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“Well, yeah, but you’re also the one who was talking a big game to your brother about relaxing and unwinding while you’re here. I turned off my phone completely. It’s back at my place.”
“This is work, okay?” The realization hit her hard. It wasn’t merely work. This was Black Crescent, and Zane might never forgive her if he found out she was working for them. The decision to pursue business with BC had been easy enough to rationalize when Zane was living on the opposite side of the country. After all, it had been fifteen years since Vernon Lowell took off with all that money, and the current powers that be at BC were not like him. But now that she and Zane were inches away from each other, and her mind had been flooded with memories since seeing him, she understood just how betrayed he might feel if he discovered the truth.
“It’s nine thirty at night.”
“I know. My work calls happen at odd times sometimes. I’m sorry, but I really need to take this. So you can either stay or go, but I need a few minutes.”
Zane nodded, but seemed entirely suspicious. “Cool. I’ll clean the kitchen while you talk.”
Dammit. Allison knew there was no way she could talk to Ryan with Zane in the same room, and she ran the risk of him joining her if she went back out to the patio. “Great. I’ll take the call in my bedroom.” Without further explanation, she ducked into her bedroom and closed the door. “Ryan. I’m so sorry.”
“No problem, Ms. Randall.”
“Please. Call me Allison.”
“Okay, Allison. I’ve rearranged my schedule so I can be back in Falling Brook for the interview next week. I’ll get in the night before.”
Allison loved how prepared and thorough Ryan was. “Perfect. And you’re sure you’re okay with the idea of working for this company in particular?” She highly doubted that Zane might be listening at her door, but she still hoped hard that he wasn’t. It hadn’t been her intention to hurt Zane when she’d taken the BC gig. She was trying to save her company.
“I am. I know the history. It’s pretty crazy all of the stuff that happened with the Lowell family, and of course I hate that Vernon Lowell ruined so many families. But maybe that’s why they need somebody like me at the helm.”
“That’s a great attitude to have. They’ve really put that past behind them and are focused on the future. This job is the chance of a lifetime. No one ever imagined the CEO position could go to someone outside the family.” Allison sucked in a deep breath, amazed she’d managed to keep herself from uttering the name Joshua Lowell.
“I agree. It’s an excellent opportunity. I’m excited to interview and I’m excited to finally meet you in person, too.”
“Sounds great. I’m in the Bahamas right now visiting family, but I’ll see you in Falling Brook next week. Good night, Ryan.”
“Have a wonderful vacation. Good night.”
Allison ended the call and for a moment, stared at the back of her bedroom door. She felt as though she were teetering on the edge of a cliff. The Black Crescent account was crucial to the success of her company, and she’d promised Kianna she would nail this first assignment BC had given them. But she also knew firsthand the damage inflicted by BC, and exactly how Zane would feel if and when he found out that she was working for them. This absolutely put a wrench in her romantic hopes, but she reminded herself that Zane would never be a long-term thing. He wanted the physical parts and none of the emotional entanglements. Yes, she was risking their friendship, but, in her experience, those things could be mended. If needed, she could get Scott to talk Zane off the ledge, tell him that the Black Crescent thing was just business. Surely a friend could understand that.
She opened her door and walked back into the main room. Zane was drying one of the hand-painted platters she’d used. “Hey. I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. I shouldn’t have given you a hard time. You have things you have to do. I get it.”
“Thank you. I appreciate that.”
Zane set down the clean dish and leaned against the kitchen counter. “Nice guy?”
“What?”
“The guy you were talking to. You seemed pretty chummy. I thought it was just you and your partner in that office.”
For a moment, Allison struggled to figure out what he was asking, but then she realized there was the slightest chance that Zane was jealous. That was so incongruous with his personality that it didn’t really compute. He could have any woman he wanted. And he’d pushed her away the one time they’d kissed. “Great guy, actually. Supersmart. Handsome, too.”
“Yeah? Could there be something brewing between you two?”
He might not be jealous, but he was curious, which made her both nervous and a bit exhilarated. “I hate to disappoint you, but no. He’s a recruit. Nothing else.”
Zane nodded. “Oh. Okay.”
She scanned his face, and he returned the look. Good God, she had the most urgent desire to show him the reason why a guy like Ryan Hathaway was not what she wanted. If only she could press Zane against that kitchen counter and kiss him into oblivion, thread her hands into his hair and show him just how badly she longed for him. She wanted to tell him everything—that she’d fantasized about him hundreds of times, how she needed to finally get him out of her system. Being this close to him and knowing she couldn’t do any of that was testing what little resolve she had left. But she had to hold strong. She would not make the first move.
“I should probably get going,” Zane said, finally breaking their eye contact. “Get out of your hair.”
“You aren’t in my hair, Zane. This is fun. I could talk to you all night.” She did her best to hide the soft rumble in her voice, the way she secretly wanted to beckon him to her bedroom with her tone.
“I need to get a good night’s sleep if we’re going to go snorkeling tomorrow.”
