Yesterday had been an extraordinarily hard time for him. Hearing news like that would rattle anyone. The fact that Lisette had shown up at his house in the wake of his crisis might have had something to do with him asking her to take on a role that was so personal and critical.
If she knew him well—and she did—it was probably best to pretend nothing had changed. It was going to be very hard not to hover and treat him like he was sick. She couldn’t help feeling responsible, especially because he was keeping his family in the dark for now.
The day spun by, entirely unremarkable in its ordinariness. People came and went. Meetings happened. Jonathan whirled from one thing to the next, barely speaking to her in the interim.
She could almost believe that last night was a dream.
Occasionally, though, she caught his eye across the room, and a connection quivered between them. The feeling of intimacy startled her. He had let her in on something intensely personal. There would be no going back from this.
She had craved a personal connection with Jonathan. But not at this price.
How was she going to face the days ahead?
On her lunch hour, her friend Rebekah coaxed her out of the building. “Let’s walk,” she said. “It’s not quite so hot today, and I’ve been wanting to try that new restaurant over near the market.”
There was nothing unusual about the situation. Still, Lisette felt Jonathan’s gaze searing her back as she exited the executive suite of offices. Did he expect her to dance attendance on him 24/7?
Rebekah called her out on her odd mood while they ate. “What’s wrong with you?” she asked, frowning. “You’ve barely said a word. Are you feeling okay?”
“I’m fine,” Lisette said. “A lot on my mind.”
Her friend’s expression softened. “I just realized. Today marks eight months since your mother died, doesn’t it? I’m sorry, hon.”
Guilt swamped Lisette. Her friend had metaphorically and literally held her hand during some very dark days. “I’m getting used to her being gone. I find new reasons to be happy every day. My mother wouldn’t have wanted me to be gloomy all the time.”
“Well, good,” Rebekah said. “Because Robbie’s friend who just moved here from Memphis wants to meet you. I thought we could go to dinner together Friday night.”
Lisette winced inwardly. Rebekah had been on her case for months to start dating. Caring for her mother and working full-time had not left any room for a social life. Now that her mother was gone and months had passed, it made sense for Lisette to get back in the game.
She was torn. The trouble was, she didn’t want to meet a string of strange guys, even though she knew her dream of marriage and a baby required some kind of change on her part. She didn’t need clubbing and dancing to be happy. The only man she wanted was Jonathan. Their new situation would give her a little piece of him. Would it be enough to justify putting her dreams on hold?
“Sure,” she said, trying hard to appreciate her friend’s enthusiasm. “That sounds great.”
The following two days passed in much the same manner, at least when it came to Jonathan’s behavior. He didn’t look sick. Aside from downing the occasional over-the-counter meds, his bronzed skin and boundless energy seemed to belie his diagnosis.
When Friday afternoon rolled around, Lisette was almost glad Jonathan was away from the office. Their new relationship made her both tense and uncertain. It was a relief to step out into the sunshine and walk to her car. She had just enough time to dash home, shower and change before she met Rebekah and the others at the restaurant.
It was a shock to run into her boss in the parking garage. He looked frazzled, but otherwise normal. “You’re leaving?” he asked.
She nodded her head. “It’s five thirty. Was there something you needed?”
His small frown took her by surprise. “I thought we might have dinner together,” he said. “To talk about how we’re going to handle this new work situation.”
She flushed, feeling the heat creep from her breasts to her hairline. “I’m sorry,” she said stiffly. “I have plans.”
He seemed shocked. “A date?”
“That’s a personal question,” she snapped. His obvious surprise nicked her pride. It was true she had lived like a nun while caring for her mother. And, yes, she was five years Jonathan’s senior. But she was hardly a pariah.
His gaze darkened. “I’m sorry to have held you up,” he said, his tone stiff and formal. “I’ll see you Monday morning.”
The bleak expression in his eyes caught her heart and squeezed it hard. She was trying so desperately to protect herself, to avoid letting him hurt her, that she was forgetting the hell he was facing.
“Wait,” she said impulsively as he turned to walk away. “What about lunch at my place Sunday? I’ll cook for you.”
Some of the starch left his spine. At last a smile tilted those gorgeous masculine lips. “That sounds great, Lisette. If you’re sure it’s not too much trouble.”
“Not at all. And by the way, I’ve moved since my mother died. I’m in a condo in North Charleston now.” Her salary was generous, but it didn’t stretch to upscale places in the historic district.
He nodded. “I’ll get the address from your file.”
“Noon?”
“I’ll be there.”
The unexpected encounter meant she had to rush like crazy to go home and then meet her friend. She made it to the restaurant with two minutes to spare. Her blind date for the evening was overly chatty, but all in all a decent guy. Under other circumstances, she might have hoped for a second date.
As it was, though, she found her mind wandering time and again during the pleasant meal to Jonathan. What was he doing? How was he feeling?
When the two females left the table to visit the ladies’ room, Rebekah leaned in to whisper conspiratorially. “Well, what do you think of him? He likes you. I can tell.”
Lisette made use of the facilities and then washed her hands. “I don’t know, Rebekah. He isn’t really my type.”
Rebekah snorted. “You don’t have a type,” she said. “This is the first time I’ve coaxed you out of the house. At least give him a chance. It’s not like you’ve got your heart set on someone else.”
“I’ll keep an open mind, I swear.”
Lisette had been careful at work to hide her feelings about Jonathan, from Rebekah in particular. She’d kept her hopeless crush a secret from everyone. When Lisette had been planning to resign, she was going to tell her friend that she was in a rut after her mother’s death and that she needed a fresh start. Now those heavy-handed explanations weren’t going to be necessary.
But there would be other questions when she began spending more time with Jonathan. She would have to spin the story somehow to protect his secret. And if her so-called promotion became public knowledge, the situation would definitely become awkward.
At last the interminable evening wound to a close. She had never been more glad to head home and crash. Even then, she couldn’t stop thinking about her boss. He had chosen to confide his secret in her. She couldn’t pretend any longer that she didn’t want to be much more than his stand-in at work.
He was ferociously smart and driven. The man did have a sense of humor, but it was dry and often kept under wraps. Because his father had