Chapter 19
The girls—no, her two beautiful, fully grown daughters—left around noon on Monday, before the out-of-town holiday traffic got too bad.
Once they were gone, her fingers itched to call Knox. Despite all her resolve not to contact him, she sent him a text telling him she was fine.
It was like opening a door. He texted back immediately. I need to check for myself.
She texted one line. I’m not ready.
Yesterday’s conversation with her daughters kept running through her mind. And part of her kept asking, why not? Would it be so terrible to take a chance?
But what the girls didn’t understand was that her relationship with Knox could harm her career, her chance at promotions.
It didn’t matter that Holt Montgomery had married his secretary. It didn’t matter that David Farris was living with the cost accounting manager. It didn’t even matter that Ward Restin was engaged to Holt’s daughter.
The VPs could do whatever they wanted, but she didn’t have the same luxury. There were different rules for underlings. So yes, she punished Knox for that infraction by not calling him. But the fear of what would happen Tuesday when she went back to work roiled in her belly.
She hadn’t seen Lee in a couple of weeks since she was still entertaining the dreaded mother-in-law. But Summer felt desperate for a workout, or a coffee date, or even a phone chat with her no-nonsense best friend.
“Oh my God, save me from my mother-in-law,” Lee hissed sotto voce before Summer could even say hello.
“I’ll save you. Have coffee with me.”
Fifteen minutes later they were seated at a corner table in their favorite café, surrounded by families giving sweet drinks to their kids that were guaranteed to send them off on a sugar high.
“So, did you call to rescue me, or am I supposed to rescue you?” Lee asked, licking a bit of foam off her lip.
“You know that dangerous VP?”
Lee waggled her perfectly arched eyebrows. “The delicious Knox Turner.”
“He kissed me in front of everyone at the company picnic.”
Lee gaped. “He didn’t.”
“He did.”
“And?” Lee hit her with a wide-eyed stare.
Summer told her the whole story, from things escalating with Knox, to him sleeping over for the last week, to the picnic and Jewel and Crushed Beer Can Guy. And Knox’s kiss.
“And you’re totally okay?”
Summer nodded.
“Then that kiss is so romantic,” Lee said with a swoony roll of her eyes.
“Romantic?”
“Of course. He was concerned about you. Then he got carried away and kissed you. How is that not romantic?”
Okay, her daughters had made her see that it was romantic, but she didn’t want Lee to agree. “But he did it in front of all the other VPs. It could get me fired. And the last time we talked about Knox, you said he was dangerous and that it wasn’t a good power dynamic.”
Lee leaned forward, chin propped on her hand. “That was before I heard you talk about him staying over and saw the way your eyes went all gooey when you said he’d rushed to your rescue.”
“My eyes didn’t go all gooey.” But maybe they had.
Giving her a smug look, Lee merely shrugged. Then she said seriously, “Do you think you’ll get fired? Tell me honestly. Not what you’re terrified is going to happen, but what you really feel deep in your belly.”
Summer sipped her chai, and it went down hard, making her cough.
When she recovered, she had to face Lee’s question.
“I don’t really know. If I’m honest, it doesn’t look like anyone really cares about dating someone from work.
They all do it. And no one said anything afterward at the picnic.
My boss seemed more concerned that I was okay. ”
“Then maybe you shouldn’t catastrophize the whole thing.”
She tipped her head and gazed at her friend. “Are you saying that because what’s done is done, Knox kissed me and they all know, and whatever will happen will happen?”
Covering Summer’s hand, Lee dropped her voice to a soft note.
“I’m saying that what you’ve got going isn’t just phone sex or friends with benefits or plain old hot sex.
It’s a relationship.” She let that sink in.
“And not only that, you care about him. Maybe you’re even in love with him?
” She posed it as a question, but Summer heard it as a statement.
“I don’t want to be in love with him,” she whispered.
“Why?” Lee asked just as softly.
“Because I’m afraid he’ll take over my life like Everett did.”
Lee sat back, looked at her a long moment, then she said, “I know.” She laid her hand over Summer’s once more. “But did you ever think that now you’re strong enough not to let someone do that to you again?”
But what if she wasn’t?
“And you also have to decide if he’s the kind of man that will try to take over. Because if he is, then maybe you’re right and he’s not the man for you. But if he’s not…” She raised her hands in a voilà gesture. “Then maybe you should go for it.”
Everything Lee said stayed with Summer long after they parted.
Would Knox take over her life like Everett had? Or was she strong enough not to let that happen?
The summons came from Holt on Tuesday morning.
Summer’s stomach was simmering when she stepped into his office, and it boiled over when Holt said, “Close the door.” She thought she’d be sick. When he didn’t give her a commiserating look, she knew it had to be bad.
She’d already decided the best thing to do was to say nothing and let him get his tirade over with.
He flourished a hand. “Have a seat.”
When she’d sat and tucked her skirt under her rump, he said, “What you did was incredibly brave.” She went into shock as he continued. “Getting between an angry man and his quarry can be dangerous.”
“I just couldn’t stand by and watch him hurt Jewel.”
“You could’ve called for help.”
She closed her eyes for a moment. She could have called Knox. It would have taken only a moment for him to reach her. “I didn’t think about it. I only thought that if I didn’t step in, he might break Jewel’s wrist.”
“Luckily, that didn’t happen. You should know that Jewel didn’t press charges, so he’s already out.
” Then Holt grinned. “But I have the feeling he won’t be able to get near her ever again.
She’s got people watching out for her now.
” He didn’t explain further on that subject.
“And Jewel is fine. It wasn’t even a sprained wrist, just some bruising. ”
“Thank goodness.” Her sigh of relief was real.
Then Holt took a deep breath, his eyes boring into her. “But I need to give you a little warning about Knox Turner.”
Her stomach roiled all over again.
“I certainly am not one to throw stones.” He pointed at his wedding photo, Ruby beautiful beside him. “There’s not a lot of VPs around here who can throw stones either. But I’ve heard that Knox Turner is a player. I just want to warn you about that.”
She opened her mouth and was finally able to say, “I understand. There’s nothing between us. That was just a fluke on Saturday.”
Holt sat back in his chair and folded his hands over his trim stomach. “I remember certain people around here making that same denial. But I’m not here to tell you what you should and shouldn’t do. I want only to make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into.”
She cleared the lump from her throat. “Honestly, I can take care of myself.”
Holt gave a hearty laugh and smiled. “You’ve certainly proven that. But love is a whole different kettle of fish.”
The lump immediately rose to her throat again. “This has nothing to do with love.”
“Whatever you say,” he said knowingly. “Tell me—” His voice was serious. “—are you really okay? That was a nasty thump you took into the table.”
She put her hand to her back without thinking. “I iced it over the weekend. I’m fine.”
“Well, I want you to take the rest of the day off anyway.”
She gasped. “But it’s month-end.”
“My colleagues and I can wait for the numbers. In fact, Clay can do an estimate as well as you can. So this is an order. Take the rest of the day off. And don’t even put it down as a personal day. It’s our thank you for going to bat for Jewel.”
She stood, feeling the dismissal in his tone. “Thank you. I really am okay. But I appreciate you giving me the time.”
“Then we’ll see tomorrow.”
She left his office on trembling legs.
Ruby smiled, and almost under her breath, she said, “He really is totally hot, isn’t he?”
Summer didn’t know whether Ruby was talking about Holt or Knox. But she said, “Yes, he’s totally freaking hot.”
Ruby laughed softly and winked. “If I were you, I’d get the hell out of here and call him.”
What on earth could she do with the day?
There were all the chores she needed to get done but never seemed to have time for.
But it was such a gorgeous day, she didn’t want to be inside doing chores.
Instead, on her way home, she stopped at the garden center and bought a flat of beautiful flowers and potting soil for three planters she’d bought months ago that were still sitting in the atrium.
She’d planned to fill each of them with a variety of greenery and perennials like the pots she’d seen at the botanical gardens.
Would planting be good or bad for her back? It wasn’t that sore, but moving would certainly be better than lying on the sofa.
At the townhouse, she quickly changed into the old clothes she wore for housecleaning, then retrieved everything from the car.
The gardeners who took care of the complex trimmed her front yard as well, which was mostly drought-resistant plants and a nice rockery, the cost included in her monthly HOA fees.
But the atrium was hers to do with as she wished.
Leaving the front door open, a lovely breeze blew through as she worked.
She positioned the pots where she wanted them, filled each halfway with clay pebbles, then up to the top with potting soil.
The task relaxed her after the weekend, and she felt only a slight twinge in her back.