Page 117 of The Calendar of New Beginnings
“Why aren’t you afraid of me?” he asked. “Most new hires are. God’s honest truth.” He worked hard to overcome that with each new executive hire. If they didn’t stop walking on eggshells around him, they were reassigned. Fear had a way of creating obstacles in the best of working relationships.
She took her time, keeping her gaze on him. “I’ve never been afraid of anyone, really. What’s the point? It’s like my Uncle Arthur says. Everyone puts their pants on the same way when they get up in the morning.”
Chase knew about her uncle, Arthur Hale, one of thelegends of modern journalism. He supposed with an uncle like that, she was used to powerful men. “Except nudists,” he said as a joke.
Joking was one of his tools to make other people more comfortable around him.
Her mouth curled. “Ah…I see what you did there. No pants.”
He shook his head, knowing he was bordering on flirting with her. “None whatsoever.”
“Do you think nudists ever ski?” she asked, grinning now.
He rolled his tongue around his teeth. This conversation proved the old adage he’d heard from his father. The topic didn’t matter—a man and woman could flirt about anything.
“Be a cold proposition,” he said, unable to stop himself from smiling back.
“I suppose we should probably follow Evan,” Moira said, not making any move to pick up her ski poles.
Her green eyes continued to gaze at him, as if waiting. That was when he was sure of it. Shewaswaiting for him to make the first move. If anyone was going to make it, it had to be him.
Moira had been a human resources manager before. She would understand his dilemma.
He’d never dated an employee.
Moira isn’t my employee, he told himself.
But they would still have to see each other professionally if things didn’t work out. He’d seen other people date at work, and when things went south, it usually ended up in reality-TV drama territory.
He hated drama.
But he knew Moiradid too.
What are you thinking?He gave himself a mental slap. After his marriage to Trisha, he’d learned every painful thing one person could do to another. There was no going back.
Still, rather than suggest they follow Evan, he found himself asking, “Are you having fun?”
“Skiing as part of a work day at The Grand Mountain Hotel? Knowing the famous Chef T is going to make us lunch? Are you kidding? I have the best job in the world.”
That snagged another smile out of him. “I feel the same way. You’re still happy you’ve moved back to your hometown? I heard what you said to Evan, but is that the truth? Leaving the big city can be a big transition for anyone.”
She rubbed her gloves together like she was cold. “I miss things about Denver, but there’s plenty to do here. I have my family, which keeps my social calendar full. And I have a home, a real home. Apartment living sucks. I’m happy to be here, Chase. Truly.”
“I’m glad. I want you to be happy.” He cleared his throat, realizing it wasn’t a common sentiment for one co-worker to share with another. “I would have hated for you to return to your hometown and regret it, no matter how much you love your job.”
Unhappy employees tended to leave their jobs, he told himself, but he knew that wasn’t why he’d said it. He just wanted her to be happy—Moira, with the encompassing laugh, the green eyes, and the challenging stare. The woman who’d suggest they invite their competitors to the fundraiser and stood her ground in the face of his disagreement.
He realized he was seeing her less and less like an employee and more and more like a partner in Evan’s vision. Except for the whole inviting their competitors tothe fundraiser notion, which he planned to nip in the bud with Evan later. Moira’s mind was set for reasons he understood. Artemis was establishing itself as the premier invention center in the world, so they needed to includeallof the companies that applauded and recruited innovation to make themselves legitimate.
But it was a goddamn corporate nightmare for Quid-Atch. Chase was always worrying about safeguarding the secrets in their government bids and contracts and keeping their highly skilled employees from jumping to a competitor like K-Barker. That was why they offered them the sun, moon, and stars.
“You can’t imagine ever moving back to Laramie?” Moira asked, refocusing his attention on the present.
“No,” he said flatly.
Because he and Moira were so linked by their gaze, he saw the ripple of shock crest across her beautiful face. Had he sounded too harsh? When she finally broke their stare-off, he felt bereft, and found himself struggling with the sensation. He was acting like a moonstruck boy, and he didn’t like it one bit.
“What is it?” he asked.
