Okay, maybe it was time to switch to water. "Of course I know that. I was just testing you, and my plan backfired. Now dish."
Chris and James exchanged amused glances. "Let's just say he's got a personal vendetta."
"And?" She didn't get into Paul's personal bio during her reconnaissance, but this sounded juicy.
"He's got a thing for an ex-partner, a guy named Ray Androtti. It's Paul's personal mission to decimate everything the man touches." Chris paused. "Have you heard of him?"
"The name sounds vaguely familiar. Do you know what happened?"
"According to my sources, it was over a girl. But I think it goes much deeper than that. The girl was probably his cover. Emerson is serious business. If you cross him, he'll crush you like a cockroach." He pointed at Mia and winked. "You'd better watch your back."
"Great, thanks for giving me the dirt after I ran up a huge bill for dinner. Is that how you look out for your new partner? Not cool, guys-s."
Chris toyed with his napkin. "All kidding aside, we know working with Emerson will open a lot of doors, but we aren't about to let him run the show. We've worked long and hard to get here, and even though we value his opinion, he's not the sole voice at the table."
A loud foghorn sounded, and the wharf lit up the night sky behind them. A quick glance at the time reminded her of the wrath she was sure to catch from her mother. Stumbling drunk into the house wasn't an option.
The boat rocked over the waves as it approached the dock, and Mia gripped the back of the chair as she rose, suddenly feeling a little nauseous. Waves of pain returned to her feet. How lame would it look if she just kicked off her heels and walked out barefoot? Her toes still looked good last time she checked, even though it had been a couple of weeks since her last pedicure. A quick glance at her feet decimated the plan. The polish on her big toe was completely chipped off. Dammit. "Guys, thanks for joining me. This was a really great evening."
Chris flashed an impish grin. "And we didn't even break a sweat this time."
Jesus, was he making a pass? Her eyes automatically flitted to James, who was busy with his phone. Screw it. She could play the game as well. "I guess-s we'll just have to try a little harder next time."
One of her heels got caught in a groove on the carpet as she backed away from the table. She stumbled forward, limbs flailing.
Chris grabbed her arm before she hit the floor. His unexpected touch made her pulse race. "Whoa! That was close. You okay?"
"I'm fine. Good catch." She cleared her throat, blissfully aware of his deep-set eyes on her. Oh God, did he feel that too? Could it have been her imagination?
"So, what are the next steps here?" James was back to business, unperturbed by the borderline inappropriate exchange between her and Chris seconds earlier.
Mia straightened her skirt. "I'll set up weekly meetings for us to discuss-s short-term plans and strategies-s. Our main objective is to position LazerShark's unique value proposition in the market. We need to keep an edge over the competition." Amazing. She could still form a coherent sentence.
Chris stared at her, showing no sign that he'd heard even a single word.
Mia tore her eyes away, clutching her handbag. It was time to get the hell off the boat and far away from him. She followed James, half-listening to him ramble about some meetings he'd had earlier that day with gaming partners. Chris was quiet as they approached the gangway and began their descent to solid ground.
"Oh great. Our rides are here." Relief flooded her. No more small talk. It was time to go home and figure out how to process everything that had transpired that evening. "Paul may be a callous bastard, but at least he cared enough to get us home unscathed."
James groaned. "Dammit. I knew I should have taken a cab."
"Don't worry, I'll drive you back tomorrow." Chris turned to Mia, a startling but unmistakable expression in his eyes. "It was a really great kickoff. Thanks for everything."
"My pleasure. We'll speak soon." The driver opened the door to the waiting car. She slid into the back seat, her mind in overdrive. What the hell had just happened? Her livelihood was at stake. Engaging with a business partner was forbidden. Paul wouldn't think twice about firing her. She leaned her head back against the cool leather, shivering as she recalled that smoldering stare. The look was etched into her memory. He wanted her, too. Fuck.
An hour later, the driver pulled up to Mia's house in Palo Alto Hills. She slowly opened her eyes, knowing all too well what was waiting inside to greet her.
After paying the driver, she limped up the steps with a vow to torch her shoes first thing in the morning. She stepped through the door and tossed her bag on the floor. "Hey, Daddy."
Her father grinned. "Looks like you had fun tonight."
"Darn it, do I look that bad?"
"Relax. You're entitled to a night out."
"Yeah, tell that to Mom."
Her dad kissed her on the cheek and put on his jacket. "Let her know I'll be outside in the car."
Mia walked into the living room to find her mother Susan on the couch, a look of disapproval darkening her features. Let the tirade commence.
"Hey, Mom."
"How did things go tonight? Was it productive?" Sarcasm laced her mother's words.
"Yes. It was-s a great meeting. Thank you again for watching Chloe. I really appreciate it. How was-s everything here?" Her slurred words tumbled out quickly and Susan's frown deepened.
"Well, well. I'm curious to know how you could possibly be so effective while drinking for hours on end. Is that responsible? You tell me all the time how important your career is and how much it takes to rise to the top. How does your boss feel about the new girl getting drunk at important business meetings?"
Mia clenched her fists. "I had a couple of drinks. Everyone did. It isn't a big deal." She left out the part about being with two young, hot guys, neither of whom was her boss.
"I hope you didn't damage your image with any less-than-professional behavior."
"I think I still have a job." It was true, for the moment anyway. As long as she kept her distance from Chris Camden.
"When are you going to acknowledge your responsibilities outside the office? It isn't fair to Chloe that you're so absent. You need to get your priorities straight." Susan sighed and rose from the couch.
"That's ridiculous. You know Chloe is my pri—"
"No, I don't. You run around with clients and colleagues when you should be home with your child. I adore Chloe, but I'm not her mother. She needs you."
"We've gone through this before. These are the requirements-s of my job."
"Maybe you should have thought about all that before you took the position. Your dad and I try to help as much as possible, but your focus is always on you, not Chloe."
"How can you say that? Everything I do is for—"
"When I got pregnant with your brother, he became the center of my existence. I loved my job, but Sean needed me. I adjusted my priorities to be the best possible mother for him."
"I don't have that option. You had Dad. I'm on my own. I can't just quit my job."
"That's not what I'm suggesting. You need a job that allows for more flexibility in your schedule. Chloe needs her mother, especially at this age."
"I'm doing the best I can."
"Mmm-hmm. So you keep telling me. How is everything with Alex?"
There it was, yet another reminder of her failure to do right by Chloe. No husband, no father, no prospects. "Things are going well." Yep, so well she'd practically been swooning over another man a couple of hours earlier.
"He seemed rather taken with you last time we spoke. Let's hope he isn't easily scared off by your career-obsessed tendencies." She handed Mia a card. "Chloe made this for you."
Jesus, did she ever love to rub salt in the wound. "Thanks again, Mom. Daddy is waiting in the car."
"Have a good night."
Mia collapsed on the couch and covered her eyes. Her mother would never respect her cho
ices. Why bother fighting it?
CHAPTER FIVE
"I'M NOT TRYING TO TELL YOU how to live your life. I'm just concerned." Rachel turned away from the stove and looked at him.
"Why are you so worried?" He peered into the refrigerator. "Things are great, other than you being out of orange juice."
"The acid irritates Emma's stomach."
Jake, his chocolate lab, trotted over and lifted his head expectantly. "Hey, boy! Are you taking good care of my girls?"
A faraway smile appeared on Rachel's face. "He's such a good dog. The girls adore him."
Chris ran his hand over Jake's glossy coat. "I feel more comfortable that he's here. You shouldn't be alone with the girls. Besides, you feed him real food. It's no wonder he wants to stay."
"I don't mean to meddle, but isn't it time for you to settle down? Are you really happy?"
"Hmm, dating hot girls with no strings attached, no demands, and no questions asked? What man in his right mind wouldn't be happy with that existence?" He grabbed a juice box from the counter. "I don't want to get tied down right now. Why is that such a big deal?"
"You might miss the chance to meet someone great and build a life together." Rachel flipped the fluffy pancakes on the griddle. "I just wish you'd start thinking long-term."
"This is about Tommy, isn't it?"
"Finding true love is a real gift, and you never know how much time you'll have with the right person."
Losing Tommy had nearly destroyed Rachel. That fateful night… if he hadn't stopped by the house to drop off Tommy's sunglasses… if Rachel had been by herself when the police chief and chaplain came to deliver the news…
He'd been responding to a domestic abuse call by a repeat offender. It had never been anything too serious in the past, but what he'd fallen into that night was a trap… perpetrated by one of the most violent gangs in northern California. They had an axe to grind with the Oakland police department after some of their top leaders had been killed during a recent raid. It was payback time and Tommy had walked into the lion's den with no hope of exiting.
The first anniversary of his death loomed over them like a black cloud. Rachel was obviously preoccupied with the upcoming memorial service to honor all the fallen officers who'd given their lives in the past year, and her pain was evident. Only an insensitive jackass would have ignored the signs. Christ, he really needed to take his head out of his ass and pay more attention to what was going on around him.
He rubbed her shoulders as she turned the bacon. "I'm sorry. I know you're only looking out for me, and I love you for it. You and the girls are the most important women in my life, and I'm happy with that."
Rachel's eyes filled with tears. "I love you too, and I can't tell you how much I appreciate everything you do for us. I wouldn't have made it through the past year without you."
"You guys mean everything to me. I'll always be here for you. Think about how slighted the girls would feel if I disappeared to hang around with some new girl. They need stability right now."
"Tommy and I had something really special. Is it so bad for me to want that for you? You can't be everything to everyone, and I refuse to let you throw away your shot at a full life because you feel obligated to take care of us. Why don't you let me introduce you to a few girls I've—"
"No way. I don't need a matchmaker. Besides, I'm too busy with work."
"How's everything going?"
"Great."
"That's all I get? A one-word answer?"
"Work is going great. There, you got a three-word bonus."
"Do you have to be so obscure all the time?"
"I'm a guy. We don't do details, and we're happy with one-word answers. Very black-and-white." He snatched a strip of well-done bacon. "Mmm. Nice and crispy. You're the best, sis. You always take such great care of your baby bro."
"Don't change the subject."
"Sorry, you know I'm master of the segue."
Lizzie and Emma ran into the kitchen, still dressed in their fuzzy pink robes and slippers. "Uncle Chris!"
"Hey! The two prettiest little girls in the whole world are having breakfast with me? I'm the luckiest guy ever!"
Lizzie yelped as he tickled her belly. "Can you stay for a while and play American Girl with us?"
"As much as I'd love that, I need to take a little trip to San Francisco this morning."
"Oh." He hated to disappoint them. The crestfallen looks on their little faces were almost too much to bear. Rachel was right. It was impossible to be everything, but he'd sure as hell try. "Will you come back later?"
"Girls, Uncle Chris has things to do. Lizzie, you have basketball this afternoon, and you still have to clean those messy bedrooms."
Chris ruffled Lizzie's hair. "Don't worry. I promise I'll stop by tomorrow."
Rachel raised an eyebrow. "Date tonight?"
"Maybe. But it won't be a love connection, so don't get too excited." Kate wasn't taking no for an answer. It was time to stop fantasizing about Mia and move on with his life.
Rachel handed him a plate piled high with his favorite breakfast foods. "Here you go, my dear, sweet, man-whore brother."
"No need for name-calling. You're a better person than that."
"Fine, do what you want. I can't save you."
Chris stuffed a forkful of pancakes into his mouth. "You can't save someone who doesn't want to be saved. No more talk of setups with the mommy crew, deal?"
Rachel glowered at him. "Deal."
Lizzie looked up from her plate. "Mom, you should introduce Uncle Chris to Chloe's mom. She's really nice and pretty."
"I'm sure Chloe's mom is terrific, but I have a date tonight with a very nice girl named… um…" He paused for a moment, drawing a blank for the umpteenth time. "Kate!" He put his empty plate in the sink. "I've got to pick up Jay now. I'll call you later."
"Have fun on your date."
He kissed the girls and saluted Rachel. "Don't worry. I always do."
THE AUDI SQUEALED UP to the curb, and Chris leaned on the horn. After a minute of waiting, he grabbed the phone and dialed his dad. "Hey, Pop. How are you feeling?"
"Hey, pal. I'm hanging in there. The x-rays didn't show anything out of the ordinary, so the doctor scheduled me for an MRI. We'll see. The pain's not too bad. It comes and goes."
"That's good. Try to stay off the leg. Do you have enough apple pie to get you through the weekend?"
His dad snickered. "The pantry is fully stocked."
"How's the stash of vanilla ice cream?"
"I'm still working my way through the last carton."
"I'll bring some over tomorrow. Listen, we need to pick a day and take the girls out. Rach needs some time off."
"Yeah, she's been in a real funk lately. I've tried talking to her, but she just shuts down. A break would do her good. How about next weekend?"
"Sounds good. I'll let her know."
"What are you up to tonight? Hot date?"
"Of course. It's Saturday." A few weeks ago, his words wouldn't have been so forced. Saturday nights had always been filled with interesting and erotic possibilities, none of which appealed to him in the least at that moment.
"Alright. Have fun and be safe. I'll see you tomorrow."
He clicked off the phone as James tore out of the house with a large duffel bag slung over his shoulder.
Chris tapped the steering wheel. "Any day now…"
James hopped into the passenger seat. "You know, I've spent a good part of my life waiting on you."
"It's different this time."
"Why? Because it's the first time the tables are turned?"
"Exactly. By the way, why didn't Jess drive you? Aren't you guys leaving for Napa this morning?"
"That car of hers is such a lemon. It's brand-new and has more issues than a car ten years older. She dropped it off at the dealership earlier, so you're stuck with the job. Sorry."
Chris maneuvered the Audi onto I-280 headed toward San Francisco. His thoughts ret
urned to the night before as James griped about the incompetence of the service department manager. The charge that zipped through him when his fingers grasped Mia's arm… what the hell was that? Sure, she was insanely hot with a body that didn't quit, but his attraction went way beyond her looks. He just couldn't pinpoint it. He was in deep. There was no denying it. And then alcohol coupled with lust had turned him into a spastic idiot. Had he been testing her? Testing himself? His comments had been completely out of line. What if Mia went to Paul and asked him to assign LazerShark to another investment manager? What the fuck had he been thinking? James would murder him if he messed things up with Blue Coat. Good thing he'd been more focused on sexting with Jessica.
"So I guess I was worried for nothing, huh?" James's question sent him reeling back to the present.
"What?" Chris swerved around a slow-moving car and stomped on the gas.
"Didn't you hear anything I just said?"
"Nope. Sorry. I have a lot on my mind. Tell me again?"
"I said I'm glad Mia's not your type after all."
"My type? I have a type?"
"Um, yeah, you do. Blond hair, fake boobs, empty-head, five years your junior… sound familiar?"
"Purely coincidental. It's not like fake boobs are a prerequisite."
"Just a nice-to-have?"
"Here we go again. Why are you so critical? And be careful with your answer, or I'll dump your ass off at the corner and make you hoof it back to the pier."
"Don't be so sensitive. I'm just saying Mia's not the usual girl you date. It's actually a good thing because our professional relationship isn't in jeopardy before we even start working together." James scrolled through some emails. "I need to get back in touch with those guys at Atlas Media. Their game is ready, and we need to sync up our marketing plans before the launch."
Chris gritted his teeth as he sped toward the wharf. Why was his lifestyle such a point of contention? He didn't get involved with anyone else's choices. Why couldn't everyone just leave him alone?
Nothing Ventured Page 5
