Lunch out. Now that was a great idea.
Deborah could be herself. No fake persona. No fake name. No fake anything.
Since Daniel was on the company jet flying to the conference, she figured the press would be following him, but she still wanted to play it safe. She dressed down in a soft t-shirt and comfy jeans. To complete the ensemble, she wore Jackie-O type of sunglasses to hide her face so she could make her way to the Ellington-Weston building without the media attacking her.
It had been a week, and the familiar hallways, faces, and noises beckoned to her as she made her way to Scott’s office.
His door was ajar and she heard Caroline’s familiar voice. Deborah checked her watch. She was right on time.
“You picked a winner,” Caroline’s voice drifted out to the hallway. “I don’t even want to know where you found her.”
“A little green goes a long way,” Scott said. “If a client didn’t pick her up, they were going to fire her. It was practically a mercy hiring.”
Deborah knocked on the door and it opened. “May I come in?”
Caroline glanced at her watch. “Sorry. I lost track of time.” She grabbed her jacket and stood, her free hand helping her off the chair.
“Who’s a winner?” Deborah helped Caroline on with her coat.
Caroline’s gaze darted to Scott; her jaw open as if she had been caught in a secret.
“Nannies,” he quickly said. “We’re thinking of hiring some care with the baby. You know,… especially at the beginning when we need to adjust to…”
Scott’s phone beeped and he paused and glanced down at it, leaving an odd silence in the room.
Deborah focused on Caroline. “I thought you were against the idea of a nanny.”
Caroline cocked her head to the side and glanced past Deborah, not making eye contact. “I’m keeping my mind open.”
Scott laughed and set his phone down. When the ladies stared at him, he added, “I just got a funny text. It’s nothing.”
Caroline walked toward the door. “Have you heard from Daniel since he took off this morning?”
“He’s still in the air.” Deborah noticed an odd smile from Caroline aimed at Scott, who stifled a grin. “Is there something funny?”
Scott shook his head. “Ravi is paying off an old debt to me. Let’s just say he isn’t enjoying the task, that’s all.”
“Let’s go, Deborah.” Caroline stood at the now opened door.
Scott gave a dismissive wave and sat back at his desk. “Have a good lunch you two.”
Deborah didn’t know what she’d do if it wasn’t for her good friend Caroline.
Four days of shopping, visiting a spa, going out to lunch with Caroline, and basically doing nothing productive… The boredom drove Deborah crazy, but at least she had company. And, it kept her mind off Daniel and the conference.
She quietly typed on her laptop while Caroline slept on the bed across the room in the luxurious hotel suite. Deborah found it difficult to focus on her story since Daniel was the inspiration, and he wouldn't be back in town for at least another hour.
Had it really been four full days since she’d last seen him?
Naturally, during holidays and vacations, she would not see him for this long, but he had attended an important business trip. She should have been with him. Not that she particularly cared for all the executives Daniel had met with.
Nearly nineteen years had passed, and she still couldn't face the founder of the company, the father of Josh. The man walked around these yearly meetings as though he hoarded all the oxygen in the room and everyone needed him for a hit.
Commanding, handsome, powerful,… regretful.
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He may be many things, but to her, he'd always be her one mistake. True, Josh had resulted from their one–night stand, and she'd never regret having him, but the bastard who fathered him could go straight to hell.
A tear threatened to roll down Deborah's cheek, and she mentally chided herself for the weakness. She had been all of twenty years old then, not even legally able to drink when she’d accepted his offer to the cocktail party. She’d been thrilled he had taken an interest in her and wanted her as his assistant, she just hadn’t realized that getting drunk and being taken advantage of were part of his plan for her.
The alcohol had certainly made her willing that night. The company had recently gone public, the celebration was extensive, and she’d become a stupid, giddy girl. One who didn't think of any consequences.
She’d certainly thought of them the next day, and especially two weeks later when she’d read the plus sign on the plastic stick.
He had ignored her afterward, moving on to the next woman in his parade of self–indulgence that his wife seemed to ignore. Did having so much money make you blind to your husband's dalliances? Or did she really not care?
The bastard had denied the baby and dismissed her from her position on some made–up disciplinary measures. Thinking back, Deborah should have sued the company, but she didn't want her mistake known.
Thankfully a job in a secretarial pool opened up. Less status, but equal pay. She would have quit and moved on if Daniel hadn't selected her from the secretarial pool as his personal assistant and secretary. Being eight months pregnant, Deborah knew she’d gotten the job based on her capabilities and skills, not her figure.
The nice raise she’d received by accepting the offer had allowed her to provide for her son.
Caroline stirred in the bed, but continued to snore, so Deborah checked her emails.
No word from Daniel. He would be back in Chicago within the hour, but she hadn't heard anything from him the entire time, and she suspected the temp secretary had kept him busy in the evenings.
Her body stiffened. Daniel was away from the press of Chicago, so there were less eyes to see him playing around behind his fake fiancée’s back. Deborah didn’t want to think of the young, temp secretary sitting at her desk all week, seated next to Daniel on the plane, or anything else she may have been doing with the man during the conference. She was probably blonde and under thirty. Chances were, there was a parting gift for her in Deborah’s desk drawer.
What was the going price these days? A diamond tennis bracelet for six months of attention? So a week of temp work would be…what? A gold bracelet?
Some bling and the door hitting you on your naked ass as he slammed it shut.
No office romance was worth it.
They never ended well, and they weren’t worth the heartache.
Her heart pounded when her cell phone buzzed with a text. The noise startled her, and she didn't want it to wake Caroline, but more importantly, the text came from Daniel.
She scanned the message. Flew out early. Important meetings. Ellington–Weston planned to buy another company... Huh. He didn't mention which one, only that he had to work on a proposal all night and meet with the company lawyer in the morning. He asked her to set up a meeting with Scott to come over and help him with the pitch tonight.
A merger coming up, and now the purchase of a company? The man must be swamped.
Her gaze darted to Caroline, who still lay sleeping on the bed. She understood just how tired a pregnant woman could be, but it wasn't as though she had any other plans this evening.
She texted back, “Of course, sir.”