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I felt the blood rush to my face. "No worries, I'll fix your payroll. And..." I glanced at her hands. "My apologies. I didn't even —"
"No worries, Mr. Stratford." Courtney rolled her eyes, grabbed her purse, and dashed for the door. "Thanks for the offer. I'll see you tonight."
"Jesus Christ! I can't believe I just said that to an employee!” I fumed, mumbling to myself and running my hand down my face. Feeling the stubble, I rushed to my bathroom mirror to inspect my beard. "Your hair looks like shit, and you need a shave. Or maybe Meagan likes the five o'clock shadow?" I felt inside my jacket pocket. "Where's my phone? I’ll make a quick appointment with my stylist.” I scrolled through my contacts. “Hell. Security is overbooked due to the open house. I can't go anywhere." Finally, after making a few calls, I found someone to tend to my last-minute grooming needs. Then I looked down at my shoes. "Fuck, where're the shoes I rented with the tux….”
By six o'clock, thankfully, I'd pulled myself together, and I’d even managed to have a corsage delivered for Meagan. After hearing the other guys mention they had ordered flowers and gifts for their wives, this was the least I could do. Poor girl had been through a lot. Continuing my one-sided conversation with myself, I muttered, “Maybe since she had a head injury, she'll forget how I treated her on the one and only date we ever had. NO! That was a MEAN thought! God Chase, Guy was right."
Finally, I returned to the conference room, which had been transformed into an elegant space with mood lighting and candles. I tucked myself in the corner behind an arrangement of palm trees that the florist had placed strategically and laid the box with Meagan's corsage under my chair. Opening a beer, I settled my thoughts before the lights lowered and the party started in earnest.
As folks filled the venue, enchanting jazz crooned in the background. Since I was a partner, my duty was to make sure our employees felt welcome by weaving through their ranks and exchanging pleasantries. After thirty minutes of chatting and small talk, I noticed Meagan still hadn't made her grand entrance. But a wave of relief washed over me when I realized Guy and Ariel hadn't arrived either. However, with every passing second, my worry grew — I dialed Guy’s number to find they were running late due to a babysitter problem.
"Just another one of life's little inconveniences!" Guy said, laughing.
"Glad I don't have a kid," I told him before disconnecting the video call.
At last, the three of them arrived. Meagan's figure was eye-catching in her vibrant red dress, which delicately hugged every curve. Her graceful silhouette was further accentuated by an exquisite silk shawl draping across her shoulders, exposing just enough of her ivory skin to tantalize. My heart fluttered as I watched her glide through the room.
Ariel gave me a knowing wink, probably glad to see I was awkwardly holding a box containing a corsage and hurried Guy toward the head table.
Chapter Three
Meagan
At first, I was uneasy on my feet in the new stilettos. Fortunately, Amy's flat tire had given me some much-needed time to get accustomed to wearing heels again before the party. I was thankful I could still enjoy one small pleasure — being able to walk in heels. It was comforting to know that something so simple and feminine remained mine despite everything else my abductor had stolen from me. Nonetheless, anxiety rose in my chest, and I almost called Ariel to bow out. But after some mindful breathing, the stirring within me to get revenge snapped me out of my panic attack.
Ariel did say earlier this afternoon that Chase had been asking about me, but she didn't fool me one bit. I would bet my last penny that Guy had put her up to it. Chase had plenty of opportunities to apologize for ruining our first date. Ariel and Guy had regular get-togethers for the partners and their families to relax around the pool. Of course, Chase was always there, and often I was invited too. But as soon as I appeared he would disappear around the corner or go outside. Chase had made it perfectly clear, he wanted nothing to do with me!
When I saw Guy's BMW leave the garage, heading toward the guest house, I took one last look in the mirror and applied a bit more red lipstick. Giving myself a sly smile, I snapped my clutch shut and nodded a thank you to the security guard as he opened the car door for me.
Soon enough, we pulled up at Rosedale Tech’s new building and the valet extended his hand to help me out, I eyed the floor of the entryway. Wouldn't you know, the new marble was polished to a sheen, and there were no handrails around — whatsoever. Taking baby steps, I made my way forward, careful not to make an unwanted grand entrance.
Wouldn't that be a great way to impress Chase?
I pushed the mental image of me falling ass over teacup to the furthest corner of my mind. Yes, I had resigned myself that I did want to impress Chase if nothing more than to make him comfortable before I embarrassed the shit out of him — with the emphasis on him, not me.
Squaring my shoulders, I followed Ariel and Guy as they made their way into the foyer, beautifully decorated with a crystal chandelier and splashes of colorful artwork tastefully displayed, leading us further inside the building. As we ventured forward, the vibrant music from a jazz band grew more intense. My searching eyes darted around as I studied each person conversing in the area, yet no sign of Chase. Had he chickened out, again?
When I suspected my plans had been foiled, I was disheartened. Yet, when our eyes finally met, his broad grin lit up the room and a sudden spark of optimism filled me despite myself. As Chase advanced toward me with a white box in his hand, suddenly all traces of disappointment and revenge vanished, giving way to the same stirring inside I had felt over a year ago.
His gaze roved over me hungrily as I allowed my shawl to cascade sensuously down my bare shoulders. When he finally spoke, his words flowed a bit haltingly, "You, ah, look fabulous Meagan."
"Well, hello, Chase," I said with a sly smile, extending my hand to shake his. The moment that followed left me utterly speechless. His tender touch as he lightly caressed my fingers and sweetly kissed the back of my hand made my heart flutter wildly in surprise. My breath caught in my throat as a wave of heat crept up my neck, blazing across the entirety of me.
When he presented me with the most exquisite corsage I had ever seen, my desire was revealed when I involuntarily licked my lips — and Chase noticed! Oh, did he ever notice! That familiar throaty chuckle gave him away. Finally, I took the corsage and positioned it over my wrist.
"Oh, it's beautiful. You shouldn't have," I whispered.
Then as I gazed into his glistening dark eyes, time stopped. For a brief moment, we were back in the bathroom of a grubby bar somewhere at Coronado Beach — buck naked from the waist down. My hands were pressed against the tiny black and white tiles as he fisted my hair in one hand, swatting my bare ass cheek with the other while thrusting into me until we both were spent.
I shivered, breaking free of my erotic reverie, and adjusted the elastic over my wrist. Admiring the corsage, I muttered, “Perfect fit."
The next thing I knew, I reached for his arm as we started for the head table. "Our seats are next to Ariel and Guy," Chase said. Fixating on the earrings he had given me soon after that wild night at the bar, he did a double take. "Who gave you those earrings?"
“Uh, you, did, Mr. Chase Statford," I quipped, still reeling from the vivid memory.
What he said next definitely shocked me, "Well, I'll be damned. I'm surprised you didn't throw them away."
I tried not to laugh as I set him straight. "Chase, women don't throw two-carat diamond earrings in the trash, even if they never wear them.” However, my previous statement was slightly deceitful. I had the opportunity to sell them multiple times when money was tight. I even took them to a jeweler once for an appraisal — but no matter how difficult it became, I couldn't bring myself to part with Chase’s gift. As far as I could remember, this was the first time I had worn them in public.
