Tasha
The whole rush and go of the office was nothing but a haze. When my assistant tried to show me a new fashion website she found, I couldn't focus on her computer screen. Somehow I made it into my office and shut the door behind me. I shook my head and reminded myself that I had work to do.
Minutes later, I was standing at my desk, phone in hand, with no idea whose number I dialed.
"You've reached Barbie. Leave a message."
I blinked. "Uh, hi, it's me. I, ah, wanted to say thank you for stopping by the new garden site. Everything is going great with the project. . ."
I bit my lip to keep from blurting out that Rainer was currently in his office with an ultra-rich model hanging around his neck. My sister would have no idea who Ellison Ramsey was, and she wouldn't care. Why did I care?
"Anyway," I continued. "I'll be working closer to home more often now that the community garden is a go. Maybe I can stop by and see what you're doing with the spare bedroom. Want some help shopping for a crib and stuff?"
My hands started to sweat. Barbie was definitely going to hear something was off. I quickly rattled off a hopefully breezy goodbye and hung up the phone. There was no way my sister was going to dismiss that voicemail as distracted by work.
I slumped into my desk chair. How was I supposed to work when I was stuttering and saying words like 'stuff?' I had to pull myself together.
I closed my eyes and prepared to re-imagine my entire day. I pictured myself in bed, just before my alarm went off. For the first time in months, I had been startled awake by the insistent buzzing. Normally, I was already awake and plotting my work day by the time the alarm sounded. Somehow I had fallen into a deep sleep that lasted through what was left of that night.
Then I remembered the night. Rainer's kisses continuing even as we gasped against each other's lips. The weight of his body over me, his flexing arms sheltering me, his hands tangled in my hair. The very real thought that everything outside my condo window had disappeared and San Francisco was on another planet.
I wasn't the only one with stars in my eyes. Rainer had given me a long searching look, our bodies still pressed together, until I had to look away.
That was the reason I had called him later. He looked surprised and happy, like he didn't want to let me go. It was clearly a new sensation for him, and it terrified me. I couldn't have that on his face while we tried to work together. I wasn't an experiment for him to conduct when business got boring. If he wanted to play with long-term, he'd have to find some other chump.
Or a filthy rich, gorgeous ex-girlfriend.
I rocketed out of my office chair and dug out my phone. The recording I took of Rainer giving me all the credit was still on my phone, and I should have played it for Stan earlier. It had felt petty and childish, but now I knew it was just self-preservation. Rainer got what he wanted whether it was billions of dollars or the cream of high society women, and I needed to make sure he didn't take anything more from me. For once, I was going to make sure I got the credit for all my hard work. Especially since I still had to put up with Rainer on my team.
I jumped two feet when my office door flew open. Amy rushed in with her hands flapping.
"You'll never guess who's here," my temporary assistant squeaked. "Guess!"
"I thought you said I'd never be able to guess, so why don't you just tell me?" I put away my phone and wandered back around my desk.
Amy followed me, grabbed my arm, and dragged me to my office door. "Only the biggest fashion icon in all of San Francisco. Did you know she's had lunch with Princess Kate?"
"I think Kate Middleton's title is actually 'Duchess,'" I said.
Amy shook my arm. "That doesn't matter. She's practically our princess."
"Who?" I asked, prying loose Amy's grip.
Amy rolled her eyes and pointed. "Ellison Ramsey. Isn't she the best? Just look at that outfit!"
I didn't want to look. I tried again to pry my assistant's hand off my arm, but it didn't work. Amy was caught in the grip of awe and could not move a muscle. I panicked, not wanting Rainer to glance up and see me held dumbstruck in the door of my office while Amy practically drooled over his ex-girlfriend.
They didn't look like exes anymore.
Ellison used one elegant hand, glittering with delicate gold rings, to brush back her honey-brown hair. My hair looked like rust compared to hers. She was willow thin, dressed as if the clothes had been made for her, and as tall and self-assured in her posture as royalty.
"Oh my God, can you imagine if they got married?" Amy woke from her trance with a fresh squeal of delight.
I yanked my arm free and spun back towards my desk. Everyone in the office was watching Rainer and his glorious ex-girlfriend, or fiancée. I cringed but had to look again. All the junior executives were milling around, waiting for an introduction or the chance to clap Rainer on the back. He'd be congratulated and revered all afternoon after just one sighting with Ellison Ramsey.
It didn't matter to me. In fact, if Rainer was distracted with someone like her, then I could go back to running my GroGreen campaign on my own. It should have been a good thing.
My stomach hurt, and my chest felt like concrete. I couldn't catch a deep breath.
All over a conniving, ladder-climbing, soulless businessman? No, I told myself firmly. Clearly, office romances were not for me. A businessman would never make me happy, especially not Rainer Maxwell.
"Amy, shut the door. I need to get back to work," I said.
My temporary assistant rolled her eyes again but finally did as I asked. I stared at my computer screen and waited. Work would save me, it always did.
When my office door popped open again minutes later, I swallowed a scream. I was set to finally tell my temporary assistant just how useless she was and that she was fired, and then I looked up. Rainer stood in the doorway with one hand raised to knock.
"I just need a minute," he said.
I squeezed the ball point pen I was holding until I thought it would snap. "People usually knock before they open the door."
"We got interrupted this morning, and I wanted to make sure I followed up," Rainer said. He stepped into my office and shut the door on Amy's curious face.
It was impossible not to feel the pull of attraction. Rainer was dressed in a custom-tailored suit, and yet he still looked as comfortable as a man in his favorite tee-shirt. Maybe it was the way his dark brown hair was jut barely under control. Or the way his wide, strong hands were always flexing as if looking for something to do. Strip away the silk tie and the polished shoes, and he would be drop dead gorgeous. I tried not to remember how well I knew that.
"What do you want, Rainer?" I asked.
He scowled at me. Then he looked just over my shoulder, at something far out the window. He couldn't see farther than the gray building next door, but his eyes were searching. Rainer sighed and dropped his gaze back to me.
"Ellison is an ex. I had no idea she'd be stopping by today," he said.
I tossed my pen down and laced my fingers tight together. "If this isn't about work, then you should go."
"I know what people think I'm like," Rainer snapped. He ran both hands through his hair, destroying the careful control there, and sat down across from me. "I don't just jump from woman to woman. I don't want an endless string of one-night stands."
I jumped up, unable to look directly into his eyes. "I have work to do, Rainer. I'm not your therapist."
He let out a harsh sigh and stood up. "You seriously think we can just go back to work?"
It felt like fleeing, but I went to the office door and laid a hand on the handle. "We're at work. Though I really should be getting over to the garden site."
"Drive together?" Rainer asked, but his sharp tone said he knew my answer.
"I have a few things to finish up here. You go ahead. I'll meet you there."
"Yeah, sure," he said. "Who needs to have a real conversation when there are papers to shuffle. Stick with what you can organize and put on a schedule. Safer that way."
I opened my office door and kept my eyes on the far wall. Work had always been my escape, my shield, and it scared me more than I wanted to admit that Rainer saw that. He must have seen my reaction to Ellison too, otherwise he wouldn't have come in to try to explain. I swallowed hard despite the nervous sparks in my stomach. Rainer was perceptive, but he didn't know me.
He stopped right in the doorway, inches from me. I had no choice but to meet his blue eyes. It was a struggle, but I answered his gaze without blinking.
"I'm not going to let you file me away, Tasha," Rainer said.
"Why not?" I clung to the door but refused to back down.
His jaw flexed, and he shifted, not sure whether he wanted to kiss me or shake me. "Because we're not done."
"Check your messages," I said. "I've rescaled the community garden project. One month and we hand over the reins. One month and all I have to do is call the recreation department to check in. You'll be off the hook, if you last that long."
Rainer was angry. "You're going to organize me out of your life? Too bad I don't respond to memos."
I watched him stalk out of my office and down the hall before I berated myself. Why couldn't I just ignore him? Instead, I all but issued him a challenge.
Rainer Maxwell never lost a bet. By the time I drove to the garden site, I had remembered every office legend I had ever heard. He once beat an intern in a race up the stairwell. Ten flights and they both collapsed, but Rainer was three steps ahead. James Berger once bragged about bringing a celebrity to an executive dinner party. Rainer brought an entire iconic rock band.
And then there were the women.
Rainer once destroyed the office kitchenette in order to surprise a particularly beautiful barista with pink cupcakes. The countertop was stained with red food dye for a week. His date for the holiday potluck one year was the hottest chef in San Francisco. He jogged the first two miles of a marathon in dress shoes, just to get a pretty runner's number.
It didn't mean anything, I assured myself.
I was just another challenge to Rainer, and once he saw that I was ambivalent he would have to give up. All I had to do was ignore him, and he'd go back to wild dates with models and dinners with rich socialites like Ellison Ramsey.
I rubbed a hand over my heart. Then everything would go back to normal. And I would be fine.
I had to give myself the entire speech over again as I got out of my car at the garden site. Rainer was already there, somehow charming a group of junior high students into enjoying the planting phase. They gathered around him to see what he did with the app and then spread out to work the garden plot. The teachers stood to the side in awe.
One of the teachers, a young woman with a long, silky ponytail, licked her lips as she watched Rainer lean down to check a row of seeds.
"I'd understand your annoyance if it was reversed," Barbie said.
I jumped at her sudden appearance next to me. "What?"
"If your co-worker was just standing around ogling women. But, he looks pretty busy to me. So, why are you staring at him like that?" Barbie asked.
"Why are you here?" I asked my sister.
She laughed, holding her pregnant stomach as it jiggled. "I don't know, but I'm glad I came. What is going on with you and him?"
I clutched my clipboard and checked a row of calculations. The seeds would take two to three weeks to sprout. That's when I needed to schedule a professional photographer. I needed someone who could capture Hyperion executives with their shirt sleeves rolled up. Rainer's bright smile as he answered the junior high kids' sarcasm with easy retorts. He would look good, I mean, the garden would look great on our website.
"Hello, earth to little sis." Barbie waved a hand in front of my eyes. "You left me a cryptic message this morning. Remember? I came to see what was going on with you."
"I was just a little distracted this morning. It was nothing. How are you? Have you painted the baby's room yet?" I gave my sister a bright smile.
"Oh, no, you don't. You're telling me right now what is going on between you and your gorgeous co-worker." Barbie crossed her arms and tried to look fierce, but a grin kept bursting through.
I swatted her arm. "Nothing. Nothing is going on. I'm pretty sure you'll see him in the headlines soon hanging off the arm of some great socialite."
"But before that, something happened between you two, didn't it?" Barbie turned and stared at Rainer until I stepped in her way. Then she grinned at me. "I can see it. If you'd stop frowning, I'd say you look good."
I tried not to look at Rainer, but he was staring over at us. "You're not seeing anything."
Barbie shrugged her shoulders and patted her belly. "Fine. You two aren't trading glances. You know what else I see?"
I barely stifled a groan. "Barbie, I don't have time for this."
"Make time," my sister said. "With him."
Her mischievous grin was gone, and there was a faraway look in her eyes. I turned to see what had my sister so captivated and I caught my breath. 6'3", wide shoulders, gold-blond hair, and a bright, easy smile. He shut the door of his pickup truck and caught the eye of every woman in a 500-yard radius.
"Yeah," I said. "He's my new guy. I mean, he's the landscape architect who volunteered to help out."
My sister fell silent as he marched up to us with a shy nod. "You must be Tasha Nichols. Wow. Ah, yeah, I'm Seth Larson, the landscaper."
He had dark-brown eyes, chocolate brown. I imagined him licking dark chocolate off a spoon. Were we getting ice cream sundaes together?
"Sorry. Yes. I'm Tasha Nichols." Barbie elbowed me. "And this is my older sister, Barbara."
"Please, call me Barbie," my sister said.
Seth smiled at her round belly, took her hand, and kissed the back of it. "You look beautiful today, Barbie."
"Oh, that'll get me through at least another month." Barbie laughed. She hugged her pregnant belly and stepped back. "Why don't I give you two a minute."
I flashed my sister a look and turned back. Seth was a step closer, his hand out to shake mine. I put my hand in his and willed away a sudden dizziness. When I saw Rainer stomping out of the garden plot while watching us, I swayed.
Seth caught me. "You all right?" he asked.
"Yes, sorry. Fine. Just a pebble under my shoe." I straightened up and brandished my clipboard. "Let me get you caught up."
I couldn't stop talking, even after I saw Mr. Reynolds catch Rainer in a round of long-winded introductions. Every time I glanced at Seth, all I saw was a patient smile. His warm, brown eyes watched me, charmed despite my over-explaining. This couldn't be happening. Was he flirting with me?
"This is a great operation, Tasha. Can I call you Tasha?" Seth tipped the clipboard down.
My arms were like jelly. Rainer was shooting us rapid-fire glances, but I couldn't read his expression.
"Yes, please. Call me Tasha," I said. "I'm sorry for running on and on. Did I miss anything?"
Seth held up a hand. "All I really need to know is what I can do for you. How can I help?"
My jaw dropped over the overt invitation. Seth's arm was circling around my shoulder. I skittered back and thought I caught the curve of a grin on Rainer's face. "Ah, we really just want your opinion on the project. Feedback on the application. Maybe some suggestions for projects, DIY, for the students?"
"Great," Seth said. "How about you show me around the garden plot, I'll put together a few ideas, and then we can talk about them over dinner?"
I almost laughed out loud. I'd been flirted with before, asked out before, but never so warmly or so quickly. Half of me thought there was no such allure as an unavailable woman, but I couldn't figure out why I was off the market.
Barbie swooped in, taking delight in patting Seth's muscular arm. "Sorry to interrupt, honey. I have to cancel dinner tonight, Tasha. I'm so glad you have other plans. I feel just terrible."
"Great. Then it's a date?" Seth asked.
Seth held his hand out to me, but Rainer stepped in and shook it. "Rainer Maxwell, Tasha's co-pilot on this project. And you are?"
Barbie threw me a horrified look, but the two men nodded and shook hands.
"You can call me Seth, Mr. Rainer. I'm the landscaper Ms. Nichols asked to consult on your project. By the way, I think this is so inspired." Seth turned back to me with another warm smile.
Rainer cleared his throat. "So, where would you like to start? Should I show you over to the garden plot or do you think you can find it from here?"
Seth sized Rainer up and then glanced across the parking lot to the plot we had cleared. "I think I can find my way."
"I'll go with you," I said. Ignoring Barbie's not-so-subtle cheerleading moves, I moved to stand next to Seth. "My co-workers are all buying up new properties, and I'm thinking of joining the trend. Maybe you can give me some suggestions for fixing up my lot before I try to sell?"
It was a good thing Seth saw neither my sister's face nor Rainer's scowl. We fell in step across the parking lot, but it was hard to concentrate on what the attractive landscaper was saying. Rainer was following close behind, and my sister could not help but trail along out of curiosity.
Seth noticed too, but it didn't seem to bother him. A light breeze ruffled his hair, and his brown eyes crinkled at the corners. "I'm not going to lie; I read up on your company. Congratulations on your recent windfall. Still, I hope you stick around the East Bay for a while longer."
"Me too," Barbie puffed. "Can you imagine our Tasha here in some big empty house? All white marble and modern lighting?"
Rainer caught his shoe on the curb. "What's wrong with that?"
"It's wrong for my sister," Barbie said.
I glared at my sister behind Seth's back. "Rainer's right. I've got to keep up with the execs."
Seth ignored the uneven terrain of the conversation, "Well, I'd be happy to swing by your place and give you a few suggestions. Still, you might find it's nice to have an oasis away from work."
"She could buy an oasis," Rainer muttered.
"Would that make all of you more comfortable?" I asked Rainer. "Would you and Berger and the other boys be happier if I spent my money in the same ridiculous ways as you?"
"I see a good vantage point from over there," Seth said. He skirted away from us and into the garden plot. Barbie followed him but kept an uncomfortably keen eye on me.
"So, I bought a new house in a better neighborhood," Rainer said. "Is that really ridiculous?"
I crossed my arms. "No, and I'm sure you and your girlfriend are going to have a great time redecorating it. That doesn't mean I have to go making the same split-second decisions about everything."
Rainer moved in front of me and tipped my chin up with one finger. "Ellison is not my girlfriend. She's just ex who stopped by. I'm not dating any one woman exclusively."
"Just eight or nine?" I bit my lip to keep more from coming out.
Rainer ran a hand through his hair. "Look, I know what you've seen at work, but I'm telling you the truth: it's all a show. Sure, I like flirting and dating and being seen with beautiful women, and it doesn't hurt the company's publicity, but that doesn't mean I'm a total jerk."
"You just play one in real life?" I scrubbed a hand over my mouth.
"Hey, Seth, why don't I show you our layout on the application?" Rainer spun away from me and headed into the garden plot.
It took longer for usual for my sister to sidle back over to me. She pressed one hand to her rounded belly and blew out a hot breath of air. "How about you suggest a path in this garden? Maybe something nice and even, not too steep."
"Very funny, Barbie." I turned back to my car then realized the clipboard I hoped needed retrieving was still in my hand.
"Tasha, you've got to tell me what's going on with you." Barbie caught my hand and gave it a squeeze.
I ground my teeth but gave in. "Let's just say it's ten times worse than the office holiday party."
My sister shook her head. "This doesn't seem so one-way to me. Didn't you see that jealous face he pulled when you went to walk with Seth?"
I snapped my pen loose from the clipboard and pretended I had something to write down. "He's just territorial. Like an ape."
Barbie smiled. "Finding it hard to say nice things about him? Sure sign you're feeling something for Rainer."
I couldn't let my sister see she might be right, but there was nowhere for me to go. Except over to where Rainer sat sizing up the landscaper. Rainer was waving his phone around and showing off the GroGreen application with great enthusiasm. Seth was studying the garden, a Zen-like smile on his tanned face.
"You know, I've been thinking," Barbie said as she heaved herself up the small hill to stand next to me.
"Oh, yes, Barbie suggested a garden path. Something nice and even," I said.
Both men smiled and nodded, but all I saw was Rainer's fierce eyebrows. Even as he smiled, they were drawing tighter together. Our conversation was clearly not over, but I had no idea why he was so set on convincing me Ellison wasn't his girlfriend. Why would that matter to me?
"No, actually, I was thinking you should try that great little hotel in Tasha's town. You know, when you go on your date. Do a pregnant mama a favor and try one of those Cuban sidecar cocktails," Barbie said.
So, that's what jealous looks like, I thought as Rainer's frown deepened. He suddenly noticed a text message and got out of the garden plot as if the hillside was on fire. The only problem was, I watched him go before remembering Seth was still there and smiling at me.