Sweet Deal (12 page)

He nodded and Shelby felt herself grow warm. She knew what he was thinking. How could she be managing a project of this magnitude with such little experience?

“I have six years of project management experience from my previous employer,” she said. “I worked on two similar projects when I was with RBM Pharmaceuticals. Also as the project manager, I don’t need to have knowledge of every small business process in your division, but I
do
need to have a good project team who does. Which is why it’s important that I have your expert input, as well as those staffing resources.”

Bram shook his head, and glanced at Davis. “I’m afraid I’m with him on this one.”

Great. She was uniting the two enemies in their distrust of her. Her stomach clenched and every muscle in her body tightened as she dug deep for control.

She gave them a bright smile. “I’m so glad to see both of you on the same page about something.”

That got her a startled bark of laughter from both of them. They exchanged another glance.

“I still think we have to change the whole intake process,” Davis said.

“That’s not within the scope of this project,” she said firmly. “It’s all in the draft of the project charter I gave you.” She nodded her head at the documents in front of each man. “If there are processes that need to be reviewed, we’ll make note of them and I can include recommendations for future changes. But we won’t be including that in this project.”

They both nodded, seeming to accept her answer, and Shelby moved on with the agenda. When the meeting had concluded, she wrapped things up with her usual summary of what decisions had been made and next steps. She sent each of them away with tasks they grumbled about but didn’t outright refuse to do.

“Thank you so much for your help,” she said sweetly as they walked out of the meeting room. She clutched her folder of papers to her chest, trying not to look like she was tense enough to snap. “I so much enjoy working with both of you. Your experience here is invaluable.”

The sucking up seemed to work and they walked back to their offices smiling.

In her own cubicle, she let out a long breath and collapsed into her chair. She could do this. She could do this. She was a good project manager, task-focused, detail-oriented, well-organized, but managing the conflicts that always seemed to arise was a challenge for her. She’d always hated conflict and it didn’t take a psychologist to know why after growing up surrounded by it. Although, she knew she was better at dealing with it than some managers she’d worked with. It was also a challenge working on such a big project when she was relatively new to the company and didn’t know all the hot buttons. What she’d said was true, and she had faith in her brains and ability to learn, but she couldn’t help some of the self-doubts that swirled inside her, especially faced with such a lack of confidence on the part of the directors, not to mention their rivalry. And she knew that wasn’t going to be the only conflict she’d have to deal with.

Oh well. She sucked in a big breath and again let it out, trying to release as much tension from her body as she could along with it. She began tidying her already neat office, arranging folders and papers into perfect piles, straightening pens and plucking a yellowed leaf from the plant on the corner of her desk.

Seeing Adam and Kiara last night had put some of her problems into perspective. Of course she wanted to do a good job, and her career was important to her, but witnessing what her friends were going through, the brave fronts they put on in the face of such tragedy, definitely made her realize her career was actually pretty insignificant.

Oh, who was she kidding? Her career was important to her. She needed to prove to herself as much as everyone else that she could do this, after what happened at her last job. Hence stooping to the level of making up a boyfriend and lying to her boss.

She sighed. In a weird way, she envied Kiara and Adam. She didn’t envy what they were going through, but she did envy the love they had for each other and the strength they were finding to help each other through this. They’d talked about so many things, important things, knowing how little time they had together, becoming closer than any two people she’d ever known, and seeing the depth of their feelings for each other was truly humbling.

That was what was important in life.

On the other hand, she wasn’t about to give up on this new job either. Losing her job wasn’t going to get her a love like Kiara and Adam. She had to hold on to what she had in her life.

Feeling drained from the stressful meeting, not to mention her worry about her friends and most of all her confused thoughts about Jake, she began typing up minutes of the meeting she’d just held, including all those action items that needed to be done to move things forward. She looked forward to going home, changing into her yoga pants and curling up on her couch.

Then Jake called. “I thought you might want to have dinner,” he said.

She closed her eyes. She’d just determined she wasn’t going to see him again. She felt herself weakening, wanting to see him. This was crazy! What had she gotten herself into with that impulsive plan for him to pretend to be her boyfriend?

She opened her mouth to say no, when Andrew walked by on his way out. He paused at her cubicle, then saw she was on the phone.

“Hang on,” she said to Jake softly, and lowered the phone. She looked at Andrew questioningly.

“Time to go,” he said. “Want to get a drink?”

Her stomach tightened but she forced a smile. “Sorry. I’m still working on a few things.”

Disappointment crossed his face. “Oh. I kinda wanted to get a drink.” He lifted one shoulder, the corners of his mouth tipping down. “And, you know…talk.”

She gazed at him in dismay. “Is something wrong?”

“Nah.” He gave her a weak smile. “Just…stuff.”

Was it his marriage? She nibbled her bottom lip. She shouldn’t feel sorry for him, shouldn’t feel like she should go for a drink with him, because that was what she was trying to avoid. “I’m sorry. I do need to finish up a few things and then I’m…um…going out for dinner.”

“With Jake.”

She nodded brightly and indicated the phone in her hand.

Andrew just stood there, looking at her. What? What did he want? Confusion mounted in her. Then he shook his head. “Have a good weekend, Shelby.”

“Thanks. You too.”

Pushing her hair off her face, she lifted the phone back to her ear. “Sorry about that. Andrew was just leaving.”

“He asked you to go out.”

“Just for a drink. We often do that on Fridays.”

“Just you and him?”

Shelby frowned. “Sometimes. Sometimes others come too. You know, happy hour, Friday-evening stuff.”

“He asked you even though he knows you’re seeing me.”

Shelby waited a beat of silence. “First of all, it’s not like he was asking me on a date. He wanted to talk business. And second—I’m not really seeing you.” She kept her voice low. The office had emptied and was quiet but she didn’t know who was still around to possibly overhear. “I’m not really sure what we’re doing or why you’re asking me out for dinner. This started out as a favor but…”

Silence prickled between them over the phone.

“Yeah, I did you a favor,” he said finally, his voice rough. “But, hell, Shelby, I…look, let’s talk about it over dinner.”

She sighed. “I don’t think it’s really a good idea for us to actually get involved.”

“Why not?” Stubbornness edged his voice.

“Because…” She hesitated. “I’m not really looking for a relationship. I just needed someone to…” She glanced around again and lowered her voice to a near whisper. “Help me. You know.”

More silence.

“So I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong idea,” she said, even though she kind of felt like her insides were being shredded, forcing the words out because dammit, she really did want to see him again. But this was for the best.

“You just told Andrew you were having dinner with me.”

She frowned. “Yes, but that doesn’t mean we have to really do it.” She sighed. “I’m really tired, Jake. It’s been a long week, with Adam being in the hospital, and stuff at work.”

“You have had a rough week,” he admitted. “We don’t have to go out.”

Disappointment flooded her that he wasn’t going to push a little more to convince her. Man, she needed to screw her head on straight.

“Okay then,” she said. “Bye, Jake.”

And she snapped her phone shut.

Chapter Ten

Tears prickled Shelby’s eyes and she closed them for a moment. Dammit! She should not be so upset over a guy she barely knew. If this was just a ruse to make Andrew think she had a boyfriend, she had no business caring that much whether she saw him or not. All the more reason to end this right then and there.

She was just stressed. She needed the weekend to relax and decompress.

Feeling heavy and lethargic, she finished up her work, shut down her computer and gathered up her purse and suit jacket.

A short time later she walked into her apartment, dropped her keys on her new table inside the door, kicked off high-heeled pumps with a satisfying lob across the living room, and winced when one crashed onto her glass-topped coffee table. She threw down her purse and shoved both hands into her hair.

Dammit. She could’ve been getting ready for a date. With Jake. Which could have turned into another night of hot sex.

She allowed her bottom lip to pout as she padded barefoot down the hall to her bedroom and changed into the black yoga pants she’d thought of earlier and a soft, gray T-shirt. In her bathroom, she popped out her contact lenses and slipped her glasses on.

Moments later, a glass of wine in one hand and the remote control for the television in the other, she reclined on her couch and leaned her head back.

Andrew had been cool and distant all week. Especially every time he’d suggested they have lunch or a drink or dinner and she’d turned him down. For Jake. That was what she’d wanted. So why did she feel so depressed?

The knock at her apartment door had wine sloshing over the edge of her very full glass, darkening the gray T-shirt with a small wet spot. Damn. Who the hell was that? She set the glass down and climbed to her feet, still tired.

Jake.

He stood outside the door, visible in her peephole. She leaned her forehead to the carved wooden door for a brief moment, her body going all quivery, her heart lurching into a thuddy rhythm.

Then she opened the door. He stood there, holding a large flat box—pizza?—with a paper bag on top and a six pack of beer.

“Hi.” He gave her a small sexy smile, eyes steady on hers.

“Hi.” Her breath slid out of her. “What are you doing here?”

He lifted his packages. “I brought dinner. Since you were too tired to go out.”

Her heart swelled up so big she thought it might burst. “Oh.”

“And beer.” He held up the other hand. “And…” He lowered his chin toward the paper bag. “Ice cream. Butter pecan.”

She just stood there, blinking at him, her throat tightening, her mouth trembling. She couldn’t believe he was there and he’d brought food and beer and her favorite ice cream. He’d actually been listening when they’d talked that night before the company picnic. Her throat ached and she squeezed her eyes closed.

“Are you okay?” He peered at her closer. “Hey, Shelby Rose, what’s wrong?”

“I’m just…just…stressed.” She stepped back. “Come in.”

He walked past her and went straight to the counter separating her small kitchen from dining room, and set the packages down. He turned to her. “C’mere. You look like you need a hug.”

She wasn’t wearing a bra.

He was a pig for noticing that when she was so visibly upset, but he couldn’t help but observe the enticing jiggle of her breasts beneath the thin T-shirt as she moved across the room toward him. Heat rushed to his groin and he went hard as a post.

Then she was in his arms, her cheek pressed to his chest, those soft breasts pillowed between them, and his arms went around her small body and tightened. Damn, she felt good there.

“Hey little girl,” he murmured, his face pressed against her silky hair. “It’s okay.”

He had no idea what he was talking about, but comforting her seemed the thing to do. “Are you hungry?” He was starved and the smell of the pizza, all spicy tomatoes and pepperoni, had driven him crazy all the way over there.

“Mmm. Yeah.” She lifted her head and gave him a shaky smile.

“I didn’t know you wear glasses.” He smiled down at her, studying the rectangular frames, stylish and a bit funky.

“Oh. Yeah. I don’t wear them often.”

“I like them.” He tipped his head. “They make you look very intelligent.”

“I
am
very intelligent.”

He laughed and gave her butt a little pat. “Yes, you are.” He moved into her kitchen. “I better put the ice cream in the freezer,” he said, making himself at home in her kitchen. She pulled plates out of a cupboard and they piled slices of cheesy pizza on them then sat on her couch. Jake popped the top off a beer while Shelby wiped up a small puddle under her wine glass.