Trouble

by Nicole, Angela

  It shocks me when Tate links his hand with mine, leading me into the main lobby area. Tate tightens his grip on my hand as I try to slip out of it. “Tate, what are you doing?”

  He doesn’t answer me until we’re in the lobby, where I finally set my eyes on his assistant.

  “Casey, I want you to meet Hennie Marsh. She’ll be working on our PR campaign.”

  My eyes lock on hers, but her eyes shift to our joined hands. I take advantage of Tate’s loosened grip and pull my hand out and extend it to Casey. “It’s so nice to meet you. Thank you for sending me everything, so I could get up to speed.”

  With a firm handshake, Casey nods. “I’m so glad you’re here to help us. Tate has done a great job so far, but I worry he can’t do it all. He’s been so kind, keeping us all on when Steven passed away. I don’t know what I would’ve done without him.” Her comment is one of admiration, not want. Suddenly, I feel like a jerk for all the thoughts and mental daggers I’ve thrown at Casey.

  “Glad I can help. I think the sky will be the limit once we rebrand this company.”

  Casey’s sad smile tells me there’s perhaps more to her than meets the eye just as she’s about to say something, Tate’s phone rings.

  “It’s Nolan. I’ll take it in my office while you two get to know each other better.”

  My eyes follow Tate as he stalks off to his office.

  Silence fills the room as Casey and I are left alone. She starts to say something and then stops. Eager to find out more about her, I offer some information about myself. I’m not sure why, but I feel this woman needs some sort of connection. “So, you’ve worked for Jensen for a long time?”

  Her eyes light up. “Ten years now. I don’t know what I would do without this job. I’m just so damn grateful Tate took it over and kept me on. He’s one of the good guys, ya know.”

  I swallow the lump that suddenly has formed in my throat. “He sure is.”

  “I may be overstepping here, but I noticed you two were holding hands when he brought you in to meet me.”

  Shit. I’m not sure how much Tate has told her, so I just try and gloss over our relationship. “Tate and I have been friends for a long time.”

  Casey’s face lights up. “You’re the one he’s been waiting for.”

  My face heats from her comment. What the hell is taking Tate so long? “I, um, really don’t know what to say to that.”

  Grabbing my hands in hers, Casey offers me a knowing look. “I’m not nosy, Ms. Marsh, but I know Tate has been waiting for the woman whose heart he broke to come back into his life. I’ve overheard him talk about it with Nolan.”

  “Oh, well, I’m sure . . . ” Before I can finish my sentence, Tate returns.

  “Sorry about that. I need to head out to the Brooklyn site for the rest of the afternoon. Hennie, do you want to come along and check it out?”

  I’m not sure why I feel some relief that Tate needs to go to Brooklyn. Perhaps I need a few minutes to gather myself. “Thanks, but I should get to the office myself. I have a lot to do before our press conference tomorrow. Casey, it was nice meeting you.”

  “You too. I hope we can get together soon and finish our conversation.” Her smile makes me chuckle. Casey isn’t what I expected, but she would definitely win Tate Palmer’s number one fan award.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Tate

  Having to run out to Brooklyn has totally ruined my day with Hennie. I’m beyond pissed, but decisions need to be made, and Nolan can’t do it without my signing off. I don’t know why Hennie couldn’t come. As for her excuse of having to get stuff ready for the press conference tomorrow, I call bullshit. She already told me she was ready.

  When I arrived at the site, Nolan apologized for taking me away from Hennie. I know it’s not his fault, so I grumbled and waved off his apology. The approval for the expansion of the original building specs took a little over an hour. Before making my way back to my place, I texted Hennie. She didn’t respond until I was already home. It took everything I had not to show up at CJJ’s office.

  But when she did respond, I was surprised at what she had to say. According to Hennie, she changed a few things up after meeting Casey. She thinks it would be a great idea to have her there with us. Hennie said Casey could be the face of how Jensen promotes a family feeling. I wasn’t surprised though when I called Casey to talk with her about it, and she declined. She doesn’t want to be in the spotlight because of her husband, and I agreed with her decision. She’s fought so hard to get out from underneath the stigma of being married to a killer.

  Casey told me to thank Hennie for the thought and gave me permission to share her story with Hennie. I know she doesn’t want to offend Hennie by declining without an explanation. I plan to fill Hennie in after the press conference tomorrow, but until then, all I can do is try not to obsess over her until I see her in twelve hours.

  Ten hours later and no sleep, I finish my third cup of coffee, shower, and call Hennie.

  “Good morning, Tate.”

  “Morning, Trouble. Sleep well?”

  Hennie sighs, and it goes straight to my dick. “I’ll take that as a no.”

  “Sorry, I had a call last night from my friend in California. She’s trying to get out of an abusive relationship, and it’s not going well. She really doesn’t have family, so I may have to fly back home to help her get things straightened out.”

  Fuck. “I understand. She’s lucky to have a friend like you.” I immediately get pissed at myself for being so selfish. I can’t make her feel guilty for wanting to help out a friend who’s in a bad situation. I’m not that much of an asshole. I’m just so afraid if she goes home, she’ll never come back. And that’s a risk I’m not willing to take.

  “But I thought if I had to go back, I could still work on your campaign from there, just until I get her away from her boyfriend and situated with me.”

  A sense of dread comes over me. “I want to talk about this more when I see you. I’ll be at your loft in thirty.”

  Hanging up, I don’t even give her a chance to tell me no. I throw on a suit and head over to her place as quickly as I can. Thankfully, the traffic is light this morning, and I arrive with five minutes to spare.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Hennie

  Last night was horrendous. Thankfully, by the time Steffy called, I had made all the changes to the press conference that I could. I had wanted Casey to be at the event as a testimony of the employees’ gratefulness to Tate for taking over. I wanted to play up how much they, well, at least Casey, trusted him. But for reasons Tate couldn’t yet tell me, Casey declined.

  But that disappointment was nothing compared to what would happen later that night. When Steffy called, I was just finishing up with a quick dinner of sushi from the Japanese restaurant around the corner. My heart broke as she relayed my biggest fear other than losing Steffy at the hands of Darren— he finally got physical with Mandy. My blood instantly boiled, knowing what that asshole had done.

  Steffy said she stepped in and took the brunt of Darren’s blows. The second he passed out from drinking, she made her move. When she assured me she had gotten herself and Mandy over to the neighbors, I quickly called Catherine and asked Jackson to have one of his employees watch over the two of them until I could get back. Of course, they went the extra mile. Jackson went and picked Steffy and Mandy up, taking them to a safe house. Jackson assured me the two would be safe there and assigned one of his best guys to protect them until Darren could be dealt with. If I didn’t trust him, I would’ve already been on a plane home.

  As I quickly pack a bag to fly home tomorrow, I jump at the sound of my door buzzer.

  Tate.

  I don’t want to leave him just as things are getting off the ground with Jensen, but I need to put Steffy and Mandy first. Jogging down the steps, I open the door, and my breath catches in my chest. Tate is wearing a gray suit, which once again hugs his gorgeous body in all the right places. His hair
is slightly messy, so I know he’s had his hand in it. It’s a Tate Palmer nervous tic he’s had ever since I’ve known him.

  “Hi.”

  “Fuck me, Trouble. You look so sexy. Maybe we should skip the press conference.”

  I giggle. I actually giggle like a young girl does when the boy she likes pays attention to her.

  “I don’t think that’s what you’re paying CJJ for, Mr. Palmer.”

  The corner of his very kissable mouth turns up in a smirk. “I suppose you’re correct, Ms. Marsh.”

  “Come on in while I get my bag.”

  Tate follows me in, and I give a little extra sway to my hips. Perhaps I’m trying to torture him in my form-fitting maroon dress, but he’s doing the same thing to me. And that’s one of the things I’m going to miss when I leave tomorrow.

  Coming back into the living room, I notice Tate is staring at my suitcase sitting up against the sofa. His eyes are sad when they meet mine.

  “I won’t be gone long, Tate. I promise the minute I make sure Steffy and her daughter are okay, I’ll come back. Actually, I hope they’ll come back with me. They both need a break and some distance from California right now.”

  “If you need any help with your friend, please let me know. I can help set them up here.”

  Jesus, this man makes me swoon. “Thank you.”

  Tate clears his throat. “How about we get to the press conference and then get a bite to eat?”

  Knowing I want to spend as much time as I can with Tate before I leave, I agree to have lunch with him. My eyes begin to well with tears, so I turn my back quickly, so he doesn’t notice. I just can’t let him know how much I’ll miss him. I need to maintain some sort of control over whatever this is.

  With a quick “Let’s go,” I lead Tate down the steps and out to the waiting car. The hotel where the press conference will be held is only five minutes away.

  An hour later, our press conference is over. “I think that went well. The press asked lots of good questions, Tate. They seemed to really take to the family branding we’re going for.”

  “It was a great idea. I’m so glad you’re helping me with this.” His hand reaches for mine as we make our way to the hotel restaurant.

  We take a table up against a window overlooking the city below. I’m going to miss it while I’m gone. There’s nothing like the buzz that Manhattan creates. Well, except the buzz I get from being with Tate. Of course, I worry about the sudden let-down of not being with him. It’s only been three days, but it’s as if my body knew instinctively we were home.

  Chapter Thirty

  Tate

  Hennie Marsh is a rockstar. She had the press eating from her hand. With all the questions and follow-up requests, I know this is just what the company needs to get a jumpstart. But with every passing minute, I know our time is limited before she heads home.

  Home. Her home should be with me, not out in California. I know it makes me a selfish prick, but I don’t give a shit. I want her here with me. I’d never ask her to give up her job. Maybe she could get transferred here for good. My dick twitches at the thought.

  “Tate?”

  I look over as Hennie and the waitress wait for me to order, but since I was so lost in my own thoughts, I haven’t even looked at the menu. “I’ll have whatever she’s having.”

  “Alright, two Caesar salads with salmon. They’ll be ready in just a few minutes.”

  I watch Hennie as she plays with her phone. “Any more news on your friend and her daughter?”

  “Catherine’s husband took Steffy’s phone in case Darren tries to find her by using a tracking app. He gave her another one, and she just texted me that she and her daughter are fine.”

  “That’s great news then. You can be a little more relaxed, perhaps.”

  Now, I’m not sure why what I said pisses Hennie off, but it does, and I instantly regret opening my mouth.

  Leaning forward in her chair, Hennie lets me have it. “I can’t relax about the situation with Steffy and Darren. Do you get it? I’m responsible for her situation. I introduced them.”

  I’m a little shocked by Hennie’s sudden rage. She must be surprised as well because she immediately apologizes.

  “Don’t worry about it, Trouble. I know you want to be there with her, making sure she’s okay.”

  A tear falls down her porcelain-toned cheek, but before I can reach across the table to dry it, the waitress places our salads on the table.

  “I’m so torn. I need to help her, and I don’t want to leave, but if something were to happen to Steffy or her daughter while I was here, well, I’d never forgive myself.”

  My heart breaks for Hennie and her friend. I know I can’t try and keep her here, so I do the only thing I can— I offer to fly her out tonight using my plane.

  “I thought the plane needed maintenance work?”

  Shit!

  Rubbing the back of my neck, I come clean. “Yeah, about that . . . I might’ve lied.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Reaching over, I grab her hand and run my thumb over her knuckles. “Well, I didn’t want you to go home after dinner on Friday, so I may have told you the plane couldn’t take you home.”

  Hennie admonishes me with a smirk. “Why am I not shocked you tried to keep me here even if I wanted to leave?”

  Now she makes me sound like an asshole.

  “If you really wanted to leave, I would’ve taken you to the jet myself. But I hoped you would give me a chance to woo you once the shock of seeing me wore off.”

  Her blues eyes sparkle, reminding me of how the sun makes the ocean look when it shines on it.

  “Woo me, huh?”

  “Yeah, I thought maybe you'd find me so irresistible, you wouldn't be able to go back to California. At least not this quickly.”

  “I'll be back, Tate. I just need to make sure Steffy and Mandy are taken care of. Thank you for loaning me your jet tonight. It was going to be a long night waiting for my flight tomorrow as it was. Now, I can get home tonight and see Steffy and Mandy for myself.”

  I don't know why but suddenly I'm nervous about letting her go. I just have a bad feeling about her leaving me.

  “Promise me you'll come back.”

  “Of course, I will. We've got a lot of work to do on your campaign.”

  “But what if you weren't working on the campaign? Would you come back to me?”

  “Tate, whatever this is, whatever it may become, we just need to take it slowly.”

  “I guess slowly is better than not at all, but I have to warn you, I'm not a very patient man. I've been away from you for ten years, and I don't wanna waste any more time.”

  “I'm hoping my trip back home will only be for a week or so. I promise to continue to work on the campaign from California, and we can have video chat meetings in the meantime.”

  Of course, my mind goes to a place it shouldn't— like sexting and naked video chat time.

  “How long do we have before the plane is ready?” I wonder how long I can stretch this out for.

  “The pilot said he’d be ready to go around five o'clock, so we have a couple hours left. Do you have something in mind as to how we can pass the time?”

  I know I'm pushing the envelope here, but if I didn't at least try, I'd kick myself when she's gone.

  “Yeah, I’d love to take a walk through Central Park,” she winks.

  So we do, hand-in-hand, and it reminds me so much of our time together upstate. I make a mental note to pack a picnic lunch, grab a blanket, and bring her to the park when she returns.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Tate

  This morning came way too early. I’m not ready to go back to the office. This week has been a week from Hell, and its only Thursday. I’ve waited for Hennie to call me— she hasn’t.

  Thirty minutes into my workday, Nolan shows up.

  “Hey, man. Any word from Hen?”

  “No. I’m going out of my fucking mind.”
/>   Shaking my head, I lean back in my chair.

  “So that’s it? Ten years and you’re just going to let her go back home.”

  “What do you think I should do, Nolan? Chase her? She needs time with her friend. I told you that.”

  Nolan flops into my leather sofa with a groan. “Never pictured you as a quitter, Tate.”

  My eyes catch his. I’m pissed at him but mostly at myself. “I can’t believe you just said that to me. You know I’ve planned to get her back ever since the day she left me. I just . . . shit, I don’t know what to do now.”

  “Want my opinion?” Nolan laughs.

  Do I? Nolan doesn’t have a great track record with the ladies, but I suppose at this point it doesn’t matter.

  “Give her a little bit of time and then go to California and get your woman. Everyone knows the two of you belong together.”

  Now, it’s my turn to laugh. “Does Hennie know that?”

  Nolan leans forward on the sofa. “Yeah, I think she does. But you know I don’t have a lot of experience with women. Shit, they usually hate me, well, except for Hennie. But if you two don’t end up together, my faith in relationships is done.”

  “I guess you’re right. I need to give her some time, but I feel like I need to do something. Maybe I should text her.”

  Before Nolan can answer, his cell rings. He’s talking to one of the crew out at our new Brooklyn site. I only catch part of what he’s saying. My mind wanders back to a time when things were so easy for me and Hennie.

  “Oh, my God. What did you do, Tate?”