One Night with the Boss. Teresa Southwick
“From now on, I think I’d rather you lie to me.”
“I can do that.” Better than he knew.
“Okay, then.” Brady dragged his fingers through his hair. “Look, do you mind locking up? I’m going to see Maggie and my niece. It’s been awhile and I want to spend a little more time with them.”
The visit was on his schedule and Olivia looked at her watch. This was a little earlier than he usually left. Frankly, she could use some time alone to collect herself. “Of course. I have some work to finish, but I’ll make sure everything is shut down and the alarm is on.”
“Thanks.” He moved past her on his way to the doorway.
“Yeah. Tell Maggie hi and have a good evening.”
Over his shoulder he said, “See you tomorrow.”
When he was gone, a wave of sadness broke over her as reality sank in. He wouldn’t be saying that to her too many more times and she would miss it terribly.
Sighing, she shut down his computer. Just then her cell phone rang and the caller ID announced her mother. Her stomach knotted because they hadn’t talked yet. She’d had to leave a message and now her mom was getting back to her.
She hit the send button. “Hi, Mom.”
“Hey, Livvie. Sorry I didn’t call you sooner, but your text said to call when I had time to talk. Even now I barely have a minute, but wanted to get back to you. What’s up? Is everything okay?”
Without actually answering that question, she asked one of her own. “Have you seen Maureen O’Keefe?”
“Not since we had breakfast this morning. Why?”
“There’s something I have to tell you, Mom. You’re aware that I’ve been thinking of quitting my job.”
“Of course. You already gave your notice twice and Brady talked you into staying.”
“He has a way of doing that. But this time I made sure it will take.”
“You quit?” There was barely a question mark in her mother’s voice.
“Yes. I didn’t tell you guys in advance this time because of the other two times it came to nothing. But I had to tell Brady I was leaving.”
“Well, of course you did. He’s the boss and will need to replace you.”
“Exactly. But Maureen dropped by and he told her.”
“So that’s why you’re sharing now. You wanted us to hear it from you.”
“Partly. It’s just that this time I wanted to make sure I went through with it. The thing is, Mom, I’ve accepted a job with a college friend of mine who’s starting up a technology company in California.”
There was a moment of silence, long enough to make Olivia hate herself for not delivering this information face-to-face. But she couldn’t chance that the news would get back to her mother before she’d had an opportunity to say something.
Finally words filled the silence. “That sounds like an exciting opportunity, sweetie. It’s good to shake things up.”
“Speaking of that...” She took a breath. “Maureen will ask you about my boyfriend...”
“You’re going out with someone? Have I met him?”
“I’m pretty sure you haven’t.” No one had. Not even Olivia.
“That’s wonderful, honey.” Her voice sounded rushed. “Look, I’m so sorry. But I have to run. Are you still coming for dinner this weekend?”
“Of course.”
“Good. You can tell us all about your news then. Bye. Love you.”
“Okay, Mom. Love you.”
She hit the end button, then looked around Brady’s office as she was about to turn off the lights. Her gaze rested on the place where they’d stood when he kissed her. Memories of that perfect moment squeezed her heart.
Why did he kiss her now, when she was really leaving? It would be one more thing to miss when she was gone. And she had a bad feeling that no man’s kiss would ever be quite as incredibly, deliciously adequate as Brady’s had been.
* * *
On the drive out of Blackwater Lake to his sister’s house, Brady still couldn’t quite believe he’d kissed Olivia. He was used to being the smartest guy in the room, but what he’d done was colossally dumb. In fact it set a new and higher bar for dumbness. Thanks to probably the hottest kiss he’d ever had, it made him completely aware of his executive assistant in every way. Not only that, he couldn’t stop thinking about how easy and natural it would have been to sweep her upstairs and into his bed. And he was still regretting that he hadn’t, because there was no doubt in his mind that she’d have gone with him.
Since the day he’d hired her, he’d always been able to close off these thoughts, but kissing her opened the door and there was no way to shove the messy flood of feelings back inside. So he needed a distraction.
“And I know just the thing.”
He turned off the main road into Maggie’s driveway and up to the three-story log cabin set in a clearing surrounded by evergreen trees. The yard in front had grass bordered by bushes and flowers, which were not blooming in January. This place was like something out of a fairy tale and any second he expected the seven dwarfs to march out of the woods singing “Hi Ho.”
Brady exited the low-slung sports car then jogged up the steps and knocked. A few seconds later the dead bolt clicked.
Maggie opened the door. “Hello, Uncle Brady.”
“Ba-ay!” His niece, pretty in pink from head to toe, toddled over and grabbed her mother’s leg.
“If it isn’t Snow White and the littlest dwarf, Sunshine.” He grabbed up the little girl and lifted her high in the air, where she giggled happily. “How are my two favorite girls?”
“Don’t let Mom hear you say that.”
“She knows I put her into a completely different category.”
“Right.” Maggie grinned. “You’re still her favorite.”
“And you’re still bitter about that.” He settled Danielle on his forearm and moved farther into the room.
“Always.”
His sister was a beautiful woman, and that was a strictly impartial male observation. Shiny brown hair fell past her shoulders to the middle of her back and her eyes, depending on her mood, were warm like dark cocoa or cool and shaded like smooth brandy. For nearly two years they’d been more like the latter. Any man would be lucky to have her, but the one who’d won her heart had died almost two years ago while bravely serving his country in Afghanistan. Now his two favorite girls were alone.
“You’re here earlier than expected. Want a beer?”
“Love one.” When Danielle wiggled to get down, Brady set her on the wooden floor in the big, open great room. “I’m here early because I missed you guys.”
Maggie walked around a kitchen island big enough to land a helicopter before stopping in front of the refrigerator. Glancing over her shoulder, she said, “What’s wrong, Brady?”
“Nothing.” No way he was that easy to read. “Why do you think something’s wrong?”
“You look funny.” Maggie set his beer on a coaster on the coffee table. “Everything okay at work?”
“Fine.” If you didn’t factor in him kissing Olivia.
He sat down on the earth-tone woven area rug that covered the middle of the room to play with his niece. Danielle pulled over a wicker toy basket filled