When Summer left Conner’s office, she had several things she needed to manage. Finally, she left the message from Conner’s father on his desk, informing her she was uninvited to the business dinner. She pointed it out to Conner and told him she didn’t want to be the reason Conner had with his father. Could he speak to him and clear this up? Then tell her what they’d decided.
The look on Conner’s face was one Summer was glad hadn’t focused on her, but his father. It wasn’t an expression she’d ever seen him wear before, and it added to how much he’d changed from the pre-teen Conner she remembered.
Where did the boy who teased her for having a sunburned nose when he hid her hat in the hollow of a tree one summer afternoon? Or the boy who insisted they dance to the music filtering out of the conservatory one evening when her parents were hosting an evening event?
That had happened before their mothers passed away in a car accident. Summer remembered that horrible day. It hadn’t been the reason their fathers’ friendship ended, but she suspected it was a sign of the end coming.
Now he wanted her to make the calls that would put her in the firing line of his father’s temper when Conner insisted, she’d be attending the dinner with him, and he’d bring Gabriella with him as well. Oh, Summer could see what Conner was doing. He would get what he wanted and fulfill his father’s wish. Conner had two women who despised each other on his arms. He’d either become the envy of bachelors and playboy, or they’d be thanking god they weren’t him. If the two women with him, catered to his every whim, then they’d feel envious of him. But it depended on how the women acted.
It burned her when he asked Summer to wear another cocktail dress like the first dress she’d worn. Summer was certain his request contained an HR complaint. She felt tempted to report it. He’d admitted that his business associates had enjoyed seeing her wear that dress.
Summer would need to raid her closet again. That first dress she’d worn was a dress she wore to an intimate celebration her father gave for her return home after she’d graduated. The second came from her prom. If she was supposed to be poor, Summer knew she’d be wearing knock offs and second-hand clothes. So, she recycled her dresses with the help of a friend who was a dress designer. She’d taken several older pieces to her, and Liv worked her magic on them. Updating and reworking the clothes into something she could use. It wasn’t perfect, but it meant she wouldn’t show up in a dress a wife of Conner’s business associates might recognize and criticize her for wearing.
Now Conner wanted her to compete with Gabriella. If the witch knew Summer was coming to dinner, Gabriella would dress extravagantly to outshine her. Summer needed an affordable and unique solution, hoping Liv had something suitable. Liv didn’t do this for others. She did this job for Summer as a favor.
By day’s end, Summer altered the plans as Conner wanted them.
“Summer, I’ve straightened out my father. You’ll attend the dinner with me, but I’m afraid I will have to escort Gabriella as well.” Conner threw open his door almost two hours later and started speaking to her. Unsure of their relationship, Summer pondered Gabriella’s status as his girlfriend. Why was he so resistant to take her alone? He still hadn’t told her why he acted like that. It was like he hated them both.
“I have informed our hosts of the change in plans. They are making the changes necessary to accommodate your needs even though they aren’t happy with how late they are. I left the business class tickets for you and Ms. Mandela as they are. Only managed to get a coach ticket for myself. I will assume your father will appreciate that.” Summer didn’t like the idea of flying in coach, but it gave her an excuse not to sit with Gabriella. She’d rather cram in with a hundred strangers than suffer listening to Gabriella make comments about how degrading it was to sit during the flight with the employees.
“You can cancel the tickets. My father has decided there are enough executives going. He has approved the use of the company jet.” There went her perfect plan to avoid Conner and Gabriella for the entire flight. She let out a beleaguered sigh.
“Your father will attend, then?” She made a mental note to be careful how did her makeup in case he looked too closely at her. Her final personal interview had been with him, and he looked at her peculiarly throughout the entire interview. She wasn’t sure if he recognized or found her familiar. After all, he knew her mother before she’d died.
“Summer, he’ll be attending too.” He knows you’ll attend with me and will be on that flight.” Summer wasn’t happy with the way Conner spoke. She was a problem between his father and himself. But Conner was conflicting. He was overloading her with odd jobs and work. Or he was telling his father he didn’t need a personal assistant. Or he was demanding he bring her along to events like this. Summer wasn’t sure if she was coming or going with him. Did he want her around or not? She’d swear she heard him call her his personal ‘insistent’, rather than assistant to his father.
“As you wish, sir.”
“Very good. Now don’t forget to pick up my tux from the dry cleaner’s today and bring it with you. If you haven’t heard from my father’s personal assistant about the time our flight is leaving by two this afternoon. Leave me a message. No errors will occur.”
“As you wish, sir.” Summer tried not to be offended or bring up questions about the problems between his father and himself. As an employee, it wasn’t her place to comment. She knew she didn’t want to get involved. It was too risky. Summer wondered what caused the change in her and her father’s once close relationship.
“Will you have a dress in time? Or will you need time to shop?” Conner appeared concerned, but she didn’t see him asked if she wanted to leave early to get his shopping done. Forget about finding things she might require.
Summer’s face twisted at the idea of shopping. She hated much of the current fashion, so refurbishing a few dresses she liked suited her a lot more. Summer also had his extensive list of items he wanted for the trip. “I only need to pick up a dress I’m having altered.” He didn’t need to know she’d six dresses ready to pick up.
“Ensure that you’ve packed for the entire weekend. We may not return the next day.”
“I’ve packed for a four-day weekend. That should allow for any layover.”
“Excellent. I can’t wait to see what you bring with you. I’ll be out of the office, but you can reach me by phone. Try texting first.”
“Yes, sir.”
He left the office without another word. She caught sight of his broad shoulders encased in his well-tailored Armani suit jacket. He had his trench coat slung over his arm and his briefcase in his other hand. She heard his Italian leather shoes sound on the stone tiled floor all the way to the elevator.
Meanwhile, her feet were resting on top of her shoes hidden beneath her desk because she couldn’t stand the pinching anymore. Throughout school, she’d called them torture devices, and she meant it. Her opinion hadn’t changed now that she was in the workforce.
[CHAPTER STARTS AT THE END OF THE MEETING BETWEEN CONNER AND SUMMER IN HIS OFFICE] “Before I go, here are your messages in priority. However, this one is about the event and I’m afraid it’s addressed to me, but I’m not able to respond to it. I think you may do more and faster about it.” Summer leaned over and placed several messages in front of Conner and tried to broach the subject of one. Conner tried not to watch the low neckline of her blouse fall forward. Damn, the woman had on a lacy pale blue bra under her pale blue blouse. Conner wanted to know if her panties matched her bra. He bet they did, and it would only get better if she wore those thigh-high stockings. He’d love the feel of them on his thighs as he took her. Now he needed to get a grip on himself. How could he work like this? “Who’s it from and about what?” Conner thanked his lucky stars. The connection between his brain and mouth was intact, and he could still conduct a business discussion with
“What do you mean?” Ian said. He tried to sound stern as he demanded Conner give him an explanation about what he meant. “I mean, she can do her job fine. She does it without complaint so far. She’s never late or gives me excuses why she hasn’t completed something. Ms. McNeil doesn’t ask prying questions like Gabriella. But she’s a distraction by just existing in the space I breathe. Before they cross too many boundaries, I can’t have her around much longer.” Ian could hear Conner struggling to find a reason to fire her and failing. Conner didn’t hear his words and how smitten he was with his little personal assistant. “Does she know that?” There it was. Conner felt attracted to the woman. Ian couldn’t deny her captivating aura. Age hindered him, not Conner, from pursuing a woman so young. Gabriella was asking prying questions. Ian wanted to learn more about that. “What was Gabriella asking?” Ian suspected some things weren’t as they seemed. But he
Summer slipped out of the office an hour early. It gave her little time to shop Conner wanted, or she needed. She wasn’t a fool; she worked smarter, not harder. Summer had to decide whether to buy everything herself before the plane departed. Then she’d hire someone to do it. Or use her family’s personal shopper to her advantage. All she needed to do was call the stores, set up for her personal shopper to pick the items up and pay over the phone with the card Conner gave her for the expenses. Just two stores refused her request. She’d have to go in person. Thankfully, one shop was in the same mall as the dress shop she needed. When she arrived at the dress shop, Summer had every she needed. She lacked patience for an encounter with Gabriella in the store. Summer’s hand was on the door handle when she noticed Gabriella inside. Cursing under her breath, she had to do some quick thinking. She pulled her phone from her coat pocket and called
Summer was in traffic when her father called. With a sigh, she told the car assistant to answer the call. “Good evening, Father. To what do I owe the pleasure of your call?” He never called if he didn’t have a reason to call. Andre MacGregor changed after his first wife died. “I don’t appreciate your lip, young lady. Where are you that you’re acting like that?” “I’m standing on the intersection of Main Street and Jefferson Boulevard trying to find a date.” “Merina MacGregor. You better not be…” “Be what, father? Oh, please. I’m joking. I’m stuck at a traffic light and I’m behind the wheel. What do you want, Father? I’m unable to talk to you.” Summer knew that she’d made a mistake when she said that, because it gave her father a chance to lecture her on whatever problem her stepmother imagined Merina’s mere existence caused. All Merina needed to do was breathe in Lillian MacGregor’s direction to do something worthy of a lectur
Could Summer make it home, pack, and reach the airport on time without Gabriella? The woman didn’t work unless she pretended to assist her daddy. She called her father, daddy, in a little girl’s voice. This made Summer shudder in disgust. Gabriella was a dark-skinned beauty. Summer admits Gabriella could have modeled. Unlike Summer, who still could be mistaken for a boy from the wrong angle. She gained weight, which filled out some of Summer’s curves. Gabriella did not need to take action. Clothing fitted her off the rack. Summer was short. Her head came to Conner’s shoulder, while Gabriella stood eye-to-eye with him. They were opposites of each other. Summer wore dark hair right now, but it was a wig. Her hair, if she allowed it to go its natural color, was almost orange in bright sunlight. Girls would tease her because her skin, though freckled, practically glowed in the dark. She’s the girl that boys would dare to ask if the drapes matched the carpet. So, th
Summer’s highlight when they arrived at the hotel was, she found Conner’s father had rented several corporate suites. She had assumed she’d have a room on a different floor. But that wasn’t the case. Summer meant less privacy but more work time. Because she’d share a suite with Conner, which meant she shared a bathroom with the man. It was only a few nights. She could get through it. She needed to avoid triggering Conner’s memories of their past. Maybe he’d forgotten more than she remembered? Summer knew that was a dream. Her day filled up with taking notes at meetings, ordering food, and ensuring both Conner and Ian O’Keefe had everything they needed. Ian’s assistant called before the flight, saying they couldn’t go because of a relative’s hospitalization. Their relatives needed them by their bedside. Summer didn’t complain. In fact, Ian didn’t request or demand her help. She stepped in and assisted him. After a day of meetings and disc
Summer realized she had no say in her sleeping arrangements. She regretted attending the conference. Why Conner’s father didn’t stay with him in the same suite, she couldn’t tell. When she brought it up to Conner, he gave her a look and said, “My dad’s snoring rivals the sound that comes from a lumber production facility at peak production. There’s no way I’ll sleep in the same suite as him. We’re better off this way.” That was it. That was it. A colorful image of the sound of a man’s sleeping habits. Summer had her own curiosities about him. She thought she’d be the first person to use the bathroom to prepare for the evening’s dinner event. However, Conner had to be the first. However, he hadn’t figured out the lock on her door had broken before they took the suite. Summer opened the door and avoided an embarrassing encounter with Conner. He had his back to the bathroom mirror and through it, Summer received a detailed view of his naked form in the
This made everything awkward. Summer tried to hang back and enter by herself. Conner’s father helped by calling her back before everyone entered the elevator to head for the dinner. “Ms. O’Neil, I wish to speak to you for a moment. Everyone can go ahead; we won’t be long.” Ian announced as he waved them on. Conner tried to hang back and inquire about what his father needed help with. “It’s fine, Conner. Ms. O’Neil will know how to fix this. Go on ahead with Gabriella and her father. We’ll follow right behind you, after we speak.” Conner hadn’t appeared convinced, but he’d asked his father. Summer didn’t relax after the elevator closed behind them. Ian rounded on Summer. “Would you care to explain yourself and why you are interfering in my son’s personal life?” “Mr. O’Keefe. I’m not sure…” Summer said to Mr. Mandela. He interrupted Summer in mid-sentence. “Oh, please. I’ve heard from Gabriella how you’ve been throwing yourself