Chapter 10 Luca
LUCA
Sean Mulaney is the last person I want to meet with.
Fine, that’s not entirely fair to the man, I’ve never even met him.
His daughter Miranda? I’ve met her. Spent most of eleventh grade with a crush on her, and twelfth grade trying to avoid her and her clique after she turned down my invitation to go to a school dance.
By laughing in my face, in front of everyone in the hallway at our high school.
“I’m not gonna dance with you, limpy. Eww.”
Super original nickname, I know. I did limp back then. I would grow too fast for my prosthesis to keep up, and my parents couldn’t always afford to upgrade when I needed it, so I’d often be stuck wearing something ill-fitting and uncomfortable.
The one downside to moving back to Cedar Creek is the risk of running into the people that made my high school years miserable. Even knowing I moved on and made more of myself and my life than they could ever hope to doesn’t quite erase the damage that years of bullying can do.
But as I straighten my jacket outside the conference room at Peak Properties, Sean’s property development firm that’s responsible for most of the downtown core of Cedar Creek, I remind myself my meeting is with him, not his daughter.
And Isla should be here soon, according to the text she sent saying she’d just dropped her son off after a doctor’s appointment.
I know she feels bad for being late to this sponsorship meeting, but really, I’m just glad she’s coming.
Lord knows it’s not exactly her job, but we’re a small organization and we all wear many hats.
Besides, just the thought of seeing her, having her near me, soothes my soul in a way I don’t want to look at too closely.
When I push open the frosted glass door, my stomach drops. Sean is standing to the side, looking at something on his phone. And there, seated across the table, directly in line with the door, is Miranda.
It’s been over twenty years, but she still looks the same. I’ve got nothing against a woman doing whatever it takes to feel good about themselves. But to what lengths must someone go just to look exactly the same at forty-two as they did at seventeen?
Miranda’s attention-grabbing appearance may have worked on me, as well as most of the guys in our class back in high school, but now, it does nothing to me.
Instead of letting it show that I could have happily gone another twenty years without seeing her, I let my gaze brush right over her, as if I not only don’t recognize her, but don’t notice her at all.
“Luca,” Sean says in a booming voice. “Good to meet you. I’m excited to discuss how we can work together.”
I shake his hand. “Nice to meet you as well. Thanks for your interest in partnering with the Thunder.”
“This is my daughter Miranda, she’s acting as my assistant for a few months before she jets off to Europe.” He laughs, placing his hand on her back. “Actually, you two might know each other, you’re around the same age, and didn’t I read somewhere you grew up here?”
I put on a polite smile. “I can’t say I recognize you, Miranda, but it's a pleasure to meet you.”
“The pleasure’s all mine, Luca,” she purrs, and I fight to hide my grimace at the way she holds her hand out for me. I give it one firm handshake and then drop it immediately.
“We knew each other in high school, Daddy,” she says with a tinkling laugh. “It would seem we’ve both grown up since then.”
I don’t know how her father is missing the heavily laced words she’s saying. But somehow, I manage to ignore it, turning back to the man I’m here to meet with.
“My marketing consultant will be joining us shortly, she had to attend to an important matter first. But we can get started. Did you have some thoughts on what you’d like to see from our potential partnership?”
Sean launches into a speech about signage and branding opportunities, and I keep my attention firmly on him, doing my best to ignore the ridiculously obvious ways Miranda keeps trying to get my attention.
She leans forward, making it impossible to avoid staring at her cleavage if I was looking directly at her, and barely five minutes later she’s licking the end of her pen like it’s a goddamn lollipop.
She’s shameless. And it’s making me more and more uncomfortable by the minute.
I don’t know how I’ll manage to work with Peak Properties if she’s around for our meetings.
“Those all sound like potential plans, in-line with what my team is thinking,” I say when Sean finishes.
“Excellent,” Sean replies.
Just then, there’s a knock on the conference room door. Any hope I have of it being Isla is dashed when a younger guy sticks his head in. “Sorry to interrupt, sir, but there’s an urgent call for you on line two.”
Sean looks to me. “Sorry, Luca. Do you mind?”
I wave my hand. “Go ahead. I’d rather wait for my staff to be here before we go too much further anyway.”
I realize my mistake the second he exits the conference room. Miranda stands and sashays around the table, hitching her hip onto it right next to me.
“I find it hard to believe you don’t remember me, Luca. High school wasn’t that long ago,” she says, giggling.
“Over twenty years is a long time,” I reply drily. Her face barely moves, but I catch a slight narrowing of her eyes.
“You asked me to one of our school dances.” She has the audacity to place a hand on my upper arm. “I always regretted turning you down, you know.”
My eyebrows raise, but I say nothing.
“If you asked me out now, I’d have a different answer.”
Holy hell, the guts on this woman. Does she truly not remember the bitch she was in high school?
I settle my expression into one of cool indifference and stare her straight in the eyes. “Too bad I never ask twice.” I shake off her hand, push back from the table, and stand. “Excuse me, I’m going to check on where my employee is.”
“Don’t be shy, Luca, we’re old friends.” Miranda titters, standing as well and putting her fucking hand back on my arm, this time squeezing lightly.
I open my mouth, fed up with her antics and ready to burn this sponsorship to the ground if it gets me away from her, when a light knock precedes the opening of the conference room door.
As soon as Isla breezes in, I feel my jaw unclench.
I watch her take in the scene, Miranda leaning toward me, her hand on my bicep, my hands clenched tight at my side.
Fuck. She better not think I want any of this.
I give my head a subtle shake, keeping my eyes wide and lips in a thin line.
Mere seconds pass before she takes control in the most unexpected but not unwelcome way.
“Hey babe, sorry I’m late.”
My eyebrows twitch upward at the casual endearment, but I immediately let them fall, only to have a different body part twitch when she struts up beside me, sliding her hand over mine and leaning in to press a kiss to my cheek.
“How have things gone so far?” She turns to Miranda and adopts a smile, one I can tell is obviously fake. “Oh, I’m so sorry, how unprofessional of me. I’m Isla. I’m heading up the marketing for the Cedar Creek Thunder relaunch. And you are?”
It’s hard to tell underneath all the makeup, but I’m pretty sure Miranda turns bright red.
For a brief moment, I worry she’s going to reveal how we know each other.
Which in turn could lead to Isla learning about my leg, something I’m not ready for yet.
But to my immense surprise, Miranda backs down.
Well, sort of.
“Miranda Mulaney. My father owns this company.” There’s no mistaking the haughty tone to her words, but she doesn’t make another move on me, thank fuck.
“I’ll leave you to your meeting.” She turns her back partially on Isla and gives me what I would assume she intends to be a seductive gaze.
“If things ever…change, you know how to find me.”
Damn, that’s bold.
Before I can say anything, Isla steps in again, sliding herself forward so she’s partially between me and Miranda, and taking my hand, plants it firmly on her hip.
My fingertips dig in of their own accord.
This is so wrong. But damn, it feels so right, having her by my side like this, even if it is fake.
“Don’t worry, he won’t be needing to find you.” She tips her head to the side and lifts her free hand in a small wave. “Bye now.”
Neither one of us moves a muscle until Miranda has stormed out of the room, trying to slam the door behind her but since it’s got soft-closing hinges, her dramatic exit loses a lot of its power.
“Holy shit, Forrester.” I exhale, letting my forehead fall to her shoulder. Then, I freeze. “Sorry.” I drop my grip on her hip and lift my head quickly. “Thanks for the assist, you’re a lifesaver.”
Isla turns slowly to face me, a cautious expression on her face. “So, you’re not mad I basically just pretended we were together in front of a sponsor’s daughter? It wasn’t exactly professional of me.”
I let out a harsh laugh. “Definitely not mad. If anything, I should be apologizing for putting you in an uncomfortable situation.” I run my fingers through my hair, aware Sean could be back any second.
And I owe Isla at least a partial explanation.
“Miranda and I went to high school together. She might not have been interested in me then, but apparently, she is now. Too bad the feeling isn’t reciprocated. ”
Isla lets out an indelicate snort, then claps a hand over her mouth in embarrassment. I grin and pull it away.
“Anyway. I owe you big time.”
“Great, you can buy lunch after we wrap this meeting.”
“Anything you want.”
I don’t intend that to sound as laden in innuendo as it comes out, but with the way Isla’s eyes darken, I don’t regret it. Fuck, I want to feel my hands on her again. For real this time.
Just then the door opens, and Sean re-enters. “Sorry about that, everything is under control now, but my daughter said she was late for an appointment so it’ll just be us,” he says by way of greeting.
“No problem,” I reply smoothly. “Sean, this is my head of marketing, Isla Forrester. She’s the brains behind everything.” I gesture toward her with my hand. “Let’s continue our meeting, shall we?”
For the next half hour, I sit back and watch in awe while Isla works. My gut hasn’t steered me wrong before, and it didn’t now. She’s a fucking marvel to watch in action, and the way she understands my vision is incredible.
She’s beautiful, competent, intelligent, and everything I could ever want in a woman.
The way she saved me from Miranda’s borderline offensive approaches was entertaining…
and confusing. I’m no idiot, I can tell we’re both dancing around something when it comes to the attraction we have for each other.
But I’ve somehow managed to keep a lid on it.
To remember she’s my employee and I owe her nothing but respect and professionalism.
Today she made it nearly impossible to remember that fact.
Today I felt her lips on my skin, albeit briefly.
Today I felt her hand on mine, not as an employee, but as a woman.
Today I realized I might not be able to contain this attraction for much longer.
And that could be a real fucking problem.