Chapter Six
Gemma found herself heading to work that Friday morning at an especially early hour. Her melatonin tablet had failed to produce a decent night’s sleep. Maybe it was stress about the holiday season that had her tossing at all hours of the night. Either way, she was awake bright and early and ready to put some of the worries to rest.
It surprised her to find the office lights already on and someone inside. Stepping cautiously through the doorway, she gripped the can of pepper spray in her purse her mom had given her four years ago before she’d taken a trip to Aspen. Not that anyone needed pepper spray in Aspen.
Still, it brought her a little sense of security as she crept into the old building, wondering who could be rifling through their drawers. The foundation didn’t keep any cash on sight. That was all tucked away safely in the New Hope bank.
Yanking the can from her purse, she jumped into her office with the nozzle pointed the wrong way. Lance looked up from the temporary desk he’d had his assistant relocate into her office with surprise. It took him two seconds to give her that maddeningly cocky grin and then lean on his elbow.
“I think you’d better point that the other way,” he said. “Or it might have the opposite effect you intended.”
Gemma looked at the can in her hand for a moment and then shoved it back into her purse, her cheeks burning bright. So much for those self-defense classes she’d taken with the ladies down at the gym last summer. She would’ve blinded herself, had he been a real intruder.
“What are you doing here so early?” she demanded, suddenly irritated. She’d been counting on an hour or two of alone time this morning to get things done.
“Work.”
It wasn’t a sarcastic answer, but it irritated her even more, nonetheless. “Well, let me through. I need to get some work done, too.”
He scooted in his chair to let her pass. As she did, she caught the scent of his aftershave. It was a spicy scent that pleased her nose and made her want to buy a candle with it. Hurrying to her chair, she splayed her things across the desk and yanked a file out of a drawer.
“I don’t suppose Chloe gave you last year’s tax returns?” she asked, not finding them in the file.
“Yep.”
He handed them over, their hands touching for the briefest moment. She thanked him and pulled away, grateful for the space between them.
Lance had already been here for five days, but still, she couldn’t get used to his presence. Something about him unsettled her. He’d played along at the shelter, walking dogs until his legs practically gave out. It was hilarious seeing such a strong man walk the itty bitty dogs. He’d even played along in the office this week, acting as pleasant as could be.
Still, something kept drawing her eyes to the side of his face as he poured through the paperwork in front of him. It couldn’t be his good looks, although he certainly didn’t lack those. She’d never been that shallow. But she just couldn’t put her finger on it.
“Is there something that you want?” He’d caught her staring at him.
Gemma jumped in her seat, suddenly embarrassed. “No, nothing.”
“Okay…” He turned back to his paperwork, thumbing through a tax return.
“Well, actually.” She could feel the questions bubbling up in her gut. There was so much about this man that she didn’t know, yet they shared an office. Surely, she was allowed to ask one or two. “Why are you here?”
A small smile played on his lips. “Is that more of an existential question or are you wanting something a bit more grounded in reality?”
“No, really, why are you here?” She bit her bottom lip, ready to spill. “From what I hear, you’re loaded. You’ve got tons of money from your parents. Why would you let your uncle send you here? What do you get out of it?”
He leaned back in his seat and let out a large breath of air. “Those are personal questions.”
She ducked her head a bit, thinking about what her mother would say if she were here. Manners had always been important to her mom. As a single mother, they were often all they had. Even when they only had ten dollars to their name, they always had their manners.
“It’s okay,” Lance added. He frowned and worked his jaw. “I’ll answer them. But, then you have to answer mine.”
“Deal,” she replied. She was practically an open book anyway. “Shoot.”
“You’re right, my dad left me a lot of money when he died.” Lance placed his hands behind his head and leaned back. He’d already abandoned his suit jacket and the blue paisley silk tie. “His dream my entire life was that I’d grow up to join the company and eventually take his place as co-CEO. He just never dreamed it would come quite this early. He died five years ago, after a heart surgery that went wrong. I lost my father and my best friend all in one day.”
Gemma felt a tug at her heart. She’d nearly lost her own best friend and mother during her battle with cancer. Thankfully, she’d pulled through.
“I’ve been working on taking over his position ever since I graduated high school,” Lance went on. “Colleges, internships, MBAs, they’ve all been specifically tailored for this role. A lot of guys I know would rebel, but it’s all I’ve ever wanted. Uncle Matthias didn’t think I was ready, though. So, he sent me up here to handle a task on my own.”
Maybe this week had been about a little more than babysitting. Gemma felt her guard coming down as she watched Lance stare across the room at an empty box.
“The deal is, if I handle myself like a professional and get the job done here, I’ll get that position my father promised me.” He looked up at Gemma and smiled. “I guess I’ve been a little reckless up till now. But I’m ready to prove myself to my uncle. I know I’m ready.”
She nodded eagerly, fully in agreement with him. Despite their rocky beginning, she could see that he’d been trying hard all week. Maybe the guy wasn’t as bad as she thought.
“My turn.” He spun in his chair to face her. “Why haven’t you left this forsaken town? How does a girl like you get stuck in a place like this?”
She didn’t know whether that was an insult or a compliment. Still, she huffed and shook her head. “New Hope is a wonderful place to live. A lot of people live here their whole lives and never get tired of it. My mom grew up here and I did, too.”
“And you think you could live and die here?” He raised an eyebrow at her.
“Of, course. You haven’t spent enough time here to judge. The people are lovely. It’s safe and secure. We have everything we ever need. I know it doesn’t compare to your big-city life, but I love it here. It’s my home.”
He pressed his lips together in disbelief. “Sure, I guess I’ll have to take your word for it. Does your mom still live here?”
“Yep, just a few blocks down from my apartment.”
He groaned and slapped a hand to his face.
“Hey, don’t judge. At least I don’t live in my family’s penthouse.”
The tips of his ears grew red, but he just smiled.
“The real plan is to take a month off and fly to Europe,” Gemma said, her voice growing dreamy. Her eyes gazed up toward the ceiling. “Just my mom and me. I’ve been saving for this trip forever. She just finished her second round of chemo and now’s the time.”
“Cancer?” he asked.
She nodded. “Breast cancer. It took my grandma, too. Who knows how much time she has left.”
“Better hop on that plane then,” he added grimly. “I know a little too much about regrets. Don’t waste a minute.”
“I don’t plan on it.” Gemma smiled at him, excitement shining in her eyes. “With my Christmas bonus from the foundation, I’ll finally have enough saved to go. I’m buying the tickets on Christmas day. They’ll make the most epic stocking stuffer.”
The temperature of the room chilled as Lance sat back in his chair and grimaced. He chewed on his tongue for a moment and then turned back to his files. “Europe is over-rated. I spent my summer after high school in France. Don’t waste your money.”
She smiled, despite the grim warning. “I think I’ll take my chances and explore it for myself.”
“Whatever,” was his only reply.
Gemma eyed him over her paperwork for the next two hours, wondering about the man who sat in front of her. Maybe she’d missed the mark on this one. He certainly didn’t seem like the jerk who’d spilled her coffee only a few days ago in the Blue Stem Bistro. Still, there was something he was holding back. Something secret. Maybe she’d get it out of him by the time he left New Hope.