SHE WOULD NOT look over her shoulder.
She would not.
Sage’s heart ached as she walked away from Trey or Quentin or whatever he wanted to call himself. She’d thought at last she found someone that she could trust. Someone that would be a true friend. She couldn’t have been more wrong.
Why hadn’t she seen it? It was all right there in front of her if she’d had been thinking with her head instead of her heart.
There was his Rolex watch. That was no knockoff. It was the genuine article. And now that she thought of it, he did bear a slight resemblance to his father. And there were his fine clothes including more than one tux. Those definitely didn’t come from a secondhand shop like her red gown.
The elevator deposited her on the ground floor. She didn’t waste any time heading for the door. She should shove aside all these tangled emotions and work. It was her reason for being in France. But the lump in her throat would keep her from speaking to anyone.
She walked straight out the front door and kept walking with no particular destination in mind. All the while, she continued to think of the telltale signs of his deception. His résumé, it had been too perfect. She wondered which things he had told her were the truth and which were the lies. She shook her head. No, she didn’t want to know. It’d only make it worse.
The more she thought of Trey, the faster she walked. Her vision blurred, but she blinked it back into focus. Why in the world had she thought he would be different?
Here she was trying to report on facts for the magazine and she couldn’t even get the facts right in her own life. If people knew how gullible she was, they would never trust anything she published. And she couldn’t blame them.
Trey probably laughed behind her back, thinking how easily he’d been able to deceive her. But why do it? Why try to fool her?
That last question dogged her the rest of the way back to the château. She tried every conceivable answer, but none of them made sense. What did he hope to accomplish by playing the part of her assistant?
She shook her head, trying to chase away the taunting questions. She had other matters that needed her attention. Once in her room, she grabbed her phone and started calling every hotel in Cannes. With the festival in full swing, she was hoping that there would be an early checkout.
Call after call, she learned there were no rooms in Cannes...anywhere. She sighed. She didn’t want to give up on her plans for the magazine. She was running out of time before the next board meeting where she had to present her plan for the restructure and sustainability of the magazine.
She needed caffeine. It would make her feel better. And maybe some chocolate. But first the coffee.
She had just reached the bottom of the stairs when Trey came through the door. His face was drawn and his hair was scattered as though he’d been raking his fingers through it. Was it wrong that she took some comfort in the fact that he was unhappy that his plan had been ruined?
His gaze met hers. “Sage, we need to talk.”
“I think we said everything we need to say.” She turned to head to the back of the house. And then on second thought, she turned back to Trey. “There is one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“You’re fired.”
With the tiniest bit of satisfaction, she turned and walked away. She still didn’t understand his motive. She knew Elsa was not above blackmail or other devious motives. But Sage just couldn’t believe Elsa was behind Trey’s actions. She’d seen Trey’s reaction to Elsa. They definitely weren’t working together.
So what was going on?
* * *
Fired.
As he watched her walk away, the word echoed in Trey’s mind. It was a first for him. Having been his own boss since college, he’d never been in this position. And even though he was the CEO, the fact that Sage felt the need to fire him pricked his ego.
But what was bothering him most of all was the fact that he’d hurt her. Sage had been nothing but good to him. Looking back now, he realized his excuses for not telling her were because he knew once the truth was out there that Sage wouldn’t look at him the same way.
He hadn’t wanted to lose the close connection that they’d developed. It was new and fragile. It was a connection unlike any other he’d ever experienced in his life.
He should go after Sage. If the problem festered, there would be absolutely no chance for him to repair the damage. He still wasn’t sure they could ever recapture what they had. Which was what?
They worked well together, but this thing between them went deeper. But how deep? He wasn’t the commitment type. He supposed he’d gotten that from his father.
He didn’t want to end up in a relationship like his parents. They never divorced, but they never lived together after his father walked away. He never understood why they’d remained married. What was the point of marriage?
He gave himself a mental shake. He didn’t want to get caught up in the ghosts of the past. Right now, he had enough problems in the present. When it came to Sage, nothing was easy. And now he had to make amends—no, he wanted to make amends. There was definitely a difference between the two.
He started walking. He didn’t know what he was going to say to her. Was there anything he could say that would convince her that they could still work together until the end of the festival? The fact that she was still at the château had to be a good sign, right? And then he remembered the festival and the lack of accommodations. It worked out for him.
At last, he caught up to her on the patio. “Sage. We need to talk.”
She didn’t even turn to look at him when she said, “We’ve said everything. There’s nothing left to say.”
“You might have said everything, but I didn’t.” He moved to stand in front of her. She averted her gaze, but that wouldn’t deter him. “Sage, I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt you.”
Her gaze met his. “What did you think was going to happen when you deceived me? That I’d never find out?”
“In the beginning, I didn’t even consider how my plan might hurt others. I was after information and working as your assistant was the best way to gain unbiased information. I never factored in the people I’d be working with.”
He could see the wheels of her mind spinning. “What information?”
“Can we sit down and talk?” He didn’t want to make it easy for her to walk away when she heard something she didn’t like.
Sage hesitated. Then she made her way over to a bench. “I don’t know why I’m doing this.”
“Because you need answers. You want to know why a CEO would go undercover in his own company.”
“I do. So tell me. But don’t think it will change anything between us.” There was a firmness in her voice.
He knew it would take more than this talk in order for Sage to forgive him. But it was a start and that had to be enough...for now.
“Let me start at the beginning. How much do you know about my father and the trouble he got the magazine into?”
She shrugged. “Not a whole lot.”
And so Trey revealed to her how his father had in recent years gone with the easy, sensational headlines and played it loose with the truth. And he’d gotten away with it until he started writing a string of fabricated stories about Deacon Santoro. The movie star had threatened a lawsuit that would put the whole corporation in jeopardy. At last, they settled out of court for a nominal amount and the removal of Trey’s father from the business, but the settlement also included changing the editorial content. And that’s where Sage came into the story.
“That explains the past, but it doesn’t tell me why you entered my life,” Sage said.
“With my father stepping down from the company, I was in line for the CEO position. It was my chance to do what I’d always wanted.”
“What’s that? Run the magazine? And I got in your way?”
Trey shook his head. “No. I never wanted any part of the magazine.”
“But why?”
“Because it’s all my father ever cared about. It wasn’t me or my mother. It was QTR. And I just wanted him to know what it’s like to lose something he loved.”
Sage gasped. “You want to destroy QTR to get even with your father. But what about all the history? That magazine has been in your family for generations.”
“Seven generations to be exact. I am the seventh heir. And I thought the last.”
“You thought? You’ve changed your mind?” There was a note of hope in her voice.
He turned to look directly into her eyes. “You are a very passionate woman. When you get excited about something, it shows in your face, your voice—it’s infectious.”
“And that’s how you now feel about the magazine?” Suspicion reflected in her eyes.
“I didn’t at first. I thought you were crazy for wanting to save that dying rag. I couldn’t imagine what you saw in the magazine to drive you to save it.”
“And now?” Though the glint of suspicion still showed in her eyes, there was also the spark of curiosity.
“And then I started working with you. It was then that I saw what the magazine could be—what good it could do.”
“This all sounds too convenient. Why should I believe you?”
“You shouldn’t. Not after what I’ve done. But I wanted you to know that you opened my eyes to the potential of QTR.”
“And if the future of the magazine were just up to you?”
“I’d continue to help you rebuild it. But it’s not up to me. I’m just one vote on the board. And there is some staunch opposition.”
“I guess you’d know since you were one of them.”
He nodded. There was no denying it. “But if my mind can be changed, so can theirs.”
“But not without a plan for the upcoming year. I need a solid production schedule. And now between the bad reputation of the magazine and Elsa’s conniving, I don’t have anyone on the calendar.”
“You still have time.”
“No, I don’t. I’m leaving tomorrow. I’m flying back to California and putting this whole miserable experience behind me.”
The thought that he caused her to give up hurt him more than he thought possible. He refused to give up—on the magazine and especially on setting things right with Sage.
“Don’t go.” The words passed his lips before he could think through the ramifications.
“Why? So you can lie to me some more?”
“I’m not lying to you. Things can never be the same again, but I will prove to you that I can do better—that you can trust me.”
“With us being on opposite sides of the magazine?”
“I told you I’ve changed my mind.”
“And you expect me to just believe you? Would you have ever told me the truth if Elsa hadn’t outed you?”
He lowered his head. “I tried to tell you several times. There was always a convenient excuse to put it off. It just never seemed like the right time. We were getting along so well and I... I didn’t want to ruin what we had.”
“You certainly did that.”
He scratched at his beard. “I know. And I’m sorry.”
“At least your father must be happy that you changed your mind about the magazine.”
“He doesn’t know.”
“But why not?”
“My father and I aren’t close. In fact—” he paused because it still hurt for him to admit “—I don’t know him at all.”
“You don’t?”
He shook his head. “My father left my mother when I was three years old. He said he couldn’t run his magazine from France.”
“Why didn’t your mother go with him?”
“She said her life was in France. And that she would never fit into his world any more than he fit into hers.”
“That’s so sad.”
Trey shrugged. “I think there was more to the story, but my mother died before she told me the whole truth. She didn’t like talking about my father.”
“It must have been tough being the child of divorced parents.”
“That’s the thing, they never divorced. In fact, my father showed up at my mother’s funeral. He tried to reach out to me but I told him it was too little, too late.”
“And that’s it? You haven’t spoken to him since?”
Trey turned to Sage. “Why do you sound so surprised?”
“It’s just that any time your father spoke of you, he always had such glowing reports.”
“He talked about me?” Trey found that hard to believe.
Anxious to turn the spotlight off himself, Trey realized this was his chance to learn more about Sage. “How do you know my father?”
“We initially met when I interned for him during the summer of my junior and senior years of college.”
“You must have made quite an impression on my father.”
She shrugged. “I’m not so sure it was that as much as he thought when he hired me that he would be able to control me.”
Trey smiled. “I’m guessing you set him straight.”
“I did. And he wasn’t too happy about it, but by then there was nothing he could do.” She turned to him. “But he does care about you. Remember those photos of you and your mother? He really did keep them on his desk. A person doesn’t do that unless they care.”
Trey shook his head. “He doesn’t. I can assure you of that. He made it clear when he left.”
Sage reached out and placed her hand over his. “I don’t know what went wrong between your parents, but I’m telling you he never stopped caring about you. Maybe you should talk to him. Hear his side—”
“No.” Trey got to his feet. “That isn’t going to happen.”
“I don’t have to tell you that if you pass up this chance, you might not get another. I lost both of my parents and you lost your mother. This is your chance to get answers.”
Trey turned to her. He didn’t know how things had gotten so turned around. He was supposed to be apologizing for his deception, but somehow they were now delving into his past. And he had to put a stop to it.
“I don’t need answers.” There was absolutely no hesitation in his voice. “I don’t want that man in my life. I’m fine on my own.”
Her gaze studied him for a moment and then there was a glint of sympathy. “Everyone needs somebody.”
The truth poked at his heart, but he refused to acknowledge it. “What about you? I don’t see you going out of your way to draw people into your life.”
“Really? Are you so sure about that?”
He paused. That wasn’t the answer he’d been expecting. Where was she going with it?
He pressed his hand to his sides. “Okay. Who have you let into your life?”
She arched a fine brow. “You, for starters.”
It was true. She had let him in. She’d told him about her past and about Elsa. She’d shared so much with him and he’d let her down.
“And there are my roommates, Lisa and Ann. Louise, at the office, is like a mother hen. And I’ve gotten to know everyone at the office. We’re like one big, dysfunctional family.”
Everything she’d said was true. Because it wasn’t the traditional sense of a family, he hadn’t recognized it as such. But she was right; she took what she had and made a support system for herself. It was more than he had done. Suddenly he felt so alone in this world—it was a staggering moment—much like what he’d felt at his mother’s funeral.
And when they left Cannes, he knew Sage would return to her makeshift family with their laughter, teasing and closeness. He, on the other hand, would return to San Francisco where he spent hours in solitude working on his newest security software. And when he was at the office, people kept their distance because he was the boss—not a boss like Sage.
And there was his father. His father might mistakenly think Trey’s change of mind about the magazine meant he changed his mind about him, but nothing could be farther from the truth. His father would never again have anything to do with the magazine or QTR International.
If Trey had his way, Sage would stay on as managing editor. But would she agree after what she’d learned?
His gaze met hers. “I just wanted to tell you that I’m sorry. I never meant for things to work out like they have.”
And with that he turned and walked away. Too much had been said that evening. He needed to clear his head. Those things Sage had said about his father...they couldn’t be right. His father had more than thirty years to be a part of his life and he hadn’t done it. Perhaps he’d just been putting on a show for people.
Sage was such an optimist. He knew she wanted him to have a relationship with his father—something she would never have again. But she had to understand that their fathers were very different men. It was never going to happen for him.