Page 10 of Coming Home

“Scarlett, nice to see you again,” I say taking her hand.

“Likewise, Shaun,” she says with a smile.

“Have you two met before?” Stephen steps in.

“The Business Summit last week. I saw Scarlett and introduced myself,” I say without looking at Stephen, my eyes still firmly on Scarlett’s, and I am still holding her hand in mine.

“Oh, right, Marco was keynote right?” Stephen asks, but my connection with Scarlett doesn’t falter; something Stephen picks up on.

“Let’s take a seat and get started, shall we?” Scarlett breaks the tension between us, and we all sit and take out our paperwork.

Throughout the meeting, I am a little stunned that Scarlett knows so much about our collaboration. Clearly, she has done her homework and Stephen has been an open book with her because she knows details that not any employee would know. She is also highly intelligent, asking the right questions and giving some feedback on things that Stephen nor I hadn’t thought about. Not for the first time, I wonder where she is from and how she ended up here at Heatherstone.

As we wrap up the meeting, I decide to broach the subject.

“So, tell me, Scarlett, where were you working before Heatherstone?” Without missing a beat, Stephen jumps in with the reply.

“Scarlett comes from a high pedigree of business leaders. Her family is extremely successful both in Australia and here.” Scarlett smiles at Stephen as he says this. If I had to guess an emotion, I would say she looks proud. Stephen’s statement makes me even more intrigued. I know most of the successful businesses here in Boston, but I have never met her or heard of her before.

“She is working here in our finance team, but predominantly with dad and I as special counsel,” Stephen adds.

I look at Scarlett. “So, you are from Australia?”

“Yes, I just moved here. Actually, I think you may have been on my flight?” she quizzes me with a smile, and I like it. Before I can reply, the intercom in the room buzzes.

“Scarlett, Ray is on line two for you, says it is urgent,” the receptionist relays.

“Well, excuse me, gentlemen. Shaun, it was a pleasure to see you again, perhaps I will see you at our gala?”

I normally don’t attend the gala, but a stampede of bulls won't keep me away this year.

“Yes, you will,” I say, taking her hand in a shake again, not wanting to let her go.

She smiles, and the fact that I put it there makes me feel heroic. I watch her step away and out the door, and I miss her the moment she is gone. Stephen interrupts my thoughts.

“She is off limits, Shaun.”

He knows what I am thinking, I want Scarlett in my bed, and he is right, but I want more than that. I know one night with her will not be enough.

“Thank you for the warning, you’re pretty protective of your staff these days, Stephen?” I comment as I gather my things.

“Not all of them, just Scar,” he says, using her nickname, letting me know he is familiar with her.

I shake his hand and leave, walking out with Stephen’s assistant Sandra. We start to make our way back to the elevators. “Thank you, Sandra. Tell me, what do you know about Scarlett?” Sandra has been working at Heatherstone Enterprises for many years, she is a shark and knows what I am trying to ask. Giving me a knowing nod, she replies. “Scarlett is a new addition to our company, a very accomplished finance expert from Australia. Her and Stephen have a very close bond, and I am sure you will be seeing her around a lot more now that she lives in Boston.”

She calls the elevator and nods to me as she returns to her office, leaving me to step into the elevators lost in thought.

I walk out of the building thinking about this new information on the woman I can’t get out of my mind. As the car drives away from the curb to snake its way through the traffic back to my office, I think about the Sullivan family annual charity ball. They never normally extend an invitation to anyone from Marshall & Co, but for the first time, I have been invited this year. I assume it is because of Stephen and I forging a new collaboration.

I had declined the invitation, but now, I have changed my mind. I would very much like to go and see Scarlett, to learn more about her. On the other hand, given that Sandra had just explained how important she was to Stephen and his warning at the end of our meeting, he may not want me anywhere near her given my notorious reputation for being a ladies’ man.

My heart pounds as I call my assistant. "Stephanie, the Heatherstone Enterprises gala ball, please call them to let them know I will be there."

Now that I know where to find her, I wasn’t going to miss the opportunity to talk with her again. I will take fate into my own hands.

14

Scarlett

---