Page 25 of Best Laid Plans

Anson's executive assistant, a pleasant African American woman in her fifties named Charmaine, had left me in his empty office while he had to finish something. Making people wait was a stupid power play. But I was used to it and didn't react to that kind of masculinity.

I stood at one of the windows, and gazed at the Blue Ridge Mountains. Sentinel was beautiful. I'd been excited when Mama and I first moved here. But it never became home. Until Savannah, I hadn't felt at home anywhere. With Anson, I had started to get comfortable, but now I just had dark memories of that time and this place.

I heard the office door open and close behind me. I saw Anson's reflection in the window, and after taking a bracing breath, I turned, my face blank of emotions. Working as the executive assistant of Nina Davenport had taught me to school my feelings. I had held a position of trust with Nina, and I couldn't let anyone see if I was upset or happy or excited. I was the bulwark against turmoil as I stood between the CEO of Savannah Lace and our employees and customers.

"Thanks for waiting." Anson walked up to his side of the desk. "I'm sorry we had a snafu with lunch and didn't have any food at the meeting."

Bailey had made a fuss about how the meeting wasn’t supposed to be so long, and how, if she had known, she would have ordered food.

I didn't know what her role was, but she wasn't a project manager, and she was definitely shitty assistant material, if that was what Anson had hired her to be. Her title was non-descript, and it was apparent from how his leaders treated her that she was seen as Anson's fiancée and not a colleague. She was someone you were polite with but didn't confuse her relationship with their boss as a reflection on her capabilities.

"Not a problem." I wouldn't have been able to eat, even if there had been food, not when my stomach was in knots. Seeing Anson again last week had been gut-wrenching, and now having him so close to me was not easing said gut in the least.

I missed him, I realized. How foolish to miss someone I never had. The man I had fallen in love with didn't exist. I'd figured that out when Pete had told me that it was Anson who'd wanted me to be put in the same cell as that asshole Carre. I didn't know how Anson could've done that. I'd just lost my virginity to him, and he wanted me to be in proximity of a known sex offender? This man had no integrity, no ethics, and no morals. I didn't miss this man. I missed a version of him that he'd presented to me.

"Please sit." He held his hand to a client chair.

I did as he asked, and he smiled at me like he used to when I thought he cared for me. I waited for him to speak.

"You were well prepared," he remarked, and I could see the surprise in his eyes.

Had he expected me to be a fuck up like his precious Bailey? I wasn't engaged to the owner of Savannah Lace. I had to earn my living and my place in the company.

"That's how we do things at Savannah Lace. Thank you for noticing." I tried to infuse life in my voice, but I was exhausted, barely able to keep it together.

I wanted to sleep. I didn't know how I'd make the two-and-a-half-hour drive home. I'd probably have to pull over at a gas station and get some shut-eye.

"Since you'll be managing this project for Savannah Lace, you'll have access to a variety of our systems and software. IT will set you up."

I nodded. This was standard operating procedure.

"You will also have access to the project budget software and systems," he continued.

I frowned. "I don't need that. That will be under the purview of Miss Hyatt and Larue Homes."

He cocked an eyebrow. "But won't it make life easier for you?"

"My life is easy enough," I told him.

"Look, we usually give this access to a vendor. This is how we do things."

I highly doubted it. And then it struck me. He wanted to set me up to be a thief…again. Hadn't he said he'd show everyone at Savannah Lace who I really was?

"I'm happy to accommodate your needs, Mr. Larue. I'll talk to finance at Savannah Lace, and we'll coordinate with your teams on this."

His eyes went stormy, and I knew that I was on the right track. I knew he'd asked me to project manage as a ploy to get his revenge. But I had underestimated him. He was going to give me access to his systems, and then frame me so I'd end up in jail. I was confident that was his plan. I didn't expect him to stoop so low, but maybe I should have.

"Good."

I waited for him to say whatever else he had on his mind.

"How has it been for you to be back in Sentinel?" His tone was conversational as he leaned back on his leather office chair.

"It's been fine."

He nodded thoughtfully. "The town thinks you're a thief, and were glad when you were run out."

Ah, here it comes.

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