LITMIR.BIZ

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change made, then looked at her again. Whatever the reason behind the cancellation of her wedding, she seemed to be handling it well. For which he was grateful. He didn’t want a weeping woman hanging about the office. He wanted his life, his world to travel on in the same way it always had. Seamlessly.

      “Thanks.”

      She nodded, turned off the computer and gathered up her purse again. “If that’s all, I’m taking off.”

      “Fine,” he said, stepping back, already headed back for his office. Then something occurred to him and he stopped on the threshold and looked at her. “Since you’re not getting married, after all, I’m assuming you’ll be available for the trip to Portugal.”

      “What?”

      Walking into his office, Jefferson kept talking, assuming—rightly—that she would be following after him. “We leave in three weeks. I want to check out the new cruise ship in person. I’ll need you there with me. And since your plans have changed, I see no reason why you shouldn’t be there.”

      He sat behind his desk, set the new cover letter atop the official offer and leaned back in his chair as she approached. His gaze narrowed as he noticed the flash of fire in her eyes and the tight slash of her mouth.

      “That’s it?” she said. “That’s all you’ve got to say.”

      “About what?”

      “About my not getting married.”

      “What more should I say?”

      “Oh,” she countered, “nothing at all.” But her tone clearly indicated she’d expected something more.

      “If you’re looking for my condolences, fine. You have them.”

      “Wow.” She slapped one hand to her chest and widened her eyes in feigned shock. “That was just so heartfelt, Jefferson. Wait just a minute while I catch my breath.”

      “I beg your pardon?” Standing up now, he faced her and watched as thoughts, emotions churned across the surface of her eyes. In the years they had worked together Caitlyn had never become emotional. Sarcastic, yes. But she’d kept their relationship as businesslike as he had. Until just this moment.

      “You’re not sorry at all. You’re just glad that I’ll be at your beck and call.”

      “You’re always at my beck and call,” he pointed out, not sure exactly where the anger was coming from.

      “Oh, for god’s sake. I am, aren’t I?” she asked, staring at him as though she’d never seen him before.

      “Why wouldn’t you be?” Straightening up, he laid both hands atop his desk.

      “You’re right,” she said. “That’s my job. And I’m good at it. Too good, probably, which is why this is so twisted and messed up now. But Peter was so wrong.”

      “Peter? Who’s Peter?”

      “My fiancé.” She shot him a withering glance. “My god, I was engaged to the man for six months and you didn’t even know his name.”

      “Why would I know the damned man’s name?” Jefferson asked, shoving his hands into his slacks pockets. This conversation was taking a turn he didn’t care for.

      “Because,” she pointed out, glaring at him, “in human cultures, it’s considered normal behavior to be interested in your fellow workers.”

      He snorted. “You’re not a fellow worker,” he pointed out. “You’re my employee.”

      She stared at him, dumbfounded. “And that’s it?”

      “What more is there?”

      “You know,” Caitlyn snapped, tugging at the purse strap hitched over her shoulder, “I really believe you actually mean that. You have no clue. None whatsoever.”

      “About what?”

      “If you don’t know, I couldn’t possibly explain it to you.”

      “Aah, the last resort of the cornered female,” he said, shaking his head now. “I expected better of you, Caitlyn.”

      “And I expected …” She stopped, blew out a hard breath that puffed her bangs up off her forehead so that he was treated to another peek at the dangerous sparks shooting in her eyes. “I don’t know why I expected anything different. So you know what? Never mind.”

      “Excellent idea,” Jefferson said, grabbing the opportunity to end this discussion as quickly as possible. For whatever reason, his steady, dependable assistant had slipped off her mental track. “We’ll forget this conversation ever took place.”

      “You will, too, won’t you?” Caitlyn tightened her grip on the strap of her purse, turned and headed for the door. “Well, I won’t be forgetting anytime soon, Jefferson.”

      She was gone a moment later and he was left with irritation pulsing inside. He wasn’t accustomed to anyone walking out on him. And he didn’t like it.

      Two

      “Men suck.” Disgusted, Debbie Harris lifted her appletini high.

      “Hear, hear!” Janine Shaker picked up her Cosmo and held it poised for a toast.

      “Preaching to the choir,” Caitlyn said, and lifted her glass to clink against the rims of her friends’ glasses. Then she took a long sip of her raspberry martini and blew out a breath.

      After the weekend she’d had, not to mention that last conversation with Jefferson, it was good to be with her friends. Women who understood. Women she could count on, no matter what.

      “Are you okay, honey?” Debbie asked, always the one with the biggest heart and the soul most easily bruised. “I mean, really okay?”

      “I’m fine,” Caitlyn said, and surprised herself with the truth of the statement. Good god. She’d been poised to marry Peter, for heaven’s sake. Shouldn’t she be in mourning? Shouldn’t she be weeping miserably in a corner somewhere?

      Sure, she’d done some crying over the weekend, but if Peter really had been the love of her life, then wouldn’t she be feeling more … shattered? But she didn’t. And somehow that was even sadder than the breakup of her engagement.

      “I cannot believe Peter thinks you’re in love with your boss,” Janine said on a snort of laughter. “Lyon makes you nuts.”

      “I think Peter was just scared and needed a reason to back out of the wedding, the big weenie,” Debbie said.

      “Yeah, but accusing her of being in love with Lyon?” Janine shook her head. “That’s really stretching.”

      At the moment, Caitlyn could hardly even think about Jefferson Lyon without gritting her teeth. In love with him? Not a chance. Attracted? Sure. What red-blooded, breathing woman wouldn’t be? But attraction was where it started and ended.

      “Don’t even get me started on Jefferson Lyon,” Caitlyn muttered, and snatched a tortilla chip from the basket in the middle of the table. As she crunched down hard on it, only half pretending she was snapping her boss’s neck in half, she told her friends, “When Jefferson found out the wedding was off, he just said, ‘Oh, good. You can go to Portugal with me after all.’ No I’m sorry, Caitlyn. Are you all right? Do you need to take some time off? Do you want me to kill the jerk for you?” She took a sip of her drink and reached for another chip. “I’m telling you, I came within a hair of quitting.”

      “You should’ve,” Debbie said. “Men suck.”

      “Where’ve I heard that before?” Janine wondered aloud.

      “Funny.” Debbie smirked at her, then turned her gaze back on Caitlyn. “Anyway, Peter obviously had some commitment issues and was just using Lyon as a handy excuse.”

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