The next few days came and went with little interaction between Morgan and Kathleen. While Morgan was no longer avoiding her, he’d make sure when they did spend time together others were around. Morgan had never wanted a woman the way he found himself wanting Kathleen. Not even the woman he’d once planned to marry. There was just something about Kathleen that both enticed him and scared the hell out of him too.
It was Friday, and Morgan found himself watching the clock. He was excited about the fact that he’d soon have Kathleen alone and all to himself. The hours seemed to be moving slower than normal. Morgan was sitting at a table in the back of the cafeteria, watching his team members interact with each other when Kathleen approached him holding a tray with one of Ms. Monica’s famous chef’s salads and a bottle of water on it.
“May I join you?” Kathleen asked, smiling down at him.
Morgan stood, and his heart sped up. “Please.”
Kathleen took a seat. “Thank you. You’re not eating?”
Morgan sat down. “I had something earlier. How’s your day going?” His cell phone rang and he sent the caller to his voice mail.
“Good. In fact, I’m done with my last class, so I thought I’d cut out early, if that’s okay with you. My older sister has a few things she needs my help with this weekend.”
Morgan puckered his brow. “Sure... No problem.” There goes our date. They hadn’t talked about it since Monday, so Morgan assumed Kathleen had either forgotten about it or changed her mind. Either way, he felt like a fool and had a sense of disappointment unlike anything he’d ever known.
Suddenly, he was drowning in it and had to get away from Kathleen before he said or did something that would embarrass them both. Morgan picked up his ringing phone. “Excuse me. I should take this. Have a good weekend, Kathleen.” Morgan stood and made his way to the nearest exit. He had to use every bit of pride he had not to turn around and demand an explanation and try to change Kathleen’s mind.
* * *
Kathleen watched Morgan disappear through the door before she could find out what the hell had just happened. She thought they’d reached a turning point. He was no longer avoiding her, and he’d sat in on several of her classes. He told her he was just auditing her work, but she knew there was more to it than that, and she loved it. She even caught him staring at her from across the room a few times. Now this... He just blew off their date. Kathleen was no longer hungry, but before she could dispose of her tray, she saw Ms. Monica and her assistant heading right for her table. They’d never officially met, but she certainly knew who she was.
“How’s the salad, baby girl?” Ms. Monica asked.
“It’s great,” Kathleen replied, forcing a smile.
“Really? How would you know since you haven’t touched it?”
“I mean, I’m sure it’s great. It’s just my stomach is a little upset all of a sudden,” Kathleen explained, hoping it would appease the woman. It didn’t.
“Roughage is what you need, then. It’ll get things moving. Excuse my manners. I’m Monica, and this is my sous chef, Lori.”
“Pleased to meet you,” Lori replied, offering her hand, which Kathleen shook.
“I’ve been cutting onions so I won’t shake your hand, but I will bump your elbow,” said Monica. “You can call us Ms. Monica and Ms. Lori. Yes, I went to culinary school, but I never liked being called chef.”
“Me either,” Lori agreed.
“The titles go along with these fancy new uniforms.” Ms. Monica looked down at the black pants and double-breasted black coat and pointed out the personalized embroidery. “They even got our names and titles on them. Rich people, I swear.”
Lori laughed. “You should try putting something in your stomach. It might make you feel better.”
Kathleen appreciated the concern and suggestion but she knew only one thing could make her feel better and he’d just left. “Thanks, but I’ll be fine.”
Ms. Monica placed her right hand on her hip. “A little stomachache isn’t all that’s wrong with you.”
Kathleen could feel her emotions rising. Soon her face would flush, and she’d be fighting back tears. She had to bring herself back under control, and she needed a distraction. She picked up her fork and took several bites of her food. “This is good,” she complimented through bites.
“I’m glad you like it, but I know something’s up.” Ms. Monica and Lori took seats across from Kathleen. “Care to talk about it?”
At times like these, even after seven years, she missed her mother very much. Irene Winston had been very easy to talk to, and Kathleen knew she’d know just how to make her feel better. Although Irene would never tell her what to do, she always informed Kathleen and her siblings that people were the sum of their decisions and while others might offer advice, ultimately, it was up to the individual to make the right choices for himself or herself.
“I’m fine... Really.”
“Mm-hmm. Lori, you believe this child?”
Lori folded her arms across her ample breast. “Not at all.”
“I bet Morgan said something he shouldn’t have,” Ms. Monica guessed.
Kathleen could feel her expression close up. “Not at all. Everything’s—”
“Fine?” Ms. Monica supplied. “Child, I’ve known that boy most of his life, and I know the effect he can have on women.”
“I’ve seen you too,” Lori added, shaking her head.
“I’ve watched him watching you these last few days. There is an intense interest there, which means only two things.”
Kathleen couldn’t help but ask, “What’s that?”
Ms. Monica held up her index finger. “One, he’s feeling you. Isn’t that what the kids call it?”
Kathleen laughed. “Yes, ma’am.”
“And two—” another finger went up “—he’s feeling you.”
Kathleen presented a shy smile. “I—”
“Let me finish. Morgan’s not like his brothers or his mother. He’s a man of few words. With Morgan, actions speak louder. He doesn’t like drama. Morgan tends to avoid things, leave things unsaid, which can cause problems.”
“He has issues with communicating unless it’s about work,” Lori added.
“He’s dated other women,” Kathleen murmured, speaking without thinking. Fearing she’d said too much she quickly added, “Not that we’re—”
“Child, please.” Ms. Monica gave Kathleen a knowing look. “A blind man can see something is going on between you two. If he’s gone all quiet on you or shut down, you’ll have to make him tell you what’s going on.”
“That is, if you want him. If not, there’s plenty in this town and elsewhere that do. Hell, if I was twenty years younger and a few pounds smaller...” Lori smiled and winked.
“You’d still be too old,” Ms. Monica said, giving Lori the evil eye. She reached for Kathleen’s hand. “Morgan’s a good man. He just protects that heart of his. It has been broken once, and he’s afraid to take a chance on letting it happen again.”
“Really, when? Who was she? What happened?” Kathleen was spitting out questions like rapid fire. This new information took her completely by surprise, and she didn’t know how she felt about knowing that Morgan once loved someone so much that he became afraid to let anyone else get close. Loving someone else like that again was something she didn’t think he would be willing to do. Kathleen had never experienced that type of love before, and she was jealous of whoever this mystery woman was, the one who’d managed to steal Morgan’s heart.
“That’s not my story to tell. You should ask Morgan about it yourself unless, like you said, you two aren’t dating.” Ms. Monica rose from her seat, as did Lori. She reached for Kathleen’s plate. “I’ll go wrap this up. You can take it to go. I’ll be right back.”
“Thank you.” Kathleen’s eyes jumped between the two older women.
Kathleen sat back and waited for the wise women to return. She let Ms. Monica’s words take hold as Kathleen recalled her sister’s advice to make sure she was positive about Morgan before she did anything. He doesn’t want to get close to anyone. Maybe he felt things were getting too close already. She certainly did.
That’s why he blew off our date. Kathleen’s heart dropped like she was riding on a roller coaster. She hated the idea that some mystery woman from Morgan’s past was preventing them from finding out if what they were experiencing was real. She understood how ghosts from the past could stop her from pursuing things and people that might be good for her. She knew she’d been doing that most of her adult life, focusing solely on her career, driven in part by a need to avenge her mother’s death, something she knew wasn’t rational, but until now there hadn’t been anything she’d wanted enough to make her think twice about her choices.
But her attraction to Morgan was proof that she needed more in her life than just work. He needed to improve his communication skills a bit. She was still very annoyed about the way he’d handled the situation. Plus, his heartbreak had been a while ago. Maybe he had some other reason for not keeping their date.
Regardless, Kathleen had to tell him the real reason behind her visit before she left town. Now that she could officially clear them he deserved the truth, especially since her boss could confirm that Mr. Silva’s concerns were misguided but there was no malicious intent.
Kathleen stood when she saw Ms. Monica approaching. “Here you go, my dear.” She handed Kathleen a to-go box.
“Thank you...for everything.”
Ms. Monica gave a nonchalant wave. “No problem. If you want to talk to Morgan, he’s in Adrian’s office right now.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because I called to find out,” Ms. Monica said, frowning like Kathleen’s question was a waste of oxygen. “You two should talk. You might be surprised by the outcome.”
Kathleen hugged Ms. Monica and walked out the door. It was time to end her stay at Kingsley. She’d done what she’d come to do. The charges were unsubstantiated, so it was time to go. Kathleen could send someone else to complete the rest of the training, as well as help with incorporating new regulations into their policy. Kathleen fought back tears. She couldn’t comprehend continuing to work side-by-side with Morgan, knowing how much she wanted him...cared for him.
It was time to get her mind off Morgan and find some real bad guys to chase. The case of Kingsley Oil and Gas versus OSHA was now closed, and so, it seemed, was the budding love affair between her and Morgan Kingsley, and it was breaking her heart.
* * *
“So does everyone agree with the final sale price?” Alexander asked. A ripple of yeses came through the phone, but Morgan’s mind was on the woman who’d just blown him off and not a piece of property their mother wanted.
“Morgan... Morgan, you still there?” Alexander asked. Morgan, who had been standing and staring out the window, turned and sat down behind the desk. “I’m here, and I’m fine with it too.”
“Good—”
“Wait, you did say that included the mineral rights, correct?” Morgan asked.
“Yes, of course,” Alexander replied.
“Are you okay?” Kristen Kingsley, the company’s newly appointed COO, questioned, her concern coming through loud and clear.
“Yes, I’m fine. Just a bit distracted,” Morgan replied.
“Anything you want to share?” Alexander asked.
Not in the least bit. The last thing he needed was for his family to know that the one woman he wanted didn’t want him back. “No, I’m good.”
The office door opened and an angry Kathleen walked in and slammed the door behind her. She was holding what looked like a to-go container. “The next time you want to blow off a woman for a date, you should at least have the decency to tell her.”