Receptionist Under Cover

by C. J. Carmichael

  “I’ll be home three days for Christmas. But you’re right. It’s going to feel damn long.” He put a hand to her cheek. His fingers felt ice-cold. She wrapped her hand around his palm and brought it to her lips for a kiss.

  “You’re chilled. I’d feel really guilty if you got sick right before your tour.”

  He arched his eyebrows. “I’m touched by your concern.”

  “Would you like to come in and warm up?

  “Sweetheart, I thought you’d never ask. Though parts of me are already pretty hot.”

  AFTER THE MAGNIFICENCE of Nadine’s parents’ mansion, Patrick was almost afraid to see the inside of her two-bedroom apartment. But he was pleasantly surprised to find her home comfortable and unpretentious.

  He was willing to concede that the furnishings and artwork were probably way more expensive than they looked. But at least they didn’t shout “Money” and “Don’t Touch” the way her parents’ belongings did.

  “Do you want anything to drink?” Nadine asked.

  He removed her coat and placed it on a bench covered in a fuzzy ivory fabric. “I want nothing but you.”

  He pulled her body close and watched as her eyelashes fanned her cheeks. Then they swept up and she had him captured with her eyes.

  “Music?” she asked.

  “If you like.” He didn’t need anything to set the mood. Just being alone with her was enough.

  But she turned a knob on a panel next to the light switch, and suddenly there was soft piano music and a woman’s husky voice in the room with them.

  As he kissed her, he tried not to think that this would be their last night together for three weeks, or that he despised her parents or that his son didn’t seem interested in getting to know him.

  This wasn’t a night to dwell on any of those problems.

  She swayed to the music as she kissed him, her mouth and tongue moving in concert with the beat. God, he’d been afraid that his memories had been overblown, but she was every bit as warm and passionate as he remembered.

  Gently, he ran his hands down the length of her back until he had her derriere in his hands. He guided the movement of her body, blending her rhythm into his, melding their bodies as much as their clothing would allow.

  “I could—change into something more comfortable,” she suggested, her mouth against his ear.

  He’d been thinking of getting her out of her clothes entirely. The sooner, the better. But he didn’t have to leave for the airport until nine the next morning, and his suitcase was already packed.

  “Go ahead,” he told her, releasing her with reluctance. “But don’t be long. We have ten hours and I don’t want to waste a minute.”

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE SHE’D started as the receptionist, Nadine was late for work on Monday. She hadn’t been able to tear herself away from her apartment until Patrick had left for his plane. Since she’d hardly slept all night, she knew she looked terrible. But today, for once, she didn’t care.

  Last night had been amazing. Not just the lovemaking, which had been scream-out-loud fantastic for both of them, but the cuddling after, the bathing together, the snacking in the kitchen, then back to bed to fall asleep, only to wake again to the feel of Patrick’s hand on her bare bottom, sliding down her thigh, then gradually up, his fingers gliding over her softest flesh, between hot, damp folds…

  “You’re twenty minutes late, you know.” Tamara Maynard was behind the receptionist’s desk. She was typing up a report.

  “I know.” Nadine could feel her cheeks growing hot. “Did I miss anything?”

  “Just a potential client. Lindsay’s talking to her in the conference room.”

  Oh, darn.

  “Of course, if you’re not busy, you could always walk me through the filing system again.”

  Nadine narrowed her eyes. Was she being made fun of? Before she could decide, Nathan emerged from his office. “Hey, there you are. Mrs. Waldgrave is coming in for an update this morning. Do you have the report ready?”

  “I do.” Last week when she’d dropped off the evidence at the local precinct, she’d been assured that the Flower Con Man would soon be behind bars and would stay there.

  “Great.” He handed her the file. “You take care of that and I’ll work on paying a few bills around here.” He was about to step back into his office, when he gave her a second glance. “You look different.”

  “She got laid last night is my bet.”

  “Tamara!” Nadine wheeled on her, just as Lindsay and her client were exiting the conference room. Everyone fell silent as Lindsay walked the elderly man to the door. As soon as he was gone, Lindsay whirled around.

  “Nadine. Is it true? Are you hot and heavy with Patrick O’Neil?”

  “Really?” Nathan rubbed his head. “You’re dating Patrick O’Neil? Why wasn’t I told?”

  “Oh, keep up, Nathan. I did tell you.”

  “Stop it already.” Nadine couldn’t believe how childishly they were behaving. “This isn’t junior high and my love life—”

  She stopped suddenly, realizing that she didn’t feel at all angry. In fact, she’d never been happier in her life. And these people weren’t just colleagues. They were her friends—well, except for Tamara.

  “My love life is absolutely wonderful. And that’s all I have to say about it. Except that he’s just left for the first three weeks of his book tour and I’m going to miss him so much.”

  “Will he be back for Christmas?” Lindsay asked. “And New Year’s Eve? Of course you’ll bring him to the wedding.”

  “He isn’t back in the city until the twenty-fourth. They actually have a book signing set up on Christmas Eve from seven to nine. Then he’s all mine for two-and-a-half days. I’m afraid your wedding is out, though. He leaves on the twenty-seventh for the last two weeks of his tour.”

  “He won’t be around much, then. But don’t worry. We’ll keep you so busy, you’ll hardly miss him,” Lindsay promised.

  The phone rang and as Tamara answered the call, Lindsay took Nadine by the arm and headed for her office. “I’ll give you your pick of jobs. We have—”

  “Everyone, news flash.” Tamara had just hung up the phone and she waited until all of them were paying attention. “Kate’s husband just called. They’re at the hospital. She’s going to have the baby any second.”

  THAT EVENING, NADINE LEFT a message on Patrick’s phone and also sent him an e-mail. She had his book-tour schedule on her fridge so she knew he was in Boston. His book reading and signing event was scheduled to end at nine, yet by ten-thirty he still hadn’t returned her call.

  She tried his number again at eleven, then eleven-thirty.

  Finally she reached him.

  “Nadine. Sorry, I had my phone off. Is anything wrong?”

  She’d been so excited to tell him the news earlier. Now she tried to muster the same enthusiasm. “Kate had her baby today!”

  “Really? Boy or girl?”

  He didn’t sound very thrilled…but then, he didn’t know Kate or Jay. Still, she just had to share the news.

  “A baby girl, six pounds, ten ounces. Lindsay, Nathan and I went for a short visit. Kate is such a trouper, she was already out of bed, changing the baby’s diaper and dressing her in these cute little sleepers.”

  “I’m glad everyone’s healthy.”

  Nadine curled up on the sofa and pulled a blanket over her legs. She wished she could find the words to share how magical the day had been. Kate had showed her how to rest the baby against her chest, with her tiny head turned to one side.

  “Kate let me hold her. We haven’t had any babies in our family for years. I’d forgotten how lovely they are, and how soft and warm.”

  “I’ve never held a baby,” Patrick said. “I don’t think I’d know how.”

  He had missed all of this with his own son. Nadine knew it had to hurt. Whatever had June been thinking to cut him out of the picture so completely?

  At
the hospital Nathan had put his arms around Lindsay when it was her turn to hold the baby, and Jay had been so sweet to Kate. Nadine had found her thoughts turning to something she’d never considered much before…

  Marriage, children, family.

  Of course, it was much too soon to think about these things with Patrick.

  Still, she had missed him.

  “I wish you’d been here,” she said softly.

  “Me, too. But at least the reading went well. I was surprised how many people showed up and they almost all bought at least one copy of the book.”

  “Congratulations. Is that why you were late getting back to your room? Did your signing run overtime?”

  “No. The store was closing, so we had to leave promptly at nine. I went out with a couple of the organizers for drinks and a late dinner. That’s why I didn’t get your message until now.”

  She felt a pang of jealousy that he’d been out with people she didn’t even know. Were they guys? Or women?

  She didn’t ask. She couldn’t ask. She had to trust him, and of course, she did.

  “I should get some sleep, sweetheart. Tomorrow starts early with a spot on an early-morning talk show, followed by two more signings.”

  “That sounds so glamorous.”

  “Trust me, it’s not. I’d far rather be with you.”

  If she was a cat, she would have purred. “In twenty days you will be. Not that I’m counting.”

  “I like the idea of you counting. I will be, too. Last night was pretty amazing, Nadine. The timing of this damn tour couldn’t have been worse.”

  “At least you’ll be home for Christmas.”

  “Yeah. I’ve been wondering what to do about that for Stephen. I left it up to him whether he wants to get in touch with me or not. But do you think it would be okay if I sent him a Christmas present?”

  “Definitely. That’s an excellent idea.” A few olive branches couldn’t hurt.

  “Talk to you tomorrow, sweetheart. Sleep tight.”

  Nadine kept holding on to the phone, even after the connection to Patrick had ended. She hadn’t been ready for their conversation to end. There was so much she felt like talking to him about.

  Like babies.

  Did he even want children one day?

  There was still a lot she didn’t know about this man she was falling in love with.

  THE NEXT TIME SHE HAD DINNER with her parents, Nadine was determined to discuss their treatment of Patrick. She was planning to wait until they introduced the subject, but they’d gone through cocktails and the main course without breathing a word about him.

  They asked her questions about her job and about Kate’s baby. They discussed music, city politics and a play her parents had seen that week.

  When it came time for dessert in the library, Nadine had to wonder if they had possibly forgotten about him.

  “We should have lunch this Friday,” her mother suggested, “to go over the Christmas schedule.”

  There were always numerous parties to attend during the holiday season. This was nothing new, and Nadine tried to get to as many as possible, since it made her mother very happy.

  “Okay, Mom. We can do lunch.”

  “Then there are the usual family celebrations, which I’m sure I don’t need to remind you of. Christmas Eve at Aunt Eileen’s—”

  “Sorry, but I won’t be able to make Christmas Eve dinner this year.” Traditionally this was when she saw all her cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents. There were so many, she doubted her absence would matter. “Patrick gets back from his book tour that day. He’s doing one last signing at Strand, which I’m going to attend. And then we’re spending the rest of the evening together.”

  Silence greeted that announcement. Her father added sugar to his coffee. Her mother reached for a dish of brandy-soaked berries drizzled with white chocolate.

  Nadine had expected at least a token argument since this would be the first year she wouldn’t spend the night with them, sleeping in her old bedroom.

  “Christmas dinner will be here, of course,” her mother continued, as if Nadine hadn’t said anything. “Just a small family affair as usual.”

  “I assume Patrick will be welcome?”

  Her mother sighed deeply. “So that’s still on then.”

  “Of course it’s still on. I brought him here to meet you just one week ago.”

  Again, no one said anything, and now she really began to feel angry. “The way you two behaved that night…it was embarrassing. You’ve never treated a friend of mine like that before.”

  “In the past you displayed good taste in friends.”

  Her friends had all been met at schools her parents had selected, parties and galas she attended for their sake. For the first time, Nadine realized how much her parents had controlled her life before she started her job at Fox & Fisher. Was that the real reason they’d objected so strenuously to her decision to work in the private investigation field?

  Not because the work was potentially dangerous, but because she would be meeting all sorts of people, going to all sorts of places, and they would have no say over any of it.

  She knew part of the reason they were protective was because of Liz. But she was so different from her cousin, there really was no reason for them to worry.

  “I don’t see why you would object to Patrick. Mom, your committee booked him as a speaker, for heaven’s sake. You must agree he’s an intelligent, well-spoken man, who has done a lot of interesting things with his life.”

  “He’s a traveler,” her father said, his voice gruff. “An adventurer. Not the right sort of man for our daughter.”

  “But that isn’t your call. I’m twenty-seven. Old enough to know when I’m falling in love.”

  Her parents both shook their heads. “What you feel for him isn’t love, dear,” her mother said.

  “Certainly we can see why this man might appeal to you,” her father added. “But it isn’t the sort of relationship you should allow to become serious.”

  “I can’t believe you’re actually speaking to me like this.” She put down her coffee cup and saucer. “I came here tonight determined to tell you both that your behavior the other night wasn’t acceptable. And you have the nerve to give me a lecture?”

  “Nadine.” Her father threw his napkin on the table, while her mother covered her mouth with her hand.

  She’d shocked them both, and she’d actually shocked herself, as well. She’d never spoken to either of them this way before. Because, until now, nothing had seemed important enough to cause a row about. Still, she’d always assumed that they valued her opinion. That they trusted her.

  “I’m serious, Mom. Dad. If Patrick isn’t welcome here for Christmas dinner, then I won’t be showing up, either.”

  “You can’t possibly mean that,” her mother said.

  She could tell her mother was on the verge of tears. And she hated that. But in her heart she knew she had to take this stand.

  “I do mean it. Not only do I expect you to invite Patrick to Christmas dinner, but I expect you to treat him with the same degree of respect and consideration that you treat all your guests.”

  Her parents looked as if she’d punched them.

  She left the room because there was nothing more to say. Martha tried to talk to her as she was leaving…“What happened? Are you all right?” But she waved her off. She couldn’t speak. Not yet. She couldn’t even think—it was as if her brain had grown numb.

  It was only when she was out on the street, heading for home, that the significance of what had happened sank in. She’d basically estranged herself from her family.

  She kept her chin up as the tears pooled in her eyes.

  PATRICK CALLED HER LATE that night. “So where were you? I’ve been trying to reach you for hours.”

  “Oh…dinner at my parents’.” She waited to see if he would ask for details about the evening, but he didn’t. He had several stories about his day that he was excited t
o share.

  She listened, deciding that it was best this way. She didn’t think she could describe the conversation between her and her parents without crying. Besides she didn’t want him to worry about her.

  When it came time to say good-night, Patrick said, “Soon I’ll be holding you in my arms again, sweetheart.”

  “I wish I didn’t have to wait.”

  “Only fourteen more days.”

  AS THE HOLIDAYS DREW CLOSER, business at the agency was slowing down. Nadine didn’t think they’d had a new client all week, which was just as well. No one had their mind focused on work right now.

  Lindsay and Nathan were handling last-minute details for their New Year’s Eve wedding, Tamara was taking longer and longer lunches as she worked on her Christmas shopping list, and Nadine was using every excuse she could find to spend time with Kate and her baby.

  The baby had been named Alice, and she was getting cuter and more responsive with every day. Since Nadine was supposed to be cleaning up the tail end of Kate’s cases, she could usually come up with a couple of legitimate reasons to visit every week.

  On the final Monday before Christmas, she had some billings that needed Kate’s okay. She popped into Nathan’s office, where he was busy on the computer conducting background checks.

  She showed him the stack of billings. “You wanted these in the mail before we break for the holidays, but they’re Kate’s clients, so I was going to have her look them over.”

  “Let me guess. You’re going in person and you’ll look after Alice while she’s working.” Nathan grinned. Everyone in the office loved the baby, but Nadine was the one who had gone completely gaga over her.

  “That’s the plan.” Nadine didn’t bother trying to deny her ulterior motive.

  “Go ahead. If anything pops up, I’ll handle it. I’m going to be in the office all afternoon anyway.”

  As she passed by Tamara’s desk, she noticed the receptionist was affixing labels onto her personal greeting cards. Tamara noticed her staring and shrugged. “Hey, I don’t have anything else to do.”