Simon

I’d slid out of Peyton’s warm bed about four o’clock in the morning and returned to my corporate housing flat already missing her. Last night had confirmed that her feelings had intensified the same way mine had. Was it possible to fall in love in a few short weeks? I was starting to believe it was.

I needed to have a conversation with Phillip about my next assignment, not to mention about taking holiday time next week. Truth was, I didn’t need to remain on site the entire time during these transactions. In the future, I could get them started, conduct interviews during a few days, and then fly home. Even if I was in the middle of a job, I could travel home on weekends. At least, that was my short-term plan for balancing both work and a relationship.

But long-term she wanted marriage and family. Two things about which I’d never entertained a thought until now. The question was whether I could give her what she needed. She had a father who’d spent most of his hours working, and she wouldn’t settle for a husband who acted the same. Nor would I want to be an absentee husband or father. No way. I wanted movie night, family barbeques, and even the mess which inevitably came with them.

I’d cross that bridge when we came to it, but knowing I wanted more fueled my desire to set expectations.

I’d gone from a man whose sole joy was moving onto the next city to someone who wanted to figure out how I could have it all. But I was determined to make this work. Since I seldom didn’t get what I wanted, I wouldn’t dwell on the doubts.

I showered and dressed quickly for the office, ready to put this week and the purchase behind me so we could get to the weekend and time alone with Peyton.

Close to noon, Tom came strutting into the office.

“What’s the latest with the accounting issue?” I asked him.

He frowned. Not a good sign. “Lyle is continuing to go through the spreadsheets. Jeff is uncooperative now that he hasn’t gotten the position of CFO.”

“In that case, perhaps you should remind him his current job rests on his cooperation. Actually, never mind. I’ll walk down there myself and ensure he gets the message.”

“Lyle is flying in later today. Figured it would be easier for him to go through everything here on site.”

It made me annoyed all over again to think of the bad luck that Lyle had been sick, causing us to use another auditor who didn’t know as much. “Fine. Have him sit with Jeff and ask his questions.”

If that tosser, Jeff, held up the sale, he certainly wouldn’t have a job by the end of the week.

As soon as Tom left, Emma came into my office with lunch. She looked concerned. “You all right?”

I tried to rein in my agitation. “Yes. Fine.”

She closed my door and took a seat in my visitor’s chair with her food. We often had working lunches this way. “Liar. You’re stressed. I don’t see it often, but it’s written all over your face. We’ve had deals delay before.”

“Yes, but I have plans I can’t afford to miss come Friday.” Hadn’t I just reaffirmed to Peyton last night that I could balance both work and personal? That I’d wanted more in the relationship?

“Ah. Dinner with the family?”

I nodded, taking a bite of my sandwich but barely tasting it. “Yes. And since I already messed it up the first time, there’s no way I want to take a chance on missing it again.”

“We have a few days. We’ll be sure you get out on time Friday.”

I wished I had her confidence.

***

Thankfully, Lyle came to my rescue the next day, letting me know Jeff had walked him through the spreadsheets, and the numbers made more sense now. The question was why they’d ever looked strange, but I’d leave that as an after-action item.

At least the paperwork was due to be signed on Friday, and the stress about missing Peyton’s family dinner had abated. I’d already called and reserved a dog-friendly hotel room in Austin for Peyton and me, with the plan to leave on Sunday and spend a few days there. Phillip had been surprised by my request to take time off but had agreed without any argument.

By Friday, I couldn’t wait to have her to myself for seven days. Only getting together during the nights after work wasn’t nearly enough. In fact, we’d only been able to see each other twice this week since we’d been so busy.

When I pulled up in front of the large mansion in a small gated community a few miles from Peyton’s house on Friday night, I realized I was nervous about spending time with her loved ones. I tended to be introverted in purely social situations. On top of that, I hadn’t grown up with a healthy family dynamic, so I had no reference for what to expect. It didn’t help that my first impression hadn’t been great since I hadn’t shown up the last time. Clearly, Peyton’s sister wasn’t one to take that lightly.

But the moment Peyton stepped out of the front door, looking radiant in a navy, jersey knit dress with her hair down, my nerves dissipated. Left in their place was my heart beating overtime. Stuck in my throat were words starting with I, ending with you, and with a love in the middle. It wasn’t the time. However, I knew without a doubt, I was head over heels.

I smiled as I watched her walk towards me, her whiskey eyes bright. She leaned in for a kiss which I happily gave her.

“You’re on time.”

Although she might not have vocalized her doubts about my making tonight a priority, I could tell she was relieved. That made two of us.

“I am.”

“Not saying I was worried, but with the sale finalizing today…”

I put my finger to her lips. “No more work talk. The purchase is with the attorneys, and starting now, I’m officially on holiday.”

“Ooh, I’m digging this new side of you.”

She took the bottle of wine and bouquet of flowers from my hands and led me inside, where three exuberant girls and Cooper all greeted me. This might be out of my element, but it wasn’t long before I felt right at home.

Turned out Kevin, Peyton’s brother-in-law, was a nice guy. Easy to talk to and clearly enamored with his family despite the fact he was completely outnumbered by the women in his house. It also became clear that Peyton’s nieces adored her. As for her sister, despite a few uncomfortable questions, she provided a fountain of information about the woman I loved.

We were about to sit down to dinner when my phone started buzzing. Thankfully, the noise from the three girls was enough to cover, allowing me to excuse myself to the loo once I realized the buzzing wouldn’t stop.

I steeled myself when I saw Phillip’s missed call. Then came the last two from Emma. I dialed her first, dread building in my stomach.

Emma answered on the first ring. “Oh, thank God you answered. I’m sorry to interrupt, but we have a crisis, and I wanted to let you know before you spoke with Philip.”

“What is it?”

“Lyle was doing some comparisons of the spreadsheets he received yesterday to the ones originally provided to Russ. He thinks someone recently changed the numbers as if they’re covering something up. That someone is or was potentially stealing. Tom is on a witch hunt and is unfortunately pointing the finger at someone on Peyton’s staff.”

“Fuck. They don’t think it’s her, though, right?”

She sighed, causing me to curse again. There was absolutely no way Peyton would steal anything.

“They’re not ruling it out. But Tom is here now with Lyle at the office, putting a case together. He’s already called Phillip and gotten him riled up about the possibility of the new CFO embezzling.”

“What about Jeff?” Considering he was the one who’d provided the spreadsheets, my bet would be on him.

“He’s suspected, too, but nobody understands the financial system better than Peyton. And Tom says she has a sizable sum of money in the bank.”

“What does that have to do with anything? I have money in the bank, too. Does that mean I stole it? Where is he coming by his information?” If she did have money, it most likely came from her parents’ estate. Knowing Peyton, she was also probably good at saving.

“Some bullshit about having a friend with the FBI who looked into it.”

“Bollocks.” If Tom was on a witch hunt—especially if he was tossing Peyton’s name around—then I needed to get there fast. But what the hell would I say to her about having to leave? I couldn’t tell her the truth, could I? Emma answered my unspoken question for me.

“Ethically, you can’t tell her. I know you want to. Believe me, so do I. But this is bigger than you or her. She’s now an officer of the company we’re auditing and buying, which puts her on the other side. We’re talking about someone possibly going to prison for stealing. With any hope, it’s all a mistake, in which case we don’t want to accuse them.”

“I know.” Even if I wanted to tell Peyton the truth, there was no way I could. I knew this with one hundred percent certainty. Although I absolutely loathed it, I’d have to lie to her. Then I’d have to leave.

“I can maybe cover for another half hour or so.”

It would take at least that amount of time to drive the distance to the office. I pinched the bridge of my nose. On the one hand, I wanted to protect her. On the other hand, I’d be leaving her family’s dinner and ruining the chance she’d believe I could ever prioritize her above my work. My options sucked because there was no option. “This is a bloody disaster.”

“I’m sorry.”

I looked skyward and thought of the irony that Emma could say the very words I wouldn’t be able to say to Peyton, though I certainly should. “Couldn’t be helped. I’ll be there shortly and ring Phillip on the way.”

“Okay.”

I stepped out of the restroom with dread tying up my stomach in knots.

Peyton was standing in the hall as if waiting on me. “Hey.”

“Hi.” Maybe I’d been fooling myself to think I deserved this woman. That I could manage both a career and relationship.

“What’s wrong?”

“I have to leave.” The words were like acid on my tongue.

Her face didn’t reflect as much surprise as it probably should have. “Why? What’s going on?”

“It’s a potential hiccup with the sale. Something unavoidable. I have to get to the office to deal with it.” Technically, I wasn’t lying, but she could read between the lines. I couldn’t give her details about the company she was working for when I was on the other side of the transaction.

She bit her lip and looked as if she might cry, which made me feel like the biggest arse in the world. “Okay. Did you at least want to say goodbye to everyone?”

“Yes. Of course.” I wasn’t that much of a shit to sneak out the door.

It might as well have been an execution and I was a dead man walking. Everyone was seated at the table waiting for me, with the girls fighting over who would get to sit next to me and Peyton.

“I regret I need to leave. Unfortunately, there’s an emergency at work.”

Kevin was the only one to give me a look of sympathy while his wife glared daggers, and Peyton wouldn’t even meet my eyes.

She walked me silently to the door, her arms wrapped around her waist in a vulnerable pose.

“Please understand this was never my intention,” I said. “This is an unavoidable crisis.”

Her gaze lifted to mine. “I do understand.”

“You do?” I was skeptical, but hopeful at the same time.

“Yeah. Go.”

Although her words conveyed an understanding of my unavoidable dilemma, I started to have second thoughts once I was in my car, driving way. Forcing my unease out of my head, I reasoned she knew I didn’t have a choice.