Debra & Regan Webb & Black - Investigating Christmas

“When you’re closing a major deal,” she finished for him. “I remember.”

He swallowed the urge to point out if he wasn’t constantly focused on building up the business, Gray Box wouldn’t be such a convenient fallback option for her. Except a woman with Lucy’s skills and credentials could name her salary and benefits, and choose from numerous offers. Knowing that, knowing how talented she was, it was tough to accept she’d returned to him without any intent to rekindle their personal relationship. He couldn’t decide if his decision to hire her made him an easy mark, sentimental or selfish. Time would tell.

“This is my private elevator.” He reached out and punched the button. “Most of the time I use the public one or the express, but occasionally this is necessary.”

One side of her mouth curled in a half smile. “You pulled out all the stops here,” she said.

If she’d seen his heart on his sleeve as he eagerly shared this with her, she didn’t give him any reaction. “The office isn’t just about the show of power, though it helps.” The doors parted and he ushered her inside. Her fragrance, the dark sensual notes smoothed with a whisper of vanilla, filled the small space. He hoped the scent lingered a while so he could breathe her in at will. He punched the button for three floors down, pulling himself together. That spark they’d once shared seemed to be missing now and it wasn’t her problem that he hadn’t been able to get over her.

“This must make it easier to avoid distractions,” she murmured.

“Exactly.” So she remembered how people cornered him in elevators, pitching ideas and résumés.

“As your PA, is it my job to fend them off now?” Her gaze narrowed and she pretended to glare at potential intruders lurking in the corners.

“No.” He laughed a little and then reconsidered. Though she stood several inches shorter, even in the heels, she could be formidable. “Well, maybe.”

The doors parted and he escorted her to the human resources department. After making introductions, the department manager sat down with both of them, drawing up the details they’d agreed upon for Lucy’s employment. Once the legalities were out of the way, Rush insisted on taking her down to the waterfront for a late lunch.

“You don’t have to convince me to stay,” she repeated when they were seated at a table with a stunning view. “I’ve signed the contract.”

“This is my new favorite place,” he said. He’d wanted to bring her here since it opened. “The food is better than the view.”

She tilted her head, clearly surprised by his gushing endorsement. When her gaze followed his to the bay, he heard her sigh a little. “I didn’t expect to miss it so much.”

He was determined to bridge the gap, to earn the trust of the one woman he’d always been able to confide in. “What really brings you back here?”

Her eyes went wide and her chin dropped a little. “I was homesick.”

He wasn’t accepting that anymore. “A year ago it appeared Chicago was home,” he countered. He paused while they gave the waitress their drink order. “Then you moved the family to France.” What had happened over there?

She studied him a long moment. “Are you having second thoughts already?”

“No way.” He shrugged. “I’m the luckiest CEO in the city. You could write your own ticket anywhere.” In the back of his mind, he couldn’t make it all add up. Better just to ask. “I’d like to know why me and why now?” He couldn’t shake the feeling that she needed him to leap out in front of her and fight off an invisible enemy.

He’d be an idiot if he hadn’t already considered and discarded the idea of corporate espionage. Lucy didn’t play unethical games. While following her career meant he had a basic knowledge of Kathrein’s business interests, the older man hadn’t shown any intention of seriously competing with Gray Box.

“Kathrein didn’t send me here to spy on you.” Her words proved how well they knew each other. “If he had made such a suggestion, I would have refused.”

“I know.” He recognized the steel in her gaze, respected it. He could take her “homesick” answer at face value or ruin lunch with an argument. Taking the high road, he turned the conversation to other topics. He would wait her out. They were too alike, had been too close, for her to keep any secrets from him for long.

The waitress came by with drinks and he ordered the lunch special for both of them, with Lucy’s approval. “When we’re done here, we can go on to the suite. It should be big enough for you and your family in the short term.”

“Don’t worry about that,” she interjected. “Gwen and Jackson are staying in France through the holidays. That gives me time to find a place.”

“Really?” That set off alarm bells. Unlike him, Lucy had been raised in a close-knit family. She and Gwen had only grown more inseparable when they lost their parents. “Will you go back to be with them over Christmas?”

“I’m not sure yet.” She gazed out over the water, apparently captivated by the traffic on the bridge.

“Talk to me, Lucy.” Something was way off. He reached across the table and covered her hand with his. “What happened in France?”

She closed her eyes and gave her head a quick shake. “Nothing. Nothing,” she repeated. Opening her eyes, she gave him a hard, forced smile. “Gwen and I decorated the most amazing Christmas tree last weekend. Her eye for design is remarkable, despite putting all the fragile ornaments near the top, out of Jackson’s reach. He’s crawling now, pulling himself up every chance he gets and he’s very curious.”

“So why wouldn’t you go back for Christmas?”

“The flights,” she said. “And I wasn’t sure how things would go here, if I’d have the time off.”

“We’ll be closed the entire week.” He paused as the waitress delivered two plates piled high with aromatic rice noodles, shrimp, and colorful shredded cabbage and vegetables. While they ate, he steered the conversation toward the charitable effort she’d insisted he dive into before she vacated his life. Using the wealth of brain power at Gray Box, he coordinated tutors for kids in need—those falling behind in school and those eager for a chance to leap ahead.

“Wow. You’ve made serious progress.” This time her smile and eyes showed equal enthusiasm.

She could soak up the views until her homesickness faded while he enjoyed the even lovelier view of her. The deep, soulful eyes, those high cheekbones and that tender mouth were igniting fires in him that only she could tend. “We’ll launch a new tech-focused camp next summer. I’ll start scouting ideal sites soon.” That would be the perfect assignment for Trisha, he realized. She knew the city well, enjoyed being out and being seen, and it would keep her away from the executive floor. Pleased with himself, he apologized to Lucy and sent quick text messages to Trisha and his HR department.

“Forgive me,” he said, catching the small frown on Lucy’s face. “I just thought of something that would move the process along.”

She waved it away. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Appreciate that.” He tucked his phone back into his pocket. Good grief, he’d missed her low-maintenance acceptance of his nature balanced by her high-energy ambition to reach her goals. Why had she walked out on the amazing chemistry they’d shared?

The question was right there on the tip of his tongue and he had to bite it back repeatedly as they left the restaurant for a walk through the marketplace and then on to explore a few other nearby changes in the city. He kept his hands in his pockets, away from her, reminding himself today they were two old friends catching up. Having cleared his calendar for the afternoon, he wanted to make the most of this precious time with her.