“Hello?” Sally answered as the elevator doors opened onto the lobby.
“Where are you?” Marilyn asked sharply. “I’ve been trying to call you for the past two hours.”
There was a note to the older woman’s voice that Sally had never heard her use before. She identified it immediately as fear and felt her stomach drop.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, getting straight to the point.
“It’s your father. He came back into his office tonight, and security found him while they were on their rounds. He’s had a heart attack and he’s at the hospital now. It’s bad, Sally, really bad.”
A whimper escaped her as she took a mental note of the details of which hospital he was at.
“Where are you?” Marilyn asked. “I’ll send Benton with the car.”
“No, it’s okay. I’m not far from the hospital. I’ve got a cab coming already. Are you there now?”
“Of course,” the PA answered. A note of vulnerability crept into her voice. “But they won’t tell me anything because I’m not next of kin.”
“I’ll be there as soon as I can. I promise.”
Waiting for the cab was the longest five minutes of her life, and as it pulled away from the curb, Sally wondered how life could turn on the dime like that. How, in one moment, everything could be perfect and exciting and new, and in the next all could be torn away.
She should never have left her father after dinner tonight, especially on the eve of something as big as tomorrow’s merger announcement. But how was she to know he’d go back into the office and, of all things, have a heart attack? And why had the security guards called Marilyn instead of her? Surely she, as his daughter, should have been listed on the company register as his immediate next of kin? But then, he’d always sheltered and protected her, hadn’t he?
She remembered how drawn he’d looked tonight. How she’d dismissed it so easily as nothing out of the ordinary. She hadn’t even asked if he was feeling ill. Guilt assailed her. He hadn’t wanted to worry her about the merger, so why would he worry her about not feeling well? Suddenly her decision to be bold and chase after her own pleasure without thinking of the consequences tonight seemed horribly pathetic and selfish. If she’d simply gone home after her friends had left the bar, she’d have gotten the call and been at the hospital hours ago. What if she arrived too late? She didn’t know what she’d do if she lost her dad. He was her rock, her mainstay, her shelter.
“Hold on, Daddy,” she whispered. “Please, hold on.”
* * *
Always an early riser, Kirk woke as sunlight began to filter through the blinds, his body satiated like it had never been before. He took a moment to appreciate the feeling and decided he could definitely go for another round of that. He reached across his sheets for Sally’s warm, recumbent form beside him and came up with empty space. When had she pulled away from him? It wasn’t like him to sleep so deeply that he couldn’t remember his bed partner leaving, but then again he’d all but lost consciousness after the force of passion they’d shared.
Maybe she was in the bathroom. He looked across the bed to where light should have gleamed around the bathroom door frame, but there was only darkness. He sat up and cast his gaze around the room looking for her clothes. They were gone, as was she.
It shouldn’t have mattered—after all, he knew he’d see her again at the office, even if she wasn’t aware of that little detail just yet. But there was something almost shameful in the way she’d slipped out of his room without saying goodbye. As if she was embarrassed by what they’d done or wanted to pretend it hadn’t happened.
Well, maybe it hadn’t been as good for her as it was for him. He shook his head and told himself not to be so ridiculous. He knew she’d been there with him, every step of the way. Sometimes leading, sometimes allowing herself to be led. In fact, just thinking about her reactions—the sweet sounds she’d made, the responsiveness of her body beneath his touch—brought his desire immediately to full, aching life again.
Kirk groaned and pushed back the covers, remembering he hadn’t rid himself of the condom he’d miraculously had the presence of mind to slip on last night. The groan rapidly turned into a string of wild curses when he realized the condom wasn’t intact. He went to the bathroom and took care of what was left of it.
Now wide awake, several scenarios ran through his head. Of course, she could be on the Pill. Goodness only knew he hadn’t stopped to ask. He’d barely stopped to put on protection himself, for all the good it had done. Either way, he had to tell her, and soon. He wondered how that would go. It’s not like he could wait for her dad to introduce them at the office and shake her hand and say, “Hi, about last night...the condom broke.”
He heard his cell phone ringing from the sitting room and walked, naked, to retrieve it from his suit jacket. He recognized the number as Orson Harrison’s private line and answered immediately, surprised to hear a woman’s voice, though she quickly introduced herself as Marilyn, Orson’s assistant, and explained the medical emergency from the night before. His blood ran cold as he heard the news.
“Assemble the board as quickly as you can,” he instructed Harrison’s PA. “I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”
Kirk’s head was still reeling. At the emergency board meeting, everyone had been shocked to hear the news of Orson’s heart attack, but all had agreed that the company could show no weakness, especially when Orson’s confidential report on his reasoning behind the merger had been presented to them. Therefore, they’d appointed Kirk interim chairman.
The new responsibility was a heavy weight on him, along with worry for Orson Harrison’s health. And on top of all that, he still had to tell Sally about the possibility she might be pregnant. He closed his eyes for a brief moment. He’d been such a fool to allow desire to cloud his judgment. It was the kind of impulsive emotion and need-driven behavior he’d always sworn he’d never indulge in. And now look where it had landed him.
He was investigating her, just as he was investigating every staff member here—he never should have allowed sex to muddy the waters.
He had no doubt she wouldn’t be happy to hear his news. Who would be, especially while her father’s life hung in the balance? So far the hospital had released very little information—only that Orson was in critical condition. Even Marilyn, who’d known Orson for almost thirty years, had been trying on the phone all morning, and remained unable to get past the gatekeeper of patient details at the hospital. To be honest, Kirk had been surprised to see the woman at her desk this morning and he’d expressed as much. She’d curtly informed him that someone had to hold the place together in Orson’s absence and had been ill-pleased when she’d been informed of his appointment as interim chairman.
Kirk flicked a glance at his watch. Perhaps she’d gotten ahold of Sally again by now. He hit the interoffice button to connect with the prickly PA.
“Any updates regarding Mr. Harrison?” he asked.
“No, sir.” The woman’s voice was clipped.
She’d made it quite clear that she wasn’t happy about him using Orson’s office—interim appointment or not. She was even less impressed when he’d ignored her protests and taken up residence. It made sense to him to stand at the helm right now, when he was supposed to be steering this particular ship. It would help the staff to see someone visibly taking charge. Well, the staff except for Marilyn.
“Thank you, Marilyn,” Kirk replied,