Shane neither hesitated nor flinched. He didn’t miss a single beat. He looked directly back at Danielle and replied without a smile or hint of emotion, “Indeed. That would be something Ms. Kane.”

Their eyes remained steadfast on each other’s as if to see who would blink first. Danielle won the unspoken contest when Shane’s phone suddenly buzzed in his pocket.

“Excuse me. I have to take this. It’s Rome, Italy.” He stepped into the hallway while he spoke and when he returned he apologized to Paolo and Dani for cutting the hotel tour short, claiming he had some unexpected urgent business to tend to.

“Ms. Grummond I’ll need your assistance on this matter.”

Margie accompanied Shane up to his penthouse suite in polite silence but once inside the room that all ended. “What urgent business do we suddenly have in Rome, Italy? I haven’t been informed of any imminent business dealings over there. Is this even on the level?” Margie suddenly became aware of the spectacular suite. “ Wow this is something!”

Shane was taken aback by not only her ability to see through his lie but her fearlessness to call him out on it as well. He decided to come clean with her since he was reasonably sure at this point that he was going to retain her as his secretary.

“Margie you’re absolutely right; there is no urgent business. I just made that up for Christ’s sake. I simply needed an opportunity to come up here and think, that’s all.”

He opened the French doors that led to the wrap-around lanai and stepped outside. The warm gentle trade winds suddenly stirred his memories of Danielle Kane and that incredible summer he spent with her so long ago. He had recognized her the moment she swiveled her chair around and looked up at him, causing a pang of guilt to run the entire length of his body. It had been all he could do just to maintain his composure.

He was also astounded by how amazingly stunning she looked and had to make an almost impossible conscious effort not to stare. The Dani he remembered as a cute sexy college girl had become a confident beautiful business woman. He was glad to see that some things about her hadn’t changed though; she still had her long gorgeous blonde hair. He loved the way it framed her smoldering dark eyes and cascaded down around her luscious breasts. Fuck, she still had a body that could stop a goddamn freight train!

Thinking back on the meeting between them he knew it proved one thing: He was absolutely certain Danielle recognized him. Her entire demeanor had been civil at best and borderline unfriendly. That remark about the past Hawaiian encounter was about as blatant as could be and there was no mistaking the daggers in her eyes as she said it. He was also reasonably sure she hated him which undoubtedly was going to make his job more difficult.

“Margie would you mind coming out here please? I want to talk to you about something.”

She instantly popped out and joined him at the balcony railing.

“You don’t have to ask me twice. Oh wow.…..Isn’t this view spectacular? This whole place is just unbelievable. Everything is just beautiful. I can’t believe I’m actually here. Where’s my room by the way?”

“You’re one floor directly below me. Take a seat won’t you,” he said as he motioned toward the patio sofa. “Didn’t you ever accompany my father on any of his trips to Hawaii?”

“No never. I’m the only one who knows how to run things properly at the office while he’s away so the young ‘inexperienced’ secretaries always got to go with him. As if I didn’t know what that was about.”

Shane wasn’t the least bit surprised by that revelation. There was never any pretense of fidelity in his parents’ marriage while his mother was alive.

“I’m sorry about my father. He’s very lucky to have someone like you that he can trust to take care of things,” he said as sincerely as possible.

“Thank you Shane. I appreciate you saying that. What is it that you want to talk to me about?”

“Professionally I’m sure I can trust you with what I’m about to say.” Shane deliberated on the best way to inform her of his past relationship with Danielle.

“Of course. My reputation depends on that,” Margie assured him. “What is it?”

“It’s about Danielle Kane….. the marketing director you thought looked so familiar?”

“Yes? You’re driving me crazy Shane. For Pete’s sake tell me what you’re talking about already.”

“I’m talking about a… brief romance I had with Danielle we were in college.” Shane stopped right there awaiting a reaction from Margie. But her response was not exactly what he expected.

“Of course. That’s it. That’s the connection…… I knew I’d seen her before. She’s the girl in the photo; the one you were so in love with back then.”

Only a few short minutes ago Shane was sure his words were totally going to shock her but instead it was he who was completely stunned by what had just come out of her mouth.

“Photo of Danielle? What photo? And what makes you think I was in love with her?”

Margie simply laughed and said, “Your dad told me all about that a long time ago. He even showed me a picture he had taken from your desk. I believe he referred to the whole relationship as ‘your utter distraction’.

Shane could feel his blood pressure slowly rising as Margie’s words reminded him of the anger he harbored for his father. He had literally forbade him from ever seeing Danielle again, claiming the love affair with her would distract him from the only things he should be concentrating on – his education and business goals.

“As soon as I told him about her, he ordered me to leave Hawaii immediately and completely sever all ties with her. I was younger and less headstrong then… I did exactly what I was told.”

“That poor girl. She must have been heartbroken and furious. I’m surprised she didn’t track you down with a vengeance and kill you in your sleep. I know I sure as hell would have.”

“I’m sure she wanted to Margie, but I was staying in Hawaii under a fake name...”

“Shane how could you? And to think I stuck up for you. I thought your dad was dead wrong about interfering in your love life and I told him so.”

Although it still pained his heart, Shane had no problem defending himself or his father. To him it was all completely justifiable in the name of business. It was pretty black and white. You do what you gotta do, simple as that.

“As much as I fought him at the time, I can’t say that he was wrong. He told me if I were to succeed in business I can’t let my heart get involved. Period. He said dispassion was the businessman’s best friend and detachment was necessary. That advice has gotten me this far in life…

“But what about Danielle Kane?” asked Margie. “How do you plan on working side by side with her? From the sounds of it she’s a bit popular with the community. You can’t just fire the girl. You’re going to need to win her over.”

“I’m not the least bit worried about winning over Ms. Kane,” Shane said smugly. “In fact, I am looking forward to the challenge.”