Wait for Me (13 page)

By the end of the day, William Montgomery was going to figure out just what happened over the weekend and where his plan had gone wrong.

****

Lucas hated being summoned to his father’s office.

Sure, it made working easier when they were in the middle of a big project like the one they were on now but right now he didn’t want to have to walk through the outer office and see Emma.  He’d done a fine job all morning of not seeing her and if he had any hope of holding on to his sanity, he’d have to keep from seeing her.

He grabbed the required paperwork and like man facing execution, he headed toward his father’s suite.  Keeping his head down and pretending to read something, he quickly walked by Emma’s desk and noticed that she wasn’t there.  He breathed a sigh of relief and then his mind started churning with thoughts of where she could be.  Would she be in the office with his father?  Was he going to have to work with her?

Lucas stormed through the door leading to his father’s office with more force than was necessary.  All eyes turned to him – his brother’s and his father’s.  He mumbled and apology and set up at the conference table and sat down. 

“Everything all right, Lucas?” his father asked.

“Fine.”

William was about to speak when Rose walked in carrying a tray with a carafe of coffee and several cups.  “Thank you, Rose,” he said.  “And when Emma calls, please put her through to me immediately.”

“Yes, Sir,” she said as she walked out of the office, closing the door behind her.

He took note that Mac and Jason were looking at him but Lucas was pretending to read over his paperwork.  “Everything okay with Emma?” Jason asked, concern lacing his voice.

“I sent her home and told her that until I got clearance from her doctor
stating that she was all right, she couldn’t work.”

“W
as she not feeling well?” Mac asked.

“She said she was fine but she seemed a little pale to me and head injuries can be tricky.  I hated to be firm with her but it was for the best.”

“Is she okay to driver herself to the doctor?” Jason asked.  “Maybe you should call her and I can meet her downtown and…”

Lucas slammed his hand down on the conference table and everyone turned to stare at him again.  He had told Emma to go to the doctor and she had refused, but his father says it and she goes.  True, he had forced her hand a little bit which is something Lucas should have done. 

“Is there a problem?” Jason asked, his lips twitching with amusement at his brother’s obvious displeasure.

“Don’t we have work to do?” he snapped.  “I mean, I was told that I needed to be here because of this project and all we’ve talked about is driving Emma around.  Seems to me if she needed help she would’ve asked for it.  Now can we please get started?”

His brothers exchanged smirks while they took their seats at the conference table and William soon joined them, convinced that he was now getting a glimpse into what was eating at his youngest son. 

A new plan began to form in his mind and William did his best to keep his expression neutral; giving nothing away.  If he played his cards right he’d get things back on track in no time.

“Ready to begin, boys?” he boomed and pulled up his chair at the head of the table.  It was shaping up to be a great day!

****

Emma closed her front door and dropped her purse before heading into her living room to crash on the couch.  A mild concussion.  Unbelievable.  If she and Lucas were on normal speaking terms Emma knew she’d never hear the end of it or the ‘I told you so’s’ that he would be chanting.  The doctor had cleared her to go back to work but for today, she was staying put.  Knowing that Lucas was in the office, she figured she’d take the day to recuperate and by tomorrow, he’d be gone.

Kicking her shoes off
, she reached for her phone and dialed the office.  Rose put her through to Mr. Montgomery immediately. 

“Well?” William said expectantly.  “What did the doctor have to say?”  His tone was soft and it was almost as if he was trying to not be heard by the people around him.

“I’m sorry, but is this a bad time?  I could have just given the update to Rose.”

“No, no, it’s fine.  Are you okay?  What’s the prognosis?”

“Mild concussion,” she said wearily, “but the doctor said that I’m fine to work.  If it’s okay with you, however, I’d like to take today to just rest and then I’ll be in tomorrow.”

“That sounds good.  Did they have to do a lot of tests?  Do you need me to drive you home?”

Where had that come from, she wondered?  “No, that isn’t necessary.  I’m home already and don’t plan on going out.”

“It’s probably for the best, Emma,” he said gravely and Emma had to wonder if he was really paying attention to what she was telling him.  From her end of the conversation she was fine but he was acting as if she’d given him bad news.

“I don’t think you’re following me, Sir,” she began.  “I’m fine; there’s no need to be so concerned.”

“I’m very concerned, Emma,” he replied. 
“I need to know that you’re going to be okay.  Is there anything you need?  Anything I can bring you?”

It was as if he wasn’t listening to a word she’d said!  “I’m fine, Mr. Montgomery, really,” she repeated with more emphasis.  “The doctor even said I could come back to work right now; I’m just asking for the day for personal reasons.”

William could hardly contain a laugh.  Lucas was nearly falling out of his chair straining to hear the conversation that William had deliberately taken on the other side of the room and Emma must think he’d lost his mind.  “Well, I’m sure the doctor knows best,” he said with a sigh.  “Take all the time that you need.  You’re health is what matters most here.”

Unable to take anymore of the crazy conversation, Emma told him that she’d see him in the morning and hung up.  “That was just a tad bit bizarre,” she said as she stood and went in search of something to eat.

Back in the office Lucas waited for his father to fill everyone in on his conversation with Emma.

But he didn’t.

He waited for one of his brothers to inquire about how Emma was.

But they didn’t.

Lucas was beyond frustrated and he sighed angrily and finally gave in to the need to ask for himself.  “What did the damn doctor say?” he snapped.

William arched an eyebrow at his son.  “I don’t see what you’re so upset about, Lucas.  Emma’s the one with the injury.”

“Yeah, well, I was the one that pulled her from the damn car when she was unconscious, if you remember correctly.  And I was the one who looked after her all weekend so I think that I have a right to know what the doctor said!”  His tone was louder than it needed to be and his father’s expression was a combination of shock and amusement.

“I didn’t say that you couldn’t know, Lucas, I merely pointed out that there was no need for you to be upset.”

“You know what?  I don’t need this,” Lucas griped as he stood and collected his paperwork.  It was only three o’clock in the afternoon and if he played his cards right he’d be back in his own home before dark.  “I’ll fax you my portion of the numbers tomorrow,” he said as he stormed out the door.

There was silence in the room for about ten seconds before Jason turned and asked, “What the hell’s gotten into him?”

William held up his hand and went to close the door so that no one would be privy to the conversation he was about to have with his sons.  “Boys, I think I’ve stirred up a bit of trouble,” he began and then went on to tell them about the weekend.

“So wait a minute,” Mac
interrupted, “you mean to tell me that you purposely sent Emma up there in a blizzard?  Dad, she could have gotten killed!”

“In my defense I didn’t know there was going to be a blizzard.  I thought it was just going to snow a bit and then Lucas wouldn’t let her drive in it.  I’m just sick inside with the thought of what happened to her but in the end, she’s okay.”

“Is she?” Jason asked.  “What did the doctor say and why wouldn’t you just tell Lucas?”

He l
aughed.  “What fun would that have been?  I’ve seen more emotion in your brother in the last couple of hours than we’ve seen in the last couple of years!  Emma’s fine; she has a mild concussion and the doctor told her she was fine to work.”

“Then why were you being so secretive?  From where we were sitting you made it sound like she was giving you
bad news over the phone,” Mac said.

“I was poking the bear,” William replied simply.  “Did you see the way he was acting while I was on the phone?  That boy was desperate to know how Emma was and it was damn near killing him to sit back and wait.  That is not the actions of a man who has no interest in a woman.”

“I don’t get it; you think that Lucas has feelings for Emma?  That’s what all of this is about?”

“Hell yes!  I’ve been noticing it more and more over the last couple of months but I knew that Lucas would never act on it so I put a plan in motion to make him do something about it.”

“How can you be sure it did?”

William shook his head in disbelief.  “Were the two of you not in the same room here with me?  Was that normal behavior for Lucas?  And earlier today, you both interacted with Emma, did she seem like her normal self to you?”  Both men shook their heads.  “I don’t know exactly what happened this weekend, but something sure did and I’m guessing that it scared the hell out of Lucas.”

“So what are you going to do now?  He’s heading back home,” Jason pointed out.

“We’ll see,” he said cryptically and then sat back down at the table.  “Now, where were we?”

****

By the time Lucas reached the parking garage he was calling himself every rotten name in the book
.  Way to draw attention to yourself
, he mocked silently.  He never should have touched her; never should have given himself the opportunity to have the best sex of his damn life that left him craving more.  He cursed and made his way over to his truck.

“Lucas?”

He dropped his head down and cursed again.  There was no way to escape now.

“Where are you off to?  It’s a little late for lunch.”

“Hey, mom,” he said dejectedly.  “What are you doing here?”

She was a tiny little woman, maybe five feet two and Lucas towered over her.  In her hands was a beautiful bouquet of flowers and a balloon that read ‘Get Well’.  “I came as soon as I could.  I wanted to give these to Emma.  She’s such a sweet girl and she keeps me spoiled with those brownies that she makes.”

Lucas’s mind wandered to the brownies they’d shared while watching movies at the cabin and his stomach growled at the recollection.  “Yeah, they’re good.”

She smacked his arm.  “That is the understatement of the year!”  She looked around and then focused on her son again.  “Anyway, I was out and about and wanted to give these to her.”

“She’s not here; Dad sent her to the doctor.”

His mother gasped.  “Oh, no!  Is she all right?  What did the doctor say?”

Lucas pinched the bridge of his nose and reminded himself that he loved his mother.  “You’ll have to ask dad; he spoke to her.”

“Oh, well…okay.  But that brings us back to you; where are you off to?”

“I’m heading home.”

“No you’re not,” she said firmly.

“Excuse me?”

For a tiny woman, Monica Montgomery
seemed to just expand before his eyes.  “I said no you’re not.”  With one hand on her hip she looked up into her son’s defiant face.  “I have had just about enough of this one day a month nonsense.  When you came to the house last night, you promised to have dinner with me tonight and I am holding you to it!”

“I didn’t promise…”

“Are you going to argue with me, Lucas?  Seriously?”

He shook his head and remembered his manners.  “No, ma’am,
I’m not arguing.  I just don’t remember saying…”

“I’m making your favorite meal, pot roast, mashed potatoes, carrots, biscuits…I’ve been looking forward to it all day.  You’re not going to let me down are you?”

He shook his head again.  “No, ma’am.” 

She reached out hugged him and then tugged his face down so she could kiss his cheek.  “Good.  Now walk me back inside so I can at least put these flowers on Emma’s desk.”  She made a tsking sound.  “Poor girl.  I hope she has someone to take care of her.”  Taking Lucas’s big hand in her own, she gently tugged him back toward the building.

“I took care of her,” he said under his breath, hating the fact that is five foot two mother was dragging his six foot self back to where he didn’t want to go.  There was no doubt that his brothers would give him shit for caving and coming back.  Lucas knew he had no choice and it was times like this that reinforced why he tended to stay as far away from the family and business as possible. 

When their elevator brought them back up to Montgomery’s floor, Lucas promised his mother he’d see her at dinner and then made a beeline for his office where he quietly shut his door and collapsed behind his desk. 
He had been so close to escaping this hell and now he was stuck for at least another day.  He knew that dinner would lead to spending the night and tomorrow his father would ask him to come to the office and before Lucas knew what hit him, it would be too late to head home.