’s what we need, Chloe. You mentioned trying to get corporate work when we talked on Saturday. The timing couldn’t be better.”
She eyed him sharply. “Did you say something to him while he was here? Did you tell him we were looking for new business?” She didn’t want Ross’s pity, or his charity.
“I did not! For one thing, I didn’t have a minute alone with the man from the time I left here Friday night. You monopolized him.”
She snorted and looked away. “He’s as sneaky as they come.”
“That’s no way to talk about the man who loves you.”
“Lee, puleeze.”
He held up a hand. “Okay. I won’t tease. This isn’t teasing stuff. He’ll pay a monthly retainer as an advance on services rendered. If we work more, we bill him for the overage. If we work less, we keep the retainer. It couldn’t be better.”
That didn’t surprise Chloe. Ross might be a rat, a snake, and a fox, but he wasn’t a thief.
“The work is right up our alley,” Lee was saying. “The Hansen Corporation is involved in dozens of different projects at any given time. There’d be variety and involvement in important issues-“
“You’re right, Lee,” she cut in. “I can’t argue. The logic of this is perfect. By all means, accept his proposal, as long as you work with him.” She said the last with a touch of venom. She was being pushed into a corner, and was striking out at the only person in sight.
“He’d be hiring the firm, Chloe. I might be working on one project, you might be called for the next.”
“I don’t think I can do that on a continuing basis. It’d be too painful. You can work for him. I won’t.”
“But your area of expertise is different from mine.”
“My mind is made up.”
Surprisingly, there was little tension in the silence that followed. Chloe wanted to think that her outburst had cleared the air. At least, she’d been honest. Lee knew how she felt.
“You know, Chloe,” he said, sitting straighter. “You were right the other day when we talked. I don’t know everything about you-all those little secrets you keep bottled up inside. I didn’t even know so many existed until this business with Ross.” He grew beseechful. “But you have to work out whatever it is that’s bothering you. Hell, you should be with him, Chloe. He loves you, you love him. Do you have any idea how many marriages are based on much less?” Lee had been married. He knew this firsthand.
“But a man like Ross deserves more than I can give him.”
Lee tossed a hand in the air. “That’s a bunch of crap, and you know it. If you want him, you can work out the kinks that hang you up.” He rose and went to the window, stared out, turned back. “Damn it, Chloe, you have so much going for you. Are you going to sit back and let some great mystery from the past ruin your future? I thought you were a doer! You wouldn’t be where you are today if you didn’t believe in working for what you believe in.”
Chloe couldn’t say a thing. Lee had never talked to her this way before. If another man had said what he had, she would have ignored him. But she couldn’t ignore Lee. She respected his opinion too much.
The horrified look on his face said that he hadn’t planned the outburst. He softened. “Hey, I’m sorry. I came across a little too strong.” He paused. “But I meant what I said. Either you can let it continue to get you down or you can fight it.” He thrust the long fingers of one hand through his hair. “rich, I don’t even know what it is. But I believe that you can overcome whatever. I don’t know what you were before, Chloe, but you’re a strong woman now. Don’t let a good thing escape.”
She smiled sadly. “You don’t understand.”
“No. I don’t.” He sighed. “What say we drop it for a while?” At her nod, he added a final thought. “But promise me that if you want to talk, you’ll come to me? I have broad shoulders.”
She stood and gave him a hug. “Thanks, Lee. I appreciate that.”
Stepping back, she looked up at him. Funny, he was warm and strong and in his way as good-looking as Ross, but she felt no desire, no great inner spark.
Lee held out a hand. “Friends?”
She met his hand. “Friends.”
“And we’ll accept the offer from Stephenson?”
She yanked her hand back. “No. Yes. I don’t know.” She strode toward the door. “Do what you want!”
How to go from high to low in seconds, she mused, as she returned to her office and settled in at the desk. Ross was forcing her hand, totally determined. What was it he had said about love being wanting and wanting until one would do nearly anything?
She did have options. She could stand firm and refuse to have anything to do with Ross, send someone to New York in her place for the Rye Beach negotiations, systematically shuttle retainer work to another member of the firm.
Another option was more dangerous. She could go to New York and do his work, remaining neutral. Did she have a chance in hell of doing that?
Lee’s words returned with frightening clarity. Did she love Ross enough to fight herself-and her past-for him? Could she go back to New Orleans and face the ghosts, finally put them to rest?
She hit emotional overload with that last thought. Too much had happened too fast. She couldn’t think about it anymore. There was work to be done-if she was to be enroute to New York by Wednesday.
With a long steadying breath, she sorted through the papers before her. There were people to call, meetings to set up, reports to plan out before she left, and the rush was for the best. Her mind would be filled. Worrying was useless. Only time would give her the answers she needed.
Unfortunately, Ross wasn’t as patient, but he received a different Chloe on the phone that afternoon, a more subdued one. She recognized his voice immediately, had been half expecting to hear it. Its sound sent a ripple through her, but it died quickly. She was exhausted.
“How are you?” he asked.
“I’m fine.”
“It’s good to hear your voice. I miss you.”
“You’ve been gone barely twenty-four hours.”
“You’ve been counting, have you?”
She hadn’t. Well, maybe she had. But she wasn’t about to admit it. “I’m counting now. I have five different reports to go through this afternoon, not to mention phone calls, proposals, and what-have-you. It seems I have a rush job in New York. Some snotty executive thinks his work is the only thing that counts.”
“I can see you got up on the wrong side of the bed. Bad morning?”
“Busy.”
“Anything interesting?”
“Uh-huh.”
He sighed. “Ah. We’re pulling teeth again.”
“No. There’s just nothing I feel like discussing.” With you, she might have added. He had intruded on her life far too much.
“You sound down.” He sounded concerned. “Is something wrong?”
“I’ll be fine.” But she wondered. Much as she fought it, the sound of Ross’s voice affected her.
“What is it, Chloe? Please tell me. Something’s bothering you. I can hear it in your voice. Your spirit’s gone.” He paused. When she said nothing, he said, “I’m driving up.”
“No! I’m okay. Really. I’m tired. That’s all.”
:”You have no idea what I feel when I hear that pain in your voice.”
“Then why did you do it?” she blurted out.
The silence was long and heavy. Then he sighed. “You’ve, ah, figured out my messages?”
“You could say that. What I’d like to know is why you had to go behind my back to box me in. Why didn’t you call me directly?”
“I mentioned it to you last weekend. You refused. I may be many things, but I’m not a glutton for punishment. That’s your specially.” Chloe gasped, but he went on. “I had no intention of calling you this morning to rehash what I said yesterday. There seemed to be more effective ways of convincing you-“
“-forcing me …”
… convincing you to work with me. It makes good sense. You’re the one familiar with the Rye Beach proposal and its problems. To bring in someone else would be a waste of time. As for the other-“
“The other is Lee’s affair,” she cut in. “He’s handling any account with the Hansen Corporation. If you want to work with him, be my guest. I can vouch for his credentials and his skill, but I won’t be involved.”
“Then why are you upset?” he asked a little too calmly. “If Lee will be doing the dealing, it won’t affect you.”
“Fat chance,” she murmured not quite softly enough.
Ah, ah, princess. Let’s have none of that. If you’re into soft murmurings, use them to talk about love.”
“Ross.”
“I love you.”
“So you’ve said.” She tried to sound indifferent, but her tone was more of a plea.
F “I mean it. That’s why I’m doing all this.”
“What?” she cried in a facetious show of emotion. “Don’t you value my brilliance, my experience, or my expertise in the field!”
“Depends on what field you’re referring to,” he drawled. “In the field of passion-“
“That wasn’t the one I was talking about, and you know it. Why do you twist my words, Ross? Do you like upsetting me?”
He was suddenly sober. “No. I’m trying to good you into facing your feelings. I love you, Chloe. I want to have you near me, so I manipulated your cooperation. You may not be ready to admit that you need me as much as I need you, but I have no pride. I need you, and I’m not giving you up. Not yet, at any rate.”
Chloe listened sadly. He sounded honest and sincere. Maybe he did need her. But what about her needs? “You’re rushing me, Ross. I don’t know whether I’m coming or going. Please, give me time?”
“You have till Wednesday. I’ve made arrangements for you to take the nine-fifty train from Providence.”
“The train? I’d rather drive. It’s more convenient.”
“I don’t want you driving into the city. Leave your car in Providence. Your ticket will be held there for you and I’ll be at the station waiting.”
“Ross-“
“It’s settled.”
Her lips turned down. “That’s what I like about you. You’re so democratic.” He said a gentle “I love you, too,” before hanging up.
Ross was indeed waiting at the station when her train pulled in. She had barely stepped onto the platform when he was beside her. He took her bag and her arm in one smooth move. “Have a good trip?” he asked, glancing down as he guided her along.
“It was fine.” And she had to admit that there was something fine about being met like this, something that went beyond mere convenience. New York was New York, always a little intimidating. Ross’s protectiveness felt good, though she wasn’t about to tell him that. “Where are we going?” she asked when he hustled her to a cab, then gave the driver the same Park Avenue address to which she had sent her check.
“I thought you’d like to see Hansen’s corporate headquarters. The team working on the Rye Beach Complex won’t be meeting until tomorrow, but you might feel more comfortable seeing the layout before you get bogged down in work. I have things to take care of while we’re there.”
Indeed, he seemed all business. There was no welcome kiss, no hug, not even in the privacy of the cab, and she wasn’t complaining. She had felt a jolt seeing him back at the train, and felt tingles even now. She needed all the time she could get to regain full control.
The Hansen Corporation was every bit as impressive as she had known it would be. Ross Stephenson wasn’t one to do things halfway. As she toured offices that consumed three full floors, no one she saw was idle.
Her guide was one of the vice presidents, a soft-spoken man whom she instantly liked. Ross himself had disappeared with a soft apology shortly after they arrived. She saw nothing of him until late afternoon, when he materialized in the drafting room, where she was admiring the architect’s plans for a museum and theater complex in Des Moines.
“What do you think?”
Delight lit her face. “It’s wonderful, Ross. You have a brilliant architect. From the looks of the plans, this museum will be a drawing card for all of Iowa.”
His smile held satisfaction. “That’s what we’re hoping. Any suggestions?”
She grinned. “You mean, will I now go on and pick the thing to bits on the geological score?”
“Something like that.”
“I have no way of knowing about this particular project. Looking at the designs, I can mention potential sources of worry-drain pipes, for instance-but unless I know something about the land there, I can’t offer constructive criticism.”