In the Eye of the Storm / Catering to the CEO

by Samantha Chase

  It would have been easy this morning to turn over in his arms and see if he was interested, but the bedhead look was never her strong point. No, it would be better to pick a time when she didn’t have morning breath or looked as if she’d had a cat do her hair. True, Adam had never really given off any vibe that he was interested, but that didn’t mean anything. He was definitely a man whose focus was on one thing: business. Should she tempt that balance they’d found by testing his interest? Especially if they were going to be related through their parents’ marriage?

  Walking into the kitchen to check on the progress of the lunch preparations, Cassie scolded herself. Why on earth would she look for more complications where Adam was concerned? Clearly, she’d seen the real him over the past two years; a man did not suddenly change in a little over a week. Besides, it would be awkward with their parents getting married. What if she and Adam did get involved and then things didn’t work out? She’d be stuck seeing him at every holiday and family get-together, and she would cringe at the thought that he’d seen her naked.

  By four o’clock, Cassie and her crew were loading their supplies into her van. She did a final review of the kitchen and then headed out to the ballroom, where she ran into Grace.

  “Another great job, Cassie,” Grace said with a smile as she walked across the room. “Everyone loved the food, and I think between you and Adam you pulled off the perfect event!”

  Smiling with pleasure, Cassie didn’t want to think of Adam having as much to do with people’s pleasure from the weekend. “I’m glad there were no problems. I had my doubts a couple of weeks ago.”

  “Oh, don’t get me started on that. I wanted to choke Adam for the way he behaved.” Grace looked around the room to make sure they were alone. “To be honest, I was surprised when he told me you were staying on and doing the event. I mean, he had me calling people that afternoon to try to find a replacement. How did you manage to change his mind?”

  Her first reaction was to be annoyed all over again about being fired, but then she remembered it had all worked out in her favor and it didn’t do her any good to hold a grudge. Cassie told Grace of their soon-to-be-merging families, and the other woman about doubled over with laughter.

  “Oh, what I would have given to be a fly on the wall when the great Adam Lawrence found himself face-to-face with your family! Did they all gang up on him?”

  “Pretty much.” The memory had Cassie smiling. “It was a silent attack for most of the evening, but then…Adam and I sat and talked and cleared the air. I’m kind of glad we did.”

  Grace frowned. “Wait, so you spoke to him and told him you didn’t like the way he treated you and…”

  “Lauren even told him he was the one in breach of contract…”

  “And he still asked you to do the event? That doesn’t make sense. That’s not like Adam at all.”

  “Why?”

  “I have yet to see, in the six years I’ve worked here, anyone speak their mind or disagree with Adam and continue on here. It doesn’t happen.” She pulled an envelope from her purse and handed it to Cassie. “I’d be on guard if I were you. This doesn’t seem right.”

  “Maybe he’s mellowing because we’re going to be family.”

  Grace shook her head. “Please…he hardly ever spends time with Bev, and she’s the only family he has. No, I’m telling you, Cass, something’s not right with this whole situation… Be careful, okay?”

  Agreeing but not convinced, Cassie hugged her friend and finished her final inspection of the facility before walking out to her van and driving to the shop. Grace’s words bothered her mainly because they made sense.

  “So how are you feeling today?” Katie asked as Cassie walked into the kitchen. “Any lingering effects?”

  “Thankfully, no, but I have to face the facts. I’m going to call Dr. Jackson first thing Monday morning and make the appointment.”

  “You’re going to have the surgery?”

  “I don’t see a choice. I’ve had a flare-up twice in two weeks, and while I don’t mind when it hits at home, having nearly passed out in the kitchen of an event was not an experience I ever want to repeat.”

  “Adam about freaked out.”

  “Well, he hates when things don’t go his way.”

  “No, it was more than that,” Katie said, her voice soft with contemplation. “It was more like he was concerned about you. It was nice of him to bring you home and stay the night to take care of you.”

  “He told you about that?”

  “I saw him when he was leaving this morning.”

  “Oh.”

  Katie started to giggle. “I have to admit, for a minute, I thought he was sneaking out after maybe the two of you…you know…did the deed!”

  “What? Me and Adam? Are you crazy?”

  “Well, that’s what it looked like! If I hadn’t known you were in such bad shape last night, I would have totally believed that he was doing the walk of shame!”

  “Thanks for the vote of confidence.” She hated the sarcastic tone in her own voice, but somehow thinking of anyone slinking away in the wee morning hours because they were ashamed to have had sex with her rubbed her the wrong way.

  “That’s not what I meant, and you know it. Gosh, don’t be such a drama queen.” Katie turned and finished unloading the van. When everything was put away, she wiped all the kitchen surfaces down and grabbed her coat. “I guess I should get home and relieve Dad and Bev from babysitting. Besides, I miss my girl.”

  Cassie envied her little sister and knew that someday she wanted a baby of her own. That was another reason to call Dr. Jackson and schedule the surgery. Infertility was a big concern for someone with endometriosis, and now that she was twenty-six, thoughts of getting married and having children were becoming more and more important to her. Her business was thriving, and by the time she did meet Mr. Right, Cassie didn’t want any obstacles to keep her from having everything she wanted.

  The thought of surgery scared her. Her own mother had died of ovarian cancer, and deep down, Cassie was afraid this surgery, even though it was an outpatient procedure, would have the doctors finding more than she was willing to deal with. So far, ignorance had been bliss, but Cassie was no fool. The pain from the endometriosis was getting worse and couldn’t be ignored any longer, and if they did find something, Cassie would rather catch it early. And considering how her mother had died of ovarian cancer, it was important for her to be as proactive as possible where her health was concerned.

  She knew it was the responsible thing to do, and she knew that she would feel better both mentally and physically when it was all over. But that didn’t mean she still wasn’t scared to death.

  And there was nobody there to hold her.

  Chapter 6

  Lauren was busy fluffing pillows and making promises of Chinese food as Cassie slowly crossed the room Wednesday afternoon. The laparoscopic procedure had been done that morning because Dr. Jackson had had a cancellation and was anxious to get Cassie in as soon as possible before she could change her mind. As she climbed into the bed, Cassie appreciated her doctor’s efficiency; it hadn’t given her too much time to dwell on the whole thing, and now that she was home and in her bed, she had to admit she was relieved it was over.

  “That was a lot faster than I thought it would be. Dr. Jackson seems pleased that she got everything.” Pulling the window blinds closed as she spoke over her shoulder, Lauren continued, “You have to take it easy for a week. Kate’s got your weekend event covered, so you can relax.”

  “By Sunday, I should be fine,” Cassie mumbled. Her stomach was sore from the tiny incisions, and the last thing she wanted to think about right now was work.

  “Doctor’s orders. Don’t make me stick around here and lock you in your room.”

  “Okay, okay, geez…”

  “Get some sleep. I’m going to
be in the living room studying for a test. If you need me, call out, okay?” Cassie nodded, and her eyes were closed before Lauren had shut the door.

  Getting settled on the sofa, Lauren had set up several textbooks in front of her on the coffee table when she heard Cassie’s cell phone ring. Not hesitating, she walked over and answered. “Hello?”

  “Hey, Cassie, it’s Grace.”

  “Hey, Grace, this is Lauren, Cassie’s sister.”

  “Oh, hi! Is Cassie available?”

  “Actually, she is sound asleep. Can I take a message?”

  “Is she okay?”

  Lauren told her about the surgery, remembering that Grace was Adam’s assistant.

  “Oh my! Is there anything I can do? Does she need anything?”

  “She seems okay right now. We got home a little while ago. The doctor said she should be normal within a week. She’s on some serious painkillers for now, but by this time next week, she’ll be as good as new. Do you want me to leave her a message?”

  “No, no…I was calling to tell her how much everyone enjoyed the event this weekend. She was a hit as usual.” Lauren could hear Grace’s smile. “Please tell her I’m thinking of her and I’ll give her a call in a few days.”

  “No problem.”

  “Thanks, Lauren. Bye!”

  * * *

  As soon as she hung up the phone, Grace immediately called her florist and arranged for a large bouquet to be sent to Cassie from the company. “That’s right, I want the card to say ‘Wishing you a speedy recovery,’ and sign it from ‘Your friends at LSS.’” She paused and listened. “Yes, that’s perfect. I’d like them delivered today.” Another pause. “Yes, please put it on our account. Thank you!”

  She hung up and nearly fell off her chair when she turned and saw Adam leaning on her desk and looking thoroughly annoyed. “Who’s ill?”

  “What? Oh, Cassie is. She had surgery today, and I wanted to send her some flowers.”

  “On the company’s account?”

  Uh-oh.

  “Well, um…she does work for us quite a bit, and while I realize I should have checked with you first, I didn’t think you would mind. I mean, with Cassie almost family and all, I thought it would be okay. Plus, you were on a call, and I wanted to place the order in time for it to be delivered today. So…”

  “You’re babbling, Grace.”

  Darn it, he was right, but she knew that look on his face and that if she didn’t distract him and plead her case quickly, he could get nasty. Fast. “I could call and cancel the order if you’d prefer. Or I could change it to put it on my credit card…” Turning her back on him, she picked up the phone and began to dial. Adam reached across the desk, snatched the phone out of her hand, and hung it up.

  “That won’t be necessary,” he snapped. He took a deep breath and had to force himself to speak calmly. “It’s a very nice gesture, and I thank you for doing it. Now, if I could get you to find me the Cairo contract, I need to make some amendments.” He turned and walked into his office.

  * * *

  Once at his desk, he had the urge to pick up the phone and call Cassie to see if she was okay. She hadn’t mentioned the surgery, but then again, when would she have had the time? He didn’t speak to her at all on Saturday, and that was the last he’d seen of her. Adam looked at his calendar and saw that his schedule was pretty full, but maybe he could find time to stop by her place tomorrow after work. He’d have to call his mother and try to find out if anyone was staying with her; he hated to have to play twenty questions with another family member like he had with Katie on Saturday morning.

  To say his mother was surprised when she heard his voice on the phone was an understatement. “Adam! How are you, sweetheart? This is a wonderful surprise!” Adam rolled his eyes.

  “I’m fine, Mother, fine. I was calling to…um, see how you were? I realize we left things…well, things were a little awkward when I dropped you off that night after dinner, and I wanted to make sure you were doing okay. How’s Stephen?”

  “Oh, he’s fine, thank you for asking. We’ve been having a wonderful time. We babysat for Ella last weekend while Katie was working that event that Cassie did for you. We had such a time! I had forgotten how exhausting babies can be, but I loved every second of it!”

  Great, pretty soon she’d be hounding him about getting married and having kids. Just what he needed. “Sounds like fun.” His words lacked enthusiasm, and he knew he’d hurt her feelings by the way her tone changed.

  “Yes, well, anyway, how’s business?”

  Adam pinched the bridge of his nose, closed his eyes, and counted to ten. Dammit, it shouldn’t be this hard to have a conversation with his own mother! “Business is fine, Mom. The retreat went well, and I think we’re going to have another great year ahead of us. Listen, I was wondering…Grace mentioned that Cassie had surgery today. Is everything all right?”

  Pleasant Mom was back. “Lauren’s with her right now, and the doctor is very pleased with how it went. They found a couple of small cysts and took care of several lesions, but they believe they got everything, and Cassie will be up and around in no time.”

  “So Lauren’s staying with her?”

  “Only for tonight. She had to force Cassie to let her stay. We’ve all offered to go in shifts, but she wouldn’t have it. Tomorrow Lauren’s got some big test, so Katie and Ella are going to go over for lunch and spend some time with Cassie. Stephen and I were going to go for dinner, but he’s got a late meeting.”

  “So are you going to go alone?”

  “No, no…I guess I still feel a little new to all of this, and I don’t want to overwhelm her.”

  Adam was baffled. How could his mother overwhelm anyone? “Why would you say that?”

  “I don’t want Cassie, or any of the kids for that matter, to think I’m swooping in and trying to be their mom. I know I’m marrying their dad, but this is still new to all of them, and it’s been a long time since their mom passed, and I’m sure they’re trying to…see what my role is going to be. I want to give them time to get to know me.”

  This was all a little too emotional for him. “I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”

  Bev sighed. “I’m sure you’re right. Anyway, Cassie’s going to be fine. She’s a little sore, but really we’re all concerned she’s going to overdo it somehow and hinder her own recovery. She hates to sit still.”

  “Well, then maybe someone should be with her,” he suggested.

  “Adam…she is a grown woman. She’s well beyond the age of being babysat. For the next twenty-four hours, she’ll have people with her, and after that, she’s capable of taking care of herself.”

  He knew his mother was right, but he would make the time to stop over and see Cassie tomorrow night after work. Maybe he’d return the favor and bring her dinner. Just as the thought of flowers entered his head, Adam cut himself off with disgust. “Yeah, sure, she’s a trouper.”

  Why the hell was he thinking of going over to Cassie’s? They were done! She had finished the event, and that was all he needed her for. If he never hired her again, she’d have to deal with it.

  There would be no harm, however, to see her socially, as if they were family already, right? He’d never had to deal with anyone on a family level other than Bev, and, well, outside of business, he found he actually liked Cassie, so it wouldn’t be a hardship to stop by and visit her. Like family.

  “Adam? Are you still there?” He realized his mother had been talking the whole time his mind had wandered.

  “What? Yes, sorry, I got distracted for a minute. So, what else is new?”

  It didn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that one simple question had done wonders for his mother. Was he that much of a bastard that he’d never engaged in social niceties or chitchat with his own mother? And why all of a sudden was he?
<
br />   Ten minutes later, he was off the phone and felt his spirits had lifted a bit. Maybe he had been too deeply entrenched in the business and had forgotten how to relax and talk with people. Like he had at Cassie’s that night.

  Adam had no idea why he was having this change of heart and then the ensuing tug of war over what he was doing with his life. He was in control of it all, dammit! He could do whatever he wanted, talk to whomever he wanted whenever he wanted! Right now, with the confidence he was legendary for, Adam made the decision that his business association with Cassie was over, which freed him up to see her socially—since she was going to be family.

  Grace walked in with the file he’d requested. Adam noted the slight tension in her shoulders ease as if she noticed that he seemed a bit more relaxed. Adam reviewed the contract, made his notes, picked up the phone, and went on with his day.

  By three o’clock on Thursday afternoon, Adam was ahead of schedule. His calls were completed, and Grace had typed up everything he’d asked her to. To pass the time, he straightened his desk and made a list of possible new clients he’d like to make contact with by the end of the month.

  Throwing his pen down in disgust, he knew what he was doing: busy work. God, he was feeling pathetic. Did he purposefully do work at home the night before to lighten his load today? Maybe. Did he deliberately cut a couple of chatty clients short in hopes of getting done quicker? Perhaps. The truth was he was feeling caged in his office and wanted to leave.

  He paced. He talked to himself. He picked up the phone a half-dozen times and realized there was no one he needed to call. By four o’clock, he gave up the pretense of trying to work and gave himself a pep talk.

  “I’m not leaving because of Cassie,” he said out loud, “I’m leaving because I want to. I own the damn company, and I can leave whenever I want to!” Picking up his briefcase and keys, Adam strode across the office and yanked open his door. Grace looked up and he gave her a searing look that almost dared her to question what he was doing.