Page 31 of One Wild Wedding Weekend

Harold waved a dismissive hand. “My godson is a brilliant man. But he likes to keep a tight rein on his domain. That can be a good thing or a bad thing. He’ll get used to the idea. Don’t you worry.”

“But I don’t even know if this is what I want to do, no offense.”

“None taken. You’re a smart woman. When you see my offer, I feel sure you’ll be interested. It’s generous and good for both of us.”

There wasn’t much else to say. Daley said goodbye to Harold and did the same with the bridesmaids and groomsmen still lingering over their coffees. Then she went to her room, picked up her bags and walked to the reception desk to drop off her key.

Tristan was nowhere in sight. Surely, he wouldn’t leave without saying something to her. Maybe he was more upset by his mentor’s surprising business move than he let on. Though to be honest, his visible recoil at the beginning had been telling.

When she walked outside to the parking lot and put her things in the car, she looked around surreptitiously. She knew Tristan drove a flashy red high-end sports car, because John had bragged about getting to drive it one day.

No vehicle matched that description. It seemed that Tristan had simply loaded up and left the property.

Daley told herself she wasn’t hurt. They had both been very clear about the parameters of this weekend’s dalliance. Private and temporary.

Even so, his behavior seemed odd at best.

She drove home, glad to see her apartment and get back to normal. Tomorrow was a run-of-the-mill workday. Of course, it was going to be hard to concentrate in light of all that had happened this weekend.

Ordinarily, she would call Tabby and talk things out. But her sister was still on a flight or a layover somewhere, not to mention several time zones away. Besides, she wouldn’t have mentioned Tristan. Would she?

Did Tabby ever have to know what happened?

John might tell her. At least the part he knew.

They wouldn’t be home for two weeks. Daley had time to make up her mind. But not about Harold’s offer. That decision was far more pressing.

Daley turned down the AC, checked the fridge to see if she needed to make a grocery run, and then finally steeled herself to reach in her purse and extract the folded sheet of paper Harold had handed her.

When she opened it and read the number at the bottom, her jaw dropped. That couldn’t be right. Was her little company honestly worth so much? Harold was a shrewd businessman. He might be sentimental about family connections, but he wouldn’t squander valuable resources on a whim.

A warm glow settled beneath her ribs. Seeing the numbers in black and white was good for her professional ego. She had done something impressive. And now, all her hard work was about to bear fruit.

Maybe...

She studied the paper more carefully. Aside from the cash purchase price, Harold had listed possible salary ranges for her employees and for Daley. Was that a sticking point for her? She wouldn’t be the boss anymore. At least not entirely. Her employees would still answer to her, but Daley would be part of Lieberman and Dunn.

Is that something she wanted?

In the end, the startling numbers in the buyout offer were not the biggest thing to consider. Daley would be working in the same building with Tristan every single day.

How would that play out?

They had both agreed that a real relationship between them was ill-advised. Tristan didn’t want to commit to anything permanent, and Daley was focused on her career. Though to be fair, with this new information, maybe she would have time for a personal life after all. But when Tristan lost interest and ended things, John and Tabby would inevitably be affected.

For the rest of the day, Daley struggled with her thoughts. Her personal life and work life had collided in a big way. Though she would try to play hard to get with Harold, she would be a fool to turn him down.

She went for a run, cleaned the apartment, prepped her lunches for the week and watched a movie she hadn’t seen on Netflix. By nine thirty, she was drooping.

The man who had kept her awake for most of last night was impossible to erase from her brain. She was fond of him. More than fond, really. And the wanting was going to be a problem. She moved restlessly beneath the sheet, touching her own breast. Remembering his strong fingers caressing her there.

What was she going to do about Tristan?

Monday morning, she made it into the office half an hour before anyone else. It was far too soon to say anything about possible upcoming developments. Harold might change his mind. The deal could fall through. Perhaps Daley, herself, would reconsider.

When it came down to the essential question of what to do, she knew she couldn’t give Harold an answer without talking to Tristan first. He had put his cell number in her phone after the wedding. In case they had to coordinate their clandestine plans last night.

She closed her office door and told herself her hands weren’t shaking. This wasn’t some middle school romance. A business call was entirely in order.

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