Get your mind on work and off his fabulous body. Think about your goals. This is your big chance to impress Ginny. Don’t let his good looks and great body throw you off stride.
“I know you’re doing yoga. I meant what are you doing here in this office.” She paused, and realizing how what she said sounded, rushed to make amends. “Of course, you have every right to be in the office since it’s your grandmother’s business. I simply didn’t expect you to be here. I thought you’d be with Ginny in the house.”
Great job not letting him throw you. You sounded completely in control. Not.
“Good morning to you, too.” He stood, grabbed his mat, and rolled it up. “Impressive shiner you got there. How’s the nose feeling?”
How was she supposed to talk to him when he stood there bare chested? Focusing on his chin, she replied, “My nose is a little tender, but I’m fine. Thank you for asking.”
“You could’ve stayed home.”
“I may not look my best, but I won’t let a black eye and swollen nose keep me from my responsibilities. I have work that needs to be seen to. I have orders to check on for Susannah Timmons’s wedding. With her shortened timeline because she had her heart set on a New Year’s Eve wedding but didn’t want to wait until next year, I have to ensure we stay on track.”
“Has anyone ever told you how fast you talk?” he asked as he strode past her into Ginny’s office and closed the door behind him.
McKenna pinched her lips together. What was she doing? No matter what the disaster, she remained calm and in control. Except when Zane was around.
A minute later when the door opened, he’d changed into jeans, a red plaid western shirt, and cowboy boots. No one would ever guess he’d lived in California for ten years. Behind him sprawled over Ginny’s antique desk were papers and a laptop connected to a separate monitor. She frowned. He’d commandeered Ginny’s office?
“Have a seat. We need to talk.” He pointed to the antique upholstered regency desk chair in Ginny’s office.
McKenna clutched her hands in front of her to keep from picking at her nails. Nothing good in personal relationships or work settings ever came from someone saying those two phrases. What could Zane need to talk to her about when they had neither?
As she settled onto the chair, she resisted the urge to grab the arms for support. She was good at what she did, and the only employee able to run Lucky Stars Weddings. That meant this couldn’t be about her job. Ruling work out left their interaction Friday night. “Is this about Friday night? If so—”
“I’m fine with the other night. You?” She nodded, and he continued. “We need to discuss us working here.”
He intended to work here? In Ginny’s office? Inheroffice? Not a chance. Ginny left her in charge, and she refused to have potential clients arrive to see him at Ginny’s desk playing video games. That was not the image she wanted this business to portray while she ran it.
Appear in control no matter what chaos is going around you or inside you. But tread carefully.
Staring straight ahead at the wall, she tried to compose her response, noticing the shadow box on the wall behind Ginny’s desk was crooked. She tried to ignore the fact but when she couldn’t, she walked behind the desk.
“What’re you doing?”
“The shadow box is crooked.” After straightening it, she returned to her seat. “You look a lot like your grandfather.”
“That’s what Ginny says.”
What if rather than indicating she didn’t want Zane here she flipped the situation? Explain why working in the office won’t be good for him.
Confident in her approach, McKenna relaxed. “Back to you working here. I’m worried this space won’t be productive for you. I’m on the phone almost nonstop dealing with vendors, checking on deliveries, and dealing with panicked brides. You can’t imagine how long it takes with the latter. We also frequently have appointments. Some days the door barely closes before it swings open again. People touring the space, brides, their mothers, and sometimes bridesmaids, oohing and aahing over color schemes, flowers, and a million other details. I imagine for a creative person, there would be too many distractions and interruptions here to be productive.”
Nicely done. McKenna sank back in her chair, relieved. She remained calm, logical, and rational, laying out a strong case. Nothing she said sounded as if he wasn’t welcome, rather she expressed concern for him. Surely, he’d agree with her assessment and announce he’d find a more suitable workspace.
Zane nodded to the complex computer system on Ginny’s desk. “Normally I won’t have this setup here when I’m seeing to Ginny’s business, but I had changes to go over—”
“Seeing to Ginny’s business? As in Lucky Stars Weddings?”
She scooted forward in her seat. Her back straight, her hands clutched the delicate chair arms so tight her knuckles cracked.
He nodded. “I’m taking over while Ginny’s recovering.”
“No, that can’t be right. She and I spent hours developing a detailed management plan to handle whatever might arise, along with the financials, during her absence. I thought you’d be seeing to her care, running errands, and helping her with physical therapy.”
“I hired a nurse to be with her during the day. That frees me to manage this business and see to my job in California.”
“I don’t understand. Why wouldn’t Ginny tell me after all we’d done to prepare?” Was Ginny unhappy with her work performance?
