Present time
CJ.
Everything Jeremy and I had discussed disappeared from my thoughts, obliterated, annihilated. Jeremy and the other man were shaking hands. I heard their voices, but I couldn’t pull my eyes away from CJ.
He was even more dashing in a suit. No, nude was the best view.
This wasn’t real, a different dimension in time or space. My mind couldn’t compute this…this… I wasn’t sure what it was.
“Lena.” My name rolled smooth as silk off his tongue.
His tongue. My core clenched recalling what he could do with that tongue.
CJ.
Wait.
I shook my head, my shocked stare told everyone who I was speaking to. “You lied about your name?”
“I didn’t lie. I go by my initials.”
Jeremy and the other man were looking from one of us to the other.
“Do you two know one another?” Jeremy asked.
“We do,” CJ replied.
The other man extended his hand toward me. “Ms. Montgomery, I’m Colton Thompson. It’s an honor to meet you.”
Hearing him speak reminded me of who I was at the moment. I was the Lena Montgomery, the owner of Venus and Montgomery Holdings. “Mr. Thompson—Colton,” I said as we shook. I turned to CJ. “That must mean that you’re Chandler.”
His smile quirked the sexy way I knew it did. “And you’re Lena Montgomery.”
“Tell me you didn’t know.”
The sunlight coming through the windows reflected in his turquoise stare as he shook his head with a smirk. “I had no idea. And now I’m floored.”
Trying to regroup, I turned toward the three people in the doorway. The look on Kelsey’s face was more of entertainment than shock. Adam’s expression was as if this was totally predictable. Of course, it was. They knew.
Kelsey had said there was an odd connection.
“We’re fine,” I said, pulling out a chair across from CJ.
CJ lifted his hand and waved at my security.
Kelsey nodded.
“They knew,” I said as I scooted my chair to the table’s edge and crossed my ankles beneath the slab of glass.
“They didn’t tell me,” CJ replied.
“Someone tell me what is happening,” Jeremy said, now seated at my side.
Inhaling, I turned to my business partner. “The acquisition is finalized. This has no bearing on that. Regarding what we discussed earlier, I’m going with my first answer.”
Jeremy’s eyes opened wide. “Why?” When I didn’t answer, he turned to the Thompsons. “Could you two excuse us for a moment? Whatever is happening, we need a moment to regroup.”
With my jaw rigid and my teeth clenched, I watched as both men on the other side of the table stood. Keeping my stare straight ahead, I observed as CJ’s body elongated into the handsome specimen of man he was. So as not to stare at the part of his body that was now at the table’s edge, I looked up, meeting his gaze.
“Lena.”
Momentarily closing my eyes with a slight shake of my head, I replied, “Please give us a few minutes.”
Staying statuesque, I didn’t move until I heard the door latch. When it did, I dropped my forehead to my arm upon the table. At the same second, Jeremy turned on me, his tenor deep, his volume hushed. “What the fuck, Lena? I’ve never seen you like this. What is happening?”
Moving my head so I could see Jeremy, my voice was soft. “Chandler Thompson is CJ.”
It only took Jeremy a second until his eyes opened wide. “Well, isn’t that something? You didn’t tell me he was young.”
“I guess for one week it didn’t matter. I don’t know his age.”
“Thirty-one.”
“Shit,” I mumbled. “That explains his stamina.”
As Jeremy chuckled, I pushed the chair away from the table, stood, and held onto my own hand. Memories were coming at rapid speed as I paced near the window, recollections I’d planned to keep me company on lonely nights. With my head shaking, I tried to articulate my thoughts. “This changes everything.” I met Jeremy’s gaze. “Under no condition can he—CJ…Chandler—be employed by Venus. I have rules. I have a line. There are people who could say I’ve conducted business unethically. It might be the truth in some situations.” I shook my head. “Involvement with employees has been my hard line. I won’t blur that now.”
Jeremy crossed his arms over his chest. “You blocked his number, right?”
“Yes.”
“You said goodbye and didn’t want to see him again.”
“Yes, we said goodbye. I didn’t block his number because I didn’t want to see him, but so I couldn’t. Don’t you see how this could be construed?”
“That relationship is in the past,” Jeremy continued. “This can be a new relationship. A nonsexual one.”
I closed my eyes, heat returning to my body at the thought of CJ. Sighing, I opened them and replied honestly. This was Jeremy. He knew me. “I don’t know if I can do that.” I had an idea. “Maybe now that he knows the connection, he won’t want to stay.”
“Then we stay with our plan to make him an offer. If he refuses, that’s done.”
I let my shoulders drop. “What if he doesn’t refuse?”
“That’s up to you.”
Closing my eyes, I let out a long breath. With them opened, I walked back to my chair and sat. “For the record, I hate that you convinced me that we need him.”
Jeremy’s hand came to my shoulder. “I know you do. You also know my arguments were strong.”
“Fine, Architech is now your baby. I’m name only.”
Jeremy grinned. “I’m sure that will last too.”
Gripping the back of the chair, I said, “Get them back in here, and let’s get this done.”
By the time we were all four seated, I saw CJ in a new light. Thirty-one years old. The number seemed young, ridiculously young. However, I knew from our one week that number didn’t reflect his intellect or genuine protectiveness. From their expressions, I assumed CJ had filled his brother in on our connection.
How much did he share?
This was why I had the damn line.
I addressed the group, “As we’re all now aware, CJ—Chandler—and I met recently. And that fact doesn’t change that Venus, a subsidiary of Montgomery Holdings, now owns and has complete control over Architech.”
CJ’s lips quirked.
Was it at my declaration of control?
Ignoring him, I steadied my breathing and gave the speech I had planned before I knew the audience. The deal was done. No need to play hardball. For the next few minutes, I relayed my thoughts and understanding of Architech as well as the vision I had for the future. I shared that besides the art gallery in SoHo, Venus was inundated with inquiries. Finally, I gestured toward Jeremy.
He nodded and pulled the printed list of the employees we were interested in retaining from his satchel and laid it on the table. “We agreed to a thirty-five percent retention. With this list, we are a bit over forty-four percent. As we discussed, our people are currently investigating more economically sound locations. We will commit to retaining the people on this list; however, at the end of the day, it will be their decision to move and of course we will offer a moving stipend.”
Jeremy still had his hand over the paper, his fingers splayed.
“You said there are four cities?” Colton asked.
“Yes,” I replied, “Missoula, Montana.” I did my best to keep eye contact with Colton, but as I did, I saw the different shade in his orbs. It took all my self-restraint not to turn to the man at his side, the one with the unique color. “Atlanta,” I continued, “Indianapolis, and finally, Lansing. As you’re aware, due to the earning potential for the people employed by what is currently Architech, the different states are willing to make some tax concessions. We have decided to keep production going here in Austin until we can make the move.”
Jeremy pushed the paper across the table.
Both men looked down at it, their eyes scanning from the top to the bottom.
Finally, CJ looked up from the paper. “My name isn’t listed.”
“You’re not an employee,” Jeremy said, “not technically. Ms. Montgomery and I spoke at length…”
As Jeremy spoke, CJ’s gaze was fixed on the man discussing his future. Another memory returned from CJ’s and my one week. I recalled how he seemed sad that he wasn’t working with his brother any longer. This is why. His brother didn’t die in a tragic fire as a firefighter; no, they sold their business.
To me.
Everyone was looking my direction. I blinked my eyes, hoping I could recall what Jeremy had said.
“I’m sorry.”
CJ’s expression fell as his face tipped forward.
“Wait,” I said, leaning forward. “I’m sorry because I wasn’t listening as closely as I should have. What was the question?”
Jeremy’s cadence was measured. “Your decision regarding Chandler.”
I took a deep breath. “I’ll confess it was Jeremy’s influence. Chandler, you have convinced Jeremy that you are and will be valuable.”
Light returned to his eyes as Colton slapped CJ’s shoulder.
Despite the testosterone, I went on, “Your employment, as with everyone else we retain, will be probationary—a period of three months and we reevaluate.” I looked to Jeremy and back to CJ. “Our offer is this: you will take on a supervisory role in research and development, one I’d assume that is similar to what you did previously. We plan to hire a CFO and CEO. Our search-and-screen committee has already begun the hunt. You and the CEO will work hand in hand, your focus being on the technology. The CEO’s focus will be more production-based, marketing and financial. I will not be involved other than watching the returns. We’ve already had many customers interested in utilizing your technology.” I smiled. “Our technology.”
“You won’t be involved?” CJ asked.
Shaking my head, I met his gaze. “My focus is on sales and profits. Montgomery Holdings is extremely wide and diverse. I hire the best people to maintain each piece of the puzzle. Jeremy and I work at growing the pieces while making them fit. If that fit isn’t right, we move on.”
“Nevertheless, if I agree, I’ll be working for you.”
“Yes,” I replied.
“No,” Jeremy said at the same time. He went on, “Ultimately, but for the sake of appearance, Architech was purchased by Venus. Venus is only one of the holdings under the Montgomery Holdings umbrella.” When no one replied, he continued, “Before I speak to the employees, we’d like your answer, Chandler. Do the two of you have any questions or concerns that we should address?”
CJ’s head tilted to the side. “This is what you do?” He was looking at me. “You buy and sell companies as if they mean nothing.”
I met his stare, my shoulders squared. “I buy and sell what is promising. Your virtual environment, hard- and software, is truly groundbreaking. It isn’t nothing. If it were, we’d dismantle, take the loss, and move on.”
CJ’s expression softened. “Could that be why someone is…?” He looked at his brother and back to me. “Why you’re in need of Adam and Kelsey?”
“They’re investigating that possibility. I’ve made more enemies than friends.”
“Then those people didn’t get to know you.”