“Knit? Isn’t that something older people do?”
Tami arched a brow at him and a pitying smile quirked at the side of her mouth. “Older people? Isn’t that a little ageist, Mr. Richmond? I thought your company prided itself on inclusiveness.”
It was gentle, but she was definitely chiding him and he had the grace to acknowledge her censure.
“I’m sorry, yes, it was inappropriate of me. And, please, do call me Keaton. To be honest, I don’t think I’ve ever known anyone who knits. It’s certainly not a skill my mother possesses.”
“It’s wonderful,” she said, her eyes lighting with enthusiasm. “You get to work with color and texture, and see something grow from a straight line into a garment that can be worn, enjoyed and be functional at the same time. What’s not to love about it?”
“Well, when you put it that way...” He laughed in response.
She was different, that was for sure. If he wasn’t careful, he had no doubt she’d be giving him knitting lessons—she was so animated about it. He was impressed that she hadn’t been afraid to call him out on the ageist comment. There weren’t many employees here that would do that, be it existing or new. And she hadn’t hesitated. That was a good sign as to her personality, despite the fact he’d caught her fooling around on her chair when he’d arrived. Maybe she would be a breath of fresh air in the place. Goodness knew they needed something.
But they weren’t there to have fun and games, he reminded himself. They had a business to bring back to its former strength—and beyond—which meant that he had to focus on the tasks at hand.
“Okay, well, if you slide the stylus from the top there,” he said, gesturing to where she could extract the tool that would help her write on the screen, “we can get started.”
He waited until she’d done so before continuing.
“You may be aware that Richmond Developments has been in a state of flux since the death of our CEO, my father, Douglas Richmond. His sudden passing and the revelation of a second family gave the media way more fodder to create bad press against the company. We can’t afford any additional slanted reporting against the company or those working within it.”
An uncomfortable expression crossed her face and she nodded carefully before speaking. “I had read about your father’s death. My condolences on your family’s loss. It must have been very difficult for you all.”
Keaton felt every muscle in his body tense and let go again. So she’d obviously read the newspapers or heard the gossip. At least he didn’t have to revisit that again by explaining the situation in further depth to her.
“We are currently in a rebuilding phase,” he said firmly. “Part of that phase is strengthening relationships. First, within our company, then subsequently, with our suppliers and clientele.”
“That sounds like a very good plan.”
He allowed himself a smile. “Thank you for your approval.”
And just like that, she colored up like a beet all over again.
“I didn’t mean to sound condescending,” she said, obviously flustered.
“You didn’t,” he reassured her before continuing. “We are in a unique position, you and I. We don’t have a working history together, which is problematic in some ways, but in others it offers us a blank canvas from which to build. On the recommendation of the consultant we hired to target boosting staff morale, we are running structured team-building experiences across the company. As you and I are a team of two, we will be conducting ours together and using that time to ensure the wilderness experience that was chosen will meet our requirements as a team builder for both Richmond Developments and DR Construction. We are working to build a strong working relationship between the two companies and that starts with its employees. The other teams will be larger, obviously, based on their department sizes.”
A small V pulled between Tami’s dark eyebrows as she frowned. “A team of two. Just us. Together,” she repeated.
“Yes. I agree it’s not ideal, as we don’t even know one another, let alone know how we will work together, however, as one of the CEOs I have to be seen to be doing the right thing so we will embark on our team-building experience first thing tomorrow. It’s a good opportunity for us to discover one another’s strengths and weaknesses, while testing out the experiences the course has to offer. Another two groups will meet us there on Saturday morning and we’ll complete aspects of the course with them.”
The frown deepened. “Tomorrow? Isn’t that rather soon? I don’t even know what this will entail. What if I don’t feel comfortable with this idea? As you so rightly pointed out, we don’t even know one another. And you mentioned wilderness?” Her voice raised several octaves on that last word. “I’m a city girl. I don’t have any wilderness experience at all.”
“Nor I. Which makes it the perfect opportunity for us to rectify that. As I said, we leave tomorrow. I’ll arrange a driver to collect you from your home at oh-five-hundred hours.”
Tami squeaked a sound of shock. “That’s five a.m., right? Don’t you think that’s a bit early?” She gave a nervous little laugh. “I’m really not my best until at least eight.”
“Tami, I’m sure I don’t need to remind you that as a new employee, you are on a trial period, per the terms of the contract you signed. Either of us can terminate that contract. If you’re telling me you don’t wish to work here then please feel free to leave.”
She looked at him then, her green-brown eyes widened in shock. “No!” she blurted, before composing her features. “I’ll be ready at five a.m., as required. Do you have a packing list?”
“I do, as it happens.” He slid a sheet of paper across the desk.
“I thought you preferred a paperless office,” she commented before covering her mouth with her hand. “My apologies again. I sometimes tend to speak before I think.”
“Well, then, that should make our time away very interesting, because I, too, have been accused of that. Sounds like it’s something we can work on together, right?”
She nodded and picked up the list. He watched as she skimmed the items.
“Hiking boots? Backpack for luggage, day pack for day trips? Evening wear? That’s an interesting list. Exactly where are we going?”
“Sedona.”
“But that’s—”
“In Arizona. About a three-hour flight, which we’ll undertake in the company jet, and then I understand we have a forty-five-minute drive to our destination.”
“Well, okay. I can make sure I have all of this by tomorrow.”
“I’m aware that you may not have everything required immediately at hand, so I suggest you spend the balance of this morning on orientation here at the office, then leave at midday to purchase whatever supplies you don’t already have. Make sure to forward your receipts to Accounting. They will reimburse you.”
She nodded and looked at him from under her lashes. Those eyes. They were intensely staring at him as if she was trying to read his mind and through to the very essence of him. It made him uncomfortable and he didn’t like that she could have that effect on him. He shifted his gaze so he was looking at a point just past her ear, inwardly shocked that he could be unsettled by something as innocent as a look. Was it that he was too suspicious these days? That he now saw villains at every twist and turn of each day?
He knew Tami Wilson would have been thoroughly vetted by HR before her appointment, so why did he feel this prickle of unease about her? Was it because she was so attractive? However she looked, it should make no difference to him whatsoever. He’d done the whole office-romance thing once before and been badly burned when his then-fiancée had slept with his twin brother. Granted, she’d initially thought Logan was him, but the fact remained their relationship had been destroyed, and while all three of them continued to work together, there was an element of strain there now that affected everyone around them. He sur
e as hell wasn’t going to set foot on that road again, no matter the appeal of the person working with him.
He bent his head to his desk and clicked a few buttons on his keyboard, then looked back up to her again.
“Any questions, Ms. Wilson?”
“Please, do call me Tami, and no. I think I have everything I need here.”
“Good, then if you’ll hand me back the tablet, I’ll ensure that any notes you made are sent to our cloud. You’ll be able to access that from your desktop and from your own tablet when it’s issued.”
She passed his device back to him. Their fingers brushed. It was the slightest of contacts, but it made everything inside his body clench tight. Instinctive fight-or-flight reflex, he told himself as she withdrew her hand and rose from her chair. Attraction, another more insidious voice whispered in his ear. He rid himself of the suggestion instantly, even though he couldn’t help but watch her as she walked from his office to her desk. The fit of her skirt enhanced the sweet curve of her backside and her jacket was nipped in enough at the waist to showcase a perfect hourglass figure. And he was being all kinds of fool looking at her and noticing these things, he reminded himself. He swiveled his chair to gaze out the window at the rain streaming down the glass, all but obscuring the cityscape beyond.
The outdoors course was going to be tough enough without the added complication of Ms. Tami Wilson. He wondered how they’d cope having to rely on each other through each demanding day...and night.
Two
As their plane began its descent to the airport, Tami sat as far from her window as her seat belt would allow. While she was quite certain the stunning view of the cliffs, some distance from the mesa where the airport was situated, was incredibly beautiful, she didn’t need to see them from above—or from the side—as their plane raced toward the ground.
The journey in the Richmond company jet had been a comfortable one, except for the proximity of her boss sitting directly opposite her for the journey, and the uncomfortable fact that she hated flying. It had become unsettling to find his eyes on her a couple of times. It wasn’t as if he was staring—it was more that she was so hyperaware of his presence that if he turned in her direction she knew it instantly. She’d never thought that good peripheral vision was a problem, until now. Now she wished she wasn’t as keenly attuned to his every movement, or the sighs of frustration that came from deep within him as he scanned whatever was on his tablet screen.
“I thought we weren’t supposed to bring work away on this jaunt,” she commented.
“I’m trying to get as much completed as I can before we land. Once we’re on the tarmac this will be locked away on the aircraft and we are to be incommunicado with the outside world as much as we can. Even mobile-phone coverage is going to be patchy.”
“That sounds...” She struggled to find the right word. She suspected that antediluvian would not be particularly well-received. “A challenge,” she said lamely.
He snorted a small sound that might have been indicative of humor, but it could as easily have been derision. A sudden drop in the aircraft’s altitude made her hands tighten on the armrests.
“Don’t worry, it’s just a downdraft,” Keaton quickly assured her. “Quite normal for this runway, I’m told.”
“Normal. Right.”
He gave her a quick smile. “It’ll be okay. We only hire the best at Richmond Developments, and that includes our pilots.”
The best? Did he think that included her? A pang of guilt tugged at her ever so slightly, but she clamped down on the thought. She felt the plane drop farther, and with the unwilling compulsion of someone facing certain doom, she turned her attention to the window just as the wheels hit the tarmac. Her knuckles went white as she tightened her grip on the armrests and she forced herself to recite the mantra she’d trained herself to use when flying. Bit by bit, she willed her body to relax back into her seat as the plane rapidly slowed. When she looked forward again, she saw Keaton’s eyes firmly fixed on her. No looking away this time.
“You didn’t mention you’re a nervous flyer,” he said with a note of compassion in his voice she hadn’t heard before.
“It’s not something I’m proud of and I’ve come a long way in recent years. There was a time I couldn’t even set foot in an airport without turning into a wobbly lump of jelly.”
“Then you’ve come a long way. If I hadn’t been watching you, I would never have noticed.”
So he had been watching her—she knew it. Thinking it and knowing it were definitely two different things. And knowing it made something pull deep down inside her.
He continued. “My mom is a nervous flyer, too. Perhaps, when we return to Seattle, you could spend some time with her and explain the techniques you use.”
Tami swallowed back her anxiety as the plane taxied toward the airport terminal. Helping others was what she loved to do most of all. Maybe it was her nature, but sometimes she suspected it had more to do with focusing on other’s needs so that she didn’t have to consider her own.
“Sure, I’d love to share my coping techniques if I can. No guarantees that what works for me will work for her, though.”
“Understood,” he responded with a nod.
The aircraft came to a complete halt and the pilot informed them they were free to disembark when they were ready. Tami watched as Keaton shut down his tablet and rose to stow it in a neatly hidden cupboard beside his chair.
“That’s nifty,” she said, gesturing to the hidden compartment.
“One of the perks of being able to customize your corporate aircraft. You can make the most of the nooks and crannies the shape of the fuselage provides. Come on, let’s go. Once we have our packs we can pick up our rental and head out to the camp.”
Tami felt a frisson of nerves. She’d never been camping, although the list of items she’d been told to pack suggested they weren’t doing it rough the whole time they’d be away. She looked across at Keaton and saw a light of determination reflected in his eyes.
“You look as though you’re looking forward to this,” she commented as they made their way to the exit.
He turned and flung her a brief smile. It was so fleeting she almost wondered if she’d seen it at all.
“I always enjoy tackling a new challenge,” he said.
Tami felt another ripple of trepidation. “So this is going to be really testing? Like, physically?”
“Worried you’re not up to it?” he said as he gestured for her to precede him on the stairs from the plane.
“Oh, I’m up to it.” Then she muttered under her breath, “Even if it kills me.”
She’d faced far greater challenges than those she expected to be presented by an outdoor-experience course. Like the ones she’d faced at school, where her learning style did not fit the prescribed criteria of any one of the charming boarding schools her parents had sentenced her to during her childhood. Not to mention the ones she’d faced as a child of a very privileged family, when she finally managed to get her parents to accede to sending her to the local high school in their district. A kid learned a lot about challenges in those environments. Granted, none of those required swinging from trees or navigating rapids, but there were distinct similarities.
“Good to know,” Keaton said, dragging her attention back to her current situation.
Her feet touched the tarmac and she felt a surge of relief course through her to be on solid ground again. She stood back as Keaton and the pilot opened the luggage compartment of the plane and removed the packs they’d stowed earlier. The two men hefted the packs as though they weighed nothing, but Tami knew hers was around forty pounds. She probably should have packed lighter, maybe stuck to the list Keaton had given her yesterday, but a girl always needed contingencies, didn’t she? And while her knitting hadn’t taken up that much room, it was possible the five skeins of yarn she’d added to her
bag was a little excessive.
Keaton dropped her pack at her feet. “Is there anything in there you’d like to remove before we head out? It’s on the heavy side.”
“No, I’m fine,” Tami stubbornly insisted.
“Really, we can send anything you don’t need back on the plane and they can keep it at the office for you until our return.”
“I’m fine,” she said adamantly.
“I won’t be carrying it for you.”
“I’m perfectly aware of that,” she said, and to make her point she hoisted up the pack and slung one strap over her shoulder. “See? Fine.”
He looked at her again and for a moment she thought he might argue, but then he firmed his lips and nodded. “Come on then. We’ll go collect the car.”
By the time the rental agent had shown them to the SUV he’d had ready and waiting in the parking lot, she could feel the pack beginning to rub on her shoulder. It was one thing to carry it around the house, quite another to have to lug it everywhere in a far warmer climate than back home. Maybe she should have unpacked it and left some things behind. She gave herself a mental shake. Nope. She’d made her decision and she’d stick to it. It was all part of being the new, improved Tami Wilson. And no more using the words maybe or should, either. They reeked of regret, and regret was something she didn’t want in her life ever again. At least, not until she’d cleared her debt with her father.
She unslung her pack from her shoulder and shoved it firmly into the back of the SUV with a great deal of relief, then went to the passenger side of the vehicle and climbed in. She looked around at the countryside, finally allowing herself to appreciate the raw, natural beauty that surrounded them on all sides. They were atop a mesa. Below she could see the civilization that stretched before them, and all around they were bordered by the amazing rock formations and cliffs she’d so assiduously avoided looking at from the air.
Scandalizing the CEO--A Workplace Romance Page 2
