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Those weren’t happy eyes. Weren’t amused or even reasonable. It was rage. Cold, disgusted, almost challenged anger burned across the width of the room, losing none of its potency on the journey.
Slowly, his head shook. Not for long, but she got it. He was saying it wasn’t allowed.
He shouldn’t be able to say no if they’d put their relationship behind them. No person should have the right to tell another what they could and couldn’t do if all parties were single, legal, and consenting. Yet, she wasn’t mad or even offended by his nerve.
Whoever Xander was, however much of Alex was in him, if he’d said the same to her about Courtney, she’d not only be mad, she’d be devastated too.
Exhaling, Xander said he’d craved her advice after learning Lance lied to her. She got it. She wanted to talk to her friend and ask for his advice right then. Maybe that was the key. Whether they could work out the romantic part of their relationship or not, their friendship was real… or it once had been. Maybe she cut that part off too quickly. She missed her Alex.
22
Everyone around the conference table stood up, startling her.
“Yes, we’ll show you around and then get to work,” Donal said. “Dinner at your hotel tonight will give us a chance to hammer out the specifics.”
As the conversation kept going and everyone drifted toward the door, Stacey came rushing over. She leaped to her feet to meet her boss.
“We need to pull their files and figure out everything there is to know about Hal Crean,” Stacey whispered, resting a hand on her forearm. “He’s taking the lead here because of the guy sitting back there…” Stacey’s eyes got wide and she tipped her head back a tiny increment. “That’s Xander Gauge. He owns half the companies on the planet. If we impress with Northberg, who knows how much of his business we can attract?”
“Okay,” she said, resisting her urge to seek him out.
“Find out what Gauge likes too and where he’s staying. Send gifts to his suite and his family. Find out if he’s married, if he’s got kids, we need to use every detail to our advantage. We’re having dinner with him and Crean tonight.” We? Please don’t say that included her. “Hang back and do the research. We have to show them around the place and then we’ll do a Q and A.”
Stacey patted her arm and spun around. She paused when she noticed Xander was still present. Standing on the other side of the table, on the phone. The supervisor glanced back, like she was maybe unsure if she should leave him or not.
“Stacey!” Donal called from outside the conference room.
Stacey jumped and sped out of the room.
Hang back. Okay. So she could sneak to her desk to do the required research? Should she just—her hesitation gave Xander a chance to walk to the door. Good. Go follow the others. Instead, he closed the door, trapping both of them in the conference room.
Shit. No. this wasn’t the place to talk about… anything.
The phone was still to his ear, but she went over, shaking her head. “No,” she mouthed.
When she tried to walk out, he hooked an arm around her torso, drawing her into the room again.
“A dozen? No. Make it two,” he said into the phone before he offered it to her. “Give Topher your address.”
“Who’s Topher?” she whispered, taking the phone.
“My assistant. We have a direct account with the best florists in the world.”
Oh, well, if that was what it was.
She took the phone and broadened a glossy smile on her lips. “Topher?”
“Uh… yes, ma’am.”
First thing she learned about the assistant? He was smart because he sounded worried.
“My name is Rainie Tait.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She closed her eyes and opened them again when they’d ascended to Xander’s.
“If your boss ever instructs you to send anything to me for any reason, you have my permission to tell him to go to hell.” Slapping the phone onto Xander’s chest, she glared. “Don’t ever assign me to your assistant again.”
