The Executive's Decision

by Bernadette Marie

  “I can’t be here now. I’ll have a cab pick you up at seven. We need to pull everything together for our trip to L.A. next week.” Without another word, he pulled a suit from the closet, walked back to the bathroom, and locked the door.

  As soon as Zach left, Regan pulled herself from bed. She brewed a pot of coffee, showered, and readied herself for the day. When she looked at the clock, it was only four-thirty. There was plenty of time for her to stew in the misery she’d brought upon herself.

  She sat down at the kitchen table and scrubbed her hands over her freshly made-up face. What the hell was wrong with her? She’d told her sister she didn’t think Zach was the kind of man who would walk away from her, but he’d proven her wrong. That was exactly what he’d done. He’d walked away from her at 3:18 that morning.

  She shook her head. That wasn’t what had happened, and she knew it.

  Zachary Benson loved her, and she was pushing him farther and farther away. It was only a matter of time before she lost him completely.

  That was what she had wanted, wasn’t it? She’d never meant to fall in love with him. She’d promised herself she’d never fall in love with the man she worked forever again, but she had. She’d broken that promise to herself.

  She wiped at the corners of her eyes where tears collected, before they fell. How could she have possibly let it happen again?

  Pain filled her chest and fire burned her stomach. She was furious with herself. Zach didn’t deserve what she was putting him through. What could be worse—knowing she was hurting him or telling him her secret and watching him walk away from her? She wasn’t sure.

  She poured the cup of coffee down the drain and washed the mug. The coffee in the pot was still hot when she poured it down the drain too.

  Regan checked her makeup in the mirror by the front door. It was now only 5:15. She paced awhile and then fell onto the couch. Breathing deeply, she thought about it. She would tell him. It was time Zachary Benson found out what she had gone through and what she had done. It was better for him to know now and walk away from her. John would be in L.A. with him, and everything was so organized that when he fired her, he wouldn’t need an assistant for the meetings. It wasn’t as if he couldn’t hire a temporary assistant to take a few notes.

  Regan stood and paced again.

  The car he’d promised arrived promptly at seven. The traffic into Nashville was already congesting the streets, and Regan’s nerves began to unravel one by one.

  In the lobby of the building, she stopped by the coffee cart and ordered each of them a coffee to kill a few more moments before she made her way up to the office. She was officially sick to her stomach.

  Regan tapped her fingers impatiently on the cardboard holder that held the coffees as the elevator rose. When the elevator opened, she thought about riding it back to the lobby, but got off with the other employees and walked toward her office. The door was already open, which meant Zach had no doubt retrieved the documents he would brief her and John on before they left for L.A.

  Regan set the coffees on the edge of her desk, tucked her purse in her bottom drawer, and turned on her computer. She freshened up her lipstick and ran her fingers through her hair. Picking up the coffees, she turned and opened the door to his office.

  The laughter hit her first and then the fragrance of expensive perfume. Regan stood stunned at the long-legged woman who sat on the edge of Zach’s desk. Her legs crossed at the knees, her hand leaned back on the desk, and her long black hair cascaded down her back.

  Regan grasped the tray of coffees harder, afraid she would drop them in the floor if she didn’t fling them at Zach’s head first.

  He stood from behind his desk, giving the woman atop it a hand to her feet. “Regan, I didn’t realize it was already eight. We were catching up.”

  Regan’s mouth tightened, and her eyes darted to the woman who stood at Zach’s side. She knew she’d lash out if she stood looking at them for one more second. As calmly as she could, she set the cups of coffee on the table to her side and turned to leave the room.

  Zach hurried across the room and grabbed her arm and turned her toward him. “Regan”—he laced his arm around her waist—“I’d like to introduce you to Mademoiselle Simone Pierpont.”

  Simone Pierpont glided across the office and extended a lean, well-manicured hand toward Regan. “I am so pleased to meet you. Zachary has not stopped talking about you in months. Even his mother is smitten with you, as was his father. May he rest in peace.” She covered her chest with her hand and sent Zach a loving look of condolence. “I would have been here for the funeral…”

  “But she was busy schmoozing some sexy Italian on a yacht.” Zach picked up one of the cups Regan had set on the table.

  “Tu es un idiot!” She laughed and Zach followed suit, but Regan stood dumbfounded between them. “Monsieur Benson thinks he knows all about me, but he is wrong. I was doing business.”

  “I’ll bet.” He laughed, and her eyes widened and then shifted to Regan’s.

  Simone waved off Zach’s comments and narrowed her eyes. “I’m glad you were not invited to go with us today!” She took the coffee from his hands and sipped, leaving her red lipstick on the lid. “We would not want you and your—your mean words.”

  Zach winked at Simone, and Regan’s muscles tensed. She was glad she’d already set the coffees down or they surely would have dropped.

  He was grinning when he turned back to Regan. “Simone is here to take you to brunch with her and my mother,” he said, interrupting her mental beating of the woman standing across from her.

  The stewing she’d done at the house after he’d walked out on her, and the anger she’d felt seeing Simone on his desk, rushed through her body and left her weak from the shock of what Zach was proposing. “I couldn’t.” She shifted her eyes to Simone, and she could swear she could feel her blood boil. Where did this woman get off sitting on Zach’s desk, laughing at his jokes, and leaving her lipstick on his cup? “Miss Pierpont, thank you for the invitation, but Zach…Mr. Benson and I have so much work to do.”

  Zach touched her arms gently. “Regan, my mother won’t take no for an answer.”

  Simone reached for her clutch. “And neither will I. Zachary will have to do without you.” Zach took a step back as Simone moved toward him. She kissed him on both cheeks and then gently on the lips, leaving her trail of lipstick there as well before looking down at Regan. “I’ll meet you in the lobby. I think I’d like one of those fancy American coffees.” She handed Zach back his cup, strutted out of the office, and then waved without turning back.

  Regan stood still, unable to speak.

  He moved in to kiss her, but Regan reached her hand between them and wiped away Simone’s lipstick. He began to grin then pursed his lips, but he didn’t look any more serious. “You, Ms. Keller, have the day off.”

  “I’d rather not.”

  “I insist.” He turned her toward the door and gave her a gentle push in its direction. “I think they have an entire day’s worth of girly things planned for you.”

  Regan turned back around. Her palms had become damp, and she rubbed them on the sides of her skirt. He was insane to think she’d want to spend the day with her. “Zach, I don’t know this woman.”

  “True. But she won’t leave you alone until she gets to know you. Just remember to believe only half of the things she tells you about me.”

  She didn’t care for the fact that some woman knew all about him. She wasn’t ready for that. “I can’t believe you’re sending me off with your other woman.”

  Zach took a step back and then laughed, just as John had done when Regan had lunch with him and mentioned Simone Pierpont.

  He gave her another gentle push toward the door. “Go. You’ll have a goodtime.”

  “I have things I need to say to you.”

  “They can wait.” He gathered her hands in his and kissed her fingertips. “Have fun.”

  “Are you sending me away b
ecause you’re still mad at me?”

  “Regan.” He touched her hair and then ran his thumb over her lips. “My feelings were hurt. I’m not done asking you to marry me. I’m far from done asking you about what happened in your past that brought you back to Tennessee. But I love you, and as long as you love me and promise to stay in my life, then I can be patient in waiting for your answer.” He kissed her again.

  “So you’re not mad at me?”

  “No, I’m not mad.”

  “And you think I really should spend the day with that woman?”

  “She’s very important to me. It would mean a lot to me if you got to know her.”

  Regan bit her lip and considered the statement. “Is she an old lover?”

  Again, the humor was back in his face, but he shook his head. “Simone was the first person to accept me and be my friend. There has never been anything more to our relationship.”

  Regan let out a breath. She’d seen the woman with her own eyes. No man could just be friends with someone like that. Could he?

  Trust. She was expecting Zach to leave her past alone and just trust that she could move on from it without telling him anything. She had to trust that he was honest when he said he was only friends with the gorgeous brunette that waited downstairs for her.

  Simone stood in the lobby, obviously unaware of the men and women who passed and stared at her beauty. “Oh, good, he convinced you to come.” She sipped her gourmet coffee. “I have a car right out front waiting for us. We’ll head to Madam Benson’s for brunch, and then we have spa appointments.” She turned toward the door, and a man opened it for her. She glided through as though accustomed to strangers behaving as servants.

  Regan hurried to follow her, thanking the man for holding open the door, but she realized he hadn’t seen or heard her. He was still focused on Simone.

  The driver opened the door when he saw Simone and Regan walk out of the building. He tipped his hat to Regan as she climbed in next to the French beauty.

  Simone tucked her coffee into a holder, took out a mirror from her clutch, checked her makeup, and touched up the red lipstick which she’d left on Zach’s coffee cup and on his lips. Thinking about the red smudge on Zach’s mouth lit a fire in Regan’s belly.

  Simone dabbed at her face. “This heat is almost unbearable. How do you stay so put together and beautiful?”

  Regan’s mouth dropped open. “I beg your pardon?”

  “Oh, you are so beautiful. Perhaps it’s the humidity. It does wonderful things for your complexion.” She tucked the mirror back into her clutch and looked Regan in the eyes. “I’m envious.”

  Regan could feel any composure she’d had slip away. “Of me?”

  “Of course. I’ve never been able to get Zachary Benson to look at me as he looks at you. You’ve won him over, you know.”

  Regan settled back against the seat. She had too many secrets for a man to truly love her. “No. I don’t really think I do.”

  “Oh, I’ve loved Zachary since we were seven. Poor American child thrown into a boarding school in Paris. He knew no French and he did not speak to anyone for a year.” She drew a cigarette from a compartment between them and lit it. The smoke billowed around her as she crossed her ankles and cracked the window.

  She took a dainty drag from the cigarette. “He was gangly and almost ugly. I was smitten.” She laughed. “And since then I’ve gone to bed with more men trying to figure out why Zachary Benson never fell in love with me.”

  “And?” Regan asked realizing she was just as curious.

  “I’m not his type.”

  “I can’t imagine there is a man on this planet whose type you’re not.”

  “You are flattering.” She smiled then took another drag from her cigarette. “But Zachary Benson never thought so. He’s in love with you.”

  “I don’t know.” Regan looked down at her fingernails where the polish had chipped off. Quickly she folded her hands in her lap.

  “You’ve had an argument.”

  Of course they had. But she wasn’t sure she was ready to talk about it with a woman who loved the man she loved.

  Simone lowered the window and flicked the cigarette outside with her fingers. “Why? Why do you argue with him? What can’t he offer you?”

  Regan shifted her body and stiffened her shoulders. “Ms. Pierpont, I…”

  “Simone.”

  “I’m sorry. Simone. There is nothing he can’t offer. I’m not sure I can offer him what he wants.”

  “And what does he want?” She continued to assault her with questions.

  “He wants me to marry him.”

  “And you’ve said yes?”

  “No.”

  “No?”

  “I can’t marry him.”

  “Why not?”

  “I’m not of his class. What would he do with me?”

  “He would love you,” Simone said sweetly and then smiled.

  Regan relaxed back in her seat. “You make it sound easy.”

  “It is easy. Zachary Benson is not like me. He cares little about power and money. He values people.”

  Regan smiled when Simone said that. She was right. That was what he valued.

  “I have things in my past I haven’t dealt with.” She heard the words spew from her mouth and then wished she hadn’t. This woman was a stranger. She couldn’t divulge her secrets to her and not to the man she loved.

  “Deal with them,” Simone said simply. “Are you who you were at twenty-one?”

  “No.”

  “Of course not. You’re not who you were six months ago, are you?”

  With a sigh, Regan shook her head. “No.”

  “Then marry him.” She reached for her hand. “He loves you. He really loves you.” She flipped her head back with a smile. “And he won’t even look my way. Not the way he looks at you, anyway.” Simone’s eyes were soft, and Regan smiled at her new friend and admirer. “I suppose when I return to France, I will tempt fate yet again and find someone with whom I think I can share my life. Someone who will make me forget that Zachary Benson has officially left me behind.”

  Regan couldn’t say anything. She was still amazed that the woman beside her was so candid about loving Zach, and that he was in love with her and only her.

  The Frenchwoman let go of Regan’s hand and examined her own perfect manicure. “My problem is I have an affinity for American men. Tell me, Regan.” She turned her head back to her, puckering her red lips and tapping her finger to them. “Do you know of a handsome successful man?”

  Regan laughed. “As a matter of fact, I do.”

  “Well, do tell.”

  “Six foot two, sandy blond hair, crystal-blue eyes, and of course he’s a doctor.”

  “A doctor?” Simone’s eyes grew wide.

  “Yes, a very popular one at that.”

  She watched as Simone’s eyebrows rose. “How is it that you know this handsome doctor?”

  “He’s my brother.”

  “Ah, mon ami! I may have to stick around a bit longer and meet this brother-doctor of yours.”

  Audrey opened the door of the house the moment Simone’s car arrived. The driver opened the car doors, Simone climbed out, and the two women waved teach other. Then Regan stepped out of the car, and Audrey waved just as enthusiastically as she had when she’d seen Simone.

  “Oh, Regan.” She smiled as they neared the walk. “Simone said she was bringing a friend for the day. I’m so pleased it’s you.”

  “Thank you.” She watched as Audrey embraced Simone and kissed both her cheeks. Then she hugged Regan and kissed her just the same. But before she let go of her arms, she gave them a little squeeze and smiled.

  “We’re having brunch in the rose garden. Simone, do you remember Josepha?”

  “Oui!” Simone placed her hand on her chest. “Tell me she is here cooking for us.”

  “Oui!” Audrey answered with a smile.

  Simone touched Regan’s arm. “Oh, you
are in for a treat. Madame Josepha was the cook for Madame Audrey when I first visited America with Zachary. We were very young.”

  Regan watched Simone hurry off toward the kitchen to find Josepha. She was sure to get a candid look into the world that Zach had grown up in by spending the day with the two women who doted on him, and Josepha too.

  Audrey turned to Regan in the hallway and placed her hands on her arms. “You’re doing okay? You look like you’ve healed well.”

  “I’m fine. How are you?”

  “I wake up every morning thinking he’s going to come in and kiss me good morning. I’m still waiting.” She smiled, but her eyes were sad.

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “It’s the cycle of life. I won’t be without him forever.”

  The comment struck Regan hard. To love like that—what an amazing gift.

  Audrey looked toward the kitchen and back at Regan. “Are you okay with Simone? She’s always loved Zach, but he’s never thought more of her than…well, than a sister.” Her voice had dropped to a whisper.

  Regan nodded. “I didn’t react so well when I first saw her.”

  “If you made it this far, you’re the first woman she hasn’t run off.” Audrey laughed quietly. “I think you’re in for the long haul.

  Audrey watched as Simone filled the conversation with stories of a young Zachary from school. She always had a story, and Audrey was sure she’d never heard the same one twice.

  Poor Simone had pined for her son for years, but Zachary kept her yearning. Her husband had often laughed at his son’s stubbornness.

  “I don’t think he’s human,” he’d say to her. “No man would look away from her like he does.”

  Zachary had brought home many women over the years, and Audrey had introduced him to many more. But never had he looked at any of them the way he looked at Regan. This would be the woman she’d call daughter, someday. There was no doubt in her mind.

  A smile formed on her lips when she thought she would share her grandchildren with the family who had taken her in and cared for her when her husband had died.

  Simone sipped her mimosa. “What are you thinking of, Madame?”