Chapter Two
BOSS TOOK MY HANDS IN his. Before anyone thinks this was inappropriate workplace behavior, think again.
I had known Boss my entire life. He and my father were lifelong friends and ever since my sweet dad passed away several years ago, Boss not only filled in as a father figure, but he became my mentor.
Boss finally found the courage to look me in the eye, but his palms were sweaty. “Kelli, my girl, you know it’s time for me to try out retirement. At least that’s what Holly says.”
I smiled warmly. “I think you will be great at it.” Presumptuously I added, “And you know I’ll take good care of things here. You won’t have to worry about a thing.”
He gave me a strained smile.
That’s when my heart sank. Any small shred of hope I had that Ian being here was only a coincidence went right through the paper shredder. “You’re not making me Director, are you?” I tried to keep the emotion out of my voice.
He squeezed my hands. “Kelli, there’s no question you’re the most talented and dedicated employee that has graced these walls in the last twenty-five plus years. There’s no doubt in my mind that you would be an excellent Director.”
“But . . .” I said.
“There is no but, Kelli. You would be excellent. This has been perhaps the toughest decision of my career, but I feel like it’s the right one, and I think you will too once you understand what Ian has to bring to the table.”
I jumped up in a knee jerk reaction. “You’re making him the Director?” I was thinking that maybe Ian was a talent finder, or I don’t know, anything but this.
Boss gripped his seat and leaned back, surprised.
I forgot he didn’t know that Ian and I had a history and believe me that ticked me off.
Ian should have told him he knew me and how he knew me.
Maybe then Boss would have thought twice about his asinine decision.
Maybe I should tell him. Or maybe I should quit. I can’t and won’t work for Ian.
Boss patted the seat I had vacated hoping I would sit down again. “I know you’re disappointed, and rightly so, but this isn’t a reflection on your capabilities. Look at this as a new opportunity.”
“How?” I asked.
“Ian has extensive contacts in the technology sector. He recently sold his own technology company for millions.” Boss was desperately trying to sell the idea to me.
That sounded like Ian. Looked like his plan was right on schedule. That meant he was married now, too, with two-point-five kids.
Boss stood up and took my hands. “Your digital ad software needs him. He can take this product national, maybe even global. Not only is he a capable businessman, but he knows development.”
I wanted to say, tell me something I don’t know.
I knew Ian had a degree in software development, in addition to his business undergrad and graduate degrees.
I pulled away from Boss and began pacing back and forth, running my fingers through my perfectly curled new-Director hair.
“Why didn’t you tell me earlier, and when did you even meet him? ”
“I met him at that Marketing Technology conference in Denver last fall. I didn’t tell you because, like I said, he’s a savvy businessman.” Boss laughed. “He made me sign an NDA before we even began discussions to explore this idea.”
I rolled my eyes. That sounded like Ian—always cautious and in control.
Boss approached me and led me back to my chair. “Kelli, please sit down.”
I sighed and reluctantly complied.
Boss took my hands right back as soon as we sat down. “Kelli, look at this like a partnership. Without you on board, this isn’t going to work. The office staff loves you too much.”
“It’s too late to butter me up.”
He laughed nervously. “That sounds like my girl.”
I didn’t find this humorous at all. “I’m going to have to think about this. There are other factors to take into account.” I stood. “I’m going home for the day.”
His head hung with a loud exhale.
I walked toward the door that joined our offices together.
“I’ll give you a raise,” Boss yelled out.
I didn’t even bother looking at him before I opened the door. “If I stay, you bet you will.”
I didn’t know if any increase in pay was worth working with Ian.
I couldn’t believe he was going to be the Director.
The big question was why he wanted to be.
It sounded like he had plenty of money now, and he darn well knew I worked here.
Ian always did his homework. I bet he already knew every employee’s name and his or her vital statistics.
I walked over to my desk and looked around my office lovingly.
It was spacious and stylishly decorated with dark wood furniture; I even had a private bathroom.
The view was great too. It overlooked a small lake and walking path.
It was going to really suck to give it all up, especially for the man who did some major damage to my heart.
It had taken me a long time to get over him, but you never forgot your first love, especially when you felt the way I felt about Ian.
As a precaution, I swiped the pictures of my nieces and cat from my desk and placed them in my satchel. The thought of never coming back made my stomach roll. How did this happen? I was expecting a promotion this morning, not a figurative slap in the face.
When I walked out of my office, Delfia looked up from her computer. “Should I transfer your calls to your mobile?” she asked with trepidation.
“That won’t be necessary.” I had to rush past her or the tears I’d been holding back were going to fall. Unfortunately, I had to pass the conference room on my way to the stairs.
I swear it was like Ian was waiting for me. “Kelli,” he called out.
I ignored him and walked as fast as my high heels would allow. It wasn’t fast enough.
He easily caught up with me on the stairs. “Please stop.”
I stopped on the landing and faced him. Looking at him invoked a deep hatred and an overwhelming desire to slap him, but I decided lashing out verbally would probably be more appropriate. “Why? So you can gloat about stealing my job?”
He walked down the stairs like he really was on a runway and met me on the landing. I’m not going to lie, it kind of took my breath away and that made me even more furious.
“I would never do that.” He drew closer, hitting me with his clean, intoxicating scent. “I didn’t know you were being considered for the position until this morning.”
“Oh, so this was a perk for you?”
His brows furrowed. “You know I’m not that kind of a person.”
“No, you’re wrong. I don’t know what kind of a person you are. I don’t think I ever did. You already lied to Gary. You should have told him you knew me and how you knew me.”
“I didn’t lie to him,” he said flatly, offended I would think such a thing.
“Still using the Greyson white lie, I see.” He was great at not telling the truth, all while telling the truth.
“He never asked, and I didn’t see why it was important to bring it up. This is business. It has nothing do with the fact that you and I knew each other previously.”
I shook my head at him in disbelief. I knew it shouldn’t bother me, but that was a little cold.
We more than knew each other, but I had to remind myself that our relationship had meant more to me than it had to him.
He obviously didn’t even regard it as a relationship.
This wasn’t going to work; maybe it was just business to him, but for me, it was personal.
“You can make this your first order of business then. As of this moment, I resign.” I turned and flew down the stairs.
By this time, the foyer was alive with activity.
I tried to remain calm and unemotional as several people wished me good morning.
I faked it the best I could, but once I hit the parking lot the tears came as well as a strong urge to throw a rock at his pristine, white Infiniti.
I refrained from acting on that particular violent thought.
Instead, I took off in my car like a bat out of Hades.
I headed for my sister Amanda’s home. I hoped her kiddos were already off to school.
I loved my nieces, Courtney and Samantha, but I needed their mommy this morning.
She was only five years older than I was, but she had been mothering me since I was little, especially after our own mother walked out on our family when I was only six.
Occasionally Joan, our mother, would contact us, but for the most part, we didn’t have any kind of a relationship with her.
It was sad, but we had dealt with it for so long, we just considered it our life.
We’d never expected anything from her. Besides, our dad was the greatest, and he made sure we turned out all right.
In fact, I think we turned out better than all right, especially Amanda. She was the best mom and wife. My brother-in-law and dentist, Zane Culver, hit the jackpot. Honestly, he was great too, but no one held a candle to Manda Panda, as I endearingly called her.
As I pulled into the drive of her perfect suburban home, I realized I had several missed calls on my phone.
First, it was Boss, then Delfia, and a number I didn’t recognize, but I did recognize the area code as being from Colorado.
I could only guess who that was. It didn’t matter; the only person I wanted to talk to shared my genes.
It showed too. As we got older, we had frequently been asked if we were twins.
I wished we were twins, the identical kind, because Amanda was gorgeous inside and out.
I turned off my phone and threw it in my satchel.
It felt weird to me. My phone was like an extra appendage, and I wasn’t used to being off on a weekday.
If I thought about it, it was kind of freeing in a way.
Too bad I liked to eat, pay my bills, and be a responsible adult.
At least I had a good amount in savings.
I had never touched the life insurance money I received from Dad’s passing.
I was saving it for a house one day. Amanda frequently bugged me about buying instead of renting, but to me, buying a house now was saying I was planning to be single forever.
Like a schoolgirl, I imagined house hunting with my husband and strolling through each home talking about which rooms our children would have.
And honestly, I didn’t want to live in a big house all by myself; it would only remind me more of how lonely I was sometimes.
I walked up to the front porch and retrieved my key. “Manda Panda, are you home?” I yelled out as soon as I opened her door.
“Come on back, Kelli Jelly,” I heard her yell from the kitchen.
I rolled my eyes. Maybe someday we would come up with new nicknames. I slipped off my heels and walked back to the kitchen to find my sister, Betty Crocker, baking away. It smelled like homemade bread. Perfect, I needed a carb coma.
My floured, apron-clad sister spun around as soon as I entered. She took one good look at me. “Who died now?” she teased.
Suddenly, the full weight of my on-the-spot decision really hit me. I burst into tears.
“Oh my, did someone really die?” She wrapped her arms around me.
“No, only my career.”
She stepped back. “What do you mean, honey? Gary would never fire you.”
“He didn’t,” I stuttered through sobs. Then I told her the entire ridiculous story. She had never met Ian, but she knew what he had meant to me and how devastated I was when he broke up with me.
“Well, that’s quite the story. And you’re sure he knew you worked there?”
“Positive.”
“Hmm.” She tapped a finger against her lip.
“What does that mean?”
“I find it interesting, that’s all. Is he married?”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“You don’t find it weird that your ex-boyfriend suddenly shows up after how many years and becomes your boss?”
“You don’t know Ian; this has nothing to do with me. It’s purely business for him. He’s an opportunist.”
“I bet he is,” she responded.
“Seriously, sis, you don’t know what you’re talking about.”
She shrugged her shoulders and led me to her kitchen table where we both sat down.
“So, are you really going to let this guy take what you’ve worked so hard for?”
I laid my head down on her table and moaned. “What else can I do? I can’t possibly work for him. I used to make-out with him. And let’s not forget I told the guy I loved him, and he said that was a complication and never talked to me again, until today.”
“Was he a good kisser?”
I lifted up my head slowly. “What kind of question is that? And what does it have to do with this situation?”
“It’s all in the kiss, right?” She gave me a toothy grin.
I thought back to some of those kisses. I could still feel the way he would caress my cheeks—peering into my eyes like that’s all he ever wanted to do—before pressing his lips against mine.
He always took his time before his tongue would tempt my lips to part.
Each time I gave into the temptation, which was every time, I was rewarded with tingles down my spine.
“You have no idea.” I wish I didn’t either.
“That good, huh?”
“Best ever. You see why I can’t work for him?”
“Are you kidding me? Show this guy who the boss is and what he’s missed out on all these years.”
I tapped my fingers on her perfectly cleaned table. “I don’t know, sis.” From the looks of it, he didn’t seem to be missing out on much. I hated that he was even more attractive now.
She stood and assessed my pathetic figure while taking off her apron. “I say we go shopping and get our nails done while you’re contemplating.”
I wiped the tears out of my eyes. That was the best idea I’d heard all day. “You really are the most terrific-est sister ever.”
She pulled me up out of my seat. “Tell me something I don’t know, Kelli Jelly.”