She swallowed and released the envelope. She couldn’t do it. Maybe if she didn’t open it, she could continue to work as though there was no danger?
She would keep telling herself that, at least.
She jolted a little at the sound of the high pitched ring that blared from her purse. “This is Kate,” she answered.
“Hey, you coming into the office today?” Julia asked.
“Walking there now. I finished with the designer at the hotel.”
“Perfect. Michael just got back from New York, and he’s asking for you.” Julia’s voice deepened a little as she finished her sentence.
Kate picked up on the change in her voice. Her brain flooded with concern as she slowed down her pace. She was no longer as anxious to get to the office. “Oh really? Does he want to check in on our progress?” You’re being ridiculous. Nothing is going on with Michael. Nothing to hide. Okay, well, he did hit on me, but I said no—I’m innocent! Right?
“I have no idea. Just head on over to his office when you get here. See you in a bit.”
Kate tossed her phone back in her bag, thoughts of the envelope very far from her mind.
Michael. He was all that was in her head.
She wasn’t sure how she ended up in his building so fast, but the elevator ride to his floor seemed to deliver her at hyper-speed. She nodded to the receptionist as she walked past her and down the hall toward Michael’s office.
She glanced into Julia’s office but didn’t see her. Michael’s office was just ahead. She toyed with the strap of her bag as she forced her black pumps to move, one step at a time.
Why am I so scared to see him?
When she arrived at the door to his office, she popped her head in to say hello, but her mouth closed when she saw he wasn’t alone. He was sitting on his couch next to an auburn-haired beauty. His hand rested on her shoulder, and the woman’s gaze was cast downward.
Kate took a step back, attempting to duck away before Michael saw her, but it was too late. He caught her eyes with his, and he gave her a slight shake of the head.
She put her hand up, motioning that she’d catch him later, and she left. She was more than eager to get the hell out of there.
“Kate.”
Kate looked up to see Julia approaching. “Hey. I was just going to set up shop in your conference room. Is that okay?” She had raised up her hand and was gesturing to the all-glass room that adjoined Julia’s office.
“Of course. I’ll join you.” Julia followed Kate into the room. “I was hoping to catch you before you saw Michael. He got a visitor right after we hung up, but I’m sure he’ll find you after.”
Kate nodded and tried to punch the pangs of unwanted jealousy out of her mind. I would be one of many.
“You okay?” Julia arched a brow.
Kate shrugged her purse off her shoulder and allowed it to drop to the ground. “Yeah, just a little tired. I have been working like crazy on this gala.”
Julia smiled. “Thank you. I’m so grateful.” She sat down at the table and folded her hands. “I have great news. I followed your advice, and I have a special guest speaker for the ball.”
“Awesome.” Kate started to sit down, but Michael caught her off guard. He was walking down the hall next to the redhead, his hand on the small of her back. He managed to avoid looking into the conference room, and Kate felt the strange feeling of green slide back inside her again.
Julia cleared her voice.
Kate looked back at Julia, and could feel her cheeks flaming with embarrassment. “Maybe we could order some lunch to the office while we work? I’m starved—my treat.”
“Let’s go grab some food instead. I know a great place.”
Kate nodded. Julia’s idea was even better. She kneeled down to grab her purse off the floor, but a large hand beat her to it. She followed the black dress shoes to slacks, which stretched all the way up to a trim waist. She inhaled as she straightened. He smelled of cologne and clean linen.
“On your way out?” Michael asked, handing Kate her bag.
Nerves. Fiery little balls of nerves tumbled around in her stomach, and she found herself becoming mute—again. She thought she had worked through her feelings for Michael, but she had only managed to stifle her physical desire for him when he wasn’t around.
“We’re going to lunch.” Julia glanced at Kate and back at her brother. “Care to join us?”
“Sure. I’m always hungry for something good to eat,” he said with a satiny voice that could arouse even the least passionate woman.
The way his eyes traveled the length of her body before settling on her face made her buzz to life with excitement. Her body betrayed her as her nipples hardened beneath her silk blouse. She prayed her bra was thick enough to cover her sudden arousal.
“Michael? Kate? You two ready?” Julia asked.
Michael tilted his head and licked his lips. “Yes, I’m ready. Are you?”
“Yeah.” Kate moved away from Michael and walked past Julia, who stood just outside the doorway. She tried to avoid eye contact with both of them.
Stop acting like a sex-charged teenager, Kate. She stared down at her heels and clutched her bag with both hands, hanging on to it like a lifeline as they rode down the elevator.
“Is Mexican okay?” Julia asked as they stepped out into the lobby.
“Yes. I love anything with spice.” Kate spotted a quirk in Michael’s lips as he held the door open for them. Damn your dirty mind.
The restaurant was just around the corner, in one of the most popular areas of Uptown Charlotte. They sat down at a table outside, and Kate found herself sitting too close to Michael, even though they were across the table from each other.
Kate looked away from Michael and down at her menu, pretending to have no idea what she wanted. She knew their previous dinner conversation was not quite laid to rest. Perhaps he wasn’t ready to give up his pursuit of her, despite their differences in opinion on the matter of sex. Didn’t he have enough women at his beck and call?
“How was New York?” Kate asked, hoping to push away the sexual tension that was ping-ponging back and forth between them.
“Yeah, Michael, how was New York?” Julia angled her head to get a better view of her brother, who was sitting at her side.
“It was fine.” He ignored his sister and directed his attention toward Kate. “So, Kate, how’s the planning going? Everything falling into place?” He reached for his collar, popped open the top button—tie already removed—and smoothed his hand over his shirt before resting it in his lap.
“We’re just wrapping up the details—fine-tuning everything,” she replied, feeling a little more confident on the subject of the gala.
“Sorry,” Julia muttered as she reached for her ringing phone. She glanced down at the caller ID. “Shit. It’s Alex calling.”
“That can’t be good,” Michael responded.
Julia rose to her feet, gripping the phone. “Sorry, Kate, I have to take this.”
Kate watched Julia walk away with the phone pressed against her ear. “Who is Alex?”
“He’s someone Julia decided to invest in. A personal project of hers out in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, every time Alex calls, it isn’t good.”
Before Kate had a chance to speak, the waiter was at the table. Michael ordered his sister’s meal. Just as the waiter left, Julia walked back to the table.
“Ugh. Kate, I’m so sorry, but I need to fly out to L.A. today. I might even need to be there next week, too.” She reached to pull her purse off the back of her chair. “Don’t worry, I’ll come back for the gala this weekend. But I’m so sorry I have to bail on you.”
Kate shrugged her shoulders. “No problem. We have almost everything done. I can handle it.”
“So that means you’re going to miss our monthly poker game again? The guys are going to be so pissed.” Michael reached into his pocket for his phone.
“Looking for my replacement so fast, huh?” She swung
her purse strap over her shoulder. “I’m sorry to exit in the midst of lunch, but I need to go book a flight and pack. I’ll call you later.” She gaped at her brother, who was busy texting. “Help Kate out this week while I’m gone. Okay?”
He looked up from his phone and nodded. “Have a safe flight.”
“Everything will be fine. No worries.” Kate gave Julia a reassuring smile and waved goodbye. She looked over at Michael, who had just slid his phone back into his pocket. “So, Julia plays poker?” Her lips pushed into a smile as her brows lifted. “Texas hold ’em?”
“I taught her a long time ago.”
Kate nodded. “I taught my kid brother to play before he went into the military.”
“You play?” He stared at her, his lips parted. “What got you into the game?”
Kate fiddled with the drink menu, trying to avoid the stare of Michael’s intense blue eyes. “One of my boyfriends at Harvard liked to play. He used to play in tournaments all of the time, and so I asked him to teach me. I fell in love with the game and continued playing even after we broke up. He had a bad gambling problem that I later discovered . . . but I thought the game was fun, and I even won a couple of local tournaments.” She sighed. “I haven’t played in years. Ever since I began running my stepmother’s business, I never have time to have fun anymore.”
“You played in tournaments?” Michael rubbed his jaw. “I’m having trouble believing that you would sit at the table with poker sharks, and . . .” He shook his head, and a smile threatened his lips. “Actually, I think you must be great at the game. All you need to do is bat your eyes and smile, and the players are putty in your hands.”
“What? Can’t a girl have real poker skills? A woman has to use her looks to win?”
“No, but I—”
“I do have talent, by the way. There is no eye batting. I wear my Red Sox hat and a pair of sunglasses.”
“To hide your tells?” he taunted, his eyes glinting with amusement. “I would still be able to read you.”
Kate’s cheeks brightened with his reply. “There’s only one way to find out.”
“You want to be Julia’s replacement?” His voice was low and rang all kinds of sexy through her ears.
“I can’t play you. It wouldn’t be fair. I’d take all your money.” Her confidence was back. Her brain thanked her heart for allowing it to take over.
“I think that sounds like a challenge,” he responded, the deep baritone of his voice reminding her of the dangerous turn their conversation had taken. She shouldn’t have yielded at the sign—she should have made a complete stop before a sharp U-turn.
Poker, with Michael? With Michael’s friends? Am I out of my mind? Maybe her brain wasn’t in control when she was speaking, after all. What had she been thinking? She wet her lips and reached for her water. She was stalling. She didn’t know what to say.
“Come on, don’t back out now.” He leaned forward over the table a little, trying to get her attention. “It’s tomorrow night at my friend’s loft. Starts at nine. And don’t use work as an excuse.”
“Okay.” Her answer surprised her as it tumbled free from her lips.
“Great.” He sat back in his chair and looked up at the outdoor entertainment system, which was nestled in the corner of the building overhang. An English translation of a Spanish love song poured through the speaker, and he directed his attention back on Kate, his eyes resting on her mouth.
With an unsteady hand, she reached for her water again, feeling the need to cool off. She forced her gaze away from him and out onto the nearby street.
Blondes. Models. The redhead thirty minutes ago. Women. Lots of women throwing themselves at him all of the time. Please, don’t be one of them.
The unnoticeable shakiness of her hand turned into an obvious tremble as her eyes fixated on a man sitting on a bench along the street. He was on his phone and looking at her. Blonde. Athletic. Middle-Aged. Was it the same man? The man who’d given her the chills at the club, on her first night in town?
It was impossible to remember exactly what the man had looked like. It had been dark in the club, after all, and she hadn’t taken a close look at his face. But for some reason, the same gut-wrenching feeling was climbing its way through her system.
“Kate? You okay?”
She couldn’t respond to Michael—warning bells were ringing far too loudly in her ears. The man was watching her. There were no flashing lights like at the club to cast doubt on his gaze. And it wasn’t the stare of a man checking out a woman. This was different. She could feel it.
She inhaled as she watched the man rise to his feet, phone still at his ear. He gave her one last look as his lips pressed together. And then he walked away.
“Kate?” Michael waved his hand in front of her face.
“Huh?” She shook her head, freeing herself from the spell of fear that sliced through her. Had she just laid eyes on her stalker? If so, who the hell was he? And why was he following her?
“What happened?” Michael asked, his voice registering concern.
“Nothing. I’m fine. Sorry.” She pushed a fake smile to her lips, but she could tell by the worry lines etched on his face that he wasn’t buying her lie. “Just thinking about my mom.” She noticed his body ease and grow less rigid.
“Oh. Sorry.”
The food couldn’t have come at a better time. Kate thanked the waiter and stared down at her plate, feeling completely devoid of hunger.
***
The red envelope sat on her hotel bed, taunting her—again. She rubbed her hands together, balling them into fists, hoping to calm her nerves and release her tension.
Kate looked at her watch. It was almost eleven at night.
She had decided to head back to her hotel after lunch with Michael. She wasn’t sure if she was afraid he would sense her worry, or afraid he would sense her desire for him. She’d also made up some lame excuse about needing to bounce around the city and run errands tomorrow, so she wouldn’t have to see him until the poker game.
Although maybe she wouldn’t go to the game, either. She was still not sure of how she had gotten herself into this mess.
“Open it. Just open it. Be done with it.” She unclenched her fists and reached for the envelope. She held her breath as she opened it, as though some deadly powdery substance might drift from its folds.
Surprise flooded her system when she found herself staring down at a picture of Michael and an unknown woman. He was embracing a raven-haired goddess on a dance floor. Their bodies were pushed together, and his mouth appeared to be nuzzling her neck.
She shuffled through four more photos, all of Michael. All were with different women. But the fourth photo was of a woman Kate recognized—the redhead from the office. Michael was sitting at a dinner table with the woman.
The last photo was of Michael and Kate dancing at the club Saturday night. “What the hell?” She dropped the photos on the bed and rubbed her hands over her tired face. Her emotions were spiraling in all different directions, and she couldn’t make sense of anything. When she looked back down at the photos, she tilted her head and picked up one of the photos that had flipped over. There was writing on the back.
“Forget Michael. Go back to New York.” She re-read the message a dozen more times, trying to figure out the motive of her stalker, and why whoever was following her not only wanted her out of New York but possibly wanted her away from Michael, too.
But whoever was following Kate clearly had no idea how stubborn she was. Her fear was quickly manifesting into anger.
Chapter Seven
Michael studied Kate as she stood on the other side of the door at his friend’s apartment. She was dressed in a pair of faded blue jeans and a loose-fitting, yellow T-shirt that made him wonder if she was attempting to hide her sexuality. She was failing, in his book.
“I can’t believe you tried to back out on me.”
“Well, you know, I don’t have my lucky Red Sox hat. So I thought
maybe I shouldn’t come.”
He moved out of her way and allowed her to enter his friend’s loft. “This is Jerry’s place. He teaches at a school just north of Charlotte.” He shut the door, and she turned toward him.
“Don’t take this the wrong way, but I love that you don’t play poker with, um, millionaires. It means I can afford to play.”
God, he loved her smile. The way her eyes lifted in perfect time with her lips made something in his chest hurt, in a good way. He could tell she was nervous, but he doubted it was because of the poker game. “I wasn’t always rich. And having money doesn’t mean anything,” he said, low enough so his friends wouldn’t hear him. They were still standing in front of the door, but he knew his buddies were waiting for them, impatiently, in the living room where the poker table was set up.
“Money means something when you use it to help others like you are.” She winked at him and walked down the narrow hall like she knew exactly where she was going.
He stood still at her comment and watched her disappear from sight. When he heard a loud grumbling of voices, he knew his friends had just laid eyes upon her. He rubbed his jaw, grinned, and hurried toward the living room.
“Michael. Seriously? You think we’re going to be able to concentrate with Kate at the table? You know we have a hard time with Julia—and she’s like family,” Ben joked as he folded his arms across his chest and leaned against the back of the oversized white couch. Most of the furniture was pushed against the walls to make room for the long, oval poker table.
The entire apartment was no greater than eight hundred square feet, but a nice loft in the city came with a price. Michael and his friends rotated the game among their houses. There were eight players in total, including Julia, when she was able to make it.
“You better continue thinking of Julia as a sister,” Michael warned. He tapped Ben’s shoulder and looked at Kate. “This is Ben—he’s a pediatrician. And married, by the way.” Did I really invite Kate to a poker game with a bunch of sex-charged guys? He studied his friend, Jerry, watching the way his eyes raked over Kate’s toned body.
Silenced Memories Page 6
