No trust fund? “All I have to do is get a job?”
“And be responsible—don’t forget that.”
“Okay.” She held out her hand. “Deal.”
“Wow.” He looked surprised. “That was easier than I thought.” He shook her hand, then gave her a hug. “I’ll miss you,” he said.
She froze, unable to remember the last time he hugged her. Weird. She hugged him back. “Uh, me too.”
“I’ll let you get back to your”—he sighed—“tanning.”
“Thanks, Daddy.”
“I love you, Kalista.”
“Love you too,” she said and quickly turned on the radio. Instead of a cool song, a commercial played and she heard her father walk inside. Arkansas... hmm. She could do anything for three months, and it would be nice to see Viv again. This would be a breeze, as long as Clementine had a decent mall. Oh, and a Star-bucks. And a spa. She couldn’t survive without a spa...
Chapter 2
Atlanta, Georgia
You don’t know what he wants?”
Jade looked up from her computer at Charlotte Rae, her coworker in the next cubicle. The fiftyish woman was standing next to Jade’s desk, her thin eyebrows raised above surprised eyes. She’d heard Jade talk to Miles’s secretary when she called a few minutes ago, and as soon as Jade hung up, she came right over.
“I have no idea.” Jade’s nerves started an unpleasant tap dance under her skin. In the ten years she’d worked for Harrington Media—eight of those had been when it was Preston and Ustace Communications—this was the first time she’d been summoned by Miles Harrington, the owner’s nephew and an up-and-coming junior executive. Thankfully, her hands weren’t shaking. With a lot of practice and self-talk, she’d overcome that outward show of her inner anxiety.
“Maybe he’s got the hots for you.” Charlotte gave her a sly look. “He’s about your age and quite handsome. In fact, if I were fifteen years younger—”
“You’re not and you wouldn’t.”
She sighed. “I suppose it would put a tiny crimp in my marriage.”
“Only a crimp?”
Charlotte laughed. “I’m joking. But you’re single and ready to mingle, and from all accounts, so is he.”
Jade put a stack of data sheets in the folder she’d been instructed to bring to her impromptu meeting. “I’m not mingling with anyone.”
“Obviously.”
What did she mean by that? Jade frowned and pushed back from her desk. She had to meet Miles upstairs in fifteen minutes, and she needed to get there early to collect her thoughts. The last thing she wanted was to think about her nonexistent social life, which was nonexistent by choice. “He’s not interested in me.”
“You don’t know that.” She quickly undid the top button of Jade’s blouse.
Jade gasped and pulled back. “What are you doing?”
“You’re too uptight. Showing a little skin—emphasis onlittle— wouldn’t hurt.”
She redid the button. “If you’re finished being ridiculous, I’ve got a meeting to go to.”
Charlotte sighed. “One day you’re going to realize that all work and no play makes for a dull life.”
“My life is fine.” She softened her tone. “Really, I’m happy.” At least as happy as she could be.
“It’s a shame you can’t see that you’re such a catch.” Charlotte’s smile was sweet but bordered on pity too. “I don’t want you to end up an old maid like my cousin Gert.”
“There’s nothing wrong with being single, and I have to go.”
