Page 2 of Lahaina Noon

“Ugh!” she groaned at the panel as she glanced up to see the shadow was almost to the door. Fortunately, the elevator seemed to understand, and the doors creaked as they slowly trundled shut.

Shaken and breathing heavily, she leaned against the rear wall and grabbed the handrail. “Shit!” she yelled when it shocked her.Not my day, she shook her head.

She really needed to stop reading horror stories at bedtime. Surely, she just imagined it.Shadows don’t really reach out and grab people, right? I’ve got to cut back on horror movies, too.

“Miss?”

She looked up and saw the valet standing at the door, holding it open for her. “Sorry.” She smiled at him, “Lost in thought today.”

He smiled back at her and replied, “It happens.”

Just today?She questioned herself as, apparently, she was losing it. Shadows chasing her! Shaking it off as her overactive imagination, Bridget made her way into the building and up to her suite.

“Good morning, team!” Bridget called as she walked in. She made it a personal mission to greet each staff member every morning, making sure she ‘saw’ them. She had a good rapport with the team and knew if she missed anyone, they wouldn’t let her hear the end of it. She stuffeddown her anxiety about what had happened and put on her office smile; it was just another day.

Finally. Some peace. Bridget could whip out those last few slides and be ready for the presentation in a couple of hours. As she powered on her laptop, she received another painful shock on her fingertips.

“Ow, crap!” she said under her breath, mindful of staff near her office.Again?She thought, remembering the elevator. Images of the shadows were creeping into her mind, chills raising bumps on her arms at the way the pointing finger nearly crept into the elevator with her, when she heard a light tap on the door frame.

“Problems?” inquired a velvety voice. She looked up and froze, suddenly conscious of how washed out she probably looked. Her hands flew involuntarily to her hair, patting down the stray strands and trying to corral the ponytail frizz into a smooth column. She straightened in her chair, pulling her shoulders back and putting on a bright smile, hoping she’d remembered to put mascara on both eyes this morning.

There are good-looking guys, and then there’s Vaughn Drake. He’s the guy you would expect to model for the covers of romance novels, with his shirt ripped open and his hair falling in his face. The kind that had rock-hard abs, piercing sexy eyes, and bulging muscles. Vaughn was indeed a gorgeous man although he was seemingly unaware and humble about it.

Tall, well-built and muscular, perfectly groomed, with long shiny black hair, gorgeous crystal blue eyes, and a voice that oozed masculinity. He had full lips made for kissing and a perfectly straight nose. It really wasn’t fair. She wanted to bite that chiseled jaw of his. He made her keenly aware of her appearance, and the past six months they’dbeen working together had stressed to her how heartachingly single she was.

Checking her chin for drool, she watched him adjust his glasses, good grief, even those were sexy, and tried to gather herself into something less gaping idiot and more smooth professional.

“Uh,” she replied intelligently.PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER,she shouted at herself, “Yeah, sorry, just seem to be getting zapped by static electricity today.” She managed to get the words out while wondering how red her rapidly blushing face was getting. “Guess it’s just my electrifying personality,” she followed up.

Oh my god, you did NOT just say that out loud, you idiot,she thought furiously and, if it was even possible, blushed harder.

He smiled broadly, showing perfect teeth, and gave a little laugh. “I’m sure that’s what it was.”

She decided he was just humoring her because he needed her company for a joint venture. “You here for the meeting?” she asked, knowing full well he was. What on earth was wrong with her? She was a smart, educated woman in a position of leadership, a single mom with a kick-ass kid, plus a wicked sense of humor, and here she was, acting like a moron in front of Mr. Hotness.

“Mr. who?” he asked, looking confused.

Oh, dear no, please tell me I didn’t say that out loud, she thought frantically. “It’s going to be a hot one today, Mr. Drake.” Get it together, girl. “Are you only here for our meeting, or did you want to take me to lunch as well?”

What? What?What had just happened? Had she really just asked him out? What was the meaning of it all? Why was the world ending,because obviously that’s what was happening. She was melting into the carpet. Right here in the middle of downtown, Dallas, Texas, in the United States of America.

She might as well have been in the Land of Oz because she was pretty sure that she was turning green like the Wicked Witch. She might be sick. Could she get past him to the bathroom to throw up without making a further fool of herself? Bridget took a tentative step to the doorway when he replied.

“Well, both, actually, if you’re available.”

“Yeah, no,” she said dumbly.Did he say both?

He laughed. “Well, which is it? Yes, or no?”

Bridget took a deep breath and looked him in the eye. “Oh, I was kidding. Do you actually want to go to lunch? I’m sure we can get some of the other team members to agree on a place to go and hopefully celebrate a successful partnership,” she managed to squeak.

He studied her for a moment then replied slowly, “No, Ms. Ridgeway, I don’t want to go with the others, only you.”

That’s it, I’m asleep!She thought triumphantly.This is obviously just a dream. First the shadows, now Vaughn asking me out. I didn’t really wake up yet. No, this is a prank! Someone put him up to this!

“Ha, ha!” she said, hitting him lightly on the shoulder. “Good one, who put you up to this? Was it Jack? He’s such a joker!”

He stepped closer, “It’s not a joke, Bridget. I’d planned on asking you anyway, but you beat me to it. There’s something I’d like to discuss with you. Something,” he paused, “Personal.”

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