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She could feel Marisa’s eyes on her. “I know how you feel about Reed.”
Her eyes flew to meet her friend’s. “That’s just between you and me.” With a sigh, she sank into her chair and took another gulp of coffee. Setting the paper cup on her desk, she asked, “Where did she come from? Has he been dating her long?”
Marisa sat in a rose chintz chair, placing her purse on the floor. “My parents hosted a dinner for them last night and Colter and I met her for the first time. She’s a daughter of a business acquaintance of my dad’s.”
“You’re kidding.” Cari sat up straighter. “I would have thought Reed would have avoided her like toxic waste.”
It was a well-known fact that Richard and Vanessa Preston had ideas about who Reed should marry—someone with their social standing and assets. But since the fiasco with Marisa, Reed ignored his parents and chose his own women.
“Me, too.” Marisa crossed her legs and took a sip of her coffee. “I think it was love at first sight. One of those wham-bam things.”
“Mmm.” Cari twisted her cup, feeling the warmth against her thumb. She thought that strange when she felt so cold inside.
“Cari, I’m sorry.”
Cari looked into her friend’s honey-warm eyes and saw all her concern and caring. Marisa was one of those women who was beautiful on the outside as well as within. Looking at her delicate features and curly hair, one would think she was fragile and weak, but Marisa was one of the strongest women she knew.
“Hey, don’t feel sorry for me,” she told her. “Reed and I weren’t meant to be together. We’ve had a number of years to connect and we haven’t.”
Marisa glanced at her over the rim of her coffee cup. “I wonder why?”
“Incompatible,” Cari joked.
“But you work so well together.”
They did, but Cari didn’t know how much longer she could continue to do that.
“We don’t let our personal feelings get in the way of business. Dalton’s is always our top priority.”
Marisa looked straight at her. “You care more about Dalton’s than I ever did.”
“When you have to earn something, it means so much more.”
“I think that’s it.”
Cari blinked. “What? What are you talking about?”
“Reed and I were born with the proverbial silver spoon in our mouths. By birth, everything was given to us. We earned nothing, but you’ve had to fight your way up. The first thing I noticed about you was your determination and confidence.”
“So?”
“I never think of you as being afraid, but I think you’re afraid of my parents and their social status and expectations. You’re afraid you won’t fit in or live up to their ideal mate for Reed. In your mind, you’re still that farm girl from Hillsboro, Texas.”
“That’s—”
“It’s true.” Marisa didn’t give her a chance to voice a protest. “If you had gone after Reed, you would have been a couple a long time ago.”
Cari bit her lip, not bothering to lie to her friend. “Your mother ties my nerves into tight knots, and after a meeting with your father I have to rush to my office and put my head between my legs to catch my breath again. I don’t know why I’m always trying to fit in.”
Marisa got up and came around the desk. Sitting on the edge, she placed her cup behind her. “Why do you have to try at all? You’re an intelligent, kind, beautiful, funny and compassionate woman. I’m lucky to have you for a friend and I’m so grateful you’re in my life. Just be yourself. My parents are just people and sometimes they haven’t been very kind or understanding. So don’t ever think you’re less than them.”
“You don’t know what it’s like to be raised poor and to never have anything. People look down on you and that’s hard to overcome.” Suddenly Cari remembered the homemade hand-me-down clothes, food stamps and welfare. Her past was like a scar on her soul that would never heal.
“Cari Michaels, I’m going to shake you. Look at all you’ve accomplished. From a saleswoman you’ve risen to a high-paying position in a billion-dollar corporation. That’s no small feat.”
Cari lifted an eyebrow. “It helps to have friends in high places.”
“Who?”
“You, of course.”
Marisa frowned. “I had nothing to do with you getting this job.”
“When you left, you suggested—”
“No, I didn’t,” Marisa quickly interrupted. “I was busy planning a wedding and getting to know my daughter. Dad and Reed always fill the top positions. Your job performance was miles above the rest. I’m sure there was never any doubt about moving you up. My father’s not an idiot. He knows who’s best for Dalton’s.”
Cari was stunned. She’d thought Marisa had gotten her the position. Suddenly she was feeling so many things and each one was labeled stupid with a capital S. Confidence was always her strong suit…yet at times it was her weakest.
“Okay.” She ruffled her hair with her hands. “I’ll admit I have a problem in that area, but I really thought you put in a word for me.”
“Please.” Marisa slid off the desk. “You don’t need a word from me. Everything you’ve accomplished you’ve done on your own. You can stand toe-to-toe with my parents and Reed. I don’t understand why you get so down on yourself at times.”
“I guess I love the misery.”
Marisa pointed a finger at her. “Repeat after me—I am terrific. I am a woman and there’s not one damn thing I can’t do. Even recover from a broken heart.”
Cari smiled and stood, hugging her friend. “Thanks. I needed that today.”
“We have to find you a boyfriend,” Marisa said, her eyes twinkling. “My rodeo husband knows a lot of cowboys. How would you like to date a cowboy?”
Her smile broadened. “I saw on a billboard somewhere ‘Save a horse, ride a cowboy,’ so I’m game. If you find a good-looking cowboy in tight jeans who doesn’t chew tobacco, I’ll go out with him. I’ll put a hitch in his giddyup and a grin on my face.”
They burst out laughing and Cari felt a whole lot better.
Marisa sobered. “You have to come for dinner tonight. The kids would love to see you and we can ply Colter for viable candidates.”
“Why didn’t you think of me when Tripp and Brodie were available?” They were Colter’s incredibly handsome best friends who were now happily married.
“Because you were hung up on you know who.”
“Not anymore.”
After a long pause, Marisa asked, “Are you sure?”
“Yes,” she replied, but she hesitated. She hated herself for that.
“If you’re not, this is the time to let Reed know how you feel.”
Cari gasped. “Marisa Kincaid, I can’t believe you said that.”
Marisa walked around the desk and reached for her purse on the floor. “I just don’t want you or Reed to make a mistake.”
“Don’t you like Daphne?”
Marisa brushed back her blond curls and appeared thoughtful for a minute. “Daphne is who I would be if I had continued living with my mother in New York, adhering to the strict regimen she had planned for me. Daphne is structured, disciplined and perfect, but in the two hours I spent with her last night I never heard her laugh. That bothered me.”
“Why?”
“I never laughed until I met Colter. He opened doors to emotions I didn’t know existed and I know with all my heart that a person has to laugh to be really happy.”
“Maybe she was just nervous.” Cari didn’t understand why she was defending the blond beauty. “Meeting your parents can be traumatic for anyone.”
“She’d already met them.”
“Okay. Daphne doesn’t laugh, but Reed loves her.”
Marisa shrugged. “I’m being catty and that’s all I’m saying. What time do you want to come out for dinner?”
“Oh, I’m sorry. We’re flying to the El Paso store today.”
“We? As in you and Reed?”
“Yes.”
“Mmm.” Cari could almost see the plans tripping through Marisa’s head, but she didn’t voice them. “We’ll do it when you get back then.”
“Sure.”
Marisa paused and looked into Cari’s eyes. “Remember what I said.”
“Marisa—”
Marisa held up a hand, stopping her. “This is your last chance.”
Cari knew her friend had good intentions, but Marisa didn’t know everything.
Marisa stared at Cari’s heels on the top of her desk. “I’m not even going to ask what your shoes are doing on your desk or why one heel is broken. The less I know the better. Call me when you get back.”
“I didn’t use it as a weapon if that’s what you’re thinking,” Cari called to her retreating back.
Or on your brother’s head.
Chapter Two
Cari sank into her chair, rubbing her throbbing elbow, her thoughts wandering into treacherous territory. She and Marisa shared a lot, but there was one thing she hadn’t shared. It had happened on the Fourth of July and Cari was still struggling to understand it herself.
Marisa and Colter had thrown a big barbecue for all their friends. Everyone laughed and visited and had a great time. In the evening Colter had a fireworks display for the kids.
Colter had a couple of water hoses hooked up in case sparks caused a fire. Jack thought the hoses were for fun and started squirting the kids and then letting the hose run all over him. Colter quickly had his son under control and Marisa had taken Jack into the house to change his clothes. She and Reed were laughing at Jack’s silly antics, and then suddenly he was looking into her eyes in a way he never had before. It wasn’t businesslike.
The moonlight was intoxicating and everyone else faded away. Reed had bent his head and gently kissed her lips. It had been exciting, exhilarating and everything she’d ever imagined. For a moment she’d returned the kiss with years of pent-up yearnings.
In the split second it had taken those feelings to take hold, it had taken half that for him to pull away. Suddenly a wall of fear and insecurity blindsided her. He’d never kissed her before. From his “Happy Fourth of July” she knew it was only a friendly gesture. Had she made a fool of herself?
She’d said something and she couldn’t even remember what. Reed left soon after. From then on, their relationship had changed. It was all business now. They didn’t joke around the way they used to and she didn’t call him Junior anymore.
In the past two months she’d wanted to talk about the kiss, but she could never get up enough nerve to even broach the subject. She’d hoped and prayed he’d bring it up, but he hadn’t.
When the kiss had ended abruptly, she had been both disappointed and relieved. She still wasn’t sure what the relief was really about. Was she afraid if he continued with the kiss she would reveal her true feelings? Would Reed tell her he could never become involved with someone who wasn’t in his circle of accepted friends?
At her age it seemed almost impossible that she would allow herself to believe such a thing. She was Marisa’s best friend and the Prestons had accepted her as such. Mainly because they knew Marisa wouldn’t allow anything else.
Reed had those same ethics. Her roots and blue-collar family would make no difference to him.
So why was she so afraid to take a chance? Why was she so afraid to confront Reed about her feelings?
She knew it had something to do with the razzle-dazzle shine of Richard Reed Dalton Preston. Was she happier living with the fantasy of her Prince Charming? Without his shine he’d become just a man. Maybe she was afraid of what that would reveal.
About him.
But mostly about herself.
Perhaps she was one of those women who were only attracted to the shine. Inside her, a sprout of fear took root. Razzle-dazzle shine didn’t last forever and she didn’t have the courage to find out what happened afterward. That said she was shallow and weak.
Or she was good at protecting her heart. She never wanted to feel that kind of pain again—the pain of not being good enough.
She picked up the broken high heel from her desk. As little girls, she and her sisters loved the story of Cinderella and dreamed of a fancy shoe they could slip on their foot to magically change their whole lives—away from the farm with a handsome prince.
But she wasn’t a little girl anymore. She was a grown woman and knew that fairy tales only existed in little girls’ dreams.
She also knew something else. No one was ever again going to make her feel less than she was.
Not the Prestons.
And certainly not Reed.
Cari studied the shoe for an extra moment and wondered if she had the courage to express her feelings and wait for Reed’s reaction. Reed had found the woman for him and that was it. Game. Set. Match. So it was over. Her feelings were inconsequential.
But what if Daphne wasn’t right for him?
Cari closed her eyes briefly, hearing Marisa’s words.
This is your last chance.
Suddenly she realized the truth of those words. It was now or never. They would have time to talk on the plane. She knew his moods. If he was happy, then she wouldn’t say a word about her feelings. If she sensed any doubts then she would open up and ask if he had ever thought of her in a romantic way.
She would bring up the kiss. That could unlock a whole new realm of heartache, but she wasn’t going to let him slip away without saying something.
Think about your job, echoed through her head. Her job gave her prestige, status and an identity. She was Cari Michaels, vice president of Dalton’s Department Stores. People looked up to her, valued her opinions. Could she risk losing that? Could she risk losing everything that made her feel strong and worthy?
With a sigh, she pushed the button for Heather, who breezed through the door immediately and laid the El Paso itinerary in front of her.
“Thanks.” Cari held up the heels, her mind shifting to business. “Put these in a plastic bag and carry them to George Ortell, please. I want to know who supplies these shoes to Dalton’s and I want an explanation of why this heel broke so easily.”
She could look up the information herself, but George had taken over dealing with the suppliers and she wanted him to be on top of things. Inferior products were not carried by Dalton’s.
“Okay.” Heather picked up the shoes and broken heel. “In case he asks, how did the heel break?”
“I was running to make a meeting and ended up flat on my face in the parking garage.”
A light dawned in Heather’s eyes. “Oh. That’s why you don’t have on any shoes.”
“Yes.” Cari stared at the girl, a little puzzled at her reaction. “What did you think happened?”
Heather shrugged. “I don’t know. I thought you were making a fashion statement or something. I tell all my friends I have the coolest boss. She stands up to anyone, even Mr. Reed Preston. How many women would go to a meeting without their shoes? You’re so cool.”
Cari was taken aback at the praise. Heather thought she was cool. If she only knew. “Thank you, Heather.” She rose to her feet. “I’m going downstairs to buy a new outfit and shoes.” She could have easily had the items brought to her, but she enjoyed connecting with the sales staff.
“I’ll get these to Mr. Ortell.”
Cari took the regular elevator, not Homer’s private executive one, to the first floor, which housed the women’s and children’s departments. The second floor was men’s and housewares. Department-personnel offices were located on the third floor, and on the fourth floor were the executive offices. The fifth floor was a private apartment for the Preston family. It was Reed’s domain—Cari had never stepped foot there.
Nor was she ever likely to now.
Within minutes she had new shoes and a new outfit and was back in the professional mode she’d mastered over the years.
GEORGE WAS WAITING for her in her office, as she knew he would be, to talk about the defective shoe. When she and Reed returned from El Paso, they’d have a meeting to discuss whether or not Dalton’s would continue to buy from that designer’s company.
After George left, her mother called.
“I just wanted to remind you about Daddy’s party on Sunday,” Ruth Michaels said.
Cari squeezed her eyes tight. She’d forgotten. Damn! “Oh.”
“It’s his sixtieth birthday, Cari. Please don’t miss it. It won’t be the same unless all our kids are here.”
Guilt weighed heavily in her chest. It was hard to find time for visits home. Her job was time consuming, with a lot of weekends spent working or traveling. Her parents didn’t understand her drive for success. They wanted her to come home more often, to be a part of the family, but she was finding that harder and harder to do.
“I know I’ve been busy, Mama, but I won’t miss Daddy’s special day.”
“Good. That would make him happy.”
Cari hung up resolving not to miss the birthday. She’d missed too many.
REED WENT OVER last-minute details with his personal assistant, Monica Welsby. Monica was the most organized, structured person he knew. Between her and his secretary, Adele, they kept him on top of everything. And if they just happened to miss something, he could depend on Cari to catch it. She was his safety net.
Twisting his pen, he studied his initials engraved on its gold surface, a gift from his father. Monica rattled on about the flight and visit in El Paso and her words sailed over his head. He couldn’t get Cari’s expression out of his mind. She was good at hiding her emotions, but he sensed she was upset about his engagement.
Why? Maybe he should have told her before the meeting, but the only people they had told were their families. With Cari’s ties to Marisa she did seem like family, though.
He threw the pen onto the papers Monica had placed in front of him. He wasn’t second-guessing himself over Cari. For two people who worked so well together, she had a way of getting under his skin even when she wasn’t in the room.
“Is something wrong?” Monica pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose.
“No,” Reed replied and rose to his feet, feeling restless.
“Well.” Monica glanced from his face to the Palm Pilot in her hand. “The limo will arrive at twelve-fifteen.”
“Be sure and let Cari know.”
“I’ve already informed Heather. Would you like me to personally call Cari?”
“No. That’s fine. I just don’t want any delays.”
“I’m in charge, so there won’t be,” Monica said with an arched eyebrow, and then headed for the door.
Before Reed could gather his thoughts, Richard Preston strolled in. “Morning, son.”
“Morning, Father?” he replied, taken aback by his dad’s sudden appearance. His father was still chairman of the board, but he stayed out of the daily business of running Dalton’s. That was the only way Reed had agreed to come on board as CEO. When Reed turned forty in four years, he’d take over as chairman as well. Another deal Reed had made with the controlling and manipulative Richard.
After what his parents had done to Marisa’s life, Reed couldn’t see himself ever working in the family business. But he’d learned forgiveness from his sister and today he had a decent relationship with his parents. It worked as long as Richard stayed away and gave Reed free rein. So it made him a little nervous when his father showed up for no reason.
“I have a golf date at the club in an hour,” Richard said, as if reading Reed’s mind. “I wanted to stop by and tell you again how pleased your mother and I are about your engagement. Daphne is a lovely young woman and she will be a great asset to you.”
Reed picked up the gold pen and studied it again, something in his father’s voice stinging in a way he hadn’t expected. “I’m not looking for an asset. We fell in love and we want to be together to build a home and a family.”
Richard nodded. “That’s what I meant. Your mother and I worried you’d be a bachelor forever.”
Reed’s father and mother had been estranged for years. Vanessa Dalton had been the only child of Harold Dalton, whose father had started the store in the early 1900s. Richard had worked for Harold and had gone after the beautiful Vanessa. Within months they were married and Richard secured his place in Dalton’s and with Harold.
It wasn’t a love match and soon after Marisa was born, Vanessa and Marisa moved to New York while Richard and Reed stayed in Dallas. That all changed when Marisa returned to Texas and found out about her daughter. Their mother soon followed and she and Richard were now sharing the home in Highland Park. Their marriage seemed strange to Reed, but he didn’t question it. Who knew what their arrangement was?
“You can stop worrying.”
Richard walked around the desk and patted Reed’s shoulder. At six feet, Reed stood a little taller than his father, and Richard’s hair was now a silver gray. Other than that, Reed knew they favored each other a great deal. Same color eyes and lean, sharp lines of the face and body. But Reed knew he hadn’t inherited his father’s cutthroat instincts or the do-anything attitude he used to get his way, uncaring of other people’s feelings or lives.
“I’m proud of you, son. You’ve exceeded all my expectations.”
Expectations! The word shot through him like a poison arrow. Something was always expected of him—to excel, to stay a step ahead of the competition, to make profits, to marry, to reproduce. He often wondered what it would feel like to be a man without everyone wanting something from him. What was it like to be free and unencumbered? Sometimes the yoke of responsibility weighed him down.
“Thank you,” was all he could say. It wasn’t easy living in his father’s shadow, or as he liked to call it—living under his father’s thumb.
“Your mother would like to have a dinner party for both families so Marisa and the kids can meet your soon-to-be in-laws.”
It didn’t escape Reed that his father hadn’t mentioned Colter. “What about Colter?” No way was he letting him get away with that slight. Colter was wealthy in his own right, capitalizing on his winning name in the rodeo circuit. He now owned a boot company and supplied a lot of western stores. Dalton’s carried his boots and other leather products and they were popular items.
Colter had character ingrained into his bones and he deserved Richard’s respect. He’d devoted his life to Ellie when he’d thought Marisa hadn’t wanted her. There wasn’t a better father on this earth.
Richard frowned. “What?”
“You didn’t mention Colter.”
“Just an oversight,” Richard said nonchalantly. “Colter is part of our family.”
“Good. Just remember that.”
“Son—”
“I’ll talk to Mother when I get back.” He cut off his father because he didn’t want to rehash an old issue. He just wanted Richard to know he wouldn’t tolerate leaving Colter out of anything. Neither would Marisa.
“Okay.” Richard inclined his head. “Who’s going with you on this trip?”
Reed knew his father was aware of everything he did. Richard had his sources—or spies—and Reed hadn’t ferreted out the informant who told his father of his every move. He didn’t spend a lot of time thinking about it because he had nothing to hide, but it irked him that Richard still had his finger on the pulse of this company. That implied Richard didn’t trust him.
“Cari,” he replied, watching his father’s face, “I told Fletcher we’d take the small Learjet just in case you needed the bigger plane.”
“Thanks, but we don’t have any plans that I’m aware of. With your mother, though, that could change at a moment’s notice.” Richard rubbed his jaw in thought, his expression closed. “Ms. Michaels travels with you a great deal. Is that going to bother Daphne?”
There was that tone again. “No,” Reed answered. “Just like it’s not going to bother her when I travel with Monica.”
“Monica’s in her fifties.”
Reed gritted his teeth, an old habit from his teen years when Richard tried to control his every move. “What are you getting at?”
“Ms. Michaels is a very attractive young woman.”
“Yes, so?”
Richard shrugged and Reed didn’t miss that look in his eyes. He’d seen it many times before.
“Ah.” The light switch finally flipped on in his brain. “You’re afraid I might have a romantic interest in Cari. That’s why you’re so happy. I chose the right woman—for a Preston.”