“That sounds like a lot. You should come work for me.” His voice was oddly low as he spoke the words, making it sound like a different sort of offer altogether.
“As… what?”
“Sorry,” he grinned, apparently realizing how he’d sounded. “I meant work in my legal department or even HR or something. Whatever interests you. I’m sure you’d do great anywhere. You’ve got a sharp mind, and I’m always in need of people to make me look smarter.”
“I’m sure you don’t have any trouble looking smart. Your business success alone is proof of that.” I’d looked him up online at the library last weekend. He may have inherited his company, but it was thriving under his leadership. Eli gave me a modest smile of acknowledgment.
“I appreciate the compliment. But seriously, you should at least hear what I have to offer.”
I blinked, realizing he was being completely serious about this. He wants to give me a job? My mind whirled with the possibilities, and despite my previous endeavors not to entertain thoughts of Eli Brighton, I couldn’t help but be intrigued.
“To be honest, I’m not sure I’d be qualified for anything here. I didn’t graduate from college, and—”
“I know, but not everything hinges on a degree.” He knows? But— “Look, it’s late, and I imagine your break is almost over. Have lunch with me tomorrow so we can talk about it more.”
“Uh…” I glanced reflexively at the clock and realized he was right about the time. “I usually work through lunch.”
“We can figure something else out, then. What’s your schedule look like for the next few days?”
“I work at the restaurant from seven to about four in the afternoon, then here from eight to twelve during the week. Weekends are a little trickier depending on where I’m needed, but I usually just switch off.” He was looking at me like I was a difficult math problem. “What?”
“I can’t believe it. You might actually work more than I do,” he smiled, teasing lightly. I laughed and instantly felt more at ease, despite what his close proximity did to my ability to think clearly.
“The work you do is far more important.”
“Somehow I doubt that.” Our eyes locked again, and something significant passed between us in the silence that followed his quiet comment. I was the first to look away. “Dinner, then. Tomorrow. You have to stop working long enough to eat at some point, right?”
“I have a few free hours between my shifts. I usually just grab something to eat between here and there.”
“Sounds good. Name the time and place.”
I faltered, searching for the right answer. My instinct was to back out, for several reasons. For one thing, I knew I couldn’t afford to be eating at the kinds of places Eli would probably want to go. He hadn’t so much as blinked at the hundred-dollar check I’d presented to him at the restaurant last week, and he’d still tipped forty percent. He owned his own business, and by all accounts, it was a very successful one. He was a fucking millionaire.
The other reason for my hesitation was the same one that had sent me running the first two times. The chemistry between us was undeniable. If we spent much more time together, I wasn’t sure I’d be strong enough to resist it. That kiss had kindled a spark within me that seemed to burn brighter in his presence. At any moment, it might flare up and consume us both. The way he was looking at me now already made it feel like he was asking me on a date rather than a job interview. That sexy gleam in his eye was far from professional.
But how could I possibly turn down a job that paid worth a damn? Something at least partially relevant to my chosen field. I didn’t mind admitting, at least privately, that I was itching to return to something more intellectually engaging. Plus, if I worked days for Eli, I could still pick up some evening or weekend shifts at the restaurant…
“We could meet somewhere around five, if that works for you,” he suggested.
Right. He was still waiting for an answer, and I couldn’t think of an excuse to back out that I wouldn’t be embarrassed to give him. What could I possibly say? ‘Sorry, I can’t make it because I’m afraid I’ll end up jumping you if you get too close?’
“Five will be fine. It might be easier if I just come here early for my shift.”
“Perfect. I’ll order some dinner for us, and we can eat in my office while we talk. That way, we won’t be pressed for time either.”
That brought me up short. Did I really have the willpower to be alone in a room with him? My eyes gravitated to his lips yet again, which curved upward when he caught me staring at them.
Fuck.
“I’ll be there,” I promised, hoping like hell I knew what I was doing.
Eight
Eli
I couldn’t seem to contain my smile as I watched her leave the breakroom to head back to work, though I was certainly questioning my judgment a little. Tomorrow evening, we’d be alone in my office with a good three hours to… talk. The thought of bending her over my desk danced through my mind before I could stop it, but I pushed it away.
It was just a business meeting. I was helping someone who needed a break, that’s all. Honesty had forced me to admit I’d enjoyed that kiss, but I knew I couldn’t let it happen again. No matter how much I might want an encore. If our discussion went well, she could end up as my employee. I hadn’t been bullshitting when I’d said she was smart. I was absolutely certain Charlotte would be a good addition to my team in any capacity, and Donovan’s recommendation was all the reference I needed. I trusted his judgment.
With great effort, I forced myself to focus on the work that had kept me in the office after hours in the first place. I got sucked into the latest reports on one of our larger projects, and when I finally looked at the clock again, it was pushing midnight. I rubbed my eyes and closed my laptop, taking care to check that it was plugged in to charge for the night.
The building was apparently deserted as I made my way downstairs, but when the elevator doors slid open to reveal the parking level, I was pleasantly surprised to see Charlotte again. She didn’t notice me, though, and I took advantage of the opportunity to observe her. She was climbing into a late-nineties Chevy sedan, and I winced slightly when she started the engine. It certainly wasn’t a healthy noise. If she ended up taking a job with RPC, she’d be able to afford something better.
Once her car had disappeared down the ramp, I settled behind the wheel of my BMW, thankful to finally be on my way home. I’d bought a condo downtown not long after I’d taken over at RPC. It wasn’t overly large, since I hadn’t seen the point in spending money on more space than I needed. I had a second bedroom that pulled double duty as a home office and a guest room.
The only reason I’d even gone for a two-bedroom place had been to appease my sister. Kennedy had argued that I would spend most of my day boxed up in my office and wouldn’t want to feel that way when I came home too. As usual, she’d been right, and I was glad I’d followed her advice. Of course, the condo’s best feature was the master bathroom. Just the thought of stepping into my luxury shower in a few short minutes made me groan with longing.
As I turned down my street, however, Charlotte’s face floated through my mind yet again. Not that she had been very far from it in the weeks since we’d first met. She wasn’t headed home yet, I recalled. She would’ve gone to Chance Encounters to pick up the day’s leftover food. Then, she’s heading into a rough neighborhood alone…
Before I could really think twice about it, I was turning my car around and speeding toward the restaurant. Her car wasn’t in the lot when I pulled in a few minutes later, and as I sat in the dark waiting for her, I started to question my actions.
I’m officially a stalker. Christ. I should just go home.
But that niggling little voice in the back of my head wouldn’t shut up. She was going into a dangerous area alone. At night. As a business owner, I could understand Donovan’s reluctance to get involved with his employees’ personal lives, but I knew there was
no way I’d have been able to sleep that night unless I made sure she got home safely. Then tomorrow, I would see to it that she signed on to work for me. I’d pay her enough that she could afford a better place in a safe neighborhood.
Charlotte took longer to show up than I expected. In fact, it was a good half hour from the time I saw her leaving my parking garage to the moment she pulled into the lot at Chance Encounters. Not that I was timing her. That would be a bit much. Still, I realized she must have made a stop somewhere, and that suspicion was confirmed when she climbed out of her car. She was dressed differently, and if I wasn’t mistaken, her hair was wet too. Had she gone home to shower? That didn’t make much sense logistically, but maybe she’d had good reason…
There were only a couple of other vehicles in the parking lot, and Charlotte was in and out of the restaurant within five minutes. Her tiny frame seemed even smaller as she awkwardly carried the box of food to her car and loaded it into the passenger seat. Now came the tricky part. Would she notice she was being followed? Did she have any reason to recognize my car? She hadn’t given me so much as a second glance when she’d pulled into the lot, but I couldn’t help feeling conspicuous.
I followed her as closely as I dared until she reached the Seventh Avenue shelter, and I was relieved that she hadn’t seemed to detect my presence. I parked at a discreet distance and waited until she reappeared, now carrying something much smaller in her hand. It looked like paper. She was quickly back in her car and heading off again, and as she pulled out, the beam of her headlights swung wide, illuminating the address number on the side of the building.
500.
I frowned in confusion, because I was almost certain that had been her address. I didn’t have a photographic memory, but five hundred was an easy enough number to recall. My curiosity was strong enough to overpower my stalker guilt now as I followed her again, and my confusion only increased when she got back on the interstate heading west.
Thanks to the lateness of the hour, the traffic was sparse, and tailing Charlotte the short distance to the Lincoln Gardens commercial area was easy enough. She headed for the Walmart just off the exit, and I frowned at the clock. Bit late for shopping. Although, I supposed someone who worked as much as she did wouldn’t have the option of running such errands at a more reasonable hour. But unlike most people, who prowled each row for the closest open spot to the door, Charlotte parked toward the end of the lot like the employees.
Jesus, does she work here too?! When does she sleep?
I slipped into an open space that was near enough to watch but far enough that she wouldn’t notice me. She appeared to have turned off the car, but she hadn’t gotten out. Instead, she climbed into the backseat and switched on the cabin light overhead. The darkness outside made it quite easy to see that she was… eating. What the hell?
A sense of dread settled into the pit of my stomach when she switched off the light a few minutes later and still didn’t emerge from the car. I waited another half an hour, but she didn’t get out. And with every passing minute, the stunning reality of what I’d seen became all the more clear.
My angel was homeless.
Nine
Eli
I couldn’t move. My mind was racing as I sat frozen in place, staring at the now-darkened interior of her car. I couldn’t seem to wrap my head around the situation in a way that made it any less confounding.
What had happened in this woman’s life to bring her to this point? I knew she worked full-time for Donovan, and if she picked up weekend cleaning hours in addition to her night shifts, there was a good chance she was almost full-time with the cleaning service too. Surely, between those two jobs, she was making enough to rent an apartment somewhere. Or split one with a roommate. Something. Anything. Where was her family? Why wasn’t anyone helping her? Where was her money going?
I thought back to what little information I’d been able to glean from her résumé and employment records. Charlotte had grown up in a small town not far from here before moving to Gainesville for college, and she’d done well academically in both places. She’d dropped out in the early months of her senior year. Why? She’d clearly fallen upon hard times somehow, but what on earth could have led her to this?
Did she not have parents or siblings? Grandparents? I couldn’t imagine ever letting any of my family members live in a car. So, I assumed that either Charlotte was alone in the world or her family didn’t know about her situation.
The notion that she might be struggling with some sort of addiction crossed my mind, but I ruled that out pretty quickly. I’d never seen any indication that she might have been high or experiencing a withdrawal, and I knew Donovan had a no-tolerance policy. A lot of people wrote off the homeless as lazy and uneducated, but that didn’t fit her either. She worked her ass off, and she was obviously very smart. It just didn’t make sense…
I shuddered at the thought of how dangerous her situation was. She was a beautiful young woman. And tiny. It would take so little to overpower her. She was sleeping alone in her car in a public parking lot. Granted, Lincoln Gardens wasn’t a high crime area, but sooner or later, trouble was bound to find her.
Fuck. What now? Another glance at the clock on my dash told me it was now almost two a.m. How long would she sleep? I had half a mind to go wake her and insist she come home with me. Of course, that would probably scare the shit out of her. But what kind of person was I if I just let her stay there?
Would she even come with me if I did offer her a better place to sleep? It didn’t take a genius to know that Charlotte Douglas was a proud person who probably didn’t want anyone’s charity. Hell, would she agree to take the job I was planning to offer her? If she thought I was doing it for any other reason than because she would make a good employee, she might actually turn it down. What then?
Shit. What a mess. My hand rested on the gearshift as I warred with my conscience. I knew I should go home and try to get some sleep, but it went against everything I stood for to drive away and leave her there alone. The thought of watching her car grow smaller in my rearview mirror made my stomach turn. I just couldn’t do it.
So, I stayed. And watched.
My imagination tortured me with nightmare scenarios that always ended with Charlotte’s beautiful brown eyes staring lifelessly back at me. Only when the sky began to lighten with the dawn did I reluctantly put my car into gear and head home to get ready for work. I’d seen no movement from inside Charlotte’s car, but I didn’t want to wait and risk being spotted. I remembered her saying she started work at the restaurant at seven, which meant she’d probably be waking up soon. How on earth was she functioning day after day when the only sleep she was getting was a few hours in the back seat of her car?
The first thing I did when I reached RPC that Friday morning was to call Leona Forrester up to my office. I was determined to come up with some sort of position for Charlotte, even if I had to create a brand new one. Leona frowned at me when she walked through my open doorway.
“Well, you look like shit. You coming down with something?”
“Thanks. And no… I just didn’t get much sleep last night.”
“You know, I really don’t think you working yourself into an early grave was what Mr. Pierce had in mind when he left you in charge.”
“Thanks, Mom,” I smirked. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
I didn’t bother to remind her that I was her boss and not her child. She’d always treated me like a son and probably always would. Leona was a sharp, spitfire sort of woman in her early fifties, and I counted myself lucky to have her in my corner, professionally and otherwise.
Though I was her son’s friend now, I actually met Leona through her daughter first. Blaire and I had dated briefly in college, and I’d had time to get to know her family fairly well before we’d called it quits and decided we were better as friends. She’d been tragically killed in a shooting incident not long after, and we had all grieved her loss together. Hayden had been
a teenager at the time, but the five-year age difference between us hadn’t hindered our friendship.
Blaire’s death had had far-reaching consequences, not the least of which was the end of Leona’s already strained marriage to Jack Forrester. When Leona had relocated to Tampa in search of a fresh start, I’d put in a good word for her with Rowan Pierce to get her a job in Human Resources. She’d done well there in the ten years since, and now she was the head of the department.
“Hayden and I missed you at lunch last week,” I commented as she settled into the chair on the other side of my desk.
“I’ll tag along next time, as long as my son can give me a break for long enough to enjoy a meal in his presence.”
“Still trying to get you to retire?”
“He never stops. He’d like to see me napping by a pool or playing bingo in Boca with a squad of blue-haired old biddies, but I refuse. I’d lose my mind with nothing to do all day,” she scoffed, her indignation bringing a tired smile to my face. “Enough about that, though. What’s got your knickers in a knot this morning? You look like hell.”
I sighed and reached for my coffee, lifting it up to acknowledge the accuracy of her observation. This part would be tricky…
“I need your help with a delicate situation. I have a… friend who’s fallen on hard times and needs a better job than the two she’s got right now.”
“Her and seven million other Americans,” Leona said wryly.
“Yes, but this girl is smart. She’s resourceful and obviously has an amazing work ethic,” I insisted. Leona’s eyes sparked with an interest that wasn’t difficult to interpret, but I waved it off. “It’s not like that.”
“No?”
“Well, not really. I’d still want to hire her even if…” Even if what? I wondered. If she weren’t drop-dead gorgeous and risking her life every night? If I didn’t want to hide her away from the world and keep her safe from every horrible thing in it?
Fortune's Angel (Fates Aligned Book 2) Page 5
