Coming To Reason (A Long Road to Love) (26 page)

“You know what’s frightening? I discovered his Mr. Hyde
personality the first week I worked for him, but I’d endured horrible parents,
so it never occurred to me to quit and go work for a nice person. Instead, I repeated
the same thing I did with my parents and my first boyfriend: I tried my hardest
to make them love me…but I never had a chance in hell of it happening.”

“Not with Trent.”

Tears welled in her eyes as her thoughts turned to Dan. “So,
this time, I meant to get it right. I wanted to fall in love with someone kind
and good, full of love.” She blew out a soft breath. “I thought Dan already
loved me, had loved me for some time. So I asked him out on a date in front of
my friends.”

“And the idiot said no?”

“Don’t call him an idiot. He said nothing. His expression
said he wanted to throw up.” She pressed her head against Ian’s chest, wanting,
needing a sympathetic hug. “I ran off so I could cry in private. Destiny found
me in the ladies’ room and walked me to Penn Station. While we waited for my
train, she explained about Dan’s no-rebound rule.”

“Ah. His rule is why I declared him an idiot. It could
never work with you. You have already proven no matter how impossible a jerk
might be, if they even pretend to love you, you will stick with them through
hell and back.”

She pushed away from him and stood, now pacing in
frustration. “I don’t see my fortitude being the problem. I made bad initial
choices. But being loyal and faithful…” Hell, why attempt to explain this to a
man who had a small harem of lovers beyond his wife?

She stopped and turned toward him. “What is wrong with the
way I want to love?”

He reached out, snared her left hand, and pulled her close
to him. “Nothing. If you were my wife, I would…most
ly
be a faithful
husband.”

She scowled at his response. “Then why aren’t you?”

“I married my social
ly
prominent wife for business reasons, and it has served me
very well.”

“So you’re using her. You don’t love her?”

“I do love her, but not romantical
ly
. We are best
friends…platonic friends.”

His confession riled her. “And who decided the relationship
would be loveless and empty?”

“We both did, before we married.” He pulled her down beside
him. “What I’m about to tell you, no one knows, not even her parents. “My wife
and I both prefer women. She has her lovers and I have mine, discreet
ly
, of course.”

Carrie struggled to make sense of his words. “Oh…” she said
as she final
ly
understood. “I’m sorry.”

He tilted his head. “For what?”

“For judging you harsh
ly
. For assuming you incapable of love.”

“I’ve never shared the truth with anyone before, but I
realized you intended to use my unfaithfulness as a reason never to open your
heart to me.”

She grimaced at the truth of his accusation. “I asked you,
because I thought you’d be safe from harm, but I now realize it won’t work.”

“What won’t work?”

“The stupid rebound. I did research on the train ride up
and I’d thought if we became bi-coastal lovers for six months, we could then
break up, and Dan and I could start dating.”

“Ah.” Ian pulled away and moved to the window.

“I shouldn’t have suggested it, and I’m very sorry.”

“Did you plan to tell me you’d stay six months, or did it
accidental
ly
slip out?”

“Of course, I intended to tell you, but I didn’t think you’d
mind.”

“You didn’t think me capable of love.”

“But you are, and I should have seen it before. You love
the young women on your staff. You do feel true emotions, and thus my plan
would never have worked.”

He pressed his head against the glass and remained quiet
for a few minutes. Then he turned around and faced her.

“I believe, with a small modification, your plan can work.”

“How?”

He returned to her and sat down beside her. “I’m leaving
here and going straight to Dan. I’ll tell him you’ve decided to move to the
West Coast and become my lover, thanks to his ridiculous rule. If he loves you,
he’ll put a stop to my plan before the day is out.”

“And if he doesn’t?”

Ian pressed his lips upon each of her tear-laden eyes. “Then
you know there’s no point in holding out for him.” He pulled her into his arms.
“I’ve already fallen in love with you, Carrie. So much so, I’m ignoring my own
heart’s desire to keep you for myself. Instead, I’ll help you find the once-in-a-lifetime
love you so right
ly
deserve. I’m going to do my best to bring Dan to reason,
and if he disappoints us, I intend to make you mine…not for six months or a
year, but for the rest of my life.”

Carrie’s heart filled with love for her dear friend and she
held tight to him, hoping he could help move Dan.

Ian had spoken the truth. If Dan loved her, he would not
allow anyone to steal her away.

Dan set down the report, unable to concentrate. He
activated the intercom to his secretary. “Helen, is Carrie in?”

“Not yet, sir.”

If his repeated question annoyed her, Helen didn’t express
it. “Well, let me know when—”

“I will tell you the minute she arrives…ah, Mr. Goodman is
here. Sir, wait.”

The door opened and a cheerful Ian entered his office.

“It’s all right, Helen.” He rose and motioned for Ian to
join him on the couch. “I’m missing an employee this morning, which has me
worried.”

“Would this employee be about four-six and cute as a
button?”

“Yes.”

“Then she arrived with me.”

“She’s here?” He wanted to abandon Ian and find her.

Helen knocked and then opened the door. “The small package
you inquired about has arrived, sir. Should I bring it to you?”

Dan smiled at the woman’s discretion. Before he could
reply, Ian did.

“Never mind, Helen. Dan needs to hear my good news first.”

Helen ignored him and waited for Dan’s instructions.

“I’ll speak to her later. Thank you, Helen.”

“I don’t think Helen likes me.” Ian leaned back, a broad
smile upon his face.

“
Clearly
, it’s not dampening your mood. Did you land a big client?”

“No, but I landed a spectacular change specialist and
lover.”

Dan’s world crashed about him. “Carrie?”

“Yes. She came to my hotel room this morning and asked me
to be her rebound lover, explaining the guy she loves refuses to date her until
she has acquired such.”

Anger burned inside him. “And she chose you?”

“She believes me incapable of true love, and thus thinks
she can be my lover for six months—a duration her research says is reasonable
length of time—before she dates the guy she adores. Interesting plan don’t you
think?”

His stomach filled with lead as his heart tightened into a
painful knot. “I think it’s a horrible plan.”

“I know. If she spends six months with me, she’ll stay for
the rest of her life.”

“Or until you dump her.” Dan rose from the couch and
returned to his desk. If he stayed by Ian one more second, there might be a
dead body to get rid of, and he had no idea how to dispose of a corpse.

“Dump Carrie? She’ll be my favorite mistress until I’m laid
in the grave. I might even be able to install her in my house as Syl’s personal
assistant.”

Dan gripped the edges of his desk to prevent him from
returning to the couch and beating the shit out of Ian.

“This guy, whoever he is, is an idiot to think he can send
Carrie off to ‘fake love’ someone for six months and then retrieve her.”

“You didn’t waste any time in making your move,” Dan
snapped. He’d never hated anyone as much as he did Ian right now.

“Are you kidding? The moment I read the article in
Gossep
,
I took the first flight out here. While Carrie had proven herself incredibly loyal
to Lancaster, no way her logical brain wouldn’t recognize the truth about him,
this time. And once she saw the truth, she’d move on. I knew I needed to work
fast or someone else would snatch her up.”

Dan rubbed his face. Ian was right. Carrie would give a
hundred percent to any love. “And her next bad choice will be a married man.”

“Yes, since the idiot she loves is holding firm to a
statistical probability. Never mind, Carrie is neither a statistic nor capable
of an uncommitted relationship. She’ll put her whole heart into whatever lucky
fellow comes along, and she won’t give up on him until the fool destroys their love
on his own. I should send Trent a thank you card. And this rebound theorist. I
should thank him too.” Ian walked to the door and faced him.

Dan glared at his friend…ex-friend.

“Thank you, Dan. While you may hate me for the rest of your
life, I will always appreciate the fabulous gift you’ve given me.”

Before Dan attacked and killed him with the letter opener,
Ian had the good sense to leave.

Dan’s entire body trembled in rage and trepidation. “What
the hell have I done?”

***

As Carrie walked past Jeff’s office, he called her in. “Got
a moment?”

She forced a smile upon her face and entered. Dave Massey
stood and shook her hand with more intensity than normal.

“Carrie, so glad you can join us.”

His genuine enthusiasm gave her concern Jeff hadn’t found the
right people for his company. The tension in Jeff’s face confirmed her
suspicion.

“Did you read the Wall Street Journal this morning?” Dave
asked.

She sat in the chair beside his. “No, I spent the train
ride researching something.” She hated being out of the loop.

“Well, I’m the proud new owner of Lancaster Chairs.”

Thank God she’d sat down because, otherwise, she’d be on
the floor now. “Lancaster? When did you start negotiations for this?” Her mind flew
in a whirl.

“About four months ago. It’s been an ugly process. Trent
wanted top dollar, but I didn’t like certain things. The female sales force for
one, and then he fired the person who ran the place, so I held out for his
mistakes to pull down his revenues.”

As she’d feared, Trent had let matters fall apart at work.

“Bought it for 25 percent cheaper than my original bid, but
the place is going down fast. I need to get experienced leadership in there…today
would be nice.”

Jeff broke in. “Dave, you aren’t being realistic.”

His ‘stop sign’ hand flew out to Jeff in clear agitation,
as he remained focused on Carrie.

“What I need is an expert on the furniture business, someone
who can deal with the Taiwanese, someone who can motivate or, in this case,
re-motivate the staff from a month of abusive leadership. I don’t care about
MBAs, a college degrees suits me fine, and I don’t care about their last title
as long as they can do the job.”

Carrie’s heart did about three flips in the air. Was Dave
offering her the job of her dreams?

“Jeff tells me it will take up to six months to find my
division president, but I believe the perfect person for the job is available
now,
only
Jeff doesn’t want to give her up. I believe he’s putting
his
company’s welfare over his client’s.”

Jeff massaged his temples. “Dave...”

Dave waved him off. “I want Carrie’s opinion. I’ve already
gotten yours.”

“Mr. Massey,” Carrie said.

His focus returned to her. “Don’t get formal on me, even if
you turn me down and leave me with a fucking disaster on my hands. I’m still
Dave.”

She smiled. “Dave. Are you asking me to run Lancaster
Chairs for you?”

“It is no longer called Lancaster Chairs. It is now called
Premier Frontline.”

He’d renamed it after their bestselling chair. “Keeping the
product name is brilliant.”

“Thank you. Now what about the job offer?”

“Which is what?”

“Whatever you did before. Your title will be division president,
but I need you back there as soon as possible. You were
clearly
the heart and
soul of the place and without you, it’s dying right before my eyes.”

“You do realize I look unqualified on paper?”

“I don’t care.”

“Your investors will.”

“Not if you fix my problem. And if you refuse to help me,
this acquisition
will
blow up in my face and I’ll lose my job anyway.”

“Carrie, you have a contract with us,” Jeff reminded her.