Kara rubbed the spot on her skull where an ice pick named Jane had been jammed into her head. Kara recalled why she didn’t associate with people like her, especially when cornered in public. Like the restaurant she was currently trapped in.

“You feeling okay?” Jane asked, picking at her salad, pushing away the onions, then the cucumbers, then tomatoes, leaving leafy greens doused in buttermilk ranch. Kara had to remember the woman across from her was young enough to get away with eating only the bad, but best tasting, parts.

Kara plastered on a fake smile. “Yes, just had an itch. What were you saying?”

Jane stuffed lettuce into her mouth and talked while chewing. Kara had to look down at her own plate to keep from being completely grossed out. “Just how nice the diamond earrings were that Dan bought me last weekend.”

Dan? Oh, right. Max’s father’s name. She’d only heard the company owner’s first name a time or two. Usually it was “Mr. Richards” from the employees and “my father” if Max was complaining about something.

Kara was sure the earrings were stunning. And she was sure Jane did nothing to deserve them. Now, now, Kara chastised herself mentally. That wasn’t a nice thought, even though it might have been true. Kara didn’t know the spoiled brat seated across from her. For all she knew, Jane could be a respectable, friendly, and honest gold digger.

Kara quickly wiped her napkin across her mouth to hide the sudden grin. God, she was so bad. Had to be this job affecting her. Working long hours with no one to go home to and no reason to stay in bed.

She’d definitely stay in bed if the man seated at her side was in it with her. Her imagination pictured his large body propped up against the headboard, the sheet fluttered across his lap, barely hiding the present she so badly wanted to unwrap and sit on or bury down her throat.

A shivering chill made its way down her back. She felt her panties dampening.

Jane’s voice snapped her from her fantasy. “Kara? You listening to me?” The frown on the woman’s face was almost comical. Like she thought the world revolved her. Maybe Dan revolved around her, but Kara certainly didn’t.

“I’m sorry,” Kara said. “What was the question?”

Jane huffed and waved it off. “I just asked what you were doing at work. You know, trying to be nice since you don’t seem to want to talk much.”

Kara’s brows raised at the snippiness, but the little bitty was stabbing another poor lettuce leaf. “Since you’re asking, I’m working on contracts the company currently has with vendors.”

“You mentioned that at the meeting. What are you looking for?” Jane asked.

“Not looking for anything in particular,” she said. “Just getting familiar with things. If we start this manufacturing line, then there will be a lot of changes.”

Jane frowned. “I’m sure. Glad it’s not me. Too much work.”

Kara mentally snorted. She believed Jane’s words completely. Somehow, Kara couldn’t imagine Jane and her three-inch designer fingernails doing anything but pointing.

“Yes,” Kara replied, “it’s work, but worth it if I can save the company money or possible conflicts of interest.”

“Yeah,” Jane said, “how’s that?”

Kara had to think about what the bottle-blonde meant. “You mean how am I saving the company money?” Probably just so the wench could spend it.

“Yeah,” Jane flipped her hand in the air, “whatever.” Right, Kara thought. The bitch was trying to be nice. “I mean, you’re not really calling up everyone and renegotiating, are you?”

“No,” Kara restrained from rolling her eyes. “I’m reading through the paperwork and file.”

“Oh,” Dan’s wife said, “that doesn’t seem too bad. Just reading.”

“Yes,” Kara repeated, “just reading.”

Max’s voice caught her attention as did the man walking toward them—Frank Thomas. He scooted a chair to their table, sitting between Max’s father and Brian. Kara turned back to her salad when the men started in on business. She’d heard bits of their conversation earlier about the company going into manufacturing and figured that would be their topic of choice.

Finally, Jane shut up for a minute. She wondered if Max’s father had to listen to her all the time. There she went, thinking the worst again. In the boardroom, the girl usually had the deer in the headlights look. With the stockholders talking financials, P&Ls, and charts, she was in way over her head. Kara wasn’t even sure why the wife came to the meetings. Surely, she would’ve rather been shopping on Rodeo Drive or Fifth Avenue.

Now, their quietness had grown to the point of being awkward. Dammit. This is what she hated about being with people she didn’t know. If she asked about her marriage to Dan, was it being personable and caring or overstepping and nosey?

When the waiter arrived with their lunches, she breathed a sigh of relief. Eavesdropping, she listened to the men discuss their current shipping issues. With the Panama Canal having finished its upgrade, bigger and more cargo ships would be making a port of call in the States. They needed to see how that would work in the company’s benefit.

The company owned many smaller ships able to pass through the old canal system. Bigger ships had to go around the South American continent to get to the U.S.

If they went into manufacturing in the south, a lot of their traffic would change. The bigger boats could now use the canal while the smaller fleet serviced the new business.

All of that was boring and monotonous to Kara. She enjoyed the challenge of numbers and creating the most efficient way of running the company.

Before she finished her chicken, Frank left with a determined look on his face. She wondered what that was about.

Brian then mentioned to Max that he, Max, needed to attend his mother’s book signing tomorrow. Kara didn’t know much about their mother except she was divorced from their father, and she wrote self-help books.

If Max would be gone for hours tomorrow at the signing, then maybe she’d be able to get something done before they left for South America. One of the vendor contracts was missing most of the paperwork and she had calls out to get more information. As soon as she got through with the project, she could move on to more exciting things.

Jane made a show of looking at her flashy watch. “Oh my.” She hopped up from her chair. “I’m late for my charity meeting.” She blew a kiss to her husband at the far end of the table. “I’ll be back in a while, sweetheart. Don’t hold up dinner for me.” Jane hurried around the patrons at tables and shot out the front door.

Kara wondered how she was getting there since she came with Dan and the car. Maybe the charity was across the street. Or something.