“I instructed Chris not to letherleave withouthim. If she needs a ride, he’s to drive her. If she goes on foot, he’s to stay with her. You and I both know she’ll argue if you try to tether her. She had too much of that in her life already.”
Very true.
“Have you heard from her yet today?”
Kieran shook his head. “I called to check in. Talked to Zena. She said Em’s been busy, but she’s holding up under pressure.”
That made me smile. Emily was a strong-willed woman. From her suggestions alone, I knew she had a keen sense of business, ultimately had an idea of where she wanted to take her company. While it would’ve been easy for me to strong-arm her into doing things my way, I wasn’t going to hinder her that way. She deserved better than that.
Didn’t mean I wouldn’t be keeping an eye on her.
~~~~
Emily
“Miss Campbell, your three o’clock is here.”
“Thanks, Zena. I need a few minutes.”
The intercom disconnected, and I pulled up my calendar. I went to the three o’clock slot, opened the attachment, and sat back, surprised by the image I saw.
Hannah’s smiling face was staring back at me from the screen. She looked more like the woman who’d been my personal maid than the woman I’d reconnected with at Obsession the night I’d met Kieran. Her blond hair was pulled back in a tight bun, her makeup subdued, her expression one of professionalism and trust.
Not needing to review her qualifications, I pushed back from my desk, strolled to the door. I opened it wide and peeked out, noticing Hannah sitting in one of the guest chairs.
“Hannah?”
“In the flesh,” she said, getting to her feet and holding out her hand as I approached.
She was dressed the part in a pair of brown silk slacks and a cream-colored silk blouse. Being that she was tall, she would’ve towered over me even without the two-inch wide-heeled boots.
I shook her hand, resisting the urge to hug her. It had only been a little over a week since I’d seen her, but it felt like a decade.
“This way,” I urged, gesturing her toward my office and giving Zena a smile.
Once inside, I closed the door and motioned for her to sit in the small conversation area rather than in the guest chair by my desk. I figured this discussion didn’t require as much formality as the others.
“Can I get you something to drink?” I offered.
“No, thank you.” She sat, crossing her legs at the knee. “I’ll admit, it feels a little strange for you to be the one catering to me.”
I laughed. It did feel strange. As though the universe had tipped on its axis a little.
“I had no idea you’d applied for this job,” I admitted, taking my seat, positioning myself to face her.
“Would it have helped if you had?”
I managed a smile. “No.”
“Good. A no-nonsense girl. I like that about you.”
I refrained from telling her I wasn’t a girl anymore. Though, something in her words put my back up, made me regress to a time that I wanted to forget.
I stared at Hannah for a moment, clasping my hands in my lap as I contemplated my next words carefully. While I considered Hannah a friend, someone I didn’t want to lose touch with, she was also a large part of the life I was attempting to put behind me.
“How did you meet Kieran’s sister?” I asked, deviating from course.
Her expression softened. “At the club. Small world, huh?”
