Beyond Reason (2 page)

“That’s right. One was in an accident or something?”

I guess I should be flattered he remembered.

“Yeah. That was Brandy. She was in a motorcycle accident.”

“Stupid people do stupid things,” he replied, shaking his head.

“Excuse me?” my voice raised. “It wasn’t her fault.”

His eyes held an amusement that made me uncomfortable. It was like his mission was to get a rise out of me.

“Anyone who wants to ride—”

“Enough,” I said, cutting him off. I wasn’t going to even bother getting into the fact that the reason she got into the accident was because someone tried to kill her. “The book I left on my nightstand is calling me. Thank you for a lovely dinner.” I stood up and tossed my napkin on the table.

“Sit down,” he hissed, his eyes were shooting into mine.

I don’t know why, but I did. I sat down quickly and leaned in.

“You’ve done good things for my father’s firm. He reminds me of that every day, but don’t think I’ve forgotten just how many times you’ve turned me down.”

What the hell was going on?

“I wasn’t in a place to date—”

“I don’t care to hear it,” he interrupted, his brow arching as a sardonic smile spread across his lips.

Was this guy for real?

My heart was racing as I tried to figure out what was up his sleeve. What I really wanted to do was smack him with my clutch and order an eight-hundred dollar bottle of wine to finish him off.

“We have an account we’re trying to get, and we had someone specifically request you take the lead when submitting our bid.” He gritted his teeth. I could tell it was extremely painful for him to say the words.

“What company?” I asked.

“The client has asked to remain anonymous until the morning of the presentation,” he replied.

“Well, I need to know the brand in order to come up with a decent storyboard and plan. I need to see their failures and successes.”

Besides after this meal, I wasn’t planning on staying at this firm any longer.

“Listen, you would’ve been out the door yesterday if this hadn’t come to our attention,” he said.

“Because I wouldn’t sleep with you?” My eyes narrowed.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Because you can’t see what’s good for you. Who is good for you…”

The air got sucked out of my lungs. Did we somehow get zapped into the same era this music was from?

“Every launch that I’ve taken the lead on has doubled and sometimes tripled sales projections,” I replied coolly. “Firing me wouldn’t be performance based, and it would cost your firm money.”

And because of my splendid performance, I already had wracked up enough in bonus money to carry me through at least a year without additional income.

So take that, turkey.

“On the topic of money...” He grinned. “You do realize that if
we
let
you
go, you aren’t vested. You haven’t been with our firm long enough to be fully vested in anything.”

I earned that money. What was he talking about? I knew their contribution to my retirement plan wasn’t vested, but my bonuses? My heart was pounding as I looked at him.

“I didn’t think you knew that little fact. It’s the fine print that’ll always kill ya. So as I was saying, the client expects you to present on Wednesday.”

“Wednesday?” I interrupted.

“You have a problem with that?” he asked.

“No. Not at all,” I replied through my teeth.

“I’ve already sent you an email with the details,” he replied, as he stood up.

“At least one of the great mysteries of the world has been solved tonight,” I said.

“And what is that, sweetheart?” He grinned.

“Why you’re still on Portland’s most eligible bachelor list for five years in a row.”

“If you’ll excuse me, I intend to get my Friday night rolling the way it should be. Have a nice evening with your book, Lily.”

I swear to the heavens above, I saw actual horns grow out of his head, one on each side. I stayed seated at the table and watched him waddle off. That was right. He no longer glided across the room in my world. He waddled. He waddled because he was a bona fide ass!

If only I could find a new job by Monday. Then it wouldn’t matter who needed who in this deal.

I pulled my cell phone out of my clutch and glanced down at the screen. My pulse quickened when I saw the name. The last time I got a text from Ayden, one of Brandy’s bothers, was when she’d been in an accident.

My heart was thumping by the time I made it out of the restaurant and hailed a cab. There was never a steady stream of cabs in Portland so this alone was somewhat of a miracle. Maybe, things were turning around. I slid across the backseat of the Prius and gave the driver my address. I stared at the screen as I opened up my text message.

I’m in town through Wednesday and thought if you weren’t busy, I could come by at some point and fill you in on a little scheme my sister and Gabby have cooked up. It involves you and I just can’t keep you in the dark.

I chuckled and speedily typed my response and hit send.

You don’t want to tell me over the phone-lol?

He responded quickly.

With a sister like Brandy, I’ve learned to never have anything incriminating in writing.

I laughed and the cabdriver looked up at me in the rearview mirror. I texted Ayden back.

Probably wise. But anything they’ve got planned has got to be better than anything I can get myself into, but I’m all ears. I can make time whenever you’re free. xx

It was quiet for a few minutes as I waited for a response from Ayden. I looked out the window as the city quickly blurred into itself. How did I not see this coming? Rob seemed funny and normal at work. There was never a hint he was like this.

Not a hint!

Well, maybe a hint.

The subtle vibration in my lap alerted me to another text.

I could come by tonight or tomorrow. And what is xx?

I smiled and shook my head. Our age gap wasn’t that big. He was only a few years older than me but still.

Hugs. xx is hugs!! And as long as you bring a bottle of wine, tonight would be fine. And maybe some takeout. Yeah. Definitely some takeout.

He replied.

Tonight it is then. Can you send your address?

I texted my address and sat up in the seat as the driver parked in front of my apartment building on Park Avenue. And I’ll fully admit I chose this place just because it was on Park Avenue. I liked the way it sounded, and I knew I never actually wanted to live on
THE
Park Avenue in Manhattan so now was my chance to say it.

I gave the cab driver a ten-dollar bill and hopped out of the Prius onto the sidewalk. The building was a sleek skyscraper and the interior of the building was just as modern. The views of the city were sensational, and I really loved my cozy one-thousand square foot apartment. It felt like home.

I walked through the lobby toward the elevator and stepped right in.

“Floor nine,” I replied to the elevator.

“Store swine,” the elevator’s virtual voice responded.

Not again!

“Floor nine,” I repeated.

“Or Bye,” the elevator confirmed.

I totally embraced technology. Really. I did. But voice technology just wasn’t there yet. Between Siri telling me to drive off a cliff and this elevator kicking me out the door, I just wanted a button. Was that so much to ask for?

I started laughing and so did the elevator as I stepped out of the carriage and tried again. I took a leap back into the elevator and faced the intercom.

“Floooorrrr Niiiinnne,” I said slowly.

“Nine,” the elevator confirmed, and the doors closed, quickly whisking me to home at last.

Finally!

My apartment was pretty tidy already so I concentrated on the important stuff—getting a drink to wipe away the horrid memories from earlier. I poured a glass of red wine and sat on the stool at my breakfast bar, wondering what in the world Brandy’s brother felt he needed to tell me. I loved Gabby and Brandy, but having them up north while I was stuck in Portland was starting to get to me, especially if they were up to some shady business that involved me.

I swirled the liquid in the glass and took a sip. Ayden and Mason were both great guys and they were nice to look at, which I loved reminding Brandy about any chance I got. When Brandy, Gabby, and I were in college, her brothers could always be counted on.

There was a knock at the door and my stomach fluttered.

What the heck? Where’d that flutter come from?

I slid off the stool and opened the door.

“I think your elevator’s possessed,” Ayden said, holding Chinese takeout in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other.

“Tell me about it.” I grinned, grabbing the wine from him. “I’ll take this. Thank you very much.”

“Rough night?” he teased, still standing in the hall.

“Beyond rough. I think it could qualify as torture.”

Ayden’s blonde hair was mussed up slightly, and he was wearing a black wool sweater that fit across his chest nicely. And by nicely, I mean I could imagine how delectable he must look under the yarn. My eyes dipped lower, and I couldn’t help but admire how tight his jeans hugged his thighs. I had no idea who he was trying to impress, but I was thankful for the view.

Oh, good God!

“Are you going to let me in or do I need to hand over the food and deliver my message from here?” His vibrant blue eyes met mine as he was leaning against the doorframe. He looked amused.

A completely puzzling sensation ran through me as his eyes bored into mine. It was a cross between weightlessness and the flu. The wine was definitely getting to me. Or maybe it was the whiskey.

“Oh, yeah. Sorry. I danced with whiskey tonight and—”

His laughter boomed into the entry as he shut the door behind him.

“And you’re planning on boogying with the wine?” He followed me into the kitchen and set the containers on the counter. “That’s a deadly mix.”

“Meh, I’ve seen deadlier,” I teased and shrugged my shoulders, placing my now empty glass on the counter.

“Is that so?” He narrowed his eyes at me and took a step closer as he removed the cartons out of the bag. I reached for the plastic utensils and my arm bumped into his, and I took a quick step back. It felt like all of the air had been sucked out of the room, and I had no idea why. It wasn’t like we hadn’t been alone together before. Granted, it wasn’t in my apartment, and Brandy was usually lurking around the corner or something, but what the hell?

“So you didn’t have dinner yet?” he asked, seemingly unfazed.

Didn’t he notice the earth just shifted off its axis point for God’s sake?

“No. I had dinner. I had a steak dinner, actually.”

His grin deepened. “Care to elaborate?”

“By the time I got to the cab, I was hungry again. That’s what I get for ordering a petite filet mignon. Besides, I want something good and greasy to take away the bad taste in my mouth from the date from hell.” I rolled my eyes and grabbed two plates.

“You were on a date tonight?” The timbre of his voice lowered in a way that told me I didn’t imagine the shift in the universe.

I shrugged. “Yes and no. Technically yes. But it was a mistake, and one I won’t be repeating anytime soon.”

Ayden was quiet while I piled two scoops of chow mein on my plate, followed by cashew chicken and broccoli beef.

“Nice selection,” I said, flashing him a smile. I emptied the open bottle of wine into my glass. “If you want to uncork that bottle, the opener’s in the drawer right by your left hip.”

I wandered into the living room and sat down on the couch with my plate full of food on my lap, and I set the glass of wine on the coffee table. I heard him rattling around in the kitchen as I turned on the television and then happily began forking the noodles in my mouth.

Would I normally be this carefree about loving my noodles in front of a man?

No.

But this was Ayden.

The same guy who has had to scrape me up off the ground. Not that it was a common occurrence, but there was this one unfortunate incident sophomore year where I got a little too excited about beer pong. Brandy and Gabby called for reinforcements, Ayden and Mason, but it had been too late. I was a goner by the time they arrived. I never repeated that mistake again. Although, I was probably well on my way right now…