Chapter Six #2
“Maybe. I don’t know. I wouldn’t think so because my dad was devoted to my mom. I doubt he’s my dad’s son. But perhaps Johnny could be related to us somehow. We can use my DNA to find out.”
“It’s not a bad idea. Let me go speak with someone.” She rose and walked down the hall, so Oakley went and sat in the ICU’s waiting area. A game show was on the television, and contestants were spinning a wheel.
After about twenty minutes, the nurse returned.
“Sorry that took so long. I had to ask around, but finally reached someone higher up who agreed it couldn’t hurt.
You’ll need to sign some consent forms and go to the lab since we don’t do that here for non-patients.
The lab on the first floor is expecting you.
” She held up a hand, a note of caution in her voice.
“But just be aware that our system—and the police’s— don’t link to those private ancestry websites.
If Johnny wants his DNA on one of them, he’ll have to make an account and submit it himself. ”
“Got it.”
A short time later, after being swabbed, Oakley was on his way to the office.
Since he’d somehow lost the entire morning, he went by Donatello’s Pizzeria to grab two slices of pizza for lunch.
Arriving at the office, he wasn’t surprised to find Rachel gone for the day.
Perhaps he’d even hesitated longer than necessary to get back.
He wasn’t normally this nervous about being in a woman’s presence, but after last night…
He brushed the thoughts aside. Rachel was his admin.
Nothing more. Best to remember that and act accordingly.
He sat at his desk, a green pepper and onion pizza slice in one hand while he thumbed through mail with the other.
Then he accessed his email. Rachel had sent him one telling him what she’d accomplished and what he still needed to do, and that she’d see him tomorrow.
She’d added a smiley face emoji, which sent a joyous jolt through Oakley.
Darn, he had it bad.
He had to get it together. Yes, he liked her.
But he could handle attraction. He’d vowed not to get involved again, especially after the divorce.
He couldn’t say his cheating ex had destroyed his heart, but she had shredded his pride and left him emotionally battered.
No woman yet had slipped past the barriers he’d erected.
One or two dates and he was moving on, which was why he rarely dated.
Unlike his younger brother, Jagger, Oakley wasn’t a one-night-stand type either, which meant it had been forever since he’d had sex.
Amazing how he didn’t miss it, as the wrong person made sex nothing but a physical release, and he had a hand if it came to that.
But with Rachel, the desire was there for real.
Being with her would be far deeper and meaningful.
Just a brief note from her had the power to make him feel as if all was right in the world, or as if he could climb the tallest mountain or swim the deepest sea.
And yes, he knew that made him seem like a silly teenage cliché.
He was reading far too much into it. She might have slipped under his defenses, intentionally or not.
Still, he couldn’t act on these burgeoning feelings. He could, however, act on others.
He’d seen the state of her apartment. It was tiny and cramped. She needed things for Allie, things she would have been able to pay for, had it not been for his father and his ridiculous lawsuit. Oakley could at least relieve some of the guilt he felt over his father’s actions.
He made a phone call to one of his executives in Dallas and within a few minutes had the number for the concierge service the firm often used. When the call connected, he began telling the concierge exactly what he wanted. Once terms were settled, Oakley leaned back and smiled.
He hoped Rachel enjoyed her surprise.
* * *
Oakley wasn’t in the office when Rachel arrived the next morning.
She settled into her desk and spread her hands along the smooth surface.
Being Oakley’s admin felt good. Right. She’d loved having the office to herself yesterday morning, and having the afternoon off had been fantastic.
She’d taken Allie for a long walk in the park and then visited the early childhood center.
While she’d liked the place, the director confirmed that the family was staying and didn’t have an opening.
Because of the age of the infants already in the room, she’d said she didn’t expect one for at least six months, even if she moved Allie to the top of the list.
When Rachel had arrived home, she’d told Taylor what had happened.
Her neighbor immediately offered to keep Allie daily, and Rachel, insisting she couldn’t take any more charity, worked out a fair monetary arrangement that benefited everyone.
Until the center had an opening, Allie would stay with Taylor, which suited Rachel just fine.
She was actually relieved that her kind-hearted neighbor would be Allie’s full-time caregiver.
This way, she could go home at lunch to visit her daughter, like she planned on doing today.
An added bonus: Taylor had grandchildren of her own, so when her granddaughter visited, Allie would get social time with kids her own age.
The door to the hallway opened. When Oakley came through, Rachel’s fingers froze above her keyboard. She took a breath to calm her quickening pulse.
“Hey there,” he said, carrying two to-go coffees. He set one on her desk. “Thought you could use a pick-me-up.”
“Thank you. That’s kind of you.” Being generous was one of Oakley’s traits.
He might be rich, but he wasn’t selfish.
Instead, he thought of everyone else. She’d seen it time and time again in his interactions with his clients and employees.
It was one of the many things she appreciated about him.
She found the hazelnut-flavored coffee just the way she liked it. “This is good.”
“Because I know a guy,” he teased. His dark blond hair caught the light from the overhead fixtures as he hovered in the doorway long enough that she noticed the front crease in his tailored navy slacks.
He wore a crisp white shirt, the sleeves rolled up to expose the strong forearms she’d felt firsthand just the night before.
His gaze swept the room, and she found herself holding her breath, unable to look away.
He was magnificent. “How’d Allie sleep? Did she cry long after I left? ”
“Oh, she actually went back to sleep immediately. False alarm. It happens.”
“That’s good. I…um…liked holding her the other night. She seems like an easy baby.” He sipped his coffee, which drew her focus to his full lips, so temptingly close to her own.
“She’s always been easy. Normally anyway. As you recall, she was screaming when you arrived…”
“Hard to forget,” he teased.
This small talk should mean nothing, yet every word felt weighted, as if they were dancing around what had almost happened. “I put those contracts on your desk. When you’re ready to sign, let me know and I can witness and sign for you.”
“Thanks. I’ll go review them now.” He disappeared through the doorway and, fingers planted again on the keys, she got back to work.
Her sense of alertness didn’t fade, even though Oakley stayed mainly in his office.
He came out a few times to check in and use their shared restroom and kitchen, but mostly she didn’t see him.
She had access to his schedule, which today included several conference calls.
The Dallas-based championship weekend required tons of attention, and he sent her an email saying not to worry about the contracts as a courier would deliver new ones after lunch.
Since he had a luncheon with one of the city council members who was thinking of bringing a rodeo showcase to Emerald Ridge, she sent Oakley a text saying she was taking her lunch an hour early so that she could be in the office while he was gone.
That way one of them was there to meet the courier. She got back a thumbs-up.
Since it was a gorgeous day and it didn’t take that long to eat a peanut butter-and-jelly sandwich, she strolled at a normal pace instead of her typical “have to catch a plane” speed walk.
Allie was at Taylor’s, so Rachel went there first. Her daughter raised her arms when she saw her mom, and Rachel scooped her up.
“How’s my girl been?” she cooed. She dipped her head as Allie went for some of her hair. “Feisty, I see.”
“She’s been great. We read a bunch of stories, and she’s working on pulling herself up. No steps yet.”
“I hope she walks for me first.” Rachel blew a raspberry on Allie’s stomach. Her daughter laughed, a full and throaty, exuberant squeal. “You take your first steps for me, got it? That’s an order.”
Allie babbled, so Rachel blew another raspberry into her belly, which elicited another round of giggles.
“Speaking of walking, be careful when you go into your apartment. You had a delivery. I signed for it… I hope that’s okay. The driver said everything was paid for already and no balance was owed. He had to make several trips. Since the boxes looked big and heavy, I let him in and supervised.”
“I didn’t order anything.” Nor had Rachel noticed any wrongful charges on any of her credit cards. When she’d been dealing with Clemons, she’d checked the balances online so often it was now a habit. Same with her bank account. Nothing had been amiss. “That’s strange. What company was it?”
Taylor named the company, which was a registered and real delivery service. Rachel shrugged. “I have no idea what that delivery is. Shall we check it out?”
Carrying Allie, Rachel went to her apartment and opened the door. There were five huge boxes set on the floor, making the walk inside near impossible. “I did not order this stuff.”
But it was her name and address on the shipping labels.