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“You shouldn’t get her hopes up,” Monique said.
“Why not shoot for the stars? Right, Em?” Graham patted his daughter’s back and gave Monique a sharp look.
“Yeah, you should have seen us practice. We’re good,” Emily said, nodding at Tess. Tess smiled back, affirming the girl, though she wasn’t so sure they could win a game, much less the championship.
“Time to go, Emily. Tell your father bye. Tess, too,” Monique said, suspicion tight around her mouth. Maybe she didn’t suspect a physical thing with Graham as much as she suspected he might try to mine tidbits about Upstart. Tess hadn’t thought how it might look from a business standpoint to be coaching soccer with Graham… Upstart’s rival.
Jeez. They were a Maury Povich show waiting to happen.
Emily gave each of them a hug and even jogged over to Jim and bestowed one on him. Seemed like Graham was right—a little fresh air and exercise brought out the best in his daughter.
Seconds later, Tess stood with Graham, watching Emily and Monique stride ahead of Jim who hobbled behind them toward the parking lot.
Graham lifted the cooler off the bleacher and tucked it under his arm, looping the plastic garbage bag over his arm. “Sorry about Monique. She’s good at popping bubbles. I’m trying to get her to look at the bright side with Emily, let the kid dream a little.”
“You don’t have to apologize for Monique,” Tess said, picking up her clipboard, falling into step beside him.
He cocked his head. “You’re right. I’m sure you know how she is.”
Yeah, she did. Tess respected Monique’s drive and business smarts, but she would have likely never been friends with the woman. There was something hard about Monique, and try as she may, Tess couldn’t feel the way she’d felt at Ullo. Of course, maybe that’s because her daddy was her boss and she’d always known she was safe. She didn’t want to talk about Monique with Graham, so she changed the subject. “Are you going to the Oedipus thing tomorrow night?”
He slid blue eyes over to hers. “Of course. They’re one of our biggest accounts.”
Tess lifted her eyebrows. “Oh, you sure about that?”
“As sure as it gets.”
“Mmm,” came Tess’s response.
Graham stopped. “You love this, don’t you?”
“What?” she asked turning around. “I’m making conversation. It’s what friends do.”
“No, you’re protecting yourself by playing a little game between Ullo and Upstart. Keeps you from feeling anything, keeps you from wanting me.”
“Why, you egotistical—” Tess whipped her head around to find him grinning at her. “I’m not playing games, Graham, merely giving you a heads-up in regards to Miles. Monique had drinks with him Tuesday night—that’s why I brought Emily to soccer. So don’t accuse me of games when I’m being more than nice to warn you.”
“And why would you do that?” His face grew serious.
“Huh?”
“Warn me?”
Tess stopped midstride. She spun toward him, mouth open. But… she didn’t know what to say. Why was she warning him? She had no business saying anything about Upstart’s plans for Oedipus, or the fact Monique had pulled out all the stops to tear the lucrative account from the hands of the new Ullo CEO. Was he right? Was she needling him to keep herself from falling prey to the attraction between them, or did she subconsciously want to help the company she’d loved for so long? Or maybe she felt like she should rub his nose in Upstart’s success, proving she was loyal to Monique. Her actions and emotions mystified her. It was as if she were in a house of mirrors, her image stretched and distorted at every turn.
Graham studied her, his expression not what she was accustomed to. No soft blue eyes full of sympathy or alight with passion. Instead he looked intrigued. It was a good look on him—made him intense and somehow even more desirable. This man who had hurt her now stood ready to protect her father and the company he’d built with sweat and tears. It should have pissed her off, but instead, something inside stilled at the thought.
“Just wanted you to know what you’re up against,” she muttered, moving toward her Prius, wanting to escape Graham examining her every motive.
“I thought at first this was about inserting something between us so you didn’t jump my bones and have your wicked way with me in the parking lot,” Graham said, trailing behind her, seemingly unwilling to let the conversation die.
She wrinkled her nose. “As if.”
“But that’s not it. You can’t help it, can you?”
“Help what?” She faced him, chin up. No way she backed down, even if she longed to get in her car and escape… just the way she had two nights ago. Sticking her head in the sand had become a strategy. Ask her father. She couldn’t seem to dial the number and return his two phone calls. Not like she hadn’t tried. She just didn’t know what to say to him yet.
She needed time, but that had been her excuse all along. Time. Maybe it would run out before she was ready.
