The two of them texted for a few more minutes, making plans for Jack and Lisa to attend a barbecue at Drew’s house in a week’s time. It was going to be a larger event, with more people from across the industry. It was another thing Drew had learned from his father—holding social events could go a long way in the business world. In the past, he’d filed those events firmly in the work category of his life and mind, but now, with Penny…
The lines would have to blur a little bit.
Drew leaned back in his chair and sipped at his coffee. He liked it black, piping hot. It was, after a workout in his home gym, the best way to start his morning. But today he could feel the caffeine working against him.
He hadn’t been able to stop thinking of Penny last night.
Drew had lingered in the kitchen for quite a while after she went upstairs, half hoping she’d come down again for a glass of water or something to eat. But she never had, so eventually he’d found himself in his upstairs den. There had been something he’d been meaning to do, but his thoughts wandered down to her bedroom, where she was…watching Netflix. When he’d started to speculate on what she might be wearing while watching Netflix, he gave up and went to his own bedroom, shutting the door firmly behind him.
Yes.
Concert tickets.
No matter what was happening at Preston Logistics, Drew was never going to pass up the opportunity to see Carver Row on a US tour. Hell, he wouldn’t pass up seeing them in Europe if the timing was right. And the timing hadn’t been right for the last couple of years.
Things were better now. Logan was settling in with Penny, relations with Susan were remarkably stable, and he had fallen asleep without looking at the tour dates.
Next available stop? New York City. Tomorrow.
Yes.
What couldn’t he do, honestly? The dinner had been a hit. Penny had been completely charming. Nothing was standing in his way.
Drew bought tickets with every possible upgrade, backstage passes included, enough to take his brothers along if they wanted to go. He texted his man at the airport to make sure the private plane would be ready for the following morning.
“Mr. Preston?”
Britta stood at the door, forehead wrinkled, her usually sunny expression replaced with the hint of a frown.
That wasn’t good.
“What’s up?” He glanced at the clock. He had a meeting in a few minutes with a client, a woman named Rachael Hayes. Maybe she’d canceled. “Do we have a cancellation?”
“The opposite, actually.” Britta glanced behind her. “Ms. Hayes is due to arrive in thirty minutes, and—”
“Daddy!” Logan burst into the room, toy truck in hand. “Mommy’s sick.”
“I’m sorry to come into your office like this. Really. I know you don’t want to mix—”
“It’s fine. I think you should probably get to the doctor. I’ll have one of my guys drive you—it’s not a big deal.”
Drew ushered Susan through the Preston Logistics building. She’d parked out back, in the private parking lot.
“I think that might be best.” She pressed her lips firmly together. “I’m not trying to screw with the schedule. I hope you know.”
“I do.” He really did. They’d both agreed, when they split up, that keeping a consistent schedule was the best thing for Logan. He pulled out his phone and sent a text. Mike was his go-to guy at the house, but Pete was on standby whenever he was in the office. He’d have the car by the back door before they got there. “I get it, Suze. It’s not a problem.”
She slowed her pace and took a deep breath. “Do you mind keeping him at your place for the weekend? I don’t think—” Susan made a strange gulping sound that had Drew’s stomach churning too. “I don’t think—”
“It’s Logan’s home, too, okay? He doesn’t need a reason to stay there. But you need a weekend to recover. I’m going to have Pete take you to the urgent care at St. Lawrence’s.”
“It’s probably just—just a stomach bug.”
“Even so.”
Susan’s face was flushed as Drew helped her into the back of the car, but as he watched, the color drained away and she turned pale and green. “Thanks,” she whispered, then put her hand over her mouth.
Yikes.
Rachael Hayes would be at the office in fifteen minutes. It was one thing to leave Logan with Britta for a few minutes in a pinch, but he couldn’t keep doing this to her.
And even if it was Penny’s day off…
He took out his phone and dialed her number.
“I’m impressed with Preston,” Rachael Hayes said, big green eyes sparkling. “I know it sounds funny to say it like that.”
“No, I’m glad to hear it. It seems like we’ve worked out an arrangement that can benefit us both.”
“I totally agree.” Rachael leaned forward, a big smile on her face. “You know, nobody else has addressed my concerns about stopovers on the shipping routes like you have.”
Pride flared in Drew’s chest. “We’ve worked hard to streamline our process over the years, so it’s encouraging to hear that it’s working.”
“I certainly feel encouraged.” She laughed, and her earrings trembled with the movement, catching Drew’s eye. Her hair was perfect. Blonde and perfect. Susan had a similar style, when she wasn’t sick. From Rachael’s soft smile and her teeth nibbling at her bottom lip, she felt…a little too encouraged. Back to business.
“Were there any more details you wanted to go over? I’ve got time,” Drew said, though he could hear Logan bouncing off the walls in the outer office.
“Nope. I’m ready. Give me that pen.”
He’d just reached into the holder on his desk for the pen when Penny poked her head through the office doorway. His heart held still.
She was breathless, radiant, pink cheeks and tousled hair. She never had tousled hair. Penny waved. “I’m here—just wanted to let you know before we took off.”
Drew hadn’t realized his shoulders were so tense until they relaxed at the sight of her in her yoga clothes. The black capris skimmed her hips and legs in a way that made him wish he could run his hands down every inch of skin the pants were covering, and the tank top—
He gritted his teeth, then consciously relaxed his jaw. It was too much for the office. Too much for life, really. This version of her—the one with her hair falling around her face, escaping her hair elastic—was achingly attractive. Even more so than the corporate princess he’d met at her first interview.
“Have we met before?”
Rachael’s question took him totally off guard, not least because he hadn’t looked at her since Penny arrived. But his brand-new client had twisted around in her seat to look at Penny. “I swear we’ve met.”
The smile dropped away from Penny’s face, then came back in a slightly less radiant version. “Oh, no. I don’t think we have.”
“I’m sure we have,” insisted Rachael. “Your face looks so familiar to me. Maybe an industry party?”
An industry party? For something involving cosmetics or logistics? That couldn’t be. The experience on Penny’s resume hadn’t been so specific. He’d have remembered.