Chapter Eleven

CHAPTER ELEVEN

“SO…BOB,” BILL said as he glanced down at the cup in Reagan’s hand before easing into one of the leather chairs in his office. “Do I need to update your personnel file? I want you to know that we fully support any kind of…change you may be going through.”

Reagan took a seat opposite her boss and crossed her legs before smoothing a hand over her skirt. “Believe it or not, this is courtesy of Evan.”

“And Evan is under the misguided belief that your name is Bob?”

“No, he was trying to pick up the local barista and figured his buddy Bob wouldn’t be a cock block.”

“So I take it therapy is going well?”

Nodding, she said, “Seems to be helping. He’s pretty open about what goes on in those sessions, and he has no problem telling me every lurid detail.”

“Should I be worried about that?”

Hell yes. “Not at all. He’s an interesting guy, and I can tell he’s trying.” Trying to constantly get in my pants.

Bill drummed his fingers over the arm of the chair. “That’s all we can ask for, then, isn’t it? But you let me know if he tries any funny business with you, okay?”

Reagan’s brow winged up, and she laughed. “Funny business? What are we in, the 1950s? Trust me, I can handle Evan.”

“Maybe that’s what I’m worried about…”

“Bill, you have too much to worry about already. This is not something to concern yourself with.”

Leaning forward, he placed his elbows on his knees and rubbed his forehead.

“When we agreed to this, it was with the clear understanding that you would stay out of trouble. I promised your—”

“I know,” she interrupted. “I plan to stay away from trouble. I don’t want my father to kill you. I kind of like you.”

“That’s comforting, but I’m being serious. Something seems a bit off with you lately, and I just want to make sure this situation with Evan isn’t affecting you. Personally or professionally. We’ve always been open and honest with each other, so if there’s anything you need to talk about, you know I’m here, right?”

Lifting her drink to her lips, she took a small sip and then another as she pushed back the guilt that was trying to force itself out in confession. She had always told Bill everything. Hell, he was practically her second father, but she couldn’t bring herself to admit that things with Evan had gone far differently than they’d planned.

“I’m fine, really. Stop worrying. You know if I had an issue, I would tell you, but things are going well, and Evan’s doing good work. You’re happy with his job performance so far, right?”

Bill sat back and clasped his hands together. “Well, yes. I have no complaints with the work he’s doing, and I know a lot of that has to do with your supervision.”

“No, that has to do with him. You were right about bringing him on—he’s got great instincts.” Reagan paused for a moment and ran a painted nail around the lip of her coffee cup. “Maybe you need to have a little more faith in him.”

“Professionally, that’s not a problem. In regards to his personal life, the jury’s still out. But I have high hopes for Evan, as I do for you. Be careful, Rae.”

“Always,” she said, standing up from her chair and leaning over to kiss the top of his head.

As she walked toward the door, she only hoped she could live up to his high expectations.

* * *

REAGAN SWUNG OPEN the door of Cafe 24 and rushed inside, scanning the tables until she spotted the familiar head of auburn curls. She quickly made her way over to her friend and bent down to give her a hug before taking a seat in the booth across from her. “Sorry I’m late, I got caught up in a meeting.”

“I’ve got a martini, my phone, and it’s a fabulous sixty-five degrees outside, so you being late is really not something that’s bothering me. Although I am getting hungry, and we all know how I get when I haven’t eaten.”

Reagan looked around for a waiter and waved him over. “Please get this woman a menu before she hurts someone in here.”

After grabbing a couple of spare menus off the table behind them, he handed them both one before scurrying off.

Crystal laughed. “Jesus, he didn’t have to run. I’m not feeling too stabby yet.”

“I don’t know,” Reagan drawled as she gave her a quick once-over. “Your face certainly says otherwise.”

“And your face is screaming of another late-night conquest. Spill it.”

Sighing, she grabbed Crystal’s martini and took a sip before saying, “It’s that obvious, huh?”

“Mhmm.” Her friend wrinkled her nose in distaste. “If I recall correctly, you’re wearing your emergency clothes that you keep in your bottom drawer at work, and you’ve got a guilty ‘walk of shame’ look about you.”

When Reagan set Crystal’s drink back down in front of her, the woman shook her head and pushed it back. “Oh no, you keep that one. No telling where that filthy mouth has been.”

“I don’t know why I’m friends with you,” Reagan said as she scratched her brow with her middle finger. “How the hell did you even know these were my emergency clothes?”

“That huge crease running down your shirt is definitely not a dead giveaway.”

Reagan looked down to the center of her blouse and then aimed narrowed eyes back on Crystal. “Well, we all can’t be as immaculate as you.”

“Bullshit. Usually you’re put together right down to the color of your nail polish matching your lipstick…but not today. Today you look like you fucked and fled.”

“Actually, it was more like crawling and creeping out the door.”

Her friend leaned in across the table, eyes wide. “Why? Was he that bad?”

“I can’t even remember, does that tell you anything? Plus, I stayed the night. And I haven’t done that since—” She caught herself before she spilled Evan’s name, but not before her friend caught on.

With a wide smile, Crystal sat back and crossed her arms over her chest. “Oh, I know who you mean. Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome. Did you ever find out his name?”

Yeah, and he works under me…well, not under me, though I know how amazing that…no, no, no.

“No.”

Crystal’s eyes narrowed, but before she could say anything, the waiter came by, and they paused their conversation to place their orders for salads and another round of martinis.

After he was out of earshot, Reagan tried to change the subject. “So how did it go with the buyer from Saks? Is she interested in—”

“Nope. No. Let’s rewind a bit, because for some reason, I think you’re holding out on me.” Curious eyes studied Reagan from beneath the longest lashes she’d ever seen, and then understanding dawned. “You found out his name, didn’t you? Wait, is he the creep ’n crawl from this morning?”

Shaking her head, Reagan said, “Absolutely not. You know I tell you all of my dirty secrets. If I’d seen him again, you’d know.” Her conscience nagged at her that she’d lied twice this morning about her involvement with Evan to two of the closest people in her life, but she swiftly brushed the thought aside.

“Besides,” she said as she removed the cocktail stick of olives from her glass and slid one off with her teeth, “it’s probably a good thing I haven’t seen him again. The guy was gorgeous, but a total bad boy, two things I know you can’t resist, and I’d hate to have to kick your scrawny ass. Again.”

“Oh, God.” Crystal rolled her eyes. “First, you didn’t kick my ass, nor could you ever, and second, we agreed after that first night that there would be no fighting over a guy.”

“I don’t even remember what that guy looked like anymore.”

“Oh, I do. He was wearing an expensive suit and had tattoos peeking out around his wrists. I’m sure there was probably a wedding band in his pocket, so in hindsight, we definitely dodged a bullet.”

“I thought you were such a tramp, homing in on my conquest.”

“Your potential conquest,” Crystal corrected. “We all know had I wanted to, I would’ve won that battle.”

Reagan shook her head. “Instead, you got the most fabulous friend you could ask for. Aren’t you a lucky hooker?”

“That’s true. I did get a fabulous friend, but I also got one who is keepingsecrets.”

The denial was right on the tip of Reagan’s tongue when the waiter stopped by their table and lowered a gigantic salad in front of each of them.

“Holy shit, I thought a salad was going to be a healthy option,” Crystal said as she peered across the table at the mountain of chicken, lettuce, and parmesan in front of Reagan. “There’s no way I’m going to be able to get through all of this.”

“I’m sure you’ve swallowed more than that in one sitting before.”

Crystal picked up her fork and pointed it in Reagan’s direction. “I’ll have you know…” She paused and looked down at her plate, and then back over to Reagan before shrugging. “Who am I trying to kid? You’re right.”

Reagan grinned, and as she placed her napkin across her lap, the phone she’d left on the table started to buzz. When Evan’s name and number flashed up on her screen, she made a quick grab for it. Accepting the call, she brought it to her ear and held up a finger to her friend, mouthing “work.”

“Hey, Bob.”

Evan’s greeting had her groaning in frustration. “Really? I think that name needs to be retired already.”

“Of course, Bob. So, I was out and about and wasn’t sure if you were in a meeting or not, and wanted to know if you required sustenance.”

“Sustenance?”

“As in food. You know, us humans eat it to survive.”

“Why are you sucking up to me? You’re not getting a raise anytime soon.”

Evan coughed slightly and lowered his voice. “I told you, Reagan, my therapist has me doing new and helpful things for the women around me. You know, instead of just sexualizing them. Using words like ‘sucking’ in sentences pertaining to yourself is not very…beneficial to my success.”

“Is that also why you’re persisting with that ridiculous name you’ve given me?”

“No,” he said, and she could practically hear the grin through the phone. “I do that because it irritates you, which in turn makes your cheeks flush. Are they flushing right now?”

Reagan could feel her entire neck heat all the way up to the cheeks in discussion, and she looked up to see that Crystal’s brows had risen, and she was watching her intently.

“No,” she said.

The chuckle that came through the line had her frowning, as did the reply. “Liar.”

“Is there anything else, Mr. James?”

“What are you doing right now? I’m not interrupting, am I?” he asked, his tone clearly indicating that he didn’t care one way or another.

“If this is not a work-related call, then we can have this discussion when I return to the office.”

“Oh, I see,” he drawled. “Are you on a date?”

“That’s none of your business.”

“Shopping for panties? Because we both know you didn’t leave wearing any—”

“If that’s all, I’m hanging up now.”

Then she ended the call and tucked the phone inside her purse before reaching for her martini and draining it dry.

A smirk took over Crystal’s face as she asked, “Someone have you flustered and thirsty?”

“Just a work call. We’ve got a new guy on board, and he’s a bit…needy.”

“Ah, yes,” her friend said knowingly as she stabbed another piece of chicken with her fork. “Or maybe someone’s got you feeling a bit…needy?”

Reagan wanted to deny those words, but instead of lying for the third time today, she replied with, “Just shut up and eat your damn salad.”