I had been sitting at my desk for the last two hours, refreshing my email and looking at my phone almost constantly, checking to see if Maddie had made contact yet.
Get a grip!
She is going to freak out over the initial offer and knowing Maddie, like I hoped I did, she would meticulously review the offers until she had pro and conned the entire list. I also hoped that she accepted the position created especially for her.
Hell, they were all created for her. Each position chosen was an area that I thought Maddie would excel in without feeling like a hamster in the corporate wheel, with some positions thrown in that she wouldn’t want in order to make it look more authentic.
I had Jason’s input on every turn and actually got Jason and Lisa to Skype, in order to make sure that the family that Maddie had and the family she would gain put all animosity aside, for her sake.
Maddie lived a life full of love from the family that took her in and wrapped her up tightly after Sara’s death. I never wanted my beautiful girl to ever feel unwanted again.
I started to think back to when Jason took me in after my fathers’ death. It didn’t take him long to tell me about Sara and Maddie. Looking back, I realized he was not only trying to teach me a lesson about being a man by bearing his own shame, but he looked at me as a kind of second chance.
The intercom interrupted my thoughts “Mr. Walters, Maddie Johnson is on the phone for you. Would you like me to connect the call?” the altered, artificial voice of my secretary calls out into the silence.
“Yes, please put her through.”
My heart raced like I’d just ran a marathon. This call would tell me if all of my hard work paid off.
“This is Lucas Walters. How can I help you Ms. Johnson?” I purposely used the “Ms.” to see if she remembers me. If that brief period of time we spent together stuck with her as much as it did me.
“No Miss. Just Maddie, Lucas. I guess it really is you. I wondered when the package arrived this morning if it was you, or another Lucas Walters.”
“It’s me. I am glad you called me back about the job offers. Do you have a decision?” holding my breath, I prayed that she would take the chance.
“I hoped I could schedule an appointment to sit down and talk with you about the offers you sent.”
“No appointment needed, Maddie. How about we meet for lunch today and I can answer any questions you may have.”
“Today? Um…sure. I can meet you whenever is best for you.”
“How about one o’clock today? Del Sol at Peachtree Plaza should give us privacy to discuss business.”
Her silence made me panic. Did I go overboard with the restaurant? I wanted something nice and fairly close to her apartment.
“That sounds nice. I’ll meet you there at one o’clock…Oh, and Lucas?”
“Yes Maddie?”
“Thank-you for the opportunity.” Her voice sounded strong and confident.
“You are welcome but the job offers are all due to your brilliance and civic commitment Maddie. Remember that.”
After I hung up the phone, I stared off into space for a few minutes, smiling that my plan was beginning to work. It was just a matter of time before I was thoroughly entrenched in Maddie’s life.
I arrived at the restaurant fifteen minutes early to ensure we had the best table and to try and calm my nerves. I’m normally in control, but the thought of forever with her was making me crazy.
At precisely one o’clock, Maddie walked in wearing the most amazing blue sheath dress that highlighted her delicious curves. She wore high heels that accentuated the muscles in her legs and pushed her ass out, making my mouth water.
I was so enthralled with her beauty that I didn’t realize she was standing in front of me with her head shifted slightly sideways, staring at me questioningly. An amused smile graced her beautiful face, like the sun was shining down from heaven.
I cleared my throat and stood to greet her, pulling her chair out, and making sure she was comfortably seated, all the while willing my heart to slow down and my lust to cool off. The last thing I wanted to do was to make her uncomfortable around me. No. I wanted her to love me.
“It is so good to see you again. I’m glad you looked over the offers and have agreed to join MSJ Media.” I used the most professional voice I could muster.
Did this woman know how hard I was working to not pull her into a kiss and devour her?
“It’s good to see you too, Lucas, though I am surprised by all of this. How on earth did you find me?” she asked, almost shy in her delivery.
This is not the Maddie I knew. No. This was a shy and scared young woman, looking for her place in the world and afraid of losing herself in the process.
“Like I explained on the phone, it was all unplanned. Your name came across my desk a month or so ago in a resume sweep we conduct quarterly. We look at the most recent graduates of various programs and degrees and then offer them employment before they are snatched up by a competitor. We only hire the best and the brightest at MSJ and after our…” he hesitated, “…meeting, I decided that you were most definitely the best of the best. So we made you an offer. When I met you in the bar a few weeks ago, your name sounded familiar, but I deal with quite a number of people in business, so I brushed it off as déjà vu.” I tried to explain, telling just enough of the truth to be honest, but holding back to protect her and this precarious situation we were in.
“Oh, I see.” Clenching her napkin in her hands, trying not to appear nervous, eyes cast down.
The waiter appeared at the perfect time, taking our drink orders and leaving us to talk.
Trying to steer the conversation back to business and hoping to put her at ease, I began to outline the finer points of the company and boasted about the new programs we’ve implemented over the past few months.
The waiter brought our drinks, took our food order and we settled into a nice conversation about the company and her school achievements. I pushed her to sing her own praises, but she seemed reluctant to boast.
God, I love her. Beautiful, smart, selfless and modest. She was perfect.
“After listening to me ramble on and on, let me ask you the quarter of a million-dollar question.” I gave her a small smirk. “Which position to do like?”
That sounded extremely filthy and I let the question linger between us for a moment, hoping to focus her mind on me, even for a moment.
“Well,” she reached up and took a sip of her wine and shifted her eyes to me, letting me know she was just as affected by me as I was by her. “I liked the information you sent about the Literacy and Senior Development program, only I was unable to find anything on the Corporate website regarding its history, success/failure rate, partnerships, etc. That’s where my confusion comes in as this job seems almost too good to be true. I feel like I am being set up and I’m not sure why. Please tell me everything there is on this program so I can make an informed decision with all the pertinent facts.” She was using her most professional tone and left no room for argument.
“Before we start, can I get you another drink?” Hoping to ease her anxiety. Her aunt and uncle warned me about how bad her anxiety could get and I don’t want to send her running. Apparently, that was her MO and I refused to allow her to run from me. Not now, Not ever.
She glanced up to see the waiter bringing our lunch over and she nodded her head at his offer to get her another drink, indicating she was ready to extend this lunch. She could have eaten, spoken about the job and run. Another drink meant she was comfortable and happy sitting here with me.
“Another drink for both of us… and some privacy, please.” I indicated to the waiter that we needed to be alone. I made sure we were far away from the late lunch crowd and I didn’t need anything distracting her from me.
I wanted…no, I needed…all of her attention on me.
As we began to enjoy our meal, I made note that Maddie is a bit of a weird eater. She ordered their famous chicken, pecan, and feta salad, only to move all the feta cheese to the side, eating only a small quantity of the pungent cheese.
“Not a fan of cheese?” I asked, curious why she ordered a salad that has something on it that she doesn’t eat.
“I love feta cheese, but it’s overpowering the chicken and pecans, so moving it seemed easier that letting it lessen such a perfect salad.” She smiled slightly and began to eat again.
Another positive for her. She could have complained to the waiter or insisted they make her a new salad, like a lot of people would do, but she chose to eat it as served, only avoiding parts that she didn’t like. To me, that demonstrated that she was adaptable and found compromise easy.
After a little more small talk about Caroline, the job she currently held and a very brief touch on her family, I swung the conversation to the job.
“To answer your previous question, the job was in the planning stages until your resume came to the attention of the Board of Directors. After they did some research on your educational achievements, as well as your involvement in youth literacy and senior involvement, we knew you would be perfect for this new position. You will be able to design the programs, work with senior retirement homes and assisted living to find people who are willing to tutor students who need help with reading. They can be bussed to each other and third site locations to engage their minds and to keep them all young.”
“Excuse me for interrupting you, but this seems like it is going to be an expensive endeavor and a potential logistical nightmare. There will need to be buses, releases, facilities that can house everyone…”
Hoping to stop her worry and rambling, I reached across the table and the instant I touched her hand, the electricity shot up my arm, warming my entire body and soul.
She stopped speaking and with wide eyes, looked at out connected hands, never letting go of our entwined fingers. Her gaze drifted back to me and I saw everything she was feeling at that moment.
Confusion, recognition, lust… love?
“Calm down, Maddie. You see, that’s why you will be perfect for his job. You are already worrying about the details and the program hasn’t even gotten off the ground. The Board believes you are the best choice for this pilot program and I second their opinion. I want you to realize that there will be quite a few long days and possibly late evenings until we get everything running as you envision it, but please be patient. If you need something, additional resources, someone to bounce ideas off of, just a friendly shoulder to cry on or a hand to hold, I hope that you will come to me.” I expressed, praying she agreed immediately so I could exhale the breath I was holding.
“I would appreciate that very much Lucas. And please let me officially accept the position at MSJ Media. I just hope I don’t let anyone down.”
“That, Maddie, is impossible.” Reaching across the table and gently stroking the side of her face with my hand, causing her to lean into my touch.
Her eyes closed and a small sign escaped her lips, seeming like she was content and happy.
Please let that be because of me.
She opened her beautiful eyes and I could swear I was looking into my forever.