His confidence filled me, and I began to believe too.
Then he flipped the script. “How are things with you and Kane?”
I leaned away to look at him but stayed in his embrace. “What do you mean?”
“I think you know.” He gave me a half smile.
“I thought you didn’t want me to be with him.”
“Times change.” He shifted, uncomfortably. “Like I said, I’ve never known a better man than Kane.”
Me either. And that was my problem.
The Best Man
Sunday found me with Naomi at the zoo, of all places. Not that it should have surprised me. Naomi had taken me to the zoo many times when I was growing up. While there, she had taught me all the scientific names for the animals and where they could be found in the wild. She had let me ask her a million questions, and I always came home with a new book and a stuffed animal. I think she felt we could both use a little happy this afternoon, in a place that reminded us of a time when life had seemed simpler.
I should have been researching and working on my business plan, but when Naomi called me this morning, I felt she needed to see me as much as I needed to see her. I knew having dinner with my father couldn’t have been easy for her. And Auggie’s bombshell last night wasn’t easy to digest. Besides, I desperately needed to talk to her about my life and men.
Kane hadn’t come home last night. Auggie figured he was staying at his own place. I wondered if he was with a woman. The thought made my stomach hurt, though I knew I had no claim on him. I’d done my best to push him away. It was all for the better I kept telling myself. CEOs and COOs shouldn’t be romantically entangled. Neither should runners and ex-boyfriends who leave you because they love you. I still wasn’t sure how he had come to that conclusion: I love Scarlett, so I should leave her.
We were strolling through the African Savanna both lost in our thoughts. Dozens of children and their parents whizzed by us in the stifling heat. It didn’t smell all that great either. Regardless, I was still in awe of the majesty of nature. Even now, I wondered at why giraffes had such long necks and how elephants could have two-hundred-and-fifty-pound babies.
“Can I ask you something?” I stopped in front of the zebra habitat.
Naomi stood next to me and looked out at the zebras lazily eating. “Of course.”
“Would you say I’m like my father?”
She tilted her head and took a moment to think. “You’re intelligent like him, and you have his nose.” She tapped mine.
I smiled, though I wasn’t really feeling it. “I also don’t know how to love.”
She faltered as if someone had pushed her. “Who in the world would say such a ridiculous thing?”
“Me,” I choked out.
“Honey.” She rubbed my arm. “What would make you think that?”
I turned around, leaned against the railing, and wiped the sweat off my brow. “It’s true.” I related to her my long list of running-away offenses.
She sighed and shook her head. “Let’s go sit on one of the benches over there.”
We weaved in and out of the crowd on our way to the bench. We took a seat, and the bench’s heat radiated into my skin. Still, it wasn’t any worse than the discomfort my heart was feeling.
Naomi gave me such a tender look. A mother’s look. “Honey, you were bound to have some relationship issues due to your father’s stupidity, but you have a bigger heart and love better than anyone I know.”
“That’s not true. Remember Alan? He said I did a great imitation of a woman in love. And he was such a great guy. You even loved him. I let my fiancé go too. Not to mention half a dozen other good men. And I have, what, maybe three friends? Just admit it—I’m a runner.”
Her facial expression bordered on amused and sympathetic. “Sweetheart, have you run away from some things? Yes. Given your history, it’s not surprising. With that said, you’ve tackled some humungous mountains—college, medical school, your residency. Not to mention your father. You’re no quitter. Or runner for that matter.”
“My father?”
“Do you think most daughters in your position would have stuck around? Absolutely not. But you . . . you, my dear, are the very essence of love. Love is what kept you coming back.”
I wiped the corner of my eye where a tear had escaped. “But what about all those men?”
She waved her hand in front of me dismissively. “That was only your heart telling you they weren’t the right one. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“Will I ever find the right one?” I begged to know.
She narrowed her eyes at me. “Haven’t you already?”
I covered my face with my hands. “Don’t say that.”
“You are running,” she teased me.
“No. Well, yes.” I dropped my hands. “But he ran from me first.” I sounded like I was tattling on him. Then I told her Kane’s tale of why he’d left.
Naomi listened intently, nodding here and there. When I finished, she said, “Hmm. Well, that was foolish, but I have to admit, it was an honorable thing he did.”
“What? Honorable?”
“Honey, you were so young and naive. You needed more experience with men before you settled down.”
“You’re taking his side?”
She patted my knee. “I’m always on your side. However, it sounds like he had good intentions. Just a very poor execution.”
“So, I should just forgive him?”
“For your own sake, you should always forgive,” she said wisely. “Whether or not you give him another chance, that’s up to you. You have to ask yourself which you will regret more: loving him or leaving him.”
I rubbed my temples. “I don’t think I’ll ever stop loving him.”
“There’s the crux of the problem and why you quote, unquote, ‘run from other men.’ You’re already taken.”
Yes. Yes, I was. Body and soul. “Tell me what to do,” I pleaded.
“Darling daughter, that I can’t do. What I can tell you, though, is what I know. There was something about you two together that was, in a word, magical. He unlocked something in you. For that I will always thank him. And . . .”—she grinned—“for talking your father out of getting married again.”
“What?” I perked up.
“Oh, yes. According to your father last night, it was Kane who convinced him to hang up his tuxedo. He called him out for all the hurt his marriages have caused you.”
“He did?” I shouldn’t be surprised. Why did he have to be the best ex-boyfriend ever?
“That’s what your father said.”
“What else did my father say to you?” I started my fishing expedition to extract any juicy details she would give me.
Naomi laughed. “I see what you’re doing. I thought we were talking about you.”
“We were, but I want to know how last night went. What do you think of my father’s ‘episode’?”
She blew out a heavy breath. “I’m only surprised something like this hasn’t happened sooner. The man subsists on caffeine and has worked eighteen-hour days for years. Did he tell you he drove himself to the hospital?”
“No! Why didn’t he call someone or 911?”
“Pride. Stubborn fool,” she muttered before standing. “Let’s get a drink. I need to cool off.”
No one could get her ire up like my father. That and shoddy police work at a crime scene.
I followed her as she marched toward the nearest café. “I’m sorry if I’ve upset you. I know Auggie gets to you.”
“That’s the problem. He shouldn’t after all these years.”
“Did he do something last night?”
“Besides being wonderful, no,” she spat.
I couldn’t hide my smile. “So, are you going out again?”
She whipped her head my way, her eyes wide. “Absolutely not. There is way too much water under that bridge. And there isn’t a boat big enough to get me to jump in and try to cross it.”
“You’re really passionate about this,” I teased.
“You better believe it. God himself would have to visit me before I ever entertained seeing him again.”
“Now I know what to pray for.” I nudged her and she laughed.
“Don’t you dare. Your father and I are over. Maybe someday we can be friends again for your sake, but he crossed all the lines.”
In my heart I knew that, but it still pricked it. I knew it was silly, but like all kids, I hoped my parents would one day reconcile.
Naomi took my hand. “But it’s not too late for you and your father. He wants to make things right with you. And . . .,” she hesitated. “I’m not sure it’s too late for you and Kane either.”
I stopped dead in my tracks. “Don’t say that.” I rubbed my chest.
“Why? Because the truth hurts, my love?”
“So much.”
She squeezed my hand. “You need to be brave, honey. You can’t run from this. You shouldn’t run from this. Don’t make the same mistake I did and walk away when you’re too angry and hurt to see straight.”
My brow hit my hairline. “You regret divorcing my father?”
She looked up to the clear blue sky. “I regret letting my own pride and anger get in the way. That’s not to say, even if I’d given myself time to step back and breathe, it would have worked out. But now I’ll never know. And I have to live with that. I don’t recommend it.”
“It’s so complicated. We’re fighting for the same job, and he didn’t give me any say when he left.”
“Love is always complicated. And even the best men make mistakes. The best women too.” She winked.
I had no idea what to do. Turmoil ran rampant through my body. My heart and mind were fighting over the best course of action. My heart was all for opening the door to Kane. My head said we should buy a lock. “I think I want some ice cream.”
“Ice cream is a good answer. For now.”
“I know. I have decisions to make.”
“And I know you’ll make the right ones.”
I was glad someone was sure of that.
The Friend Zone
I walked into the executive break room Monday morning to grab a cup of coffee. It had been a late night of research, and I was already fading by midmorning. Still, I was pleased with my progress. Now that I had my mission and vision statements in place, I could focus on strategy and goals. That meant analyzing our current strategies and understanding the blood plasma market in general. Who were our competitors? How do our partners play a role in our success? Are we currently meeting the needs of our customers? It was enough to make my head swim, but I felt like things were beginning to click and a picture was beginning to form in my mind. I wasn’t sure how it would all take shape yet, but it would. It had to.
When I walked in, I no longer needed the caffeine to wake me up. Kane and Jaycie were there, in all their beautiful glory, chatting near the counter filled with pastries and fruit. Suddenly, I was wide awake. Jaycie, in her form-fitting pink dress, was laughing and playfully smacking his chest. Kane looked pleased with himself.
Meanwhile, I wanted to vomit. I hadn’t seen Kane since Saturday when he’d left me with Landon. Though I’d heard him come back late last night while I was working. The first thing he’d done was jump in the shower. Yeah, I’d had a hard time concentrating after that. Lots of visions running through my head, and not visions for the company. I’d thought of all the things I envisioned myself doing with him. It was beautiful torture. Now I wondered if he’d spent the weekend with his secretary. They were awfully cozy with one another.
Kane and I locked eyes before I could walk back out. He immediately cleared his throat and backed away from Jaycie. “Please make sure to give the caterer the final number,” he said, very businesslike.
Jaycie blinked her beautiful big eyes, obviously confused by the abrupt change of subject.
I decided to mind my own business and headed straight for the coffee machine.
“No problem,” I heard her purr. “I can’t wait for the conference on Friday. I hope you’re pleased with the job I’ve done for it.”
“You’ve been great,” he responded.
Oh, I bet she had. Now I wanted to attend the conference Armstrong Labs held every year even less. This year it was being held at the Porsche Experience Center. No surprise there. Apparently, Porsche had opened a venue where you could not only drive their cars on different tracks but also host corporate functions.
Trying my best to ignore the pair, I reached for a hot cup on the shelf above the coffee machine, and, of course, a hundred of them came tumbling down.
Jaycie and Kane rushed over to help me pick them up.
That was the last thing I needed. “I’ve got it. Thank you.”
“Don’t be silly. We love to help.” Jaycie bent over, and let’s just say I got very well acquainted with her and her breasts. I wondered how well Kane knew them. She did just say, “we.”
I scrambled to pick up the cups while my cheeks burned. At least this made my decision easy. Kane had found his new sex kitten. Meow.
“Jaycie, why don’t you get the conference room ready for my eleven o’clock meeting, and I’ll help Scarlett.”
“Are you sure?” she sang in an angelic voice.
“Yes. Thank you.”
She popped up. “Okay. See you later. Scarlett, we still need to do lunch.”
“Uh, yeah. Maybe next week. My schedule is full this week.” Or at least it was going to be.
“Sounds great. I made sure to place us at the same table during the conference on Friday. I’m so excited.”
Someone please, shoot me. “Wow. Me too,” I said through gritted teeth.
Kane chuckled under his breath.
“Bye, y’all.” She waved as she sashayed out the door, swinging her hips like she was in a salsa class.
I stood with an armful of white, hot cups and set them on the counter. “She’s quite the find.”
Kane set a stack of cups next to mine. “She’s almost as good as Randall.”
“I’m sure.” I rolled my eyes.
“Are you judging her because she’s beautiful? How very sexist of you, Dr. Armstrong.” His eyes danced with amusement.
“So, you think she’s beautiful?” I asked nonchalantly.
He leaned in, enveloping me in his intoxicating scent. “Not as beautiful as you.”
“Right.” I began putting the cups back on the shelf. “I bet she does a lot of overtime in your office.”
“I’m not that kind of man.” His curt words put me in my place.
I dropped the cups I was holding, feeling ashamed of my insinuation. More like my jealousy.
Kane swiftly picked up the cups and handed them to me. “How was your date with Landon?” he hissed his name.
I blew out enough breath to make my bangs ruffle. “Fine, until he wanted to take me back to his hotel room.”
Kane’s face flashed red. “That scumbag. I knew it.”
“You knew what?”
“Men like him think they can get whatever they want because they have a little notoriety. He damn well knew we were together, but he had the gall to ask you out in front of my face.”
“We’re not together.” Those words hurt in the depths of my soul.
“So, you keep reminding me,” he growled.
“I am sorry for calling you my stepbrother.” I offered an olive branch. I couldn’t stand being his adversary anymore. It wasn’t who I was.
The corner of his mouth twitched. “I suppose I can forgive you.”
“I’m glad. Actually, I’ve been thinking.” Lots and lots of thinking. I had come to the conclusion that there were too many feelings between us to just walk away. And I’d decided that when you receive new information, like that someone loves you or that perhaps they had good intentions, you can’t ignore it. You have to process it, add it into the equation, and see what it amounts to. Even if I knew it would be painful
and had no idea what the outcome would be.
He stepped closer. Hope shone in his eyes.
“I’ve been thinking . . . maybe . . . we could be friends.” After what Naomi had said to me yesterday, it was the only viable choice in my mind right now. It would give me a safe space to explore all the new data he’d thrown at me and process all the feelings I’d been running away from for a long time.
His chin hit his chest.
“You did offer me friendship as an option,” I gently reminded him.
He lifted his head. “I was hoping you would choose the other option.”
“I know. But things are complicated right now. I mean, I’m going to be your boss soon.” I smirked.
He grabbed his midsection and laughed. “Darlin’, you keep telling yourself that.”
“Oh, I will. Don’t discount me.”
“Scarlett, I never have. But I will fight you for this.”
I stood tall. “And I’ll be ready.”
“I’m glad to hear that, because I like nothing better than a good fight. It makes the making up so much sexier.” He wagged his brows.
“Who says we’ll be making up?” I stuttered.
“It’s all in your eyes.” He ran a finger down my cheek. “You want me just as much as I want you.”
I shivered and took a step back before I accosted him. “I don’t know what I want.” That was true. I needed time to figure that out. “Can we start with being friends?”
His broad shoulders rose and fell. “If that’s what you need.”
I nodded.
“Should we kiss on it?” He flashed me an impish smile, taking a step closer.
Yes, please. I pushed against his rock-hard chest. “Kane, please give me time. I don’t know what will happen between us, but I don’t want to have regrets.”
“That’s the last thing I want for you,” he said sincerely.
“I catch your double meaning. And I want to run Armstrong Labs. I need to,” I pleaded with him to understand that.
He tilted his head. “Need to?”
He didn’t know about Auggie. And I’d promised Auggie I wouldn’t discuss it with anyone besides Naomi.
I quickly held out my hand, ignoring his last question. “Let’s shake on it. Friends.”
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