AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Kelly never let him get to a door or a chair first. She was used to doing things for herself. One way of many she and his ex-lover were as different as summer and winter.
“I’m surprised to hear you call the books dreary. Our profits exceeded our projections by one percent this quarter. In this economy, that’s huge. Not to mention our margins, which improved by—”
She laughed.At him. “It’s always business with you, isn’t it, Spence? Even with everything that’s between us, you can’t bother to take a minute to catch up with an old friend.”
He tapped his thumb on his thigh as he worked at keeping his face neutral. “If you were a friend, maybe I’d take a minute. At best, you’re an ex. At worst, you’re inconsequential.”
Her teeth flashed. “You wish.”
He waved away the waiter who attempted to take their drink order. No way was he staying.
“What are you doing here?” he asked as soon as they were alone again. “If your parents are unavailable, I’ll contact them to reschedule.”
“Impatient, aren’t we, darling?” She leaned forward and clasped her hands between her breasts, the tips of her blood-red nails skimming generous flesh. “Have a hot date?”
He thought of making love to Kelly earlier, of inhaling her laughter in between kisses and sharing sandwiches in the car during the ride back to work. Then they’d gone at each other in earnest in the parking lot, where anyone could have seen.
She made him feel too much. But he couldn’t resist her. He didn’t want to try.
More than anything, he wanted to be spending this last night before he left in her arms. Hearing her voice, swallowing her moans. Kelly was the living, breathing, unbearably exciting present. Diana was his very dead past.
“Yes, actually, I do. So if this isn’t about business, I’m leaving.”
“I recognize that hungry look. You used to look at me like that almost as often as you got a hard-on over something to do with the store.” Her meandering fingers moved dangerously close to her nipples. “You always were insatiable.”
“Only when I didn’t get what I need. I’m remarkably satisfied now.” Even though it wasn’t close to being true, watching her stiffen was worth the lie. He made a show of glancing at his watch. “I’m running out of time. Is there a point to this visit?”
“I’d hoped we could share a meal, reminisce a bit, but you’ve never been one to enjoy idly passing the time. Glad to see some things have remained the same.”
You’re so wrong. But he said nothing.
“My parents are getting older and they’re starting to think more about retirement. Since my circumstances have changed,” he shot his gaze to her ring finger and saw that it was bare, “reclaiming my position in the business has re-entered the conversation.”
Keeping his cool meant not thinking too hard or too much about what all this might mean. “Why? You never gave a damn about the store.”
“You still call it ‘the store’ as if we’re this quaint little operation. As if we don’t have five locations, with four more opening by the end of the year. Some might see us as biting off more than we can chew, especially now. But that proves how committed we are. It also shows we’ve moved way beyond your narrow conceptions.”
“When I came on board, there was only the one, the second being built,” he said in as even a voice as he could manage. “If you forget the first, the rest don’t matter. So you’re toying with working at the store again,” he said deliberately.
“Not toying. The decision’s been made. I’m going to be Virginia’s new regional manager.”
He stiffened his spine against the fury he wouldn’t let loose. She couldn’t be serious. She’d lost her goddamn mind.
“I must be hearing you incorrectly. I’m going to be the new regional manager in Virginia. That’s been in the works since shortly after ground broke on the new stores.”
“Not any longer. I was originally offered the position as regional manager in South Carolina, but those stores are barely off the ground. Virginia’s almost ready to roll.”
“Of course it’s almost ready to roll. Who the fuck do you think got it that way? Those two stores in Virginia have been mine since day one. The plan has always been to—”
“Plans change, Spence. That’s business.” She glanced at her naked left hand. “That’s life. My parents love me. They want me happy, and Virginia’s where I’ll be happiest. You can take the RM position in South Carolina or you can stay here. Or,” she licked her lips with one slow roll of her tongue, “you can come to Virginia with me. I’ve been told Roanoke’s your special focus. I could create a district manager position for you.”
“How generous.”
Rage didn’t begin to cover the tumult of emotions crashing through him. Anger, betrayal, disappointment—hell, he was running the whole damn gamut.
“What I want is the position I was given. I was suppos
ed to manage those stores until they were turning a profit, the first year at least. How are you going to step into a situation you’ve been completely out of for half a decade? You don’t know what we’ve done or our plans. You don’t know the staff. You don’t know a goddamn thing about what it will take to make those stores succeed.”
