by Addison Fox
“Now who’s laying on the sales pitch, Keira?” Charlie’s sneer complimented his words, lending them an air of malice.
Marie’s fidgeting stance and gentling hand on her husband’s arm sent out warning bells that Charlie was just getting warmed up.
Keira pasted on a broad smile, the increasing quiet of the people around them clearly registering as she shot the surrounding packs of partygoers furtive glances. “Charlie. If you’d prefer, we can move this discussion to the media room. It’s emptied out for the moment as the news crews have shifted to cover the events outside.”
Nathan mentally applauded her aplomb, but the moment was short-lived as Charlie’s face turned a dark shade of red. “Save me the smiles and the glad-handling, Keira. I’ve seen enough. We’ll be pulling the program tomorrow morning.”
The peaceful calm Keira had maintained throughout the conversation vanished, and her bare shoulders stiffened with the heat of battle. “Since we’ve got a year-long contract, I’d suggest you bring your legal team along for the discussion.”
“Will you be joining us, Cooper?”
Nathan kept his voice mild under the heat of Charlie’s dark gaze. “I don’t see why I would. This is a business arrangement between you and Ms. McBride. Why would I take part?”
“Since you’ve been romancing the damn company out from underneath her, I figured you had the balls to stick around for the events of the morning after.”
Marie’s bright gasp filled the hall as she laid a firm hand on her husband’s arm.
Without thinking about anything but laying the jerk out, Nathan moved up into his personal space. “I believe you owe Ms. McBride an apology.”
“I owe her nothing.”
“Maybe you didn’t hear me. However, in the event you did hear me and you need a bit of incentive to do the right thing, how about this for grins. The secrets you’ve been keeping about your manufacturing problems are easy enough to leak to the press. I know my brother’s always on the lookout for a good juicy cover-up story to help out that Pulitzer shelf he’s got in his lobby.”
“Threats, Cooper? Why am I not surprised?” Despite the bravado in Charlie’s tone, Nathan heard the quavering hints of fear around the edges.
“I call them like I see them.”
“Learned at the knee of a master.”
“Oh, my father has nothing to do with it. I can smell an asshole at forty paces. Learned that skill all by myself.”
On an agitated huff, Charlie turned his attention to Keira. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning in your offices. My legal team will be along with me.”
Her smile had never wavered, but the frost in her voice could have frozen the equator. “I’ll see that my team is in attendance as well.”
“I used to have a lot of respect for you and what you’ve built over the last decade. I can see my faith was misplaced.”
Keira stepped back, her stance regal as ever. “I could say the same about you, Charlie.”
Chapter Ten
Keira grabbed a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and restrained herself from gulping it down in one long swallow. The triumphant joy she’d felt walking through the event was squashed under the departing steps of Charlie Breslin. Jupiter Automotive wanted to pull their business—the largest piece of revenue on their books—because of the takeover attempt.
And Charlie had been a big enough jerk to do it in front of an entire room full of people.
She gave a small wave to a passing colleague, forcing as big a grin as she could muster as she muttered through her teeth, “I don’t believe that just happened.”
“Charlie’s an ass. Always has been.”
“I deal with a lot of those, Nathan. It doesn’t change the fact he’s an ass who pays his bills. Big bills we send him each and every month.”
“You’re better off rid of him.”
An angry retort sparked to her lips—what would Nathan know of the work she’d put into the event or just how much a deal like the one they had with Jupiter helped secure additional deals—when the stricken expression she saw on his face pulled her up short.
“What is it?”
“He insulted you.”
“It’s no big deal.”
Instead of minimizing the issue as she’d hoped, the quick reassurance seemed to have the opposite effect as color crept into his cheeks. “It’s a very big deal.”
“Okay. Look, I meant what I said. The media room’s empty. Let’s go there for a few minutes and calm down.”
He nodded and a short while later they found themselves in the small gathering area that had been reserved for the press. As she’d hoped, there wasn’t one single reporter lingering. All had rushed to see the unveiling of cars outside the museum.
As soon as they were alone, she dropped onto a plush leather couch. “I can’t believe he pulled everything. And he’s not blustering, either. He’s crazy enough and mean enough to do exactly what he says.”
“Like I said, you’re better off rid of him.”
The frustration she’d had to hide in front of the assembled guests came rushing back and she stood, unwilling to give him the advantage by looking up. “And like I said, that’s easy for you to say. I, however, have a business to run.”
“He was abusive to you. For that alone, he should be kicked to the curb, but he abused his power, too. It’s unacceptable and there’s no reason to kowtow to it.”
“He’s the CEO. Who’s going to stop him?”
“He still has a board. People who watch over him. I’m sure his marketing director has a say in things. He’s bluffing.”
She shook her head, all the months of work running through her mind’s eye. “Nope. Not Charlie. He did this deal with me personally. Said he wanted the family connection, a partnership that a company like McBride Media could provide. Told me it was personal.”
Nathan ran a hand over his jaw. “No, damn it. What he did tonight was personal. And spiteful. And likely an attempt to get you to reduce his costs so you’ll go begging for the business.”
The dismissive comment, so unlike him, had Keira seeing red. “What part of all this don’t you get, Nathan? I’m in a client service business. I produce a product and I need clients to buy it, recommend it, and stick with their damn commitments. I do not need them getting mad while attending the largest event my corporate team will put on this year. Do you know how much time went into this?”
When he simply shook his head, she continued on. “Eighteen months. The cars outside have been in active development in Jupiter’s marketing pipeline for that long. The work to coordinate the venue, the bands, the food, the press, the celebrities, the attendees went on that whole time. We had to get permits, special security, you name it. The governor is here, for Pete’s sake. And the CEO of the damn company is pulling his business from me tomorrow. Because of you.”
Keira fell back into the plush cushion of the couch and dropped her head in her hands. That same stubborn spark of anger that desperately wanted to light filled her once more, but the events of the last few weeks kept it from fully alighting. No matter how many ways she looked at it, she was responsible for the current situation she found herself in with Nathan.
So what did it matter if she stared down Nathan eye-to-eye or looked up at him? Once her board heard about this, they’d be rushing to take his side and vote her and her sisters out. “I didn’t think it could get worse, yet here it is. Way worse.”
“Let’s get out of here. I’ve got my driver on call. No one will notice if we sneak out.”
“I can’t leave.”
“According to you, there’s no winning with Breslin. And seeing you throughout the rest of the evening is only going to get his ire upped.”
She knew he had a point, even if the urge to leave felt like running more than self-preservation. “I’m not leaving. And if he wants to pick a public fight, I’ll be more than happy to remind him of his contractual commitments again.”
Keira looked up at
a light knock at the door. The planetarium’s curator walked in. “I’m sorry to disturb. I thought I’d sneak in here and check on you.”
The barely banked ire that rode Nathan’s features faded as he moved comfortably into casual conversation. “Thanks, but we’re fine, Clarissa. I do want to compliment you, though, on the latest updates to the Big Bang Theory portion of the exhibit. You’ve done an incredible job making the information seem somewhat in the realm of understanding for those of us who still think Pluto’s a planet.”
Clarissa’s good-natured laugh layered over a decidedly feminine giggle. With a pat to her silver updo, she took a spot on the couch. “Thank you.”
Keira sat back and took it all in as Nathan and Clarissa bantered back and forth. The evidence Nathan knew the woman wasn’t all that much of a surprise—the more time she spent with him, the more it seemed as if he knew everyone in New York—but his ready understanding of the exhibit had her more than a little curious.
“I’m sure a very popular sitcom has been pretty good for business as well.”
Clarissa’s laugh tinkled once more, evidence of just how charmed she was in Nathan’s company. “Thank God they didn’t call it ‘Nerdy Guys Who Love Physics.’”
“Doesn’t trip off the tongue in quite the same way.”
Clarissa offered Nathan one last smile before shifting her attention. “I’m sorry, Keira. I could talk about the museum all day, and when someone gives me such a lovely opening I find I can’t quite contain my excitement.”
It was hard to stay mad in the presence of such enthusiasm, and Keira smiled at the older woman. “What you’ve created here is incredible. You should be excited to talk about it.”
“I’ve got a great team and a wonderful set of backers.” Clarissa pointed at Nathan and shook her finger. “He won’t tell you because he’s far too modest, but Maverick Capital is one of our biggest supporters.”
If she weren’t watching him, Keira would never have believed Nathan could look so uncomfortable. His normally cool demeanor was so unflappable, to see him shift from foot to foot was oddly endearing.
“What can I say? I’m a science guy.”
“And we love you for it.” Clarissa glanced around the room, her gaze furtive. “While I’d love to talk some more, I had an ulterior motive. Word’s traveling around the room pretty quickly that an unpleasant scene took place. You may want to get out of here and escape before the press moves their focus from the cars.”
Keira didn’t miss the nervous flutter of Clarissa’s hands. “What is everyone saying?”
“That Charlie Breslin is a jerk. And that he’s had a few too many whiskeys. Regardless, the press smells blood in the water. I’d suggest you get out before they find you and circle.”
“I don’t want to run.” Keira knew the comment was mulish but couldn’t erase the sentiment.
“It’s not running if your commitments to the evening have come to a close. All the remarks have been made. It’s just a room full of people enjoying all the free liquor and full-fat appetizers you’ve ordered for them. I’d get out while you still can.”
Despite her resistance to looking like she had her tail between her legs, Keira knew Clarissa made a very persuasive argument. “Oh, and one more thing. Your sister Mayson told me to argue with you and talk you out of it if you tried to insist on staying.”
Nathan crossed the room. “So what do you say? Can we get out of here?”
…
Keira had given in to Nathan’s request to leave, but she still needed to gather her things from the coatroom. The hum of the event had changed to that heavy buzz that began when something tantalizing was happening and she moved through the side hall of the museum at a fast clip, anxious to put it behind her. She knew that was her only excuse for not even seeing the couple that stood so close to each other until she barreled into them.
Or barreled into Camryn and Booth, to be exact.
“Keira!” Her sister looked up, a hazy sort of smile still on her lips as a matched haze in her eyes began to clear.
“Keira.” Booth nodded before he turned back toward Camryn, his voice full of promise. “I meant what I said.”
The urge to race off had her momentarily stymied, and she waited until the man was out of earshot. “What was that about?”
“I have no idea.”
“Well, what did he say?”
“That he noticed me at that cancer benefit we all attended at the Museum of Modern Art a few months ago.”
“Of course he did. Was it the one you gave the keynote for?”
“I guess.” That haze was back and Keira couldn’t remember a time in recent memory her sister had looked lovelier.
“Well, what else did he say?”
“That he’s not talking to me to get a story.” The haze disappeared once again. “Of course, it doesn’t explain why he’s talking to me at all.”
“I’d say good old-fashioned healthy male interest, for starters.”
“I don’t know. I just don’t know.”
“Well, I do.”
“That’s because you’re in love.” Camryn’s thoughtful mood morphed into a teasing tone. “You think everyone else is.”
“I’m not in love.” The words sprang off her lips, even as Keira fought the sudden urge to check to see if her skirt was on fire.
“Oh, big sister of mine, you are so besotted it drips from you.”
“I am not—”
Camryn gripped her arm and pulled her toward a small exhibit stand in the hallway, a shiny placard on the wall announcing what sat behind the glass. “This’ll have to do as a stand-in for a mirror. Look in there and tell me what you see.”
“A harried woman who’s about to lose her company and her biggest account, all while being eaten by the press lions ready to attack from the other side of that hall.”
“What else do you see?”
Keira played along with the game, her sister’s tease holding the threads of way more truth than she was comfortable admitting to. “I see me.”
“I see a woman in love.”
Keira really stared at her own slightly distorted image in the placard before turning toward Cam. “What if it’s not enough?”
“Enough for what?”
“For everything. Love is hard under the best of circumstances. Nathan and I don’t exactly have the best of anything.”
“You care for each other.”
“Mom and Dad cared for each other. Once.” She let the thought hover there before feeling small and petty at the dark look that came over Camryn’s face. Both her sisters had borne the price of their parents’ unhappiness right along with her and it was a raw, open wound for all of them.
“They don’t have anything to do with this, K. Their relationship was theirs. Not yours and Nathan’s.”
“But what if they do have something to do with Nathan and me? They were an example, Cam. A warning, really. And what if I’m ignoring all the warning signs and barreling right into the same damn storm we all grew up with?”
“That’s a cop-out and you know it.”
“It isn’t.”
“Sure it is. If you’ve got a problem, a real one, then you deal with it. Don’t make it up or blame it on someone else’s poor choices.”
The usual equanimity Camryn was known for was nowhere in evidence underneath her urgent words and Keira was forced to acknowledge the truth of her sister’s statement. Hiding behind her parents’ dissatisfaction wasn’t fair to Nathan. Or to herself.
“Come on, get out of here. You’ve got a hot man in a limo waiting for you.”
“How’d you know I was leaving with Nathan?”
“Mayson told me.”
“I should have known.” Even as she muttered the words, Keira couldn’t hold back the smile.
At the last moment, Camryn grabbed her hands. “Don’t miss your life worrying over others who wasted theirs. Please.”
…
Nathan stepped from the car b
efore turning and extending his hand to Keira. Although she’d looked distracted when she climbed into the car, she’d rapidly shifted gears and spent the drive from the museum to her home on the phone with her legal team, mapping out how they’d handle Charlie Breslin the following morning.
In the last few weeks, he’d seen her in action several times, but never in full-on crisis mode. Where most professionals he’d observed through the years managed with fire and theatrics, she remained calm and in control as she laid out her strategy with the legal team.
“That was some impressive work,” he said to her after the elevator doors had closed behind them, leaving them to an empty car.
“The call?”
“Yes.”
“It’s a sad fact, but this isn’t my first rodeo with clients who would prefer not to keep their commitments. I’m usually more than willing to work out a compromise, but…”
The words hung there, the weight of the evening bearing down on her shoulders.
“But Jupiter Auto isn’t a client who deserves one,” Nathan said.
The doors opened at her floor and she walked the short stretch to her apartment. “So tomorrow will be a battle.”
He nuzzled her neck as she dug in her small evening bag for her keys. “And tonight?”
“Tonight I’m wondering why I seem to lose my head around you. Case in point.” She turned and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’ve let you bring me home.”
“The real question is whether you’re going to let me stay.”
“I don’t think I have a choice.”
“You always have a choice, Keira.”
The light veil of resistance that always seemed to block what was between them was nowhere in evidence as she smiled up at him.
“I think I’m long past making it because not one single argument I make to myself seems to stick.” She lifted on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his.
Satisfaction slammed through him with a raw intensity that had his fingers shaking as he placed his hands on her waist. The fear he’d harbored, that she was lost to him, evaporated as if it had never been.
