The Merger (21 page)

“Thank you. I really appreciate the place to live.”

He nodded. “My wife bought this place years ago. I think almost everyone in the family has lived in it.”

“Your wife is the actress?”

There was a flash in his eyes again, but this time they sparkled. “That’s her. She hasn’t been on stage in quite a few years, but she still directs. You’ve seen her work?”

“No. Spencer told me about her.”

“His mother is my wife’s blood sister. Let me tell you, the bond between sisters is tight. They don’t even have to talk to speak. Do you have sisters?”

She shook her head. “Only child. Only everything now,” she said quietly.

“Your parents?”

“Passed a few years ago. They were older when I was born.”

John nodded slowly. “Spencer is in Oregon?”

“Yes.”

“Why don’t you plan on dinner with the family on Sunday. I can arrange to pick you up if you’d like.”

Julie felt her throat close off. She couldn’t go if Spencer
wasn’t
back. And he did say he might not be back.

“That’s very generous of you. But…”

“Think about it,” he said. “I’m sure it won’t be the first invitation you get.” He smiled as he headed for the door. “It was nice to meet you. I’ll try to call before I come back over.”

“It’s no problem. Thank you.”

He gave her a nod and headed up the steps twisting the bulb along the way. It flickered and turned on.

“Ah, loose. That’s better. Goodnight.”

Julie closed the door and leaned up against it. What had she gotten herself into? A job, a house, a man, and a family? Her heart thudded in her chest and she rested her hand over it. Disappointment would surely follow because she found herself wanting it all so desperately.

Keeping an eye on his watch, Spencer had waited until he knew Julie was in her office before he called.

“Hello,” the soft voice said on the other end and a smile formed on his lips. Five months ago he’d never have imagined that hard shell of the bitch lawyer could be just that—a shell.

“Good morning.”

“You’re getting an early start,” she said.

“I’m headed out to the factory to make sure that the trucks headed to Nashville are loaded. We have three more trucks heading out today and I don’t want any delays. As it looks right
now,
I won’t be home until Tuesday or Wednesday.”

She sighed into the phone and though it should have brought him sadness it filled him with relief. A few days into this new relationship—as he was calling it—she obviously missed him.

“I’m sure it will be well worth your time to be there.”

“Is Avery home yet?”

“No. Pete said next week. He’s talked to her a few times.”

Spencer fixed his tie in the mirror. “When did you talk to Pete?”

“Last night. He came to the bar.”

“Right.” Now that warmth from her missing him was a cold poke in the chest. What was Pete doing? “Did Tiffany go home with Clark?”

“He stood her up. Thank goodness too. That was the last thing I wanted to do last night. I’m glad Pete came. At least I had someone to talk to while she brooded.”

Spencer slipped his
arms
into his suit jacket and gave himself another look in the mirror. “I’ll take you out when I get back to make up for the nights you’ll have to deal with her.”

She laughed easily. “And where do you plan to take me to make up for that?”

“I have a place. Do you like barbecue?”

“Who doesn’t?”

Now he laughed. “It’s a date then. What are you doing this weekend?”

“I had a very nice dinner invitation, though I’m sure I won’t be going.”

Spencer’s jaw tightened. “Who invited you to dinner?”

“Your Uncle John.”

He felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise. “My family invited you to dinner?”

“
Well,
he did. He said I’d probably get more than one invitation. I’m not comfortable with someone’s family if they aren’t there.”

He knew that wouldn’t be the case here. If she went to a family dinner without
him,
she’d never feel alone again. But he wanted to be there to take her. He wanted to walk in with her on his arm.

Spencer bit back the oath he wanted to let free. He didn’t want to be in Oregon all weekend.
Instead,
he wanted to be in Nashville with her trying to get a grip on these new feelings he was having for someone he thought made his stomach ache.

“Hold on,” she said and he could hear her
muffle
the phone. “Hey, I have to go. Tiffany has an office full of people.”

“On a Thursday morning?”

“I guess. I’ll talk to you later.”

He’d wanted to say goodbye and pull her in for just a few more minutes, but the connection went dead and he was alone in his hotel room holding his phone.

All the better he decided. He needed to be focused on the tasks at hand. Why were loads getting to Nashville late and who decided that doing business with PLL was suddenly a bad idea?

An hour later Spencer was at the mill watching trees become the lumber that would build the houses in his development. He had a call into the farmer who owned the land behind the development. The eldest son had said they’d like to talk it over as a family and with their lawyer, but Spencer was sure his offer was good enough. However, he could wait on it. PLL needed his attention now.

The factory manager, Marcus DeLuca, gave him an extensive tour of the facility, with the executives he’d left in Oregon. They’d been through the factory numerous times, but had they missed something?

“We’ve used that same trucking company for nearly thirty years. Can’t think of a thing that has changed to make them refuse loads,” he told them. “Maybe some computer glitch.”

Could have been, Spencer thought. But he was going to be thorough in finding out.

The milling of the wood fascinated Spencer, he thought as they walked back through the facility. A tree in
the forest
would become someone’s home. It was like seeing a small lot of land and a year later seeing the building that stood on that footprint. What would or could they build in a hundred years, he wondered.

As the driver took them back to the office of Pacific Line Lumber, Spencer watched the scenery outside his window. The lush green didn’t hold his attention as it had for the past year. Now he just wanted to get home.

He rested his head back against the seat and wondered if Julie would someday miss Oregon. Could the wonder that was Tennessee hold her heart for the long term? West coast and southern lifestyles were certainly different.

Raking his hands through his
hair,
he let out a breath. Why was he thinking that at all? They had shared a few kisses and still lingering was the fact that
for the past year
he’d cursed her name.

Oh, how he wished he hadn’t.

He
cranked
his neck from side to side.

Tomorrow he was going to spend some time in legal getting to know the staff better—including Steven McDaniels.

Sleep had eluded him. Friday morning was fueled by coffee and anxiety.

Spencer walked through the front doors of PLL and up to his office only to find Libby Grayson seated on his desk.

Every muscle in his body stiffened and he stopped short of entering the office completely.

She sat cross-legged. Her skirt rose high on her thighs and the blouse she wore was cut low. Long dark hair cascaded down her back and when she licked her
lips,
Spencer thought he would be sick.

He gripped his foam coffee mug as tightly as he could without crushing it. “Can I help you with something, Ms. Grayson?”

“Oh, you certainly don’t need the pleasantries, Spencer. Call my Libby.”

Still standing at the threshold he watched as she slid from his desk and sauntered toward him. “I hadn’t expected to see you back in Oregon so soon.”

Her perfume filled his nose and he gritted his teeth together. “I had more business.”

She reached out a long, manicured finger and ran it down the buttons on his shirt. “Don’t trust your employees?”

Spencer grabbed her hand with his free one. “Trust them more than most people I know. What can I do for you?”

Her painted red lips curled into a smile. “I want to have dinner with you.”

“I don’t think so,” he said firmly as he let go of her hand and walked past her.

She turned and walked back to his desk as he skirted around the backside and set down his semi-crushed cup.

“People don’t turn me down.” Her tone was cool. He was sure she was correct and no one turned her down. He was different.

“Looks like I just did that.”

A moment later she was seated on his desk again. “I think if you got to know me you’d reconsider.”

Spencer bit down on the inside of his cheek hard enough he could taste blood. “I was under the impression you were dating someone in legal.” The words were nearly inaudible as he pushed them out
through
tight lips.

She brushed away his words with a flick of her hand. “I date many men. I keep the important ones,” she said with her eyes fixed on him.

“And he isn’t important?”

She shrugged. “Was married now divorced. Needy. Not really my type, but I’ll give him some credit. Wife is a bitch.”

That had Spencer grabbing the edge of his desk. “I have things to do. I’d really appreciate you leaving.”

Libby gave him a wink, stood, and then placed her hands flat on his desk so that the view right in front of him led down the V of her shirt.

“I’ll be around, Spence. So will you. Mark my word.”

She puckered her lips and blew him a noisy kiss before she turned and with her hips swaying, walked out of his office.

Spencer fell back in his chair and sat there for another long five minutes with his hands flat on the top of his desk. It wouldn’t jeopardize anything to have security keep Libby out of the building. She wasn’t on the payroll. She didn’t have a job title. There was no reason for her to be near him or his employees.

He pushed back from his desk and headed toward the legal department. He was going to have a conversation with Steven McDaniels.

~*~

Julie rubbed her temples to ward away the headache forming behind her eyes. She’d been looking at her computer screen all morning. For the past two
hours,
she’d been on the phone ordering supplies and going over the specs for the corporate house.

Why Spencer had put her in charge of that didn’t make any sense to her. But she’d do her best and he’d be proud to turn over the key to the owners. However, there was a moment when she was picking out the flooring in the kitchen she wanted to go with something just disgusting and write in to have the walls painted orange and find an
avocado-green
oven.

The thought made her chuckle as the door to the trailer opened.

There wasn’t a slew of curses that followed it shutting so she looked around the small wall and her breath caught in her chest and held there.

Steven stood in the doorway with his arms crossed and his brows furrowed behind dark sunglasses.

Julie was quick to her feet. “Why are you here?” And where was Chuck she wondered? She’d like to have him in the room just to be there.

“This is where you came? Six figure income and you left what you had for this?” He gestured up with his hands. “Are you insane?”

Julie clenched her jaw and placed her hands on her desk. “Seriously why are you here? I don’t have ties to you anymore.”

He chuckled. “That hurt.” He moved in closer to her desk. “Do you want me to say I’m sorry? I made a mistake.”

That had her head popping up. “A? One?”

“Now, Jules.”

“Don’t
Jules
me.” Fire pumped through her. “I walked into
my
bedroom in
my
house and found you with Libby. That was enough for me. I never should have taken you back after the other times.”

“Now, none of them…”

“Meant anything to you. I know the speech.” Her voice was loud and strained. Every ounce of anger had poured into those words.

He took his sunglasses off and those eyes, which had once held power over her, didn’t. In fact, when she looked at them she didn’t remember what it was she’d seen in them before at all. They weren’t soft and kind like Spencer’s. They didn’t hold honesty in them or kindness. Not like Spencer’s.

“Sugar, can I sit down?” he asked pulling the chair back and sitting before she’d given him an answer.

“Why are you here? Seriously do you have a valid reason?”

The trailer door opened. Tiffany and Chuck both strolled in casually. Chuck muttered under his breath. Tiffany smiled looking much too gorgeous to be working on a construction site.