James
I paced my office, walking from my desk to the window to my personal coffee machine and back. I glanced at my watch again and again. Every time I looked it was only a minute or two later.
Dammit.
They were coming at nine. It was nine now. Tuesday, as agreed. Where the hell were they?
I called Lauren at the reception.
“Who’s my nine o’clock today?” I asked.
“Caleb Thompson and a Miss Ava Fischer,” she said.
“Thank you,” I said and hung up. They were coming. They had to.
I took a deep breath and sat behind my desk. I wasn’t going to lose it this time. Ava and Caleb were coming for a meeting and I would keep my cool when she was in the office. My feelings were so up and down when I was around her, but I had to be professional.
I didn’t have to fall for her when I worked with her. She was just a contractor, someone to make sure my company survived. It was pure business.
I swiveled in my chair. The last conversation I’d had with her wasn’t a good one. I remembered it like it was yesterday.
“I’ve been trying to reach you all week,” she said. “Where have you been?”
“I’ve been busy. I’m sorry. My dad has been keeping me busy.”
“It’s okay. We can talk now, right?”
I took a deep breath.
“Ava, I don’t think this is going to work.”
She was quiet long enough that I knew she knew what I was saying.
“What isn’t going to work?” she asked anyway.
“This… thing. Between us. Let’s be realistic. You’re so far away and the chances that we’ll ever see each other again…”
“You can’t do this to me,” she said and her voice cracked a little. “You promised. I said I would come to you.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I said. This was killing me. She sounded so hurt. “You shouldn’t come here. We’re from different worlds. The summer was fantastic, you know it was, but we have to face real life, now.”
“And what is real life, James?” Her voice trembled.
“We’re from different worlds.”
“Yeah, you said that. Is it money? It’s because you’re rich and I’m not, isn’t it?”
I stayed quiet because I couldn’t deny it. It wasn’t the reason she was hearing, but whatever conclusion she jumped to, hurting herself, would be easier than me hurting her.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I had the best summer with you.”
The line went dead.
I should have told her off differently, but I didn’t know how. How could I have told her that my father would have eaten her alive, that no matter how much I cared for her, she would never have been good enough for him? He’d passed away six years ago and I was still stuck under his terrible rule, feeling like I was a disappointment to a man that didn’t even exist anymore. How much more would she have suffered?
I hadn’t said it because I’d known she wouldn’t understand. She hadn’t grown-up in a life where your social standing was nothing more than a cage with bars of judgment and you could never be free.
Thinking that I’d rejected her was the only way I could get her to let her go. No matter how much it had hurt.
So, this was how it was, now. I wasn’t going to fall for her again. I could control myself.
A moment later a knock sounded on the door and Caleb opened it, holding it for Ava. She walked into my office, her presence preceding her. She smelled like the ocean and I breathed in deeply.
Her dark hair hung over her shoulders, her dark eyes liquid and unsmiling as she held out her hand to greet me. Even with her solemn expression, she was beautiful. When I took her hand her skin was soft, like the skin of a rose. She wore black pants and a cream blouse that made her skin look tan.
“Thank you for meeting with me,” I said, shaking Caleb’s hand as well. They both sat down in the armchairs opposite me. Ava took a file out of her bag. I watched her move – elegant and graceful – and I knew that I was in trouble. There was no way I was going to be able to switch off to her and pretend that it was all about business. Looking the way she did now, I wanted her. I wanted to be with her. I wanted to touch her body. I wanted to relearn everything I used to know about her, I wanted to find out who she’d become.
“I’ve spoken to Caleb about the issues that have already shown up,” she said. “Judging by what we’re seeing I need to look into the books a little further to find out how long this has been going on. It can’t be an accident as far as I can see, which means that someone is behind this.”
I nodded, glancing at Caleb. He was watching her while she spoke. What did he think of her? Obviously, he knew she was good at what she did and trustworthy, otherwise, he wouldn’t have brought her. But he knew her as a person. What did he think of her?
I pulled my thoughts back to the conversation before I could become irrationally jealous.
“If we’re going to do this,” Ava continued, “I need you to consider that this might be bigger than you initially thought, and you need to be prepared that some people may be involved that you wouldn’t have suspected.”
“You mean Amanda,” I said with a sigh.
“As an example,” Ava said, nodding. “I don’t mean to accuse anyone falsely but it will be easier if you keep an open mind.”
I nodded. “Fair enough,” I said. I didn’t think Amanda would do that to me but if Ava went into the books she could prove that Amanda was innocent. I wouldn’t have to say anything.
Ava looked down at her notes again. “I don’t know how long something like this will take. Caleb mentioned you’re trying to branch out.”
“We want to, yes.”
“I need you to keep putting that on hold. Just until we’re sure what’s going on.”
“That’s going to be hard,” I said. “Amanda is already getting upset that we’re stalling this long.”
Caleb leaned forward a little. “I’ll see what I can do to advise you wait for a little. You’ll have to put your foot down with her, though.”
“Can you do that?” Ava asked. I blinked at her. Was she challenging me?
“Of course, I can do that,” I snapped, even though I wasn’t sure.
Ava shook her head. “I didn’t mean it that way. I’m just asking if it’s a possibility. Not if you’re able.”
I swallowed hard and breathed in and out through my nose.
“Right. Well, we’ll have to take it as it comes,” I said.
She nodded. I looked at her. She was a closed book. There was nothing besides the business we were doing. Where was the girl I’d fallen for? She was so serious and to the point, I could scream. I wanted to know her. I wanted to reach in there and grab the person she was behind her business mask.
I had no right to reach her.
“I think that’s it, then,” Ava said and packed her notes away again. She looked at Caleb, who nodded.
“Caleb, can I speak to you for a minute, in private?” I asked.
Caleb nodded, turning to Ava. “Will you wait outside for me?”
“Sure,” she said. “I’ll be right outside.”
She nodded curtly at me. “James,” she said.
“Ava.”
I didn’t know how else to respond to her. She left the office and closed the door behind her. Caleb turned to me.
“So, she’s going to do it?” I asked. “She seems eager enough.”
Caleb shrugged pushing his hands into his pockets. “I don’t know, yet. She hasn’t given me an answer but it does look like she’s seriously considering it.”
I nodded.
“You look less flustered, today,” Caleb said. “Getting used to the idea of having her around?”
“Well, it was a shock at first, as you can imagine, but yes. I don’t’ foresee any problems working with her if that’s what you’re asking.”
Caleb shrugged. “She’s a good woman, James. And I’m not just talking about work. I can understand if her presence is unsettling, considering that you have a history with her.”
I looked at Caleb, trying not to narrow my eyes at him, to be dominant.
“You know her quite well,” I said. It was easy to see Ava was comfortable around Caleb.
Caleb pulled up one shoulder. “We spent a lot of time together as kids and we’ve been in contact ever since. Ava is the kind of person you don’t want to get away from once you know her.”
Jealousy shot through my chest. She was kind of woman you didn’t want to get away from. I mean, I agreed, but the fact that Caleb felt that way…
I tried to control myself. I had told her off. I had pushed her away when Caleb hadn’t, obviously. This was my fault if it was anyone. I couldn’t be ridiculous about it, now. Although, I really wanted to. A part of me wanted to tell Caleb to back off. But I had no right to her. I couldn’t tell him that.
“Thank you for handling this,” I said, thanking Caleb instead of making a fool of myself and yelling at him to stay away from Ava. “I appreciate your efforts. And your friendship.”
Laying in on a little thick? Maybe.
Caleb nodded and shook my hand before leaving my office. He closed the door behind him. I sighed and sank down into my chair. Ava wasn’t off-limits by any means. I had no say over who she dated and why. But I didn’t want Caleb to have her. If I couldn’t it would be nothing short of torture if he ended up with her. His friendship with her alone pissed me off.
When I looked at the facts, there wasn’t any reason for Ava not to fall for Caleb in the end. He had never hurt her. What was more, he was a decent guy.
A lot more decent than I ever was. If she deserved anyone, it would be someone like him, rather than someone like me.