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That meant Joe would be coming through that door any second now.
When Joe called in with this meeting request half an hour ago, I put him on hold, pretending to call Sam’s office when in reality, I had simply consulted with Sam in person. I don’t know why I felt the need to do that. It was an entirely plausible situation that my boss would be in my office, yet because of my lust, I became a coward and lied to Joe.
“Does he know about… our dalliance?” Sam questioned calmly. He wasn’t as nervous as I was. Of course not. What didhehave to lose?
“No.”
Oh, crap. I did say I wanted to talk with Joe as soon as possible, but I didn’t mean right away, like right now and definitely not here. Not at my workplace. Not in front of Sam.
“Lucille.” The call of my full name made me look up at Sam. He was watching me intently, his fingers rubbing his bearded chin. “Come sit beside me. If Joe doesn’t know about us, we must assume this is a business visit. The second he steps foot in here, Joe Parker isourrival. And you,” He pulled out the chair next to him. “You side with Team Sam.”
Right, of course. Joe had called my office after all, not on my personal phone. Best to assume what Sam said. Agreeing with a nod, I stood up and rounded the table. Took the seat Sam chose for me. Maybe I should have skipped a chair – or two, just to be safe. I would still be sitting on Sam’s team. But this close proximity to him was triggering my anxiety. My feet began to quiver nervously, my stiletto heel tapping on the flooring with every tremor.
Sam’s gentle hand braced my knee. The tender pressure on my leg and the warmth of his palm calmed down my quivers. “You okay?”
“No.” Absolutely not.
And then I felt a sudden chill on my skin when Sam broke our contact like scathed, and I saw the reason for his withdrawal in the form of Joe pushing the glass door open.
Quickly composing back to his usual pompous self, Sam stood up to greet Joe. “Morning, Parker.”
Joe walked through and came to stand opposite us with all the stiff businessman attitude. Safe to say that this was the first time I saw Joe wearing that aura.
“Sam.” Joe matched Sam’s formal tone as he extended a hand for a shake across the table. “Thank you for having me here on such short notice.”
Sam accepted the handshake with a curt nod. “My pleasure.”
Anyone else who didn’t know a fragment of the history between the two men would assume they were harmonious acquaintances.
Joe eyed the room and beyond the glass walls behind him at the main hall. “I see you’ve done well for yourself. These lovely offices boast a lot.”
“Thank you. I hear your offices are quite… colourful.”
“They are.” Joe simply said as he peered at me. I knew he would. It was my suggestion to ‘brighten up’ his company’s workspace. “Morning, Luc.”
Finally, I got my good morning. Even though he barely met my eyes.
I nodded back at him. Didn’t quite know what to say to him. Neither did I extend my hand for a handshake. Nor did Joe.
“So,” Sam sat back down at his seat. Gestured a hand for Joe to sit. “Lucille and I were quite surprised you called up this meeting with us. It’s our biggest curiosity to know why.”
Joe cleared his throat. “I’ll be straight to the point. I understand you had a meeting with Rolf Zimmerman recently.”
Sam glanced at me wide-eyed, silently inquiring whether I divulged his business with Joe.
“Lucy did not tell me anything,” Joe answered Sam’s unspoken question. “She and I have a strict rule not to discuss any subject involving you at our home, Samuel.” His tone burst with contempt as he called Sam by his full name. “Actually, it was Zimmerman himself who told me.”
Sam’s jaw muscles bulged yet he kept his cool. “So you came here to brag about stealing my client?”
“Prospectiveclient, and yes, I did tryto snatch him from you. But it turns out he doesn’t want me. Now before you inflate yourself with glee at that news, I hate to burst your bubble but neither does he want you. Zimmerman wants us to collaborate.”
Sam snickered. “Collaborate?”
Joe flipped the cover of his tablet, switched the screen on and tapped at it before offering it to Sam. “He sent me this email specifically to show it to you in case you wouldn’t believe me. Said if you still don’t, call him.”
With intense scrutiny, Sam read what was on display. His humour disappeared with every word he read. Then slid the tablet across back to Joe. “Why would we collaborate? We’re two independent companies. That’s two options for Zimmerman to choose from.”
“Apparently, he’s taking the advice of his good friend who showed him pieces of our work back from our partnership days. His friend insinuated that he wasn’t overly impressed with either of our individual company’s work. That’s why Zimmerman believes that if our companies are combined for his project, the result would be twice as good. He insists he wants the very best.”
