Chapter 6
MEGAN
In the afternoon, I filled out my application for the competition. It was exhilarating to press Send. I’d find out if they accepted my application within two weeks.
Nina and I had been best friends since college. She was older than me by six years—she’d decided to change careers in her twenties, and she’d done a one-year conversion course in fashion. We met at a food truck near the main building of the university.
Now, she was working at Gucci. She dressed the part too. Tonight, she was wearing a white pencil skirt, red stilettos, and a dark blue silk blouse with a V-neckline.
She grinned when she saw me approach, pointing at the glass on the table in front of my seat. There was a plate in the middle with fries and fried shrimp.
"I already ordered you wine. Come on, sit down and tell me everything. How's the job? How’s the boss?" she asked, wiggling her eyebrows.
I laughed, taking a few fries and a shrimp and practically inhaling them. After that, I took a sip of wine.
"The job is interesting so far. I like the work environment. Everyone's professional but also friendly. No one's stressed out. They respect the boss but aren’t afraid of him. You know what I mean?"
"Is it possible that you're biased?"
"I took in everyone's reactions to him today in a very objective manner. He has this way of exuding confidence, power, and authority. But he's not a jackass, you know?"
"Right. When can I meet him?"
"Never."
I ate more fries and a shrimp. They went perfectly with the wine she chose.
She tilted her head. "Why not?"
"Why would you meet my boss?"
"Hmm, true. Okay, so you think you're in the right spot? You're happy you took the job?"
I took another sip, holding it in my mouth for a beat because it was a tad too cold.
After swallowing, I said, "I think, professionally, it was the right thing to do."
Nina leaned over the table a bit, looking at me with a playful expression. "But personally, you think the hot boss is still hot?"
I nodded. I couldn't bring myself to say it.
"Well, well, this is going to be very interesting," she said.
"You don't say," I murmured. "He doesn't seem to have a problem staying professional, though."
"You sound annoyed."
"It is a bit annoying to be the only one who's so rattled when I see him."
"Change of subject. We haven’t had a girl talk after your one-night stand. I need to know exactly how he convinced you. You never want to take a chance on anyone randomly hitting on you. I’ve been trying to set you up with guys ever since Carson fucked off."
I opened my mouth and closed it again, shaking my head. "I can't talk about it."
"Why not?"
"Because I'm determined to forget it ever happened, and talking about it won't help."
Nina narrowed her eyes, looking at my glass. "Just drink some more. I need to get you drunk first."
"No, that won't work."
"Really?"
"Uh-huh."
"If you say so."
"I do."
My phone vibrated in my purse as I took another sip. Setting the glass back down, I took my phone out, checking my emails. "Oh, there’s news on the intranet," I said. It was also available in app format. I’d downloaded it before I left the office and set it to receive notifications.
"The what?"
"It's an internal platform. Today, Luke said he was going to announce the teams that will work together on the new projects. And I'm… oh, I'm on his team," I murmured, more to myself.
"How many of you are there?"
"Just him and me." I swallowed hard, looking up when Nina started to laugh.
"Cat got your tongue?" she asked, bouncing her leg under the table and accidentally grazing me with the tip of her stiletto.
I bit my lip, trying to ignore the way my heart was beating against my rib cage.
"It is a bit weird," I said, "because the other teams are each between three and four people. I'm going to shoot him a message and ask, just to be sure this isn't a misunderstanding. Maybe he forgot to add the other names."
I typed a message in the chat option of the intranet:
Hi, Luke. I just noticed the teams. How exciting that I'm working in yours. Thank you for taking me under your wing. I can't wait. I noticed that every other team has three to four people. Are there more coming to ours?
He replied in the chat before I’d even set my phone down.
No, just you and me. Is that a problem?
My heart leaped into my throat. Was I making this more than it was? I wanted to be professional.
"Sorry, I need to reply to this," I told Nina.
"What did he say?"
"Just let me think about it for a second.”
Damn, I shouldn't have drunk that so fast. Focus, focus, I told myself before responding to Luke.
No. Of course it's not a problem. I was just wondering why we don't have more team members.
This time, he didn’t reply right away. I put my phone down, giving it a side-eye while I sipped my drink.
"Oh, woman.” Nina tsked. “I hate to tell you this, but you kind of look like someone who’s waiting for her crush to write her back."
"Her crush?" I asked. "What are we, five? Besides, this is my boss. It's more important."
"Right," she said, eyeing me. She knew me too well.
When my phone finally did vibrate, I jumped in my seat, immediately reading it.
I'll explain everything tomorrow. Come to my office at nine o'clock.
"Ooh," Nina said. She’d clearly read it upside down. "That sounded bossy. He wants you in his office."
"Yep, I know. I read it too," I said.
My stomach bottomed out. Had I offended him?
"I'm sure you didn’t," Nina said, which made me realize I said it out loud. "You're always the optimist."
"I am."
"Oh crap. Now you're going to think the whole evening that you’re going to be in trouble, aren't you?"
"Maybe," I admitted, flagging the waiter so we could finally order the main course. I was hungry despite the appetizer.
"Then I guess I'll have to take your mind off it. Let's think about something else. What if he wants you in his office to have his dirty way with you?" she asked.
“Nina, this isn’t helping.” I laughed, nearly knocking over my wine.
The waiter came back over to us, looking at the glass worriedly.
I ordered a salad with chicken and beans. Nina went for a shrimp casserole.
While we waited, I focused on her. “How are things going with Henry?”
Henry was her on-again, off-again boyfriend. At the moment, she wasn’t sure if they were on or off.
“I have no idea,” she said with a sigh.
“You know I’m here for you, right?”
She smiled warmly. “I know. I just don’t want to talk about it anymore. It doesn’t seem to help. I’m not sure why I can’t just kick him to the curb.”
“We all do things we can’t understand,” I murmured.
“That’s right, we do.” She put her elbows on the table, lacing her fingers under her chin. “Spill it.”
I sighed. I knew this was just the distraction she needed. Talking about that night was definitely not smart, but it would take Nina’s mind off her own troubles.
“Jeez, you’re persistent. Let me eat dinner first, at least.”
“Fine, but after that, I’ll have no mercy. I hope you remember every detail.”
My lips turned up at the corners. “Oh, I do.”
Luke
“Sam, you’ve got to stay longer,” Travis exclaimed.
My brothers and I had gone out for a drink at the bar on the top of our office building. We were on the second round of drinks, sitting at the round table next to the window.
Sam shrugged. “I couldn’t get more days off.”
“You flew from Honduras for three days?” Tate countered.
“I like seeing the family.”
Travis snorted. “Dude, you’re not spending all your time in Chicago with us.” He looked at all of us before adding, “My money is on the fact that he’s got a woman here.”
Tate whistled. Declan looked at Sam in surprise. I didn’t find it too far-fetched. Sam had always been very private about his relationships.
“I might,” he said in typical Sam fashion.
I whistled, clapping his shoulder. “Joining the brotherhood of engaged Maxwell men soon?”
Tate had gotten engaged last September to Lexi, who had been Paisley’s nanny at the time.
I was extremely proud of my brother for moving on in his life.
After his divorce from Paisley’s mother, he was on his own for years.
Tyler and Declan had both gotten engaged recently.
I had to admit, I hadn’t thought Tyler would settle down for a couple years.
As the best goalie in the NHL, he didn’t lack for female attention, but my brother had a good head on his shoulders.
Declan was a surprise too. He’d been at odds with the woman renting the guesthouse on his property—at least in the beginning. But then things changed drastically.
“I recommend being engaged,” Tate said.
“So do I,” Tyler echoed.
“Who is she?” Declan asked. Ah, always the practical one.
He sounded on edge, already looking out for potential problems. But that was Declan—always trying to foresee and solve problems before they even appeared.
I was the complete opposite. Worrying was not part of my vocabulary. If shit happened, I dealt with it.
“I’m not sharing any details,” Sam said.
Declan groaned. Tate just laughed. No one pushed Sam. It was like trying to squeeze water from a rock.
I was happy for him. Selfishly, I also hoped that meant he’d come home soon. At least he wasn’t in a war zone any longer. That brought peace of mind. But I wouldn’t mind having my baby brother in Chicago with the rest of the family.
My phone buzzed. I instantly thought about Megan, but it was a message from Derrick.
Derrick: Boss, can we talk about the teams tomorrow? I have a gap to fill.
Luke: Sure.
Megan’s message came to mind again. I was pissed off that she was questioning my professionalism. I’d done my best to be on good behavior. My very damn best. Though I fantasized about her constantly.
When she’d told me in that display room that she wanted to make her aunt proud, it cost me all my self-restraint not to ask more.
This went beyond wanting her.
I wanted to know her.
I couldn’t believe myself. I’d never been interested in an intern.
Ever. We’d had the program for six years, and nothing like this had ever happened to me.
Occasionally, the interns dated someone on the team.
There wasn’t a rule about that. But I was the CEO.
It was different. I held myself to higher standards.
“So, when are you coming back?” Travis asked Sam, snapping me out of my thoughts. “I’m assuming that’s where this is going, and I fully approve.”
“Yes, that’s where this is going. But I can’t tell yet when it’s happening,” Sam answered.
I patted his back. “Tell us when you’re ready. We’re gonna throw a party. It’s gonna be huge.”
My brothers cheered, and my mind went back to Megan.
Tomorrow, I was going to make it clear to her that she was under my wing because I was her mentor.
That was all. The reason I took interns was because I enjoyed sharing my knowledge, shaping new talents.
Not fantasizing about getting her into my bed.
It was just the two of us so I could give her my full attention, that was it. I’d done this with other interns before too.
I rarely cared for rules, but I had principles, and I didn’t stray from them.
Not until Megan, anyway.