“Maybe. Not to say that I’m not grateful. I can’t help but wonder why you’ve offered me this job.”
“I wonder that too. I’m not sure why. I saw some of your work and I was impressed. I suppose that doesn’t happen very often to me, so it drew my attention.”
“I’m glad you like it. I hope I can come up with something you’ll enjoy for the foyer.”
“I’m sure you will.”
She served them both a plate of food and settled into the chair across from him. “You don’t have any ideas?”
“I’m more interested in your ideas.” He held her gaze across the table. “My thoughts are so muddled with business, numbers, finances, convincing people to do what I want—sometimes, I think I forget what real beauty is.”
Chapter 12
His own words offered her a hint of who Lucas Morgan might be. Without the slightest hesitation Cassie challenged him.
“That’s not true.”
“Excuse me?” He smiled.
“It’s not true that you’ve forgotten what beauty is. Maybe it’s just too difficult for you to think about it.”
“Why would it be difficult?”
“Because your lifestyle doesn’t give you much opportunity to enjoy it.”
“Perhaps.” He shrugged. “Maybe I’ve just forgotten.”
“I don’t think you have.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because you know that your child is priceless. You value the aspects of nature that can’t be recreated by man and you’re here with me now, eating cheap undercooked macaroni and cheese instead of eating a meal prepared by a professional chef.”
“All good points.” He grinned and took a bite of the macaroni and cheese. “And it’s not undercooked.”
“If you say so.” She tilted her head to the side as she studied every aspect of him. It was a habit of hers to imagine a face the way she would paint it on canvas. Her fingertips itched with the desire to capture him permanently in paint. Despite his relaxed nature, she sensed that he was prone to disappearing. “Can I ask you something personal?”
“Sure. I guess. If I get to ask you something personal too.”
“What could you possibly want to know?”
“Go on—you first.”
She noticed his desire to have the upper hand. It didn’t bother her, as it never mattered to her if she was the underdog or the one in charge. She would be who she was.
“What was the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen?—a place, not a person. Have you ever been in a moment when the light, the setting, the experience all blended together to create a perfect moment?”
“Yes.” He said it without hesitation and immediately closed his eyes.
She watched as every ounce of tension that remained in his face vanished.
“Tuscany.”
The single word transported her to another time and place—to a memory that was buried under years of other experiences.
Tuscany.
She’d only just turned twenty and the grief had been so fresh in her heart that the sight of the rolling landscape had brought her to immediate tears.
“Yes, I agree. Tuscany is one of the most beautiful places on Earth.”
“You’ve been?” He opened his eyes and met hers.
“Yes.” She smiled. “I traveled quite a bit when I was in my twenties.”
“Really? I didn’t expect that.”
“Why? Because I’m a starving artist?” She laughed.
“Maybe.”
“It was my dream to travel and I did make it happen. I still miss it. It’s part of the reason I agreed to come here. This is my first real adventure in quite some time.”
“I like that.” He smiled. “That I get to be your adventure. Where were some other places that you traveled?”
Over the remainder of the macaroni and cheese she described her travels through Europe, highlighting the most memorable of her experiences.
“Did you stay at the Ratcliffe in Ireland? It’s phenomenal.”
“No, I stayed in a field mostly.” She laughed.
“What?” He stared at her.
“Well, it was decent weather and I needed a place to sleep.”
“So you slept in a field?”
“I had a small tent.” She lowered her eyes in response to the shock in his gaze. “There’s no law against it.”
“I know that. I just think it was brave of you.”
“Brave?” She smiled. “I got to hang out with sheep.”
“You were alone in a strange country and not afraid?”
“Oh.” She shook her head. “No. I’ve never been afraid of things like that. Sure, I’ve had some experiences that were a little dangerous, but all in all, people are generally good. I have more memories of generosity and warmth than I do of people causing me harm.”
“That’s beautiful in itself.” He pushed back his plate. “I wish I could say the same.”
“You weren’t safe inside the Ratcliffe?”
“No.” He rubbed a hand across his forehead. “Isn’t that interesting?”
“No.”
“No?” He met her eyes.
“It’s sad.” Without thinking about it, she reached out to cover his hand on the table with her own. “And lonely.”
“You traveled Europe alone, sleeping in fields, and you feel sorry for me?” He shook his head. “That doesn’t seem right.”
“Neither does having everything at your fingertips and not being able to enjoy any of it.” She tilted her head to the side. “Maybe I’ve struggled, but I’ve also lived a life of freedom. Some people would call it irresponsible and wasteful. It’s true, my bank account is empty, but my mind and my heart are filled with memories that can’t be purchased.”
“That’s why you’re an artist.” He pulled his hand away and stood up from his chair. “And I’m a businessman. We have to stick to what we’re good at, I guess.”
The sudden shift in his demeanor surprised her, but she didn’t point it out as she also got up from the table. “Thanks for the conversation, Lucas.”
“Thanks for the macaroni and cheese.” He smiled. “Keep up the good work.” He brushed past her toward the door.
She yearned to reach out to him. Despite the playful wink he’d given her, she could see sorrow in the depths of his gray eyes. She’d touched something that stirred it in him.
“Good night, Lucas.”
“Good night, Cassie.” He looked at her for a long moment before stepping out through the door.
His absence seemed to suck something vital out of the room.
Cassie sat back down, resting her chin in her hand as she stared at where he’d been sitting across from her at the table only seconds before. There were a lot of things she’d expected Lucas Morgan to be like, but after meeting him, most of those things appeared to be false. Maybe he was more arrogant or cold in his day-to-day life, but the part of himself that he’d just shared with her led her to see him as a man who’d been isolated by his own success.
She hoped that as she worked on the murals, she’d have the opportunity to get to know this intriguing man even more.
Chapter 13
Lucas retreated to his room and tried not to think about where he wished he was instead. The memory of her soft skin beneath his fingertip kept him awake hours after he’d stretched out in bed. It was ridiculous to be so caught up in a woman that he barely knew, and yet he was. There was no question about it. The more he’d spoken with her, the more interested he’d become.
James was right to be concerned. Cassie had an easy way about her that made Lucas think that she knew some great secret about life.
He woke up early the next morning with the intention of going for a run along the path on his property, but within minutes, his phone was buzzing with texts and phone calls.
After giving himself a few minutes to lie in bed, he could ignore the calls no longer.
“What is it?”
“
They’re backing out.”
“They can’t back out, the deal is already signed.”
“They’re trying to.”
He gritted his teeth. “You tell her that she’s going to face a huge lawsuit if she tries to drop this deal now.”
“I think it will have more impact coming from you.”
“Fine.” He wiped a hand across his eyes. “Fine. I’ll be there in a few hours. Make sure everyone is prepared to go through every detail.” He hung up the phone and threw it down hard on the bed.
As much as he enjoyed his work, sometimes he wished he could walk away from it all. Times when negotiations fell through were the hardest.
He grabbed the bag he hadn’t even unpacked yet and snatched his phone back up from the bed. Any chance he had of getting to know Cassie better vanished and was replaced by his determination to force the merger to go through.
On his way out the door he waved to James. “I have to head back out. Make sure Ms. Reed has everything she needs.”
James waved back to him. “Safe travels, Mr. Morgan. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of her.”
Lucas paused at the door and looked back at James for a moment. Something about his expression inspired suspicion.
“James? Do you have something to say to me?”
“I noticed that you spent quite a bit of time with her when you arrived last night. Is there anything I should know?”
Lucas gritted his teeth and fought back the urge to remind James of his position. It wasn’t James he was angry at, though. “When it becomes any of your business, I’ll be sure to alert you.” He pulled the door shut behind him and jumped into the car that was waiting for him.
As they sped off toward the airport he couldn’t help but wonder whether James might be right. Had he let himself get taken already by Cassie? Maybe the breath of fresh air she seemed to provide for him would prove to be too much of a distraction.
By the time Lucas arrived at the hotel it was already mid-morning. He went straight to the conference room. With each step he took, his frustration mounted. Even so, when he opened the door, he offered a calm smile and a nod to each person at the table. One thing he’d learned in business was that the person who is in control is the person who acts in control. Allowing his temper to run rampant during his early years had created a reputation for himself that he hadn’t been able to shake.
“I hear we have a problem?” He sat down at the head of the table and looked into the eyes of each person in turn. “Can anyone get me up to speed?”
“I told you that I didn’t want to cut so much manpower.” Marina looked over at him. “My lawyer found a loophole in the agreement that gives me final say over the amount of manpower that will be lost from my company.”
“Our company.” He cleared his throat. “It’s our company now, Marina. That loophole that your lawyer found is nothing more than a wording issue, and you’re aware of that. It will not hold up. However, if you make it an issue and drag these talks out any longer than you already have, it will become an issue for me. Do you understand that?”
“Are you threatening me, Lucas?” She gazed at him with more animosity than he believed eyes could contain.
“I don’t threaten, Marina. This is simply how it will be. For every minute of my time that you cost me, I will deduct from your severance package.”
“Severance package?”
“Yes. Severance package. It is clear to me that we cannot work together, as you harbor some resentment toward me. I don’t allow emotional ties to distract me from my work, therefore my first order of business will be to remove you from your position. Now.” He pulled back his sleeve and looked at his watch. “One minute and counting. How much is this argument worth to you, Marina?”
She stared at him with her mouth half open. It was a beautiful sight really, when combined with her olive skin, her soulful eyes, and those full lush lips. But she would never look at him with desire again. He knew that.
Without blinking he gazed back at her.
“Give me the paper.” She picked up her pen.
He expected a sense of relief, but it wasn’t what he experienced. She had no other choice. It was just a matter of reminding her of that. Perhaps it took his being there in person again to make his point, but once it was made there was no other direction for her to go.
Once all the paperwork was settled, he returned to his hotel room. Yet again he declined invitations to celebrate. Although he was pleased with the outcome, he couldn’t bring himself to celebrate something that harmed someone else.
As he stared at the blank television screen across from him he tried to convince himself that she’d asked for it. It was just business. There was no room for mercy. But the more he stared at his own shadowed reflection, the more he wondered where he’d disappeared to.
The man who had at one time sung out loud from a balcony in Tuscany—just because it was too beautiful not to. The man who’d kissed every tiny fingertip when his daughter had been born. Did that man even exist any more? Or was he just the culmination of good business decisions?
Perhaps his practice of withholding emotion in business had bled into his personal life.
He closed his eyes, and thoughts of Cassie instantly filled his mind. Cassie, with her hair speckled in paint. Cassie’s wide-open smile as he’d looked into her eyes.
He forced his eyes back open and picked up his computer. Maybe if he knew a bit more about this woman, he’d be able to quell his strange need for her.
Chapter 14
Cassie woke the next morning with a smile on her lips, a rarity for her these days. Lately, when she’d been waking up, her first thoughts were about what bill needed to be paid that day, what service might be shut off, and whether or not there was any food left in the fridge.
This particular day, though, the only thought on her mind was that of the mural in Emma’s room. In her dreams, a few things had surfaced that she wanted to add.
After she stood up and stretched, she recalled her encounter with Lucas the night before. The memory of it brought another smile to her lips. He left her intrigued. The playful, mild man she’d met the night before was not the man she’d read about. But the passion that seemed to ripple between them was more than a little concerning.
Normally she was a fly-by-the-seat-of-her-pants type of romantic. If someone sparked an interest, she’d flow with it and see where it led, but when it came to Lucas, it felt different. She still had a suspicion that he might think that she came with the murals.
She decided to head to the dining room for breakfast on the off chance that she might run into him there. She was sure that the fantasy that filled her mind would fade after she got to know a bit more about him. It was often like that for her. She would build up an image of a man in her mind, and as he proved to be quite different than what she imagined, her interest would wane.
She took a quick shower to rinse what paint she could out of her hair and then threw on a set of clean but crumpled clothes.
When she reached the dining room—which took a bit of experimenting down the wrong hallways—she discovered James at the table.
“Morning, Cassie.” He smiled at her. “I wasn’t sure if you’d be joining me.”
“Oh, yes.” She pulled out a chair and sat down. “I thought since Lucas was here he might want to discuss the mural for the foyer.”
“Mr. Morgan?” He raised an eyebrow. “He’s left again due to a business emergency. As I told you before, he’s a very busy man.”
“Yes.” She nodded.
A woman about her age rolled a cart into the dining room and began placing plates on the table. Cassie studied her as discomfort grew within her. She tried to tell herself that it was just like being at a restaurant, that it was okay for the woman to serve her, but it felt strange nonetheless.
“Thank you.” She smiled and looked into the woman’s eyes.
“You’re very welcome. I’m Myrna. If you need anything else, please let us know
. Mr. Morgan made it clear that you’re to have anything you want.”
“I don’t need much.” Cassie shrugged.
“If I were you, I’d take advantage of it.” She winked and then looked over at James. “Is there anything else I can get for you, James?”
“No, this is fine.”
“Do you know if Mr. Morgan will be back for dinner?”
“I have no idea.” James shook his head. “I didn’t even know he was coming in last night. That was a bit of a surprise. But I suppose he had some motivation.” He looked over at Cassie.
Cassie’s cheeks burned at the tone of his voice. James had been friendly at first but it seemed to her that his attitude was changing for some reason.
“We did discuss Emma’s mural. He liked it.”
“That’s good. So I suppose you’re going to be moving on to the mural in the foyer then?”
“Not just yet. I need to finish Emma’s first. In fact, I’ll need to get into her room to continue my work soon after we’re done here, please.”
“Just ring me when you need to get in, and I’ll open the door for you.”
Cassie nodded. “I understand.” It was just a reminder that she was a stranger in an otherwise highly protected home.
As she ate she noticed that James kept his attention on his cell phone. Every time it chimed with a new text she glanced up, hoping for an update about Lucas. When she finished her breakfast she took a hard stance on the fantasies playing through her head.
You have to stop thinking about him. He’s never going to have the same amount of interest in you as you do in him.
She headed back to Emma’s room to work on the mural. On the way she overheard voices whispering, but loud enough for her to make out what they were saying.
“You shouldn’t be engaging in conversation with her. James sent me a text about it.”
“That’s silly. She’s a nice person. There’s no reason not to speak with her.”
“It’s not silly. James is concerned about her getting too much information about Mr. Morgan. You know how important his privacy is to him. Just keep it professional.”
Forty and Free: A Sweet Romance Series Bundle - Books 5 - 8 Page 5
