Suzanne nodded vigorously. “Best boss I’ve ever had. There’s a reason I’ve been working here since the company was founded.”
It didn’t help my state of mind to know he was a great guy. Lust was one thing, but starting to hope for more was crazy. I forced my brain to stay on topic. “I think I'm still getting my feet under me. I don’t think the way he feels about my job is quite the way he feels about you two.”
Danny burst out laughing. “Oh, I’d say not. That's why I wrote the ad the way I did. The fact he hasn’t fired you yet speaks volumes. You seem to be handling him quite well,” he offered.
“He's also done better with you than I expected,” Suzanne added.
I glanced between them. “You think?”
She grinned. “You don't seem to take it personally when he gets cranky, and he's actually done pretty much everything you suggested. That’s quite amazing.”
Danny nodded firmly. “Absolutely. It’s good you don't have an ego about your suggestions. Just keep running things by us first. We can give you pointers if we think things need to be tweaked. I'll tell you this, if you can get the press to stop gossiping about his personal life, you'll make a friend for life. I don't think he'll ever let you go.”
I rolled my eyes, trying to ignore the flash of wishful thinking that rose inside. I’d love to say it was because I was proud of my work. “It wouldn't even be gossip if he wasn't so cranky about it.”
“I know, we’ve told him that all along,” Suzanne said with a sigh. “The whole mess with Kayla blew up because she made a bunch of noise about it. I told him when he started seeing her that I didn't think she was a good fit for him. It took her screwing someone else and then getting all upset when he said he wanted a prenup agreement to show him the writing on the wall as far as she was with concerned.”
This was a detail I’d pushed to the back of my thoughts. I could only imagine how the combination of those two factors felt for Lucas.
Danny rolled his eyes. “Pisses me off. No matter what I think, Lucas is a decent guy and that was some shitty stuff she pulled.”
“Well, I suppose it's good he found out before they got married. It sounds like she was only after his money,” I commented. Lucas was so much more than just his money that it made me angry to think his ex had been after only that.
“Exactly what I told him. He’s so focused on work, I don't think he paid all that much attention to Kayla, or frankly to any woman he dated. I think he liked her enough to consider marriage might be a good option. She's gorgeous too. I hate saying it, but she is,” Suzanne said with a twist of her mouth, clearly offended that she had to even acknowledge Lucas’s former fiancée was beautiful. “In the end, I'm glad he broke it off.”
Danny sighed heavily. “You and me both. I tried to tell him a few times she was too focused on money. Don't get me wrong. I know he's ridiculously wealthy, but that's not what defines him as a person. He loves his work, and the money is just a side benefit. I'm relieved it's over,” he said with a faux shudder.
“I worry though,” Suzanne piped up. “Ever since he broke it off with her, he's hardly dated.”
A flush rose inside, and I hoped it didn't show in the dim lighting of the café. It's not like I could consider what Lucas I had done dating, but we had spent the night together. It made me wonder if I was just one in a line of women he found physical release with. I swatted those thoughts away. I didn't need to speculate. The best thing for me was to take a step back to draw some clear lines for myself. I needed to get a handle on this rampaging, out-of-control desire he elicited inside of me.
We continued to chat through dinner. By chance, I learned a few more details about Lucas. I was feeling comfortable enough with them I thought I could ask the one question I’d hesitated to ask before. I glanced between them.
“Do you mind me asking about Lucas's father? If I'm crossing a line, just say so. I'm only asking because when I spoke with the interviewer to review the questions, that was one she wanted to ask about.”
Danny eyed me and then shrugged. “We trust you. It's not this big thing. It's just Lucas doesn't like to talk about it. He and his dad aren’t on speaking terms and haven't been for years. It has nothing to do with his father’s work in the oil industry. His dad left when Lucas was still in grade school and hardly had a relationship with him the whole time. All he did was pay child support and occasionally appear at family holiday functions. That's it. There's no big story other than that.”
My heart twisted a little in my chest. I might not know Lucas too well, but it was obvious he cared about those close to him. His long-term friendship with Danny was one example. From what I gathered from Suzanne, many employees stayed with Chandler International for a long time. The firm paid well, yet he also treated staff well. It hurt to learn his father was that distant from him.
“Is he close to his mother?” I asked.
Suzanne nodded. “Oh yeah. She lives here in New York. She occasionally stops by the office too.”
Conversation moved on when a friend of Danny’s stopped by the table. We finished our dinner and then went our separate ways. I let myself into my quiet apartment later on. I slipped out of my shoes and my work uniform, a fitted skirt and blouse, and headed straight for the bathroom. After a bubble bath, I settled myself on my couch to watch television.
My phone buzzed as I was drifting off. Snagging it, I glanced down to see a text from Lucas.
I'll be home tomorrow. Can I persuade you to meet me for dinner?
I stared at his message, my pulse speeding and my belly executing a slow flip. It was ridiculous the effect he had on me. A text, nothing more than a text, and I was getting hot and bothered. The emotional side of me wanted to immediately type yes with a few too many exclamation points. Then, there was the rational side of me that knew a bit better. It was a bad idea for me to pursue anything much further with him. I had already had one situation with a former employer who threatened to give me a bad reference, and I’d never even gotten close to being intimate with him.
My reaction to Lucas was too powerful. I wanted too much. I had an annoying tendency to fall quickly for men in the past. I’d believed myself well beyond that. Now I felt silly because I was in a freefall. Just thinking about our night together made me hot all over.
Calling on my willpower, I took a deep breath, my thumbs hovering over the screen of my phone. I forced myself to type a rational reply.
I'm not so sure that's a good idea unless you're talking about a working dinner. Perhaps we should meet at the office.
I reread my reply twice before hitting send and setting my phone down. It buzzed almost instantly again. I couldn't resist the foolish urge to look at it right away.