But she had a natural beauty, which he supposed was why her nut-brown complexion was clear and her face was free of makeup. She wore her hair in a simple French twist. Oh, yes, this was exactly the woman he remembered.
Ethan and Shane both rose from their seats, but Ethan was the first to speak. “Gabrielle, glad you could make it here for an in-person interview. I hope your flight was pleasant.”
“Pleasant?” Gabrielle chuckled. “It was more than pleasant.” She’d never been in anything so divine. “You really didn’t have to send your private jet.”
“It was my pleasure,” Ethan stated. He turned to his side. “This is my wife, Kayla Graham.”
“Pleasure to meet you.” Gabrielle shook her hand. Kayla Adams was several inches taller than her, with flawless mocha skin, curly hair that nearly reached her shoulders and a clearly pregnant belly.
Gabrielle turned and braced herself for seeing Shane Adams again after nearly a decade. He was every bit as fine as he’d been back then, maybe more so. He towered over her at six feet with a short curly afro, creamy café-au-lait skin, hazel eyes and full, sexy lips. She could tell that a sculpted body lay underneath his Italian suit.
“Gabby.” Shane nodded at her. “You’re looking well.”
Gabrielle hadn’t expected such a friendly greeting, given they’d been rivals in school. “No one’s called me that for a long time.”
“I hope you don’t mind me using your nickname. Gabrielle just seems so formal.” Shane smirked, knowing she hated it. In school, she’d said the nickname Gabby reminded her of some airhead name like Buffy, and she’d refused to answer to it.
Gabrielle swallowed hard at having those sensuous eyes staring at her so intently. “Well, I do prefer Gabrielle.”
“As you wish.” Shane watched her sit down and cross her legs all the while pulling down her skirt. It made Shane wonder what it was she was hiding underneath.
“Well, we are happy to have someone of your caliber interested in Adams Cosmetics,” Kayla said, trying to ease the obvious tension between the two chemists. Courtney had reminded her that Shane and Gabrielle were not fans of each other.
“Your resume is quite impressive,” Ethan stated.
“Thank you,” Gabrielle said and smiled. “I believe in working hard to achieve one’s goals.”
“After you graduated second in your class at perfumery school, you joined L’Oréal?” Shane jumped right into the fray.
Gabrielle stared daggers at Shane. Trust him to remind her that he’d beaten her as valedictorian of their class. Had he called her Gabby to knock her off her game? “That’s correct. And I’ve enjoyed an immensely successful career there.”
“Why don’t you tell me some of the projects you’ve worked on?” Shane asked. It was time to skip the pleasantries and get down to business. Find out exactly what Gabrielle Burton was made of.
“Well, I’ve worked on numerous L’Oréal fragrances, and recently we’ve been working on some new skin-firming crèmes.”
“Tell me more,” Shane urged.
For the next hour, Shane grilled Gabrielle about her work in the lab. When he was done, he was impressed with her credentials, but he wasn’t about to tell her that, at least not yet. Gabrielle was competitive and would be eager to prove her worth.
Kayla watched Shane and couldn’t believe how hard her brother was being on Gabrielle. She had never seen him behave this way toward a woman. Usually Shane was such a smooth talker that women melted around him like butter. Gabrielle seemed immune to Shane.
“One final question,” Shane said. “Do you really feel confident working in cosmetics even though your primary focus was fragrance?”
“I am a qualified chemist,” Gabrielle stated. She resented that Shane was implying otherwise. “And I am confident that I can work on cosmetics or fragrances.”
“That’s good to know.” Shane’s gaze focused on Gabrielle. “Because this company means everything to me, and I will not settle for mediocrity.”
“Wow!” Ethan looked down at his watch. “Look at the time. I have to get to another meeting. Ms. Burton, we’re delighted to have met you and will be making our final decision within the next few days. We’ll be in touch.”
“Thank you, Mr. Graham.” Gabrielle rose from the table and shook his hand. “Mrs. Graham.” She snapped up her portfolio before turning to Shane. “Mr. Adams.” She called him by his formal name. “It was a pleasure to get reacquainted with you, and I do so hope for the opportunity to work with you.”
Shane smiled and nodded. He just bet she did.
Once Gabrielle had gone, Kayla turned to Shane. “Was that really necessary?”
“What?” Shane asked.
“You cross-examined her as if she was on the witness stand,” Kayla responded. “You know as well as I do that Gabrielle Burton is more than qualified for this job.”
“I had to be sure she wanted the position,” Shane replied. “And if she was willing to fight for it.”
“And I assume you got your answer?” Ethan asked.
“She will do.” Shane closed the folder holding her resume.
“Then why don’t you tell her she got the position?”
“We are not interviewing anyone else?” Shane asked, slapping down the folder on the table. “I should have known this was a done deal with you and Ethan, because you always have to have your way.”
“That’s not true.” Kayla leaped to defend her husband.
“Shane, you know this was merely a formality to get your stamp of approval, which she has. You yourself said she’s qualified for the position. So go give her the good news, as she will be your employee.” Ethan rose from his chair because the discussion was over. “Kayla and I have other plans. My dear…” He turned to help his pregnant wife out of the seat. “Let us know a start date,” Ethan said over his shoulder on their way out.
Shane wrung his hands as he rode the hotel elevator up to Gabrielle Burton’s room. He could wring his brother-in-law’s neck for forcing him to have Gabrielle in his crosshairs every day. Gabrielle was competent and focused, but she was also very much by the numbers, and sometimes when it came to creating fragrances, an element of whimsy was required. He doubted Gabrielle had ever had a whimsical moment in her entire structured life.
He could have delivered the news over the telephone, but Shane preferred to take his hits like a man. Even more than that, he needed to make a few things clear to Gabrielle before she accepted the position. He didn’t want there to be any misunderstandings in the future.
He arrived at her hotel room shortly after 6:00 p.m., after he’d learned from Kayla’s assistant, Myra, where Gabrielle was staying. He knocked several times and was just about to leave when Gabrielle finally opened the door.
He must have awakened her, because for the first time he could remember, Gabrielle looked disheveled. Her normally perfect updo hung haphazardly over her shoulders, and the silk blouse she must have worn earlier underneath the hideous gray jacket was wrinkled. But her liquid brown eyes shone brightly, and that appealed to him.
“Shane!” Gabrielle immediately closed the door and leaned back to check herself in the foyer mirror.