That Night with You (5 page)

“
The caterers are
downstairs. I was going to meet them at the back service elevators
and escort them up. Ah, Ms. Barnett,” the gentleman nodded to
Madison, “welcome aboard.”

Madison smiled. “Thank you, Mr.
Worthy.”

“
Don?” Hayden Parr motioned
to Adam. “You remember Adam Turnbull.”

Don Worthy careened his long neck
around to Adam. “Yes, of course. How are you, Adam?”

“
Fine, Mr. Worthy,” Adam
chirped.

Don Worthy waved to Adam and Madison.
“Why don’t you two come with me and meet the caterers at the back
entrance. I can show you the lay of the building.”

“
I think Ms. Barnett and I
could use a few minutes to get to know each other while you and
Adam meet the caterers,” Hayden Parr asserted.

Her eyes flew to Adam. Terrified that
this was her moment for a grilling from her new boss, she silently
pleaded for Adam not to leave her.

“
I’m with you, Mr. Worthy,”
Adam confirmed, avoiding her desperate gaze.

Her stomach tightened as Adam scurried
across the conference room to the open door. Don Worthy patted the
young man’s shoulder before shifting his eyes to Hayden
Parr.

“
You need anything
else?”

Hayden shook his head. “We’re fine,
Don. Just get the food. I think we’re all pretty
hungry.”

Don Worthy smiled and pushed Adam out
the door. He was about to follow the young man when Hayden Parr
called to him.

“
Shut the door, will you,
Don?”

Don Worthy glanced back over his
shoulder, and added, “Sure thing, Harry.”

The words sent a lightning
bolt of horror running through Madison’s every atom.
Harry?
The name
resonated through her mind as images of the night she had spent
with the handsome stranger clouded her vision.
Could it be him?

Her jaw was clenched so tight that her
teeth were screaming in pain. She wanted to run out of the building
never to return, but reason told her not to panic. Maybe it was
just a coincidence and she was overreacting. Taking in a deep
breath, she tried to quell the sickening feeling swirling in her
gut.

“
We should talk. Get to
know each other since I missed the opportunity to interview you.”
He went around to the side of the conference table and pulled out a
chair. “Sit.”

Madison stared warily at him. “Are you
going to quiz me about design theory?”

His small eyes crinkled upward as he
gave her a confused smile. “Excuse me?”

“
Adam mentioned your
interview with him was more like a grilling session. I just want to
know if that’s what you intend to do with me.”

He motioned to the chair. “I promise,
no grilling. I simply want to know more about you.”

“
I thought all you needed
to know was filed away in human resources, Mr. Parr.”

“
That’s the business side
of you. I wish to know the real Madison Barnett.”

“
The real me?” She shook
her head and moved forward. “I’m afraid you’ll be pretty
disappointed.” After taking her seat, she waited as he took the
chair next to her.

His sleek hand caressed the smooth
wood of the table, sending an unexpected tingle up her spine. His
hands were expressive, strong, and for an instant she could picture
those hands traveling over the curves of her—

“
So where are you from,
Madison?” he began, interrupting her fantasy. “I can call you
Madison, can’t I?”

“
Sure.” She fidgeted in the
big chair. “I’m from Arlington. I grew up there and went to
UT.”

“
Good architecture
program.” He rested his hands together on the table. “Go
on.”

“
Um,” Madison stumbled. “I
really liked my classes in skyscraper design. There was a real
challenge in combining form and function with a high rise
building.”

“
Then why are you here with
my firm designing lowly houses?”

Words failed her.
Oh crap!

“
I get it. You settled for
this job, but you really want to build skyscrapers, is that it?”
The sudden drop in the temperature of his voice made her flinch. It
was cold and menacing; she feared ever making him angry.

“
Ah, no,” she quickly
jumped in. “I didn’t mean that. I look forward to working here, but
you said you wanted to get to know me, and that was what I liked in
school.”

“
You’re right, I did ask to
get to know you, and I appreciate your candor.” He moved closer to
the table, leaning over to her. “What else can you tell
me?”

“
Ah, I have a roommate
named Charlie who is getting married soon.” W
hy did I say that?

He chuckled, and her insides tingled
again. “What about family. Parents? Siblings?”

“
I just have my mom and an
older brother who’s in the Navy. My dad left when I was eight. He
lives in California with his second wife.”

“
What does your mother
do?”

“
My mom’s a school
principle in the Arlington Public School System.” She paused,
mustering her courage. “Can I ask you a question?”

He sat back in his chair.
“Yes.”

“
Why did Mr. Worthy call
you Harry?”

It was then she saw it; the slightest
break in his features that gave her a glimpse into his mind. He
appeared confused and almost ill at ease about the question, and
then the lapse in his composure was gone, replaced again by his
daunting smile.

“
Family nickname. My father
always called me Harry as a kid. It stuck, and those who have known
me most of my life, like Don Worthy, call me Harry.”

She paused for a moment, mulling over
his words. “I like Harry.”

He gently patted one hand on the
table. “Then maybe you should call me Harry.”

“
No, I should call you Mr.
Parr, since you’re my boss.”

He angled closer to her and the smell
of his cologne surrounded her. “When we’re alone, and away from the
prying eyes of others, you can—”

The door to the conference room flew
open, cutting him off. The jarring sound of carts rolling along the
floor and indistinct voices swept into the room as the caterers,
along with Adam and Don Worthy, hurried inside.

Hayden stood from his chair and
Madison sagged with disappointment, wanting a few more minutes
alone with the man. She wondered if this “Harry” was her “Harry.”
If Hayden Parr was actually her memorable first lover, then what?
How would she be able to look her boss in the eye and go on as if
nothing had happened? Suddenly, the quicksand of her past was
swallowing up her well-planned future. This was not supposed to
happen. Millions of people in Dallas and she just happened to land
a job with the one stranger she had met in a bar and surrendered
her virginity to. She could almost hear Charlie laughing it up.
Maybe it was possible for lightning to strike twice.

Chapter 3

“
You really think it’s
him?” Charlie pressed, her blue eyes round with excitement. “How
cool is that?” she went on as she carried a bottle of water from
the kitchen to the living room.

Still dressed in her running outfit,
she was slurping back a few sips of water as Madison sat on their
green sofa cradling a glass of wine in her hands. “It’s not cool,
Charlie. He’s my boss.”

Charlie plopped down on the cushion
next to her. “Aw, come on, girl. You two have a
history.”

“
If it’s him.” Dread
coursed through Madison and she took another gulp of wine, almost
draining her glass.

Charlie observed as Madison reached
for the bottle of zinfandel on the coffee table and refilled her
glass. “By the way you’re chugging that wine, I’d say it’s him. Why
didn’t you just ask him?”

Madison nearly dropped the wine bottle
on the coffee table. “Ask him? Are you kidding me? I need this job,
Charlie, especially with you moving out. Somehow asking the man
that just hired me if he was the guy I met in a bar five years ago
seems like a hell of a way to get fired.”

Charlie took the wineglass from
Madison’s hand and put it on the table. “He’s not going to fire
you. From what you told me about how he was acting, I’d bet he
would love to hear that you were that girl who snuck out on him in
the middle of the night.”

Madison flopped back on the sofa. “Or
maybe he doesn’t remember…if it is him. I could be wrong about the
guy.”

“
I doubt it. The way he
flirted with you on the elevator, wanted to be alone with you in
the conference room, it kind of sounds like he’s definitely
interested.”

“
Interested?” Madison
snorted and snapped up her glass from the table. “You’re reading
way too much into all of this.”

“
What about the other guy
you told me about…Adam? He seemed interested in you,
too.”

“
He’s a creep,” Madison
roared. “The idea of sharing an office with his skinny ass is
almost as disconcerting as asking Hayden Parr if he’s the guy from
that night.”

“
Sooner or later, Mads,
you’re going to have to ask him. You can’t just go into work every
day and wonder about it. I know how you are, and this will eat away
at you.” Charlie stood from the sofa. “Besides, if he does suspect
you’re that girl, how long do you think it is before he says
something?”

Madison groaned and chugged a long sip
of wine.

Chuckling, Charlie headed toward their
bedrooms, but stopped when a light knock sounded on the apartment
door. The two women looked to each other, panic written all over
their faces.

“
Did she see you come
home?” Charlie whispered.

Madison mouthed, “I have no idea,”
then set her wineglass on the coffee table. Charlie went to the
door while Madison stepped up behind her. Anxiously, Charlie opened
the door.

Standing in the hallway was an elderly
lady with snowy white hair piled into a bun, thick glasses that
magnified her round brown eyes, sallow skin, and dainty features
that added an air of frailty to her diminutive figure. Wearing a
metallic blue muumuu and silver slippers, she glided in the door
with all the grace of a ballerina entering the stage.

“
Mrs. Leder,” Charlie
uttered with a strain of civility in her voice. “Nice to see you,
as always.”

Mrs. Leder held out a white casserole
dish in her hands. “Did you hear the guy with the python on four
was visited by animal control? Apparently you can’t have a python
without a permit in Texas. Did ya’ll know that?” She handed the
dish to Charlie. “It’s a rice pilaf with tuna. You girls need to
eat better.”

Charlie took the dish from her. “Mrs.
L, you don’t have to keep cooking for us.”

Mrs. Leder waved a pruny hand at the
young woman. “Nonsense; and if you had any brains, young lady, you
might start learning to cook. You’re going to have a husband to
feed soon. I know you’re both modern women, but men like having
home cooked meals on the table when they get back from a long day
at the office.” She shook her finger at Charlie. “Makes them feel
special.”

“
I thought that was what
sex was for,” Charlie blurted out.

Mrs. Leder took the comment in stride,
grinning. “Sex is only a small part of marriage, Charlie. You’ll
learn that soon enough.” She eyed the boxes piled against the far
wall. “Are you just about finished packing?”

Charlie set out toward the kitchen,
carrying the casserole dish. “Almost. I want to get everything
moved over to Nelson’s apartment before the ceremony, so when we
get back from our honeymoon, everything will already be set
up.”

Mrs. Leder turned her thick lenses to
Madison. “How do you feel about being on your own,
Madison?”

“
Umm.” Madison wrung her
hands. “I’m fine with it. I’m happy Charlie and Nelson are finally
tying the knot.” She glanced at her roommate who was standing by
the kitchen counter, and begged to be rescued with her
eyes.

Mrs. Leder went to the kitchen
breakfast bar. “I’m sure you’ll be finding someone soon, Madison.
Pretty girl like you won’t be on the market for long.”

“
Madison already has
someone, Mrs. L,” Charlie declared, coming toward the counter. “Her
new boss.”

“
Yes, you started that job
today.” Mrs. Leder’s eyebrows went up. “Is your boss
cute?”

Madison grimaced, wanting to kick
Charlie for saying anything. “It’s not like that. He’s my boss. We
can’t date each other.”

Mrs. Leder let out a deceptively
fierce cackle. “Why not? When I started working at the oil company
after I graduated from college, I used to spend hours watching
Duncan Leder’s fine ass walk by my desk until I got the man to
sleep with me.”

Charlie and Madison both started
laughing. “Mrs. Leder?” Charlie chastised. “You shouldn’t say such
things to us. We’re young and impressionable, remember?”

Mrs. Leder snorted. “Young maybe, but
you two are about as impressionable as a Botox-stuffed Orange
County housewife picking out her fifth Mercedes.” Her eyes settled
on Madison. “Well, maybe not you, Madison, but your cohort in crime
definitely knows her way around a man.”