This Changes Everything, page 15
This wasn’t supposed to happen.
“Of course I’m serious,” he said.
She rubbed the back of her neck, a curtain of dark hair falling forward. “Did your father put you up to this?”
“Of course not.”
“I’m sorry, but it would never work.”
“We could make it work.”
“If you’re really serious about getting married you should ask your business partner.”
“Karen?” Marshall bristled at the thought. “No way.”
“Why not? She’d say yes in a heartbeat and you work well together.”
“She’s not my type.” He couldn’t imagine Karen traveling with him, the thought of her in a string bikini made him shudder. Women like Karen had a body; women like Violet had a figure. A gorgeous figure in a form fitting dress and he knew all the amazing things it could do to him in bed. He couldn’t imagine Karen in bed unless she had a laptop and production sheet. She was purely a work colleague. He couldn’t see her as anything more.
“It’s your loss.”
Their lunch ended soon after that. Marshall marched to his car, pushing past a couple holding hands. He’d find someone else. There were plenty of women who would want to wear his ring.
But when he visited his parents for Christmas dinner his father thought differently. “You’re an idiot,” he said.
He and his father sat alone in his father’s wood paneled study while his mother, his sister and her family watched a movie in the family room. They could hear laughter.
He was starting to hate the sound of laughter.
“Why? You think I did it wrong?”
“No, I think you’re an idiot.”
His father’s words hurt. How could he say that? How could he have shared the fiasco at the restaurant and his father say that?
“What was I supposed to do? You suggested it. You told me I needed to settle down. To rattle Karen.”
“I didn’t think you’d ask Violet.”
“Who did you think I’d ask?”
“I thought you’d ask Karen.”
Karen again? What was wrong with everyone? He rubbed his eyes before he let his hand fall. “I like Karen. I really do. I respect her, but I couldn’t marry her.”
“Why not? You need her. I thought you’d had the good sense to see what’s staring you right in the face. She’s an attractive, smart woman who loves you. You could do worse.”
“Loves me?”
“You didn’t know?”
“I know she has a huge crush—”
His father hung his head. “Definitely an idiot.”
“Dad, I think you’ve exaggerated things.”
His father shot him a look of disappointment. “If you think so, you’re blind. Karen’s perfect for you.”
His father’s words rang in his ears. Karen? He’d thought he’d ask Karen? Karen loved him? He thought Karen was attractive? The part about her looks gave him pause and worth considering. His father was very discerning when it came to women. What had he missed?
Karen.
Even Violet thought they made a good couple. He had to admit he was little surprised by how cute she looked in the black dress when she’d shown up at the Italian restaurant. But nothing more. What did they see that he didn’t? Sure, he didn’t want to lose her, but to marry her? She was too intense, too ambitious. Too smart. She made him nervous most of the times, despite the crush she had on him. He could never see her in another way.
But what if he tried?
After a miserable Christmas and boring Boxing Day, Marshall went to work not expecting his bad mood to change much until New Year’s. However, he stopped when he saw Karen in the hallway talking to one of the engineers. She wore a tailored yellow skirt and cream colored blouse. She had a nice figure. How come he hadn’t noticed that before? She turned to him, smiled and waved. He smiled back. How come he’d never noticed how her brown eyes lit up when she smiled?
He did like her smiles. And there was something different about her. She glowed. She was radiant.
Karen.
He should marry Karen. He’d been so blind. The solution to everything was standing right in front of him. And she loved him, how simple was that? He watched her finish her conversation then head to her office. He followed her, ready to ask her to lunch when her cell phone rang. When she answered and said, “Yes, Joshua?” he felt his heart grow cold.
He didn’t like how she said his name. How attentive her voice became. He overheard her talking about their business project but that didn’t matter, they may as well be lovers planning a tryst. He had to put an end to that.
Marrying Karen was the only way he could keep the business and her close. He could kill two birds with one stone. His father was right, he’d been an idiot. But no longer.
She ended her call, turned around and jumped when she saw him.
He held up his hand. “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.”
“It’s not like you to just stand there.”
She was right, he’d been openly snooping. That was out of character. “How was your holiday?”
“Wonderful. Yours.”
Wonderful? She’d never used that word for the holidays before. “I’d like to tell you over lunch at—”
Her gaze drifted away. “Actually I’ve got a delicious lunch waiting for me. Joshua—” She stopped.
Marshall felt as if the walls of the hallway were closing in on him. “Joshua what?”
“Recommended it.”
“A carryout place?”
“Yes.”
“What’s the name?”
“I forgot.”
“I see.”
“We’ll have lunch another time.”
“Of course.” He nodded then brushed past, her noticing how good she smelled, determined to make her his.
Karen breathed a sigh of relief as Marshall walked past her. She’d almost told him that Joshua had made lunch (tomato pasta salad) for her and that would have been awkward. No one could know about their living situation (she’d convinced him to stay until New Year’s Day then she’d help him find a caretaker for Olivia) or their relationship. But it was strange to have Marshall suddenly paying attention to her. He’d never just asked her out for lunch for no reason before. She hadn’t seen him since that awful dinner. Was he hinting for her to ask him about his proposal? Was she supposed to congratulate him?
It was the least she could do. He’d soon have everything he wanted—a gorgeous wife and 3R to himself —and so would she when she and Joshua branched out on their own.
She took a deep breath and knocked on his door.
“Are congratulations in order?” she said when she entered.
He frowned. “Congratulations?”
“Violet.”
“Oh right. No.”
“You haven’t asked her yet?”
“No, she turned me down.”
Karen paused somehow not surprised. “I’m sorry.”
“My ego’s hurt and I didn’t feel like being alone.”
That’s why he’d wanted to have lunch with her. She nodded. “I understand.”
“Are you free tonight?”
She hesitated.
“The project?” he guessed.
“Yes...rain check?”
“Sure.”
She felt a little guilty lying to him, but she knew it was for the best. He looked sad and her heart ached a little for him. It still beat in memory of how long she’d kept her love for him there. She knew feelings like that couldn’t be erased in one week, but she couldn’t turn back. Although her traitorous heart was a little glad Violet had turned him down, and a small voice whispered that she might still have a chance with him. She realized she didn’t want it. As a new year dawned, a new life dawned too.
Chapter 34
His father was wrong. She didn’t love him. She’d turned him down twice today. He wasn’t used to that. She usually jumped at an opportunity to spend time with him. Was the project that complicated? It was bad enough she’d let Akibu work from home so he couldn’t keep an eye on him, but he hadn’t managed to keep an eye on her either. Her hours were more erratic than before. Before he could set a clock by her routine. But since she’d started working with Akibu she’d leave mid-day, come in to the office in the afternoon and not stay late as she usually did. However, when she worked on a new idea she could get obsessive about things. Maybe she wanted to impress him. Maybe that’s why she was putting in the extra time.
He couldn’t focus so he roamed the halls trying to get his thoughts in order. He was walking past the break room when he heard a guy with a thick bushy beard say, “You noticed it too?”
The woman with thin brows said, “Yes, Karen looks like a new woman.”
Marshall crept closer to listen.
“And she doesn’t stay late like she used to.”
“She’s definitely seeing somebody.”
“Who?”
The pair turned to him startled and it was then that he realized that he’d spoken aloud. Marshall knew it was bad manners to eavesdrop or involve himself in office gossip, but when it came to news about Karen, he didn’t care. He shoved his hands into his pockets and walked into the room. He flashed a smile, his practiced ‘you can trust me’ smile, knowing it would put them at ease. “I’m only asking because I think she’s seeing somebody too. I’d encouraged her to expand her social life.”
The pair looked relieved by his words. “That’s it then,” the bearded guy said. He’d forgotten his name, but knew he worked closely with Akibu. “I knew something had changed.”
“Do you know who it is?” he asked.
Thin brows grinned. “Whoever he is, he makes her happy.”
“Even makes her lunch sometimes.”
Marshall raised his brows. “Lunch?”
“Yes, before the holidays I saw this delicious kale and quinoa dish she had and asked where she got it and she told me a friend had made it for her. She wouldn’t tell me anything more than that.”
Joshua recommended it. That’s what she’d told him about her lunch today. It couldn’t be that he—Akibu—actually made it for her, right? No way. He wasn’t that type. He couldn’t be. But he hadn't seen him because Karen had said he needed time to deal with a family emergency. What kind of emergency? He had to find out more.
Joshua looked at his cell phone and smiled at the image of an empty bowl and series of kisses, hearts, and dancing bear emojis’ Karen had sent him by text. He was glad she liked the lunch he’d prepared for her. He knew their time together was coming to a close. He would return to his apartment and he also had to decide what he would do about Olivia.
He glanced down as she happily played with her crawl-along toy. His heart squeezed at the thought of putting her into care. He couldn’t keep her, could he? He couldn't keep up this lie indefinitely.
Sure you could, another voice said. Karen never needed to find out.
Then you’d be your father’s son.
No, he didn’t want to be that.
He grabbed a pad of paper and pen. No more secrets, no more lies. He had to tell her how he felt.
The next day, he stuck the note in her lunch bag as she raced out the door. His heart pounded as she blew him a kiss and he knew it wouldn’t stop until he heard her reply.
He felt like a spy.
Marshall checked the halls then made his way to the break room and opened the tiny fridge. He wanted to see what Akibu had made for Karen today. He searched through the shelves until he saw a lunch bag with her name on it. He glanced over his shoulder again before he pulled it out. He slowly unzipped it and saw a note tucked between a container of soup and chopped carrots. He recognized the handwriting that spelled her name. Nobody had handwriting like Akibu’s. Anger slithered up his neck. The bastard wasn’t only making her lunch he was sending her notes as well?
Marshall tucked the note in his pocket then zipped up her lunch bag and returned it to the fridge. He told himself he was taking the note for her own good. Akibu was a threat to both of them. He had to figure out what hold he had on her. He was thinking about her safety. Once he’d read the note he’d find a way to sneak it back so she could find it.
However, when he was alone in his office and unfolded the note and read it, he knew she could never see it.
The feeling of anger he’d felt at the sight of the note turned into rage.
The man really was trying to steal everything from him. Not just his business but Karen too. He saw her usefulness, he knew she was the key to everything. He talked about them working together. Building an empire together.
He talked about his love for her.
But what shocked him most was the baby. He admitted it wasn’t his. That he’d found it.
The baby wasn’t his!
That was it. That was the ammunition Marshall needed to destroy him. To break Akibu’s hold. The baby was the only reason she’d changed towards him, without the kid Akibu had nothing. Marshall could win her back.
But he had to be careful how he used this information. He wouldn’t tell her yet. No, first he had to win her back to him.
Marshall read over the passionate words again and started to smile. Fortunately, Akibu had given him the perfect script.
Chapter 35
She’d been too busy to thank him for her lunch. She’d had a working lunch with the operations manager, reviewed the production schedule for next year, before having a brief meeting with her lawyer to discuss her options after a possible buyout and starting another business. She groaned when she left her lawyer’s office and saw the darkening sky. She glanced at her watch and realized it was past six. The meeting had run longer than she’d anticipated. Ouch, that would cost her, but was worth the money. She quickly sent Joshua a text that she’d be running late and that the meeting with her lawyer had proved informative, before she walked into her office to clear her desk and prepare for the next day.
She was just shutting down her laptop when she heard a light tap on the door. She looked up and saw Marshall.
“You’re working late,” she said.
He nodded looking sad.
“What is it?” she asked him then regretted it. He’d just gotten his marriage proposal rejected; of course he was feeling low. He always moped a bit after a breakup. “I can’t stay long, but would you like to get some coffee?”
He took a deep breath and shook his head. “I can’t take it anymore.”
“What?” Karen swallowed wondering why he was looking at her that way. Like a man. Like a man who longed for her. Maybe she’d imagined it. She came from behind her desk and pointed to a chair. “Maybe you need to sit down and—”
He walked towards her. “I can’t pretend to ignore how I feel about you.”
She gasped, shocked. “What?”
He flashed a boyish grin that tugged at her heart. “It surprised me too. I’ve been blind. I tried to fight it since we work together. I didn’t want to risk what we had.”
“W-what about Violet? And the others?”
He hesitated before he said, “I was fool. I’ve done all that I can to push my feelings away...but... I want to be with you. I know what I’m risking by telling you this, but I don’t care. I love you. I’ve loved you for a long time. Maybe from the first moment we met. I don’t want you to think that this is a mistake.”
She stared at him. Marshall? Was Marshall really here? Was this really happening? Was he really saying this to her? Was he really saying that he loved her, needed her, wanted her? No one had ever said that to her before. Before she could doubt it was true, she felt his arms around her as he pulled her into his embrace, engulfing her in the heady scent of his cologne. He didn’t give her a chance to say anything before he crushed his mouth to hers.
Marshall was kissing her.
His lips—his beautiful lips—were on hers, sending her senses spinning. It was all she’d ever dreamed. He loved her? He’d loved her for a long time? Her heart cheered with joy. He’d finally noticed her.
At last…
Joshua stood outside Karen’s office door paralyzed, grief and despair knifing his heart into shreds. He’d come to the office to talk to her. When he hadn’t heard from her after her usual lunchtime he’d started to worry. Had he said too much? Was she too scared to call him?
His worry grew when she later sent him a text saying she was running late. He wondered if she was avoiding him. He didn’t want that. If she wanted him gone, that was fine, but he didn’t want to pretend anymore. He bundled Olivia up and drove to the 3R office. “This is it,” he told Olivia before he put her on his back and headed into the building. He’d face Karen. He had to find out how she felt about his note. How she felt about him.
Now he knew.
He kept waiting for Karen to pull away. To push Marshall from her and tell him that she loved someone else. That she was with someone else. That she was over him. But she didn’t. She didn’t move. She let him kiss her and...kissed him back.
Joshua turned from the sight and walked aimlessly down the hall.
This couldn’t be. Something was wrong. Something must have happened. Maybe...maybe she hadn’t seen his note. With renewed hope, Joshua raced to the break room and opened the fridge. When he found her lunch bag, he took it out, opened it and frantically searched inside. She must not have seen it. That would explain everything. But as his hand shifted through the empty containers he found nothing. The note wasn’t there.
She’d read it.
Sheer, black anguish swept through him.
He stumbled to one of the chairs and started to sit then remembered he had Olivia on his back. He placed his palms on the cool table and took a deep breath.
