The 5-Year Plan (Friends to Lovers Romance Book 1) (2 page)

Trent laughed. “You know, I’d ask if you’d always been this uptight, but I know you have. I remember you counting sand in the sandbox in Kuwait. Must be a genetic flaw. A defect in your DNA.”

“Don’t you wish you had the same flaw? You’re the one who has a bug in your brain. Remember the teacher in school who called your parents and asked them to take you to a psychologist? She wasn’t that far off the mark.”

Trent groaned. “Hey, it wasn’t my fault that I nearly managed to burn the chemistry lab down. An experiment went wrong.”

“You changed the labels on the bottles of the chemicals.”

He winced. “How was I to know it’d go that far south?”

“Yeah, well, I’d have let you hang for it.”

“You would not. I know you asked your dad to use his military pull so the principal wouldn’t kick me out. How’s the old man doing in Hawaii anyway?”

Face hot, she shook her head. She hadn’t meant to bring up that memory, but she was surprised that Trent knew she had asked her father to help Trent. Despite Trent being a lazy pain in her side, he’d always been there for her—he was the only man she really trusted other than her dad. She waved a hand. “Other than really hating retirement, he loves it. Mom’s finally got the house the way she wants it and they want me to fly over for Christmas.”

“Well, aloha! Maybe I should take my next vacation in Hawaii. It wouldn’t hurt to have a few drinks with your old man. And I miss your mom’s lasagna.”

She slapped the file in her hand on the edge of his desk. “Instead of planning your next vacation, it wouldn’t hurt for you to burn the midnight oil a bit.”

He grinned and folded his hands behind his head. “You work hard enough for both of us. Hey, Julie!” Sitting up, he waved to the tall, curvy brunette. Victoria glanced over at her. Julie had joined the firm only a few months ago, but she’d already been promoted to a manager spot. She didn’t know Julie all that well—Victoria worked in development, while Julie was in marketing—but it did seem like Julie was always hanging around the IT department—and in Trent’s office

Julie sauntered in with a sheaf of papers in her hands. She cast a glance at Victoria, and Victoria got the message—sizing up the competition. She’d seen that look all too often over the years. Folding her arms, she gave the look back. Julie’s dress fit her as if she’d been poured into it. Turning to Trent, Julie batted her eyelashes. “I can’t access my files, Trent. Something happened to my computer.”

He stood. “Did you leave it on all night again? You know the rules, Julie. It’s important to log out before you leave the office otherwise it goes into the security mode and shuts down.”

Biting her lower lip, Julie cast a worried glance at Victoria. Eyes narrowing, Victoria wondered if Julie could be the leak at the company. She worked in the accounts department, and wasn’t one of Victoria’s subordinates, so Victoria didn’t know her all that well. But Julie didn’t really seem the type to pull off the thief of company information—right now she looked worried that Victoria might say something to get Julie into trouble. “Don’t tell anyone, Trent. Maybe…I am not sure… I might have forgot to log out.”

“Mum’s the word, Julie.” He winked. “You go on back to office. I’ll be right there. It won’t take that long to fix it.”

After she left, Victoria put a hand on her hip. “If you keep on protecting these imbeciles, you’re going to end up losing your job. She should be more careful.”

“Julie hasn’t got the best brain in business.” He closed his laptop and picked up his phone. “But did you look at that body?” He gave a low whistle.

Victoria shook her head. On principle, she hated every girl he dated. He always seemed to pick the girls with the lowest IQ—bimbos who didn’t want anything more than a good time. She didn’t like people who wasted their potential. “For once, take my advice and stay away from her. What if she’s deliberately leaving the system open so her accomplice can steal data? That’s something to think about. If she goes down, she’s going to take you with her.”

He glanced at her and shook his head. “We’re working in an office, and not one associated with the FBI. You can’t look at everyone with suspicion.”

She waved a hand in dismissal. “Whatever! I gotta go.”

As she turned, Victoria nearly bumped into her boss, Peter Iverson.

In his late forties, Peter could have still passed for a man in his thirties. He kept his brown hair neatly trimmed and dark, his face lightly tanned, and his smile bright and cheerful. He wasn’t smiling now. Smoothing a hand down a dark blue tie, he glanced from Trent to Victoria. “What’s going on? I thought you were going to deliver the file on my desk today?”

“It’s ready, sir.” She held out the folder. “I was just—”

“Just explaining a problem she’s having with her computer. I’m sorry to have kept you with so many questions. I’ll go check it out right now.”

His lie was so smooth, so easily spun, she found it difficult to keep up. “Yeah! Thank you, Trent.”   

Taking the file, Peter headed out of Trent’s office. Victoria followed him. “I’m going to work on the Cooper contracts now, sir.”

He stopped and tapped the file against his thigh. “I’ll need the first draft by tomorrow. And, Victoria…” Dropping his voice, he glanced around. He looked at her, his dark eyes serious and intent. ”Do you have any idea how information is leaking out of our office? We had another theft last night. I’ve heard significant data was taken, and if it’s passed on to a rival company we’re going to be in deep trouble.”

She’d been in the office last night. The thief had been nowhere in sight. That meant the date must have been stolen through the IT system. Trent was right. But she didn’t want to tell her boss she’d begun her own investigation. He might tell her to back off, leave it to security. Far better to present a
coup de grace
. She could imagine his admiration when she offered Peter not only the name of the criminal but also firm evidence. Wetting her lips, she shook her head. “No idea, sir.”

Eyes narrowing, Peter looked at her. “It would be a shame if it turned out to be a member of my team. I’ve asked Rose to scan the security tapes. We can’t afford to not take this matter seriously.”

Rose headed up security at the office, and Victoria could imagine she wasn’t very happy right now. She was as much to blame as the thief since her security team had allowed the leaks to happen. She gave her boss a nod. “I surely hope so, sir.”

With a last glance at her, Peter strode back to his corner office. Victoria headed back to her desk. She had one of the smaller offices, but it had a window. She’d filled one wall with plants and had files stacked on a credenza opposite the greenery. Unlike Trent, she had stacks of papers covering every surface. She flopped into her chair and pulled out the Cooper files. Time to dive into a new project. Before she started, Victoria picked up one of the photo frames on her desk. She stared at the four neat squares. Each space contained one picture. Her mom and dad stood in one. The second contained a picture of her with her mom, and the third held a photo of her dad in his captain’s uniform. The fourth picture was a blast from the past. Her ninth grade picture showed her standing with her arm around her best friend, Trent. Even though this photo had been taken years ago, nothing much had changed. He was smiling in the photo and had a goofy look on his face. She was frowning and poking him in the side with one hand. Someday his attitude would land him in a lot of trouble. If he lost his job, she would miss seeing him in office. On the other hand, maybe it could be the jolt he needed to take things seriously.

At some point, Trent would have to change gears. When he did, she would be as proud of him as he was of her own achievements. Like it or not, he was her best friend and her biggest supporter – and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Striding out to lunch, Victoria mentally reviewed the work she was supposed to finish this week. She had two contracts to draft, three vendors to review, monthly reports to finish, and she was hatching a new scheme to catch whoever was stealing company secrets. The wind whipped her hair around her face and she raised her head to enjoy the breeze. It had been two weeks since she’d last allowed herself the luxury of lunch outside the office. Usually, she wolfed down a sandwich at her desk. She knew she was a border-line workaholic, but the busier she was, the more energized she felt. But it was nice to get out today, and she was looking forward to trying the new café that had just opened down the block. Maybe Trent was right about all work and no play. She hadn’t been on a date in the past three months. Of course, that could be partly due to her parting with Bob. That hadn’t ended well. But did she really need a man in her life?

Who even had the time to look at men when she just about touch the big shining goal she’d set for herself. Once she had a title on her card, and all the perks that went with the position, she could relax a little. It was fine if Trent wanted to laugh at her dreams, but she knew that she was headed in the right direction. She still had time to meet the right man, and it would be more than enough if she did and got pregnant before the year was out.

When she entered the restaurant, Victoria stretched up and saw Sue already in a corner booth. She gave a wave and headed there. She’d made a pact with Sue to meet up for lunch twice a month. Sue had worked in the same office until she’d gotten married, had a baby, and had decided to take a couple of years off work so she could spend time with her child. For Sue, their lunches were a connection back to the business world. For Victoria, she had to admit a touch of jealousy—Sue might complain about the diapers and teething, but there were times Victoria wished they could swap places. Despite their hectic schedules, they’d managed to hold on to their friendship. Sue was a good bouncing board for a lot of Victoria’s ideas, and she always gave great advice. Besides, it was fun to sometimes see a flash of jealousy on Sue’s face when Victoria talked about work.

Sliding into a seat, Victoria smiled. “I thought you texted that you’d be late?”

Sue pulled a face. She’d cut her hair again and the short Pixie style suited her narrow face and made her brown eyes look even bigger. “Almost. Liam threw a vase on the floor just as I was about to step out. Naturally, I had to calm him down, but the babysitter said she’d clean up the mess. I swear that boy is getting naughtier with each passing week.”

Victoria recalled the cherubic face of Sue’s boy—all pudgy cheeks and gooey grins. He had Sue’s eyes and his dad’s strong chin. Envy crawled into her chest and clamped down. She wanted that kind of domestic bliss, the cute baby, a happy family. But it looked as if this particular dream would have to wait. “It can’t be worse than the chaos in the office.” Victoria gave Sue a run down on the information leak.

“Management must be banging their heads against the wall. That’s terrible.” Sue ordered a wine spritzer. Victoria toyed with the idea of the same, but went for a raspberry ice tea instead. When their drinks arrived, Sue asked, “So who is suspect number one?”

“More like number none. No one has a clue. Trent has his own ideas. He thinks someone may be hacking into the system.”

Sue opened the menu. “Sadly, it’s possible. What’s even sadder is I still can’t lose those last ten pounds of baby fat. It’s going to be salad for me.”

Victoria ordered the same and then leaned in closer to Sue. “Not everyone is good with computers. Hacking into a system undetected would require skills. Somehow, I just don’t think that’s the case here. And Trent—he may be lazy, but he’s good with computer. I can’t see him leaving a hole that someone could use.”

“Maybe it’s just an intimate knowledge of the current system that’s being exploited. Did you discuss any of this with your boss?”

“Peter? No. I don’t want to want him to tell me to leave it to security. And given the source of the idea, that is Trent, I’d rather keep my mouth shut. If it wasn’t for Trent, I might have caught the thief last night.”

“What?”

Their salads arrived. After the waiter left, Victoria’s gave a rundown on last night’s events. Sue laughed. “All that was missing was the black stretch outfits.”

Victoria wrinkled her nose. “Not on me. They’d make my hips look huge.”

“Oh, like you have to worry. But surely, you didn’t expect to catch the thief in the office. How would you even know it wasn’t someone working late? But I’m bummed I’m missing out on all your fun. One more year and I swear I am getting back to work. I’ve done my share of diaper changes, wiping up vomit from the floor, and rocking a child to sleep. Let Shane do his work now. I told him he should take off a year and take care of Liam.”

Since her husband was a lawyer with a thriving practice, Victoria didn’t see that happening any time soon. “Why don’t you hire a nanny?”

Sue wrinkled her brow. “I don’t know…it’s hard to leave my baby with someone I don’t know. Besides, Liam will be old enough for preschool next year. But yeah! I do miss work like crazy. It’s not easy sitting at home while you have all the fun.”

“What happened to the joy of motherhood?”

“Still there.” Sue popped a lettuce leaf into her mouth. “But I don’t want my brain to rot. It’s very sad that I know more about
SpongeBob SquarePants
than I do about the current stock market numbers.”

“You should think of yourself as one of the lucky ones.” She sighed and pushed a tomato around her plate. Trent’s taunts had hit her harder than she’d thought. He’d left her too aware now that life was passing her by. “I’d love to be in your shoes. Shane adores you, and Liam is a doll. I don’t know when I’m ever going to find my Mr. Right. So far he seems to be eluding me.”

Sue covered Victoria’s hand with hers. “Don’t be sad, sweetie. You’re only twenty-five. What’s the hurry? There’s plenty of time to find the man who is just what you want and need. And let me tell you…” She settled back into her seat with a gleam in her eyes. “Marriage isn’t as blissful as people seem to think. I can’t tell you the number of times Shane and I have fought about the most mundane things. Just the other day we had an awful argument about whose turn it was to take out the trash.”

Victoria smiled. “At least you have someone to fight with. I go home to an empty apartment. Some days I’d give my right arm to have someone to fight with me about something inane.”

Sue took a sip of her wine. “Oh, come one. You’re going to tell me you don’t do that with Trent? Every day?”

Victoria pulled her hand away and poked at her salad.. She gave a snort. “Trent? What—because we argue we must be made for each other?”

“You know what they say about opposites?”

“There’s opposite and then there’s poles apart. I don’t know when he’s going to settle down. Party. Late nights. Bars. That’s all he is interested in.”

“Just because you’re an old soul doesn’t mean he has to be one.” Sue cleared her throat. “And you know what, sweetie. Sometimes opposites attract because they complement each other. I’ve seen you two together. At the core of it, you both share the same values. You’re both loyal. You like to help others. You’re both honest and caring. That’s kept your friendship alive how many years now?”

“It’s not friendship, it’s called I can’t seem to get rid of him. Everywhere I look, he is there. School…then college…now we even work in the same place.” Victoria wiped a hand across her brow. “The only thing Trent and I have in common is a lot of memories.”

“You’re wrong.” Sue pushed her empty salad plate away and dug out a fresh roll. “Trent is the only guy who makes you laugh. You forget that I’ve seen you guys at work at and at play. You’re so at ease in his company that it brings out the best in you. With the other men you date…well, you’re not yourself.”

Victoria cocked her head. “What do you mean?”

“I mean as in Bob. The short skirts he liked you to wear that you hated. The perfume he bought you that you told me made you smell like day-old take out and you still wore it? You tried to be everything that old Bob wanted and then he still leaned on you to be even more of the good, little woman.”

Biting down on her lip, Victoria shook her head. “No way is that true. I’m…I’m very comfortable with the men I’ve dated. Bob was just a…an aberration.”

“So was John two years ago? The guy who took you to karaoke every Friday and you hate signing?”

Victoria threw her napkin onto the table. “That doesn’t make Trent a prize. The man is an idiot!”

Sue tilted an eyebrow. “Maybe he is
your
idiot.”

“No way! Okay, so we are close—we grew up together. A lot of people assumed we like each other you know…that way. But Trent is so not my type. In fact, if there’s an opposite of my type, it’s Trent. I’m looking for man who’s ambitious and serious about his work. I want someone who can handle responsibility. Trent just isn’t in that space yet. And, knowing him, it could be a long time before he ever gets there. Sure, he makes me laugh. But you can’t spend your life laughing. He’s careless, insensitive…”

“Oh, please! He is a party guy, and he likes to have fun. But what’s wrong with a little fun. And I’ve seen his eyes track your movements across the office floor. I’ve also seen him change his plans at the last minute to accommodate you. And I’ve noticed how he wipes away your tears with a word or a causal gesture. You’re more dependent on him than you realize.”

With a stubborn shake of her head, Victoria leaned back. “Trent and I…that is never happening. I’m not his type either.”

“So you’re going to hold out for a macho, strong, overbearing guy? Do you know why you’re not married yet?”

“No—but why do I have the feeling you’re about to enlighten me about it.” She put her elbow on the table and her chin on her hand. “Go ahead. Hit me with it. I know you’re only trying to help, and I sure could use it.”

Sue leaned forward, sweeping out a gesture with her empty wine glass. “You’re looking for a man who reminds you of your father’s strength. In the deepest corner of your mind, you’re seeking a guy who makes you feel safe and secure the way you felt in your dad’s arm. Unfortunately, most macho men today don’t have that real strength. They’re hollow husks who look strong on the outside, but have hidden insecurities. They treat the women like shit to make themselves feel better. Bob was like that, wasn’t he?”

Victoria winced. She’d dumped her ex-boyfriend when he began to throw his weight around. She was an independent woman who could take care of herself. She wanted a man who was her rock, not someone who diminished her with verbal insults. Wincing from the truth, Victoria dragged a finger through the condensation on her iced tea glass. ”Not every man I dated was that bad.”

Sue drummed her fingers on the table. “Whatever, sweetie. Lie to yourself if that makes you feel good. But the truth is that Trent has taken care of more of your problems that all your other boyfriends put together. He’s the only one who is there when the going gets tough. And he looks like he’s going to be there for you all his life. So if I had to choose a man for you to spend your life with, guess who I’d choose?”

Victoria didn’t answer. She didn’t want to hear anymore. “Enough about me. And Trent. And work. Tell me about Liam. Is he still in love with all things truck? I must drop by to see him one of these days.”

“Sure. He’d love to see Aunt Victoria.”

They started talking about summer plans and getting together on the weekend for a picnic if the weather held. Once lunch was over, Victoria hugged Sue goodbye and made her way back to the office. While it had been good to meet up with her friend, Sue’s words still reverberated in her mind. Was she choosing the wrong men for the wrong reasons? Was she searching for a man who could only ever be a figment of her imagination? What was wrong with her that she ended up with guys who turned out to be bossy and disrespectful?

Sue’s assessment about Trent also wasn’t that far off the mark. Victoria had spent enough years with him to know he was loyal down to the bone. It didn’t matter how much he annoyed her, or how much she poked at him, he was always there for her. As she stopped to wait for a light to change, Victoria’s gaze was drawn to two kids walking down the road toward her. The girl looked to be about thirteen and the boys a year older. They could have been brother and sister, but she had a feeling they were friends. The boy pulled the girl’s hair, and she turned to kick him away, but gave a laugh. The pair reminded her of her childhood. She’d spent countless hours with Trent, first in Kuwait and later in college when they’d met up again after a gap of two years. He knew her in a way no one else did. But something had always prevented her from thinking of Trent as boyfriend material.

During school, she’d had a slight crush on him. He’d been the golden boy, the one with cool friends, and the one everyone invited to parties. Drawn as she was to his clean, good looks and his boisterous personality, she’d always been too shy to ask him out. Or he’d done something stupid every time she got close to asking. He’d never asked her, except in a joking way that made it clear he wasn’t really interested.

In college, it had been same. Trent had never been without a girlfriend hanging around, and yet he’d also never had a serious relationship. How could she be with any man who was that shy of commitment? She wanted a man who would be a good father and husband. Trent couldn’t even stick to one girl for six months. What kind of an emotional security could he offer anyone? All of that added up to Trent being a bad idea. Sue might mean well but she wasn’t right about everything. In fact she was way off the mark on this one.