Up for Heir

by Ruth Cardello

  Which was the real Spencer?

  If she hadn’t seen the photos online, she’d think he was a sweetheart. He called her every morning simply to say he hoped she had a good day. He sent her a text or two during the day that never failed to make her laugh. Each evening, after Skye was asleep, he called and they talked for hours.

  He seems to genuinely want to get to know me.

  Or am I just a challenge?

  She pushed that particular thought back and focused on how much she loved when he spoke about his day, the projects he was working on, and his family. She wondered what he’d think if she told him Delinda described them all almost exactly the way he did. They both saw Nicolette as a little lost and somewhat of a rebel. They both worried about Rachelle since she tended to internalize the pain and confusion of those around her. Eric, the well-known actor in the family, was too absent from the mix, always off in Europe re-creating himself. The only real discrepancy was Brett. To Delinda, he was the kindest, most caring of them all. Spencer saw him as condescending and overbearing. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

  And it’s not stopping my heart from opening to him again.

  Hailey hadn’t realized how much she’d missed simply having someone to talk to. It was freeing. When he’d first asked about Ryan and his wife, Erin, Hailey was afraid that talking about them would make her sad, but she discovered the opposite was true. Memories of their kindness brought her comfort. While talking about them, she realized how much they were still here. I’m not alone. They’re the lens I see the world through. That’s how we all live on.

  Will Skye one day see me the same way? I hope so.

  After nearly a week of opening up to each other, Hailey was conflicted. She and Spencer had shared so much, but there were definitely topics they were both avoiding. He was evasive when she asked him about his social life, and she wasn’t ready to tell him about her work situation.

  Am I a coward for not simply telling him? I thought I was past letting my fears stop me. What am I waiting for? Do I think an easier option is going to drop out of the sky?

  Hailey’s phone vibrated in her pocket. She took it out. The number wasn’t one she recognized. Telemarketer? She kept her voice low and said, “Hello?”

  “Miss Tiverton?”

  “Yes, that’s me.”

  “My name is Kyle Kyees, CEO of SmartKart.”

  The CEO of an international department store chain is calling me? Me? This has to be a scam. “How nice to speak with you, Mr. Kyees. How’s business?”

  “Up in the US, improving in parts of Asia, and losing ground in Europe, but that’s not why I called.”

  No actual business owner would ever divulge that kind of information. It was either a scam or someone’s idea of a joke. “Happy to hear about the US, sorry about Europe. I’m sure you’ll figure it out. Goodbye.”

  “Wait. You haven’t yet heard the reason for my call. I came across your résumé on a Boston job site. I have an opening for a full-time executive purchaser for my New England stores. If you’re interested, the job is yours.” He quoted a salary that was double her income with Delinda, and it came with benefits.

  It sounded too perfect. “Don’t you need to interview me first?”

  “No need. I’ve checked your references. You come highly recommended.”

  “From DIY Rite?” Although she’d worked there for years in the purchasing department, she didn’t leave on the best of terms. They’d resented the amount of family leave she needed to take during Skye’s initial transition to living with her. Although they’d muddied the water with other claims, Hailey knew the real reason they fired her had been because of the amount of time she needed to take off. Hailey had even understood because the time that went into setting up a support system for Skye had been extensive. Highly recommended? I don’t think so.

  “And other sources. I’ll admit I don’t usually get personally involved with most of our hires, but my offer stands.”

  Hailey chewed her thumbnail. Could something like this happen? And if it could, was it even something she wanted? She and Delinda had found a workable balance. She didn’t want to leave any more than Skye would want to.

  Making my own money might make things even better with Delinda. I could show her that we don’t need to be paid to be with her. With that kind of salary, I could afford Skye’s tuition and Clover’s board, and have enough left to pay rent if Delinda agrees to let us stay in her guesthouse.

  That is, unless this is someone’s idea of a sick joke.

  “Could I have some time to think about it?”

  “I’ll give you a week. Take this number. It’s for the Human Resources department. They’ll be able to answer any questions you might have about the role.”

  Hailey wrote the number down on a piece of paper in her purse. Holy shit, this sounds legit. “Would I contact them with my decision?”

  “Yes, they’ll have all the paperwork.”

  “And you don’t need to meet me first?”

  “I can schedule an interview if it would make you feel better, but I’m very busy.”

  “Oh no. It’s not necessary. Thank you.”

  “We look forward to having you join us, Miss Tiverton.” He hung up, and Hailey sat there with her mouth wide open for several minutes.

  She sought out Skye and the instructor. The lesson was still going on uneventfully.

  All those résumés I blanketed Boston with finally paid off. An executive purchaser for SmartKart? Oh my God. Finally, I did something right.

  She looked back at her phone. She was bursting with excitement, but whom could she call? Spencer.

  He picked up on the first ring. “Hey, Sunshine.”

  “Are you sitting?” she asked in a rush.

  “I am.”

  “You are not going to believe who I just got off the phone with. I’d have you try to guess, but you’d never be able to. I never would have expected him to call me. I mean, I’m still not entirely sure the call was legit, but I’m going to look into it. Or maybe you could help me?”

  “Slow down,” Spencer said with a chuckle. “Why don’t you start by telling me who called you?”

  “The CEO of SmartKart. The CEO. That’s what makes it unbelievable, but the way my life is going lately, maybe anything is possible. He offered me a job.”

  “That’s great.”

  “It’s not great, Spencer, it’s an answer to my prayers. Last year I kept wondering if anyone was even listening upstairs, but I guess I was waitlisted because this could not have come at a more perfect time. I don’t want to get too excited, though, before I figure out if it was just a prank.”

  “I’m sure it wasn’t.”

  “He gave me a number to call. It’s supposedly to their Human Resources department. Oh my God, Spencer. Can this really be happening?”

  “I’m not surprised to hear it is. Your luck is turning around.”

  “It sure is.” She wiped a happy tear from her cheek. “Every part of my life is coming together. I’d started to lose faith that it ever would be this good again. If I gave you the number, would you be able to tell if it’s the real deal or not?”

  “Absolutely.”

  She read it off to him.

  He said, “Hang on. I’m going to put you on hold for one minute while I check it out.”

  “Thank you, Spencer.” She barely breathed while waiting for him to return.

  “I made a call. That’s the real number to SmartKart’s HR department, and my friend said it sounds legit.”

  Hailey was so excited she was light-headed. “I can’t believe it. I can’t believe this sort of good really happens.”

  “So you’re obviously taking the job.”

  “I think so,” Hailey said. Delinda won’t take this well, but I’ll find a way to convince her that it’s for the best for all of us. We’ll still be part of her life.

  “You just said it was the answer to your prayers.”

  “I know. And
it is. I just need to think about how I’m going to tell my present employer. I don’t want to hurt her feelings.”

  “You’re a good person, Hailey Tiverton, but you have to do what’s best for you.”

  “Yes, but she has been so good to me and Skye. I’m not saying I won’t take the job, I’m just saying I need time to think it all through. I have a week to decide. The only way I’ll do this is if I’m sure it’ll be the best choice for all of us.”

  “All of us?” Spencer asked in a deep tone.

  “I’ll need to know if it involves travel. I can’t take the job if it does. That wouldn’t work well with Skye.”

  “Ah yes.”

  She almost added him to the equation, but it was too early. Their shared history gave their relationship a depth that otherwise wouldn’t have been there. She had to remind herself that they weren’t picking up where they left off. We’re not even dating yet—we’re friends. “I have a week to find out more about the job before I decide.”

  “That’s smart. You can come to me, too, if there’s anything else you need to know. I have a good network of people. If I don’t know the answer, they might.”

  Warmth spread through Hailey. He was giving her exactly what she hadn’t known how to ask for the first time. “Thank you for being there for me, Spencer. I can’t tell you how much it means to me.”

  “I want this for you, Hailey. I want you to be happy.”

  She smiled. “I want the same for you.”

  Coming back into each other’s lives can’t be an accident—not when it’s this good.

  Hailey looked up and realized the instructor was waving her over. “I have to go. Skye just finished her second riding lesson.”

  “How did she do?”

  “She’s still smiling, so I’d say well.”

  “I read an article about equine therapy this week. Horses are a good confidence builder for children.”

  The idea that he might be reading up on things that mattered to her and Skye was touching. “Did you have a pony when you were little?”

  “No, we couldn’t afford one. How about you?”

  “Same,” Hailey said automatically as she made her way toward where Skye was standing with Clover and her instructor. She couldn’t wrap her head around how half of Spencer’s family had been raised with money while the younger siblings had been left without, but she didn’t have time to delve into it then. “I have to run.”

  “Talk to you later, Sunshine.”

  Hailey hung up, smiling. Her conversation with Spencer was temporarily overshadowed by Skye’s enthusiastic retelling of everything she’d learned that day. The instructor’s next student was waiting in the wings, so Hailey and Skye took Clover to an aisle to untack him and brush him down and then to a field outside the barn to graze for a few minutes. Another girl about Skye’s age was already out there with her pony. It didn’t take more than a moment for the two girls to start talking. There was a twinkle in Skye’s eyes, a bubbling enthusiasm in her voice that drew people to her—just as it once had.

  She’s back, Ryan. Skye’s really back. Hailey looked on with gratitude welling within her. We did it.

  “Your sister, Rachelle, is on hold,” Lisa said from the doorway of Spencer’s office. “Would you like me to tell her that you’re in a meeting?”

  With a smile left over from his conversation with Hailey, Spencer closed out the program he was working on. “No, I have a minute.”

  “You do?” Lisa said, then looked mortified that she’d revealed her surprise. “I’ll put her through.”

  “Thanks, Lisa.”

  Lisa left with an odd expression on her face. Spencer didn’t care if his change in attitude confused her. Life was beginning to make sense to him again, and the relief was immense—like a weight had been lifted from him. Spencer picked up his office phone when it rang, stood, and stretched. “Hey, Rachelle.”

  “Sorry to call you at work.”

  “It’s fine. What’s up?”

  “I wanted to thank you for coming to Mom’s on Sunday.”

  Normally he would have taken her comment as a dig about the many times he’d refused to go. Instead, he remembered what Hailey had said about how she would give anything for even a bad day with her brother. It’s time to let some shit go. “It was good to see everyone.”

  “We shouldn’t have grilled you about Hailey. Who you date is actually none of our business.”

  True, and in the past he might have agreed with her, but he didn’t this time. “You ask because you care; I get it. I’d probably do the same.”

  Rachelle’s tone lightened. “Wait, you sound happy.”

  “Is that so shocking?”

  “Yes. We’re talking, and you sound like you’re still in a good mood. What have you done with Spencer?”

  He chuckled even though he was aware of the serious undertone to her joke. “I told you all I needed was time.”

  “Time, huh? So this has nothing to do with Hailey?”

  “It might.” He caught his reflection in the windowpane and liked what he saw. He’d never understood men who linked their happiness to that of their mate, but nothing he’d done with WorkChat ever made him feel as good as getting that job for Hailey. Her excitement had become his.

  “I feel bad about what I said about her, Spencer. I was just worried about you.”

  “We’re good, Rach. Don’t give it another thought. I’m not going to.”

  “When do we get to meet her?”

  “You’ve already met her.”

  “This decade.”

  “I told you—we’re taking it slow. Are you teaching summer school?”

  “Not this year. I’m taking a college course instead. Why?”

  “You busy this afternoon?”

  “No.”

  “I was thinking about texting Brett to see how busy his day is. We could try for a late lunch.”

  “He’d love that. Let’s do it.”

  After hanging up with his sister, Spencer returned to his desk and finished writing the code for a glitch he’d noticed in Jordan’s album simulator. He sent it to Jordan and returned to a mailbox of e-mails.

  He swore as he realized he’d almost forgot to contact Brett.

  S: Want to meet for lunch?

  B: Yes, but Alisha and I have a sonogram at noon.

  S: How about after? Bring her. Rachelle plans to join.

  B: Sounds good. We can meet in the middle.

  S: Yes.

  I’m beginning to think we can.

  Chapter Twelve

  Saturday evening, still hungry after devouring a high-priced meal of minuscule proportions, Hailey took a sip of wine while letting her eyes wander over Spencer’s chiseled features. He is too damn good-looking. She was glad she’d chosen to wear the second dress Delinda bought for her, a formfitting, knee-length emerald frock with spaghetti straps, because otherwise she would have felt dowdy next to him. He’d casually thrown a jacket over a button-down shirt and gray slacks, and somehow he looked as if he could model the outfit. Some people looked good in anything.

  And nothing.

  Oh yes, she remembered too well what was under his clothing.

  Hailey tore her gaze from his and glanced around. More than one woman was shamelessly trying to catch his attention despite the fact that he was with someone. Handsome, confident, and in the news for making a name in the tech industry—Spencer could have probably left the restaurant with half the women in the place.

  And according to Instagram he already has.

  “What would you like to do after dinner? I’ve never planned a non-date.” All it took was for him to look up with that boyish grin for Hailey to forget about everyone else in the room.

  “I told Mrs. Holihen I’d be back by ten.”

  “That gives us a few hours.” His smile was easy and warm. “It’s entirely up to you how we spend them. I set up a couple of contingency plans, but you can suggest something entirely different.”

 
; “Contingency plans?”

  “I like to be prepared.”

  She leaned forward. “This I need to hear. How does Spencer Westerly prepare for a night out with a woman?”

  “Normally I just buy condoms and keep hydrated.”

  She rolled her eyes skyward. “Charming.” He wasn’t pretending he hadn’t been with anyone else. A lot of people go through wild stages. Maybe I’m worried about nothing.

  “This isn’t a date, though, so I took a different approach.”

  “I’m afraid to ask what that was.”

  He sat back, looking incredibly proud of himself. “I booked a helicopter tour of Boston, arranged a private harbor cruise on a yacht, and bought out Steve’s mini-golf in Mendon, in case you want to stay local.”

  “You did all that? Seriously?”

  His eyes burned with the same hunger she was fighting. “I want you to see that this time would be different.”

  Whoosh. She could hardly breathe. It already is. This time is frighteningly perfect—the kind of perfect that is too good to be true. Nothing this good happens in real life, and if it does, there is always a catch. She grasped for a joke. “All that and no condom.”

  “Oh, I brought some.” His smile turned lusty.

  “‘Some’?” she croaked. No. Traitorous mind, don’t go there.

  He took her hand in his. “Full disclosure. I felt guilty when I stuffed them in my pocket, but that guilt wore off. They have a long shelf life, and I didn’t expect to tell you I had them. I figured if you came across them on your own, we were probably doing something that would require them.”

  Hailey imagined him having that very internal debate and burst out laughing. I want to believe in this, Spencer. His smile widened. Being with him was that easy. “Did you hydrate?”

  He raised his glass of water with his other hand.

  She laughed again. “Do I dare ask what it does?”

  “Any athlete will tell you that performance is improved by maintaining optimal health conditions.”