“Shit, you getting all big brother on me?”
“I’m always your big brother.”
Nick chuckled. “Age before beauty, respect my elders and all that?”
“I mean it, Nick, not for a year.” Hudson started to move deeper into his place, then did a double take at his brother’s appearance. Nick was wearing his standard-issue jeans and a black tee, but they were clean and hole-free. And goddamn, had he had a haircut? Hudson shook his head as he made his way into the kitchen with Nick tight on his heels.
“Wait, I thought it was six months?”
Hudson wasn’t in the mood to go round for round on the subject. “Call your sponsor.”
“Ah, shit,” Nick snorted. “You know I’m not the relationship type. Love ’em and leave ’em.”
“Don’t be an ass.” Hudson tossed his coat over a barstool and began popping the top three buttons on his shirt. “You better not be pulling that ‘love ’em and leave ’em’ shit with Allie’s best friend, you feel me?” Fuck, not how he should have played that. Pretending to be split from Allie was going to take an effort he had no desire to make.
“It’s not like that. She’s cool, but just a friend.”
“Besides, Allie and I are through,” he said, amending his previous objection. “Better you not get involved.”
“What?” Nick stared at him for a beat. “What happened? You okay?”
“No, and I don’t want to discuss it. I’m exhausted.” Hudson finished unbuttoning his shirt as he walked toward his room. “I’m going to take a hot shower and go to bed.” So much for the Blue Label. Just as well. He really wasn’t up to slam dunking his mood further into the toilet.
“Mind if I crash here?”
“
Now
you’re asking me?” Hudson stopped before turning the corner. “Haven’t you been living here since Christmas?”
“Someone had to enjoy the amenities while you were gone. Can’t let all that mortgage you shell out go to waste.”
“It’s not a hotel.”
“Hey.” Nick’s voice dropped an octave. “I’m here if you need me.”
“I don’t need a babysitter.” God, he sounded like a dick when his brother was just concerned. Hudson wanted to tell him what was going on, but if he did, it would stress Nick out to the nth degree and back, and might force him into using his two favorite coping mechanisms—drugs and booze. Though Nick did have new skills, relapse was always a threat. Playing it off like he and Allie were broken up was the best maneuver for the time being. And when he’d been dumped, Hudson shut down; he didn’t go all chatty-Kathy-let’s-paint-each-other’s-nails.
“Hudson, I’m serious.”
“I know, Nicky, thanks. You’re always welcome to crash here,” Hudson called out over his shoulder as he continued down the hall. With that, he shut the door to his bedroom and leaned against it. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath.
There had to be another way.
Allie expected to find the thirtieth floor empty. Even if the combination of jet lag and stress had kept Hudson awake the same as it had her, he’d no doubt be across the river at Chase Industries. And at six in the morning it was unlikely any of the support staff would have arrived. Which was why she was so surprised to see Colin already at his desk.
A to-go tray of coffee that she was sure included an extra hot, two pump, light froth skinny vanilla latte sat in front of him. Her mouth would have watered at the sight of the much-needed caffeine if it weren’t for the rest of the scene in front of her: Harper with her chair pulled up in front of Colin’s desk, a box full of croissants open between them.
Colin greeted her as she approached. “Morning, Boss Lady. I thought you’d be early, time change and all.” He lifted one of the cups out of the cardboard holder. “And Harper here delivered croissants straight from Paris.” His lips curved into a smile but the question in his eyes was impossible to miss. Allie couldn’t blame him for his curiosity. Colin was the only one at Ingram who was aware of her personal involvement with Hudson Chase. And while he knew very little about the relationship between the co-CEOs, he knew enough to question why Allie’s best friend would have joined them on a romantic trip through Europe.
“I didn’t have time to shop for souvenirs,” Harper said. Although she left out the words “because we left Paris like a bat out of hell,” Allie still heard them loud and clear. “But I figured these would do.”
“I’ll say.” Colin flashed Harper a dazzling grin. “Not every day a beautiful woman bearing French pastries stops by to say hello.”
Harper looked at Allie and laughed. “Quite the charmer, this one.”
Allie had to agree. With his easy laugh and quick wit, Colin James was charm personified. Not to mention the cover-model looks and the boy-band hair that fell in a perfectly disheveled mess over his green eyes. But while Allie could certainly appreciate all those attributes, it was his razor-sharp mind and his degree from the nation’s number-one journalism school that had pushed his résumé to the top of the pile.
“And a proper introduction was long overdue,” Harper said. “At least in my opinion.” It was true she’d wanted to meet the man she chatted with far too long whenever she called the office, but Allie knew that wasn’t her real motivation for the crack-of-dawn delivery. Harper had questions and she wanted answers that Allie wasn’t prepared or able to give her. Not now and maybe not ever.
“Well, you two enjoy your picnic,” Allie said, attempting a quick getaway. “I’ve got a week’s worth of e-mails to catch up on.”
Harper stood in a rush, affording Allie her first full look at her friend’s Friday morning ensemble. The black-and-white dress she wore made her look more like Don Draper’s assistant than a twenty-four-year-old from the twenty-first century, but on her it worked. The rotary phone imprint on the skirt complemented the vintage look while the red patent leather flats sent more of a Dorothy vibe. The whole look was wacky and whimsical and totally Harper Hayes. Her tone however, was all business. “Not so fast,” she said. “We need to talk.”
It was worth a shot
, Allie thought as she made her way into her office with Harper close behind.
“Okay, cut the crap and level with me,” Harper said the minute Allie had closed the door.
“It wasn’t crap. I haven’t so much as looked at an e-mail in days.” Allie hung her coat in a closet concealed behind a wood panel. Like everything else in her father’s office, it had a rich mahogany finish. Before the holidays Ben Weiss had suggested bringing in a designer to redecorate the decidedly masculine space. At the time she’d had bigger concerns than color swatches, and had agreed to do so only if her position was confirmed. Now both topics seemed trivial. Keeping the people she loved safe was the only thing that mattered. Not her title, and certainly not her office. But she had to keep up appearances.
“I wasn’t referring to the e-mails and you know it.”
“Well I am. And I’ll be lucky to come up for air by dinner.”
“Then you better start talking.” Harper dropped her purse and coat in one of the leather wingback chairs facing Allie’s desk, then plopped down in the other. “Because I’m not leaving until you tell me what the hell happened in France.”
Allie rounded her desk and took a seat across from her friend. “Nothing happened. I went to Julian’s chateau and gave him his precious ring. End of story.”
“You were gone for
hours
.”
“Because in true Julian form he left me waiting in his office while he went to attend to other matters,” she said, accenting the last word with finger quotes. At least that part was true. Allie met Harper’s gaze, hoping she’d take the tiny sliver of truth at face value and drop her interrogation.
No such luck.
Harper shook her head. “Sorry, not buying it.”
“Why not? You know how he is.” Allie woke her computer and launched the e-mail app. Her inbox contained numerous Google alerts with Hudson’s name. Against her better judgment she opened one . . . and there it was. She and Hudson were officially over, at least according to TMZ.
How the hell?
Not that it mattered. Whoever leaked the news, for once, was actually helping them.
“Julian being an asshole and making you wait?” Harper snorted her disdain. “Sure, that I buy. But the rest of this? No way. You can’t seriously expect me to believe that while you were cooling your heels in the Haunted Mansion you had this great epiphany that Prince Prissy Pants is your soul mate?”
“I never said that.” And she never would.
“Well then how the hell do you explain your sudden change of heart?” There was a moment of unexpected silence followed by Harper’s sharp intake of air. “Did he threaten you?”
Allie’s hands stilled.
“Because if he did, you need to go to the police and—”
“This has nothing to do with Julian,” she interrupted. It wasn’t a total lie. Julian’s threats weren’t Allie’s motivation; protecting Hudson and Nick was. And unless she wanted to add Harper to the list of those at risk, she had to somehow convince her to stand down. “Things were off between Hudson and me before I even saw Julian.”
“But not before he called.” Harper met Allie’s surprised reaction with a smirk. “Don’t bother denying it; me and your man had a meeting of the minds in my hotel room.”
“Yeah, about that—some secret agent you are,” Allie teased. “How long did it take before you spilled the whole story?”
“Hey, don’t look at me like that. You were the one not answering your phone. We were worried about you. And besides, Hudson is . . .” She shook her head but said nothing. Apparently even Harper Hayes was at a loss for words when it came to Hudson Chase. “Well, you know how he is.”
Did she ever. There was no deterring Hudson when he wanted something. A fact he kept proving to Allie time and time again. Only this time she was done fighting him. This time they would fight together, as a team, even if no one else knew it but them.
“I’m sorry I scared you,” Allie said. “Honestly, I lost track of time when I was at Julian’s, but everything is fine.”
“Then why did you break things off with Hudson? I saw the way the two of you were at Christmas. Despite everything else that has happened, you were happy.”
Allie shrugged. “I’m not denying he got me through a rough time. I’d been dreading the holidays and he was a welcome distraction.”
“Distraction?” Harper squeaked. “No, no, no. A tub of chocolate-chocolate chip is a distraction. What you two had was real. I could feel it every time you looked at each other.” Harper’s expression softened and her voice grew uncharacteristically quiet. “You love him.”
Allie took a deep breath, willing her voice to remain level. “No, I was caught up with the idea of him. The teen romance, recapturing a more innocent time. None of it was real. This . . .” She waved her hand around the office. “This is real. My family’s legacy, the one Hudson tried to steal out from under me, is real. I was too distracted by grief and sex to remember that, but hearing Julian’s voice on the train that morning brought it all back into focus. My father brokered that deal with Julian because Chase Industries was breathing down his neck. And no matter how hard I try, I can’t separate that man from the one you saw on Christmas Eve.”
A beat of silence passed as Allie’s words hung in the air. Harper had just opened her mouth to speak when there was a knock at the door.
“Come in,” Allie called.
Colin poked his head around the door. “Sorry to interrupt. Seems word has spread that you’re back in the office. The phone hasn’t stopped ringing.”
Allie waved him into the room. “Hit me.”
He began reading items off the tablet in his hand. “There’s an issue with this morning’s cover story—liability seems limited but legal wants to brief you on the potential fallout; the web designers want you to sign off on the cable news layout; that editor from
Chicago
magazine called again; and the union rep wants five minutes today or there won’t be a tomorrow.” He glanced up. “His words, not mine.”
“Have legal run the issue past Ben’s office; refer Shaw to the PR department, but give them a heads-up and tell them I won’t be granting any interviews at this time; and add the union guy to today’s calendar, a ten-minute block, but put him in just before lunch so ten doesn’t dissolve into thirty.”
“Got it.” Colin nodded as he tapped the screen. “And web?”
“Take a look at the design; if it’s in line with what we discussed, then go ahead and sign off on it.”
His head snapped up. “You want me to sign off on the new look?”
“You’re the one who came up with the idea. I trust you can determine if they followed through.”
“Will do.” Colin’s wide grin was almost enough to brighten what was already shaping up to be a shit day, even without factoring in the lack of Hudson time. Allie respected the fact that Colin had chosen to gain practical experience while earning the money he needed for grad school. And while there were certain mundane duties he’d need to perform as her assistant, he was also a valuable asset she had no desire to squander.
She thanked him before he left, then turned her attention back to Harper. “I know you mean well, but—”
“But you have an empire to run. Yeah, yeah, I get it.” Harper grinned. “I need to get work too. But don’t think this is over.”
Allie was quite sure it wasn’t. “How about we meet for a run tomorrow?” she offered as a compromise, secretly hoping the exertion would distract from the inquisition.
Harper groaned. “How about I meet you for coffee after your run?”
“Fine. Text me where and when.” Allie made a mental note to hit the gym after work as well. All those rich European meals were starting to bite her in the ass. Literally. And it wasn’t like she was going to have anything better to do with her Friday night. Might as well work off a few calories along with her sexual frustration.
“I can never repay you for everything you’ve done for me,” she said as she walked her friend to the door. “And not just this week—”
Harper cut her off with a wave of her hand. “You really need to stop thanking me. That’s what friends are for. Especially when one of the friends has access to a private jet. How the hell am I ever supposed to fly Southwest again?” she asked, laughing to herself as she pushed through the glass doors that led to the elevator bank.
Allie turned to find Colin waiting for her with a small white envelope. “What’s this?” she asked.
“No clue. Found it when I came back to my desk. It’s marked
Personal and Confidential
, so I didn’t open it.”
Allie’s breath caught when she saw the handwriting. “Thank you, Colin. Hold my calls.” She hurried back into her office and closed the door. Inside the envelope was a note scratched in the same handwriting.
25th Floor, 353B. Now.
Her heart raced as she yanked open the door.
“Everything all right?” Colin asked as she rushed past his desk.
“Yes. Be back in a few,” she told him. But the truth was she had no idea how long she’d be gone.
The elevator seemed to move even slower than usual, although in all likelihood it was just her impatience that made the five-floor ride seem like it took an eternity. The pulleys yanked to a stop twice as she descended the nearly hundred-year-old building, the doors jerking open slowly with each ping, though she scarcely heard them over the sound of her own blood rushing in her ears. What could have prompted such a summons? And so early in the morning. Dozens of scenarios raced through her mind as she made her way down the hallway of the twenty-fifth floor, checking the engraved plaques until she found the one with the number she sought. But as she opened the door, all thoughts left her but one.
Hudson.
He stood with his back to her, his phone pressed to his ear as he stared out across the river to the lake, barely visible through the gray January fog. His tall, muscular frame filled the window of the small office, dominating the space just as he did the world below them. Nearly all of Chicago seemed his for the taking, and yet he’d made it clear that the only thing he wanted was her. And the attraction was more than just physical. It was an inexplicable pull they’d both felt from the very start, a yearning so strong it not only defied the odds, but logic and reason as well. With everything that hung in the balance, the two of them needed to keep their distance. Yet no matter what new development had brought him there, and what risk he was taking, there was no denying the thrill that shot through her just from being in the same room with him.
He turned, his gaze darkening at the sight of her, and all at once she realized the purpose of the visit. He wanted her, needed to be with her as badly as she needed him. Leaving him in the limo the night before had felt like leaving a piece of her heart behind. She craved him, needed him desperately, especially after everything she’d been through that last day in Paris. Julian’s threats and the revelation that he’d orchestrated her parents’ murder had left her reeling. Now more than ever she needed the strength she drew from their connection. When they were together, all was right in her world. She’d been a fool to ever think otherwise.