Chapter Eight
To his credit, and perhaps to her great disappointment, Rachel quickly discovered Oakley was a man of his word. By Tuesday, he hadn’t mentioned the kiss, nor did he act as if said liplock had happened. They were strictly business as usual as the days went by.
“Oakley?” She knocked on the door to his office and waited until he looked up.
When he did, she ignored the way her heart rate increased.
He looked incredibly handsome today. He’d rolled the sleeves of a crisp white dress shirt to his elbows, exposing his muscular forearms, and unfastened the top two buttons at his collar, revealing an expanse of neck and a hint of chest. She swallowed, her knees weakening, when he gave her a friendly smile.
“Hey, how are things going out there?”
She returned his smile. “Good, but I keep getting these calls from someone at a place called the Rodeo Network, but then they hang up. I did an internet search, but there’s no website and I can’t find a company with that name.
There are a few organizations that have that name incorporated in them, but I can’t confirm this group exists. It’s strange.”
Oakley’s frown creased his forehead. “Just block the phone number. I’m sure it’s just a scam or some sort of phishing. If they find another way to reach you, let me know and I’ll take more aggressive action to make it stop.”
She nibbled her lower lip. “If you’re sure you can do that. The calls came from an anonymous number. Are you sure your rivals aren’t trying to get insider information? Because it is weird. Like, what are they trying to find out?”
“I have no idea, but I’m sure it’s not corporate espionage.”
She could not tell what he was thinking and it worried her. “If you say so, then I won’t fret about it any longer. By the way, I also came to tell you I’m about to meet Jenny for lunch.”
“Enjoy yourself. I’ll be on a conference call with the Dallas VPs. And thanks again for reminding me I’d left out some of my dad’s medical papers yesterday. Not sure how I got so forgetful.”
“It’s not like you to misplace things. Must be the fact that you have the rodeo next weekend.” When she’d returned from lunch, she’d found the papers, seen what they were and immediately brought them to him. “Any updates on that?”
“That’s what the conference call is for,” he reminded her.
“True.” She hated the awkwardness that now existed between them. She’d wanted them to be professional, but this felt stilted and perfunctory. “How’s Johnny Doe doing? Any new developments?” She hadn’t asked about him in a while.
Oakley absently twirled a pen between his thumb and forefingers.
“Still no memory. Cheyenne told me he’s had a post-operative CT scan to confirm the hematoma evacuation and assess the remaining swelling.
She said the scan looked good, and that he hasn’t had any seizures.
Since it’s been about a week, most likely they’ll be moving him from the ICU to a neurological ward today or tomorrow.
He should get his sutures out soon—or maybe they’re staples.
I don’t remember exactly what she said. But he’s stable, and that’s a good thing. ”
“But still no clue why he called out your dad’s name?” Rachel found that as odd as Oakley did.
His shrug caused her to shift her focus to his strong, broad shoulders. “None. And I took a DNA test to see if that would help, but it won’t come back for several more weeks. They said it might be nearer to the end of September.”
She knew that all these unanswered questions had to be frustrating for everyone. “Hopefully, it resolves quickly, and he gets his memory back. As I keep saying, I can’t imagine being in the hospital and not knowing who I am.”
“I’m going to visit him again soon. With the showcase this upcoming weekend, I’ve been too busy to get to the hospital lately, but Cheyenne has been checking in and she’s keeping me posted.”
“Okay. Well, let me know if you learn anything. I’m invested in this mystery now.
If you don’t need anything else…” When Oakley shook his head, she added, “Then I’m off to lunch.
We’re trying the new place.” She named the restaurant, which was located in the next town over.
Everyone had been raving about it, so Rachel was excited to try the food there.
“You’ll tell Jenny good things about our working relationship, I hope.” For a long moment, Oakley held her gaze.
“I’m telling her only what relates to the business,” she reassured him.
Oakley’s expression relaxed into relief. “Perfect. And since you have a twenty-minute drive, take all the time you need. If you ever have reason to extend your lunch, feel free. You do more work in one hour than many in my Dallas office. I’ll see you when you get back.”
“That’s kind.” It was also unnecessary, but she wouldn’t tell him that, on the off chance she ever needed to take Allie to the doctor. The place Jenny had discovered was crowded when Rachel arrived, but Rachel found her friend easily. Jenny gave her a hug before they took their seats.
“You look happier than I’ve ever seen you,” Jenny observed.
“Really?” Rachel reached for the sweet tea Jenny had preordered for her. “I guess I am. Things are finally feeling settled, not that I trust them.”
How could she, when despite Oakley ignoring their kiss like she asked him to, she still felt its impact?
Even thinking about their steamy embrace had the power to send desire rushing through her.
Luckily, she was sitting down, so she could dip her head and Jenny couldn’t see the heat spreading across her cheeks.
“The shoe won’t necessarily drop,” Jenny promised as she reached for her own glass. “You know I follow up with all my clients, and so Oakley and I had a long video chat yesterday afternoon.”
Rachel coughed as some tea went down wrong. “I didn’t know when that was happening.” She knew her boss would give Jenny a performance review, but she hadn’t expected one so soon.
“And now it has. You’ve been working for him for two weeks.
Believe me, you have nothing to worry about.
He’s singing your praises. He called you one of the best admins he’s ever had, including saying you’re better than the one who retired, and he adored her.
You’ve certainly made an impact on him.”
He’d also made an impact on her. If she wasn’t focusing on Allie or work, she was remembering how his lips had felt on hers, and how cherished she’d felt being in his arms. She had to put things into perspective. “He feels bad for me since his dad sued me and caused me to almost go bankrupt.”
Jenny’s eyebrows formed a skeptical line. “Perhaps, but he wouldn’t keep you on if you didn’t do the work,” she pointed out practically. She opened her menu. “You’re good at what you do, Rachel. Don’t sell yourself short. Now, what are you thinking of ordering?”
Rachel studied the menu and decided on the lunch-size barbecue chicken salad. Jenny chose a honey barbecue chicken wrap and fries. “So tell me what else is new?” Jenny asked. “How are your parents doing?”
Grateful for the switch in topics, she and her bestie spent the next hour eating and chatting. Jenny told her how seeing Allie made her want to have another baby, but how her husband wasn’t ready. “We didn’t have an easy time conceiving last time, so I don’t want to wait.”
“Despite my ex, I’m glad I have Allie.” Rachel leaned back as the server removed her empty bowl. “I’d like her to have siblings, this time hopefully with the right partner, if that ever happens. I’ve sworn off men, remember?”
Jenny made sympathetic noises. “Does Allie have cousins? You’re not that close to your siblings, are you?”
“Not like Oakley is with his. They’re all moving to Emerald Ridge so they can be together—they’re that close.
I’ve never experienced anything like it.
My siblings and I don’t even exchange birthday cards.
A rare text if that.” Rachel felt her cheeks heat.
The last person she’d wanted to bring back into the conversation was her sexy boss, especially as Jenny’s eyebrow had lifted.
“Now you have me curious,” her friend said.
“They are always doing things together, like lunches and dinners. They’ll video-call each other at least once a week as well.
I see my siblings on major holidays—that is, if I’m lucky.
The Fortunes’ father might be a crass, horrid man, but it’s clear that they love him and each other.
It’s a bit enviable, not that I’m softening toward Clemons.
” She gave an involuntary shudder. “He’s a menace.
I can’t believe he refused to pay for a haircut.
Look how good of a job Sofia did. Honestly, I still can’t wrap my brain around the idea that Oakley’s related to him. They are nothing alike.”
“As long as you don’t fall for Oakley like his previous admin, all will be well,” Jenny warned. “Eyes on the prize. You have about thirty days until you’re off probation and get the company benefits that come with that.”
“Believe me, I won’t forget. I’d be a fool to throw this job away now that we have the issues with Clemons resolved and Oakley said his father won’t be bothering me. It’s hard for me to trust, but I’m hoping for the best.”
Jenny nodded. “From what you’ve told me, Oakley doesn’t trust easily either, not personally or professionally. So if he tells me you’re working out great, you must be doing something right. Whatever it is, keep doing it.”
“I plan on it.” Minus kissing him again, of course. She checked the movement of her hand before she touched her lips. Bad enough she had to keep remembering not to touch her hair once she styled it. Now she couldn’t rub her lips, lest she give away her nerves.
When lunch ended, Jenny insisted on paying the bill, saying it was a business expense, and she and Rachel hugged goodbye in the parking lot. Since her friend had another appointment at a business near the café, they drove in opposite directions.