North Dakota Weddings (50 page)

That night at the fountain, she’d revived something in him—something he wanted left untouched and undisturbed. And she’d done it on the very first day. In the doorway of his office he paused, shoving a hand through his hair. Fortunately, Barb, whom he’d interviewed earlier in the morning, stood next to Rayne in his office, chatting. Unintentionally, she’d given him a moment to compose himself.

Once Barb spotted him, she smiled brightly and excused herself.

After shutting his door, Jack glided around his desk, set down the mug, and sank into his chair. “Now, where were we?”

“I’m not sure. You’ve seen my sketches already. Barb said you looked at her designs, asked about her goals for the company.”

Jack detected a hint of guarded resistance in Rayne’s voice. Probably a good thing, but then, it could impede their creative development. He leaned back, considering her words. “You’re right. I have seen your sketches, and you’ve shared what inspires you. I’ve already told you that you’re creative lead. But you need to understand that others are trying to position themselves.”

“Position themselves?”

“When you’re the best at something, people are jealous.” Even Jack was jealous of her gift. “They want to knock you down, if possible, and take your place.” Jack hoped his comments didn’t make her think of him taking the position she’d wanted. He needed her to focus on creating the best fountain yet.

Unfortunately, he wasn’t sure he could do the same when he was near Rayne.

Rayne’s lips parted as she quietly inhaled.

“Simple office politics, Rayne. Don’t be surprised at what people will do.”

She nodded. “Is there anything else?”

“Yes. Since you’re creative lead, you and I will be working closely together. I’ll spend more time with you than with the others. At some point, we’ll travel to the project site. Do you have a problem with that?” Some part of him hoped she would say she did, in fact, have a problem with it.

Rayne swallowed. “Of course not.”

Had she hesitated, or had he imagined it? “Good. Now I need you to dig deep and pull yourself out of this hole.”

Eyes wide, her brows knitted. “Excuse me? I don’t understand.”

“You know what I’m talking about. You wanted this management position. But Harold hired me. You can’t lose your creative edge because you didn’t make it this time. There will always be other opportunities.” Jack winced inside. He was roughing her up a bit. But she needed a good kick. The Rayne he’d collided with on his very first day at work had been enthusiastic and vibrant. That was the day she thought she would be receiving her promotion. He’d not seen that Rayne since he’d become her boss. He knew that the loss of the promotion bothered her. And how could it not? Nor did he blame her. But he had a job to do, part of which was getting the very best out of the vast talent in this group.

He leaned forward against his desk and peered into her stricken gaze. “This company needs you at your best.” Then—he couldn’t help himself—softer,
“I
need you at your best.”

Rayne appeared to contemplate his words and drew her shoulders back. Something behind her eyes shifted. “You’re right. I appreciate your honesty, Jack.”

Good girl
. Jack sat back and smiled, until he realized he liked the sound of his name on her lips.

A
week after her meeting with Jack, Rayne leaned back in her chair and enjoyed the energy in the conference room filled with her creative design team colleagues. Everyone lounged in their chairs, relaxed, as they discussed the conceptual designs for their new project—a financial group headquartered in Dallas.

Jack sat at the head of the table, grinning as he flipped his pencil around. He was undeniably in his element managing this team. Rayne’s gaze brushed over his crisp business shirt. Broad shoulders accentuated his lean physique. Warmth simmered against the collar of Rayne’s blouse, and she quickly doused the wayward thought.

She could tell that everyone had accepted him. The women definitely loved him, especially Barb, who never missed an opportunity to flirt with him, though Rayne doubted it was intentional on Barb’s part. Her friend simply didn’t realize how she came across.

Rayne hoped.

At that moment, Barb spoke up. “You mentioned your plan for us to be more personally involved with the clients. That some of us would travel to the site. Will you be going as well?” Barb’s eyes twinkled.

Oh brother.

Jack responded with a smile and the hint of something behind his eyes that Rayne couldn’t read. “Initially.”

More questions erupted about travel arrangements. Everyone seemed to be getting ahead of themselves, focusing on the benefits their new manager brought with him, rather than the purpose of the meeting—to brainstorm. She was interested to see how he would refocus their attention.

One question nagged her all morning during the meeting. How would they have felt toward her if she’d been named their manager? Jack’s words about jealousy came to mind. Rayne fought to keep from frowning. He’d encouraged her to move past her regret at losing the promotion. Harold had probably made the right decision by bringing in someone outside of the company. But it certainly gave a person doubts about working her way up within this organization. She might have to go elsewhere in order to move up.

“All right, people. We’ve spent the morning going over this company and the image we want to portray. Let’s not get off track with talk about travel.” Jack stood and opened the door. Boxes of pizza floated into the room, the delivery guy hidden behind them. Jack lifted one of the stacks to help. “Or talk about pizza.”

His comment elicited laughter.

“Consider this a working lunch. I want to hear your ideas. Let’s get them on the table this afternoon without missing a beat.”

Barb joined Jack in opening the pizza boxes then spreading them over the credenza behind the conference table, as well as the table itself. The receptionist entered, holding stacks of paper cups and plates.

Gail smiled at the delivery guy then addressed the design team. “Jack had me pick a variety, so I ordered pepperoni, supreme, cheese, Hawaiian, all meat, and vegetarian.” She tugged large bottles of soda from a paper sack and set them on the table as well. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’ll just have a slice.”

More chuckles resounded in the room as everyone grabbed paper plates or drinks and selected their slices of pizza.

“All this brain work burns a lot of calories,” Simon said around a mouthful of Hawaiian pizza. “I’ll have to eat twice as much now.”

Rayne sat in her chair, watching. She’d wait until everyone got what they wanted then get her food. On the farm, when the men came in from the fields, they filled their plates first because they worked so hard during harvest and planting; then she and her mother ate what was left. For some reason, today’s working lunch reminded her of those times. The habit of waiting had been instilled in her from an early age. She sighed.

Jack approached, carrying two plates filled with pizza. “What’ll it be, Rayne? I think I’ve got one slice of every kind of pizza here.”

He made her feel all warm inside. She smiled up at him. “I’ll have cheese.”

Jack slid into the chair next to her, ignoring the fact that someone else had been sitting there. “Working lunches can be like a shark feeding frenzy. If you don’t jump into the fight, you might be left with nothing.”

Rayne laughed. Should she share the reason she’d waited? Instead of replying, she took a bite of her pizza. It was hot, burning the top of her mouth, and she blew out a long breath, wishing she’d gotten some water. Jack hopped up and poured soda into a cup then handed it to her.

She took a quick drink. “Thank you.” He was being far too attentive. From her peripheral vision, she could see Barb watching. Did Barb have designs on Jack?

While several conversations about the Dallas firm and fountain ideas buzzed around the room, Jack leaned toward Rayne and spoke softly. “You’re up first after lunch. That’s why I wanted you to eat now.”

Rayne stared. “I’m up with what?”

“I want your first impressions, your ideas for the designs. Remember, Rayne, you’re lead designer. I can give you the title, but it means nothing if you don’t demonstrate your abilities. We need you to jumpstart the inspiration for the project.”

Her nerves puddled at her feet. What were her artistic impressions about the project? Her thoughts had been focused on Jack as a manager.

When she didn’t reply, Jack spoke again. “I have complete confidence in you.”

How did she tell him that this wasn’t how she worked? She couldn’t think up designs in the middle of a crowded room. Ideas came to her when she was alone in her office, in the quiet of night, or on the farm… .

Rayne took another bite. Over time she’d learned to be creative on a consistent basis in order to do her job, not just when the muse decided to visit. Could she learn to become artistic and imaginative while others watched?

Rayne sighed. Jack had given her an opportunity. She swallowed hard.

She wouldn’t blow it.

Gail appeared in the conference room again, this time holding a huge bouquet of roses. The room erupted.

“Who’s the lucky girl?”

“Someone has an admirer.”

The receptionist walked along the length of the table and came to stand in front of Rayne. Rayne glanced next to her and across the table. Who could they be for? But no women were sitting near Rayne at the moment.

Leaning forward, Gail carefully placed the roses in front of Rayne.

She gasped. “These can’t be for me. There has to be a mistake.” She stood, both embarrassed and surprised.

The room grew increasingly hot, and she fought her desire to look at Jack’s expression. For a fleeting moment, she’d imagined him sending her roses.

Absurd!

“Well, girl, open the card.” Gail took the liberty of snagging the small envelope from the bouquet. She handed it to Rayne.

Rayne glanced around the room. Everyone stared at her, except, well, Jack. He appeared engrossed with something on his laptop.

“I really…this is embarrassing. I’ll open it in my office.” Gripping the small card, Rayne snatched up the roses and rushed them out of the conference room. Once in her office, she slammed the door behind her.

“Oh Paul, these had better not be from you.” Paul had invited her to lunch a couple of weeks ago while in town, but she’d had too much work and turned him down.

She struggled to rip the small card open. The harder she tried, the less success she had. Finally, she cut it in half with scissors just as Barb entered her office.

“What are you doing? You’ll destroy the card!”

Rayne pieced together the two halves of the card.

Rayne blew out a frustrated breath, just short of growling. “Why did you send these?”

“Why did who send them?” Barb asked. “Tell me, Rayne.”

Shrugging, Rayne let the card slip from her hand into the wastebasket. “An old friend and would-be suitor back home.”

Barb gasped and rifled through the garbage, pulling out the card pieces. “I can’t believe you would be so cold. This guy must really be into you. Is he that bad?”

Rayne huffed again and sank to her chair. “No, he’s a nice guy. Goodlooking, too.” She looked up at Barb. “You’d like him.”

“I don’t understand. What’s the problem?”

He’s not Jack
. Rayne felt her eyes grow wide, but at least the errant thought hadn’t been spoken aloud. What had gotten into her? “I’m embarrassed that he sent these to me at work. And I just hope he’s not harboring hope for something between us.”

Apparently, he wasn’t one to give up.

Still, she was touched by his gesture, if only slightly.

Jack stood outside Rayne’s door, his hand poised to knock. He could hear the women talking inside. Footfalls resounded in the hallway. It would look like he was eavesdropping, but that wasn’t his intention.

He didn’t want to throw the door open like Harold, asserting himself, especially in this situation. Rayne had just received flowers; he should give her a moment. But he didn’t want to lose the momentum of this morning by her disappearance.

He knocked softly on the door.

Barb snatched it open, her face spreading into a giant smile. “Oh, hi. Come in.”

Her tone was light and flirtatious. Annoying.

Rayne’s hands covered her face. She slowly let them drop in her lap.

Jack’s throat grew tight. This was a good thing, really. She had an admirer, a boyfriend. Jack wouldn’t have to be afraid of an emotional connection with her. He should rejoice.

The women stared at him. He should say something. He wanted to ask who the roses were from. But it wasn’t his business. Completely inappropriate.

“Rayne, when you’re ready. We need you back at the meeting.” He grinned. “That is, if you can come down from cloud nine for a bit.”

Rayne’s lips flatlined. She shook her head. “It’s not like that.”

Jack threw up his hands. “It’s not my concern.”