Blake couldn’t focus on anything Friday morning, even though he’d come in early so he could work in peace. It had been one of the most miserable nights of his life with Jill disappearing with Trevor and Ivey hanging onto him like the plant she was named after. His head ached, and his muscles were tense from a long night with little sleep, but he was determined to survive until Jill had finished her report, then yank her into a conference room and talk this all out until they were one hundred percent square with each other.
A knock on his door alerted him that he was no longer the only one in the office. It surprised him when Ivey came in. She’d had enough to drink the night before that he expected her to be a little late, not early. Her devotion to her job didn’t make him any happier to see her. “Yes?”
She came closer until he could see the darker circles under her eyes, imperfectly concealed with her heavy makeup. What caught his attention the most however, was the strange glitter in her eyes. “There’s something you need to know about Jill Harris.”
He lifted his eyebrows. “Have you not maligned her enough in the past?”
“I have always had a feeling I should keep an eye on her.”
“And it has nothing to do with my obvious romantic interest in her?” Blake was tired of playing games with her.
“Only because I was concerned that you might not see anything beyond her pretty face and long legs.”
With a wave of impatient fury rushing through him, Blake clenched his fists. “Spit it out, Ivey.”
“I heard her with Trevor Walton on the balcony last night. She’s blackmailing him for a positive report and a recommendation that you invest in Gourmand’s.”
Blake froze. There was no way that could be true. “You heard wrong.” It was not a question. He knew there was no way Jill was capable of that.
“I didn’t. She found that he’s been lining his pockets through a supplier, so she had plenty of leverage, and he had the bankroll. They negotiated until they agreed on a check of twelve thousand dollars and a bonus after you’ve invested in the company.”
His brain was frozen. He heard what Ivey was saying, but nothing was processing. This didn’t fit the woman he knew, the woman he loved. Or thought he loved.
“What are you going to do, sir?”
Ivey’s impertinence turned all the pain of this possible betrayal on her. “Why? Do you want to see Jill suffer? See her humiliated? In prison maybe? Ha, if I get my best lawyers on it, I might even be able to get her a cell next to my mother.”
“My only concern is for the company. And for you. I know how much you value honesty and good ethics.”
Blake got up and paced in front of the window that made up the east wall of his office. The morning sun gleamed with an ironic warmth on a day that had grown suddenly dark. “I do. And Ivey, I wish that you would be honest with me. I have known for some time that you have wanted more from me than a professional relationship. I was prepared to overlook it as long as it didn’t impact your work. Upon consideration though, I have decided that is affecting your judgment and causing you to impose on my private matters. I will give you the courtesy of resigning and a glowing recommendation. Please accept it before other measures must be taken.”
Her face blanched. “But I’m telling you the truth.”
“You very well may be. I will get to the bottom of that issue, I promise you. But that has no bearing on why I can no longer have you as my personal assistant.” Blake turned to face the window. “Goodbye, Ivey.”
It was several long moments before the click of Ivey’s heels moved away from him and the door shut behind her. Once she was gone, his shoulders sagged and he walked back to his desk. He just needed to think.
He had been so sure of her. There had been so many signs that led him to believe he could trust her. When she spoke of how well her job paid, it had been a joke, as if money was the least of her concerns. Maybe because this wasn’t the first time she’d extorted money from someone. A week ago, no one could have convinced him that she was mercenary—or despicable enough to take advantage of finding a crook within his company for her own enrichment. Why was he considering it now?
Because she had definitely been up to something with Trevor. Something she refused to tell him about. And if she had been on the up and up, why couldn’t she confide in him? Surely, of all the people in the world, he would have been the one person she could talk to about it.
Coming to this appalling conclusion, Blake stared down at his empty desk, sure that his heart had burned to ash. There was a burning, hollow feeling in his chest that ached past bearing. What should he do? He was in an untenable position. Having made himself and his company the standard for high business ethics, he could not now refrain from exposing her. He realized belatedly that he had fired the one person who could corroborate his claims. What a sickening, tangled nightmare.
No. Wait. There was someone else. Blake grabbed his phone and sent Rick a message, telling him to report to his office immediately. As he waited for Rick to arrive, he paced his office again, trying to control the rising tension that twisted in his gut as he realized Jill would soon be arriving in the office. He just hoped she wouldn’t seek him out—at least until he knew how he was going to handle this.
A knock on his door nearly made his heart stall out, but it was Rick. “Yes, boss?”
“Ivey made some serious accusations about Jill. She said she overheard her making a deal with Trevor. I sent you to follow them. Did you hear anything?”
Rick’s face tightened, and his jaw clenched, but he nodded. Blake listened as Rick repeated nearly word for word what Ivey had said, and each word felt like a death sentence.
“Well, that confirms it. Now what?”
“Sir, I suggest you act cautiously.”
“Why?”
“I know Jill. I believe you do too. In fact, I thought you—well, I won’t say anything about that. My point is, there may be a very good explanation for all of this.”
Blake raised his arms. “What could it possibly be?”
Rick shrugged. “I’d advise giving her a chance to come clean.”
“Thanks, but I didn’t ask you for advice, just to know what you heard. You may go back to work.”
Rick sighed heavily, a worried scowl lining his face. But he didn’t say another word before he left. His words, however, stayed with Blake. He would give Jill a chance to come clean, as Rick phrased it. She’d be giving her report in a few hours, and he’d be listening very attentively.
He barely heard the next knock that landed on his door, so when he looked up and saw Jill coming in, shock immobilized him. His face was so frozen, he couldn’t have spoken or changed his expression to save his life.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“I’ve had some bad news.” He nearly laughed at the inadequacy of the words and the irony of speaking them to her.
“Anything I can help with?”
“Are we sharing things with each other now then?” Blake knew his words foamed with bitterness but he couldn’t check them.
Jill straightened and the color ran from her face. “You’re about to get a full report. You will be able to ask questions until you are satisfied you have everything you need to know.” She narrowed her eyes. “And if you want to continue the Q and A in private, I’d be more than willing.”
Her tone was sharp and taunting, and as angry as he was, he responded to it with enthusiasm. “I’m looking forward to it. Why should we wait for the meeting though?”
Pressing her lips together, Jill pointed a finger at him. “Because I’m professional enough to do things properly.”
Blake’s laugh was harsh and broken. “Are you?”
Now she looked as bewildered as she did angry. Before she could say another word however, another knock fell on the door. Blake and Jill stared each other down until she moved abruptly to open the door. The man on the other side was a stranger to Blake, but it was obvious Jill knew him well.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, not allowing the older man to enter.
He was short, with a greying, balding head. He wore a crisp suit at odds with his loose jowls. “Your father sent me. Excuse me please.”
Jill stepped back but she glared at the man as he walked up to Blake.
“Hello, I’m Burt Johnson. I’ve been sent to oversee Ms. Harris. We apologize that it has taken so long to get one of our senior executives on your account.”
“I told my father not to send someone. What happened?”
Blake thought Jill looked as if she was a hairs-breadth away from snapping. However, this was the perfect solution to his problem. If she didn’t have access to his businesses, she wouldn’t have any leverage to extort money. At least then he wouldn’t have to go through the pain of pressing charges against her.
“This was a decision by the board, Ms. Harris. You are simply too junior of an employee to handle such a large account.”
“Am I? Amazing, since I’ve already done it. I was just on the point of making my recommendations. We have a meeting in less than two hours.”
“Sorry, but that won’t do. Now that I’m here, I’ll need to review all of your reports and collaborate on your conclusions before we make an official recommendation.”
Blake decided it was time for him to enter the conversation. “This meets with my approval. In fact, I would prefer to let Mr. Johnson take over for you Jill.”
He nearly couldn’t bear the look of hurt on her face, as if he had plunged a knife into her and gutted her. “Would you indeed?” Her words were quiet, but they rang with fury. “I will remind you both that I was hired by Nate Haverton. Since he is the one who is paying for our services, he should be the one to make the final decision.”
Blake looked away from her and strode over to the window, unable to bear this a moment longer. “He’s arriving for the meeting this morning, correct?”
“He’s already here. I’ll go get him.” Her voice shook slightly, but Blake couldn’t help but admire her composure. He doubted he’d be able to maintain his for long.
“What is going on here?” a male voice asked from the doorway. Turning, Blake saw Nate coming in, his expression none too pleased. “Jill told me that you both want to take her off the account—my account, in case I need to remind you both.”
Blake sighed. This was going to be difficult. There was only one way to resolve this, though he’d hoped to avoid it. “There have been allegations made against Ms. Harris, which I have verified through two witnesses, one of whom I trust implicitly.”
“What allegations?” Mr. Johnson and Nate asked in unison.
Avoiding Jill’s eyes, knowing it would crush him to look at her, he said, “That Jill conspired to extort money from Gourmand’s candy by blackmailing the manager, Trevor Walton, who is apparently feathering his nest through shady dealings with a supplier.”
Jill gave a sharp, mirthless laugh. “It’s true. Except of course, that you’re missing one vital piece of information. And when you hear it, Blake McDaniel, I hope you choke on regret.”