Beyond Doubt (9 page)

“All I’m asking for is one date. A proper date,” he said, sliding his tray to the side. “And then make up your mind whether I’m worth investing any time into.” The coy smile reappeared on his lips as he awaited my answer as if he knew I’d be unable to turn him down.

“What about the others?”

“Others?” he repeated. His brow quirked up slightly, as he sat back in the chair.

I nodded, watching the intensity of his expression change behind his eyes.

“I’m asking for one date,” he muttered, glancing at the lunch crowd. He looked uneasy and I wasn’t sure if it was because I knew there were others or because I was pinning him down.

“And I’m asking whether that one date will just put me in the lineup?” I stared directly into his hardening gaze. “Because that’s not what I’m looking for.”

“What are you looking for?” his voice was low, and I watched the strain in his jaw as the muscles contracted.

“Something more if the fit is right, and I’m not sure you’re capable. From what I’ve heard—”

“Heard?” His eyes stayed on mine. “From who?”

“That doesn’t matter, but I’ve seen it for myself. The way you treated that poor woman.”

His laughter was cold and distant. “At the bar?”

I nodded suddenly not feeling so sure of myself.

“I had just met her. I had no interest in her. Should I have led her on and made her feel like—” He removed his jacket and my eyes couldn’t help but stumble over his chest. God, he looked sensational. “Like I make you feel?”

“Who said anything about me feeling any sort of way,” I protested, shaking my head. “You, my friend, are sorely mistaken.”

“Am I?”

I blushed immediately and clamped down on the garlic bread. This wasn’t going how I planned.

“Now tell me, who did you hear what from?” he asked.

“Cole,” I replied simply.

“You said yourself he wasn’t a reliable source.”

“And Google,” I confessed, flushing immediately.

Yes, it was true. I had become one of those I had sworn I wouldn’t and may have Googled him once or twice in the last few weeks. But I did find out some very interesting tidbits. For instance, it appeared he never made it to an event alone, including the one at the winery where I first met him, which added to my theory of only being added to a revolving lineup.

He was silent for a moment before his eyes flicked to mine.

“Have you seen any events where I was with someone since the night at the winery when I met you?”

Come to think of it, no.

I shook my head.

“Do you think that’s a coincidence?” He leaned toward me and the shift between us was energizing.

“You expect me to believe you haven’t been on a date with anyone since that night?” I arched a brow. The exhilaration that raced through my body at his proclamation almost tipped me over the edge. I wanted to believe it but found it almost impossible.

“It’s the truth. I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind.” He glanced at his watch. I was sure my lunch hour was up, but I didn’t care. “And the brunette, Macy, who I’m sure you spied in the pictures with me that night, never happened. If that’s what you’re wondering.”

God, yes! That was what I had been wondering; although I’d never admit it to him. The absolute pleasure that was pulsing through my veins was almost indescribable.

“Now will you give me one chance to prove myself?” he repeated.

I was silent.

“How about you just try responding to my emails or a phone call? You might find you like it.”

I nodded slowly, smiling as I felt a rush of excitement. I knew I would like it and that was the problem.

“A friendship. That’s all I can offer.”

“That’s a start.” His eyes glimmered with victory. “I’ll be in touch.”

Wait. What?

“I’ve got a meeting I’m late for,” he said, sensing my unease with the sudden brushoff.

My stomach knotted slightly as I worried that I truly was only a conquest. But I hoped not. I really hoped not. I watched him take off toward our building and wondered if I was making the mistake of a lifetime and jeopardizing a friendship in the meantime. I tossed the garlic bread and last bites of the pizza into the trash and made my way back to the office, worrying my way along the sidewalk, barely noticing that I was almost to my building.

As I rounded the bend, I saw Aaron and his sister talking in front of the entrance. Not wanting to be seen, I did a quick pivot and snuck back to where I came from. There was a side entrance to the garage that would suit me perfectly well. I gave a quick wave to the guard and beeped into the building, waiting for the elevator to deliver me to our floor.

The elevator opened up on the lobby and both Gabby and Aaron stepped inside.

Just my luck!

Completely puzzled as to who knew what or how much of anything, I just smiled and stepped deeper into the carriage to let them both fit in. Aaron gave me a quick nod and wink, which totally made my insides collide, but reality soon came knocking.

“Hard to believe Aaron works in our building,” Gabby said, smiling, turning toward the closing doors.

Not hard to believe if you knew who he worked for I wanted to blurt.

Aaron took a step back and leaned against the rail.

“Sometimes things are meant to be,” Aaron said, his eyes staying focused solely on me, sending a shot of pure electricity through me.

“That is true,” Gabby said, completely oblivious.

The doors opened on our floor, and I quickly followed Gabby off the elevator. I felt his eyes still on me as I walked away, and he remained in the elevator. I needed a safe territory so I didn’t stick my foot in my mouth.

“Did he say what he was doing in the building?” I asked.

“Guess the company he works for has headquarters on the twenty-sixth floor.”

So he didn’t mention that the company was owned by her father. Good to know.

“Are you guys doing better?” I asked.

“I think we’ll get there. Part of me wants to gun him down with questions to find out why he left or where he went, but the other part of me doesn’t really want the answers yet. I’ve made him such a monster for so many years, I’m hoping to make him human again before I find out anything that will disappoint me.”

I nodded as I turned into my cubicle and Gabby took a seat at the opening. “That makes sense.”

“Jason gave me a heads up about a dinner at my parents’ house, and Aaron will be there. I was hoping you’d come for moral support. I talked to him about it quickly downstairs. I think it will be good. I hope it will be good.”

Shit!

“Sure. You know I’ll be there for you any way you need. Do you think you’ll find out what’s been going on?” I wiggled my mouse to wake up my computer, and my email popped up with a message from Aaron. I minimized it quickly and turned around to see Gabby staring at the floor. My heartbeat was racing and a rush of adrenaline flooded my system. I liked what this was doing to me, what Aaron was doing to me, and I really enjoyed the secrecy of it, which was peculiar.

“I do. But something tells me there’s more to it than just my brother so I’m glad there will be other people there. Might diffuse my temper.”

“You…a temper? I can’t even imagine,” I teased.

She rolled her eyes and leaned back in the chair.

“So who sent you flowers?” she asked, glancing at the arrangement. “It’s like I’m distracted for a couple weeks, and your whole dating life blows up.”

“I still have no dating life,” I laughed. “But I don’t know. They just showed up with no sender.”

“That’s weird.”

Tell me about it.

“I’m guessing Shane?”

“I don’t think he’s gotten over you, and you’re so nice to your exes that I don’t think they ever quite get the message,” she said, grinning.

“And the alternative is never speaking to them and changing my number?”

“Works for me,” she laughed. “So I think Decker might be into you.”

I spun around in my chair and laughed. “Really? What makes you think that?”

“I ran into him outside, and he seemed all flustered and completely unlike himself.” She grinned and pointed at the flowers. “Maybe they’re from him?”

He probably seemed flustered because your brother—his ex-boss—scared him to death.

“I doubt it. I think he just has a lot on his mind,” I said. “I went around the office to see if there were any projects that I could help with, and everyone seemed set, so would you mind if I snuck in—”

Gabby held up her hand. “I told you not to ask. You know I don’t care if you study when the workload falls.”

“I just feel weird.”

“You shouldn’t. Just because you get your job done quicker than any other admin I’ve seen, doesn’t mean you should get penalized and get more work dumped on you. Take advantage of it while you can. Now, I better get back to my office and see what fiery email my father sent about this week’s lackluster results in the cheese department.”

I couldn’t help but giggle. I knew Gabby was doing all of this because it was what was expected of her to make her father happy, but she never really did care about the corporate world. I hoped that she’d find what would make her happy because spending twenty or thirty years trapped in a life that wasn’t her own would wear anyone down. I knew I was lucky. My parents were supportive of anything any of us wanted to do. I just happened to be the oddball that enjoyed volunteering in my mom’s not-for-profit legal center. I hoped to follow in her footsteps and make both my parents proud. But I had no doubt that being an attorney was what I wanted to do. Gabby used to have that passion and certainty when she was taking the culinary classes, and I hoped she’d find that again.

I clicked on my email and Aaron’s message popped up. The thrill of hearing from him was now outweighing the doubt. I glanced at my flowers and then at the email.

To: Brandy Rhodes

From: Aaron Sullivan

Subject: Lunch

I hope it came to you who might have sent you the flowers. I only wish I beat whoever it was to the punch.

I’ll be in touch and I do hope to see you at my parents’ home tomorrow.

In Friendship,

Aaron Sullivan

My resolve was waning as the flurry of excitement took over. He was absolutely irresistible and he knew it. Now it was up to me to find out if there was anything more to him, to us, and I think I was finally up for the challenge.

At least as a friend…

To say I was confused was putting it mildly. I had finally wrapped my mind around going on a date with Aaron, and then the complexities of their family slammed into me like a semi-truck last night. I didn’t want to make things more difficult for Gabby with everything she was dealing with, and I was pretty sure I was about to do so. Prior to the family dinner, I had an entire speech built up to present to Gabby about seeing her brother, but now it just seemed selfish and unimportant. Now was definitely not the time to whine about my secret crush.

I had gone to the dinner party at Gabby’s parents last night, which was intense. Gabby found things out about her family that I knew she was still trying to absorb, and I felt absolutely helpless. But it also made me see Aaron in a different light. He was punished because of mistakes his mother had made, and rather than deal with everything, Gabby’s father pushed Aaron away, essentially banishing him from the family. Finding out Gabby’s dad wasn’t Aaron’s dad because their mother cheated on her husband was shocking and then to find out Aaron’s father turned out to be the family’s chauffeur was even more bizarre.

I could see why Aaron stayed away and made a life for himself elsewhere, and surprisingly Gabby understood that as well. I couldn’t imagine what he had gone through just as I couldn’t imagine what Gabby had gone through. It was times like these I was grateful for my overly nosey family.