Had he done a one-eighty? Yes. But he couldn’t imagine another woman who understood him as well or who he desired more.
Chapter Six
Jordan arrived at work early on Monday with a Starbucks grande chai tea latte for herself and a tall dark roast with milk for Linc. She wasn’t surprised when he strode in a few minutes after her. He, too, always showed up before nine.
“Good morning,” he said, pausing by her desk outside his office.
She smiled. “Good morning to you. Coffee’s on your desk.”
“Thanks. How was the rest of your weekend?”
She shrugged. “Fine. Busy with the usual. Errands, straightening up, laundry. Claire came over Saturday night,” she said of her sister. “We ordered pizza and watched a movie.”
“How is your sister?”
Claire hadn’t spent as much time at Linc’s house when their mom was working. Being older, she’d had a job after school.
“She’s good.” She looked back at her computer screen.
“So I take it you were too busy to return my calls or texts?” He propped a hip on the corner of her desk.
His arousing masculine scent, woodsy cologne mixed with a hint of spice, reminded her of why she’d avoided him all weekend. “I answered you. I asked if you needed to talk about work and you said no.” So she’d dodged getting back in touch.
He braced a hand on the papers strewn across her desk and leaned close. “What’s going on, Jordan?”
She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and released it. Big mistake. His gaze tracked the movement, his eyes darkening.
“I’m just making sure we have our boundaries set,” she said.
He raised an eyebrow. “You’re my best friend. My person. We have no boundaries.”
Before she could answer, he rose and adjusted his suit jacket. “Any messages?” he asked, back in boss mode after shaking her to her core.
“Not yet but it’s early.”
He nodded. “Well, you know where to find me.” He started for his office and turned back around. “Want to get lunch?”
“I’m going to ask Suzanne to go out to eat. See what else she could tell me.” Jordan pointedly didn’t discuss specifics in the office.
Approval lit his eyes. “Good. And if she isn’t free, we’re going to Ocean Prime. Make a reservation and use my name. And if not today, make one for tomorrow.”
Her eyes opened wide. Ocean Prime was not a typical business-lunch restaurant. It was a make-an-impression one.
At some point in the last couple of days, Linc had changed their MO, and he hadn’t filled her in on why. He was attempting to push beyond the friend zone they’d been in for years, after he’d said sex between them couldn’t happen again.
As much as she wished things were different, nothing had changed, at least in her mind. She still didn’t want sex screwing up their relationship … pun intended. And she definitely knew she didn’t belong in his world.
Aurora’s reaction to the Kingston Estate solidified Jordan’s feelings, because like Linc’s new sister, Jordan could relate to not fitting in. Besides, she still carried the pain caused by Collin hiding his relationship with her from his family, his horrified reaction when he’d gotten her pregnant, and the money he’d offered her to take care of the problem.
She covered her stomach with her hand at the memories, certain she was doing the right thing by putting up a wall. She couldn’t handle it if she lost Linc. For any reason.
She settled in to work and had no idea how much time had passed when a familiar voice interrupted her.
“Hi. Got a minute?”
Jordan glanced up at Chloe Kingston and smiled. “For you? Of course.” She pushed aside the keyboard on the desk as Chloe settled into a chair across from her.
Blonde hair and pale skin, in stark contrast to Jordan’s darker coloring, Chloe was a beautiful woman with features similar to her mother’s, and blue eyes with a darker rim, the same color as Linc’s.
“I like your dress,” Jordan said, admiring the printed dress with a ruffle above the knee.
Chloe smiled. “Thanks!”
“How’s the wedding planning going?”
Her eyes lit up. “Good! I’ve been so busy with everything. Who sits at what table, packing up my apartment because we’re moving in together right after the wedding. I sublet my place, so I’ll need to be out and put things somewhere before the big day.”
“Is Owen excited, too?” Jordan asked of Chloe’s fiancé, Owen Pritchard.
Chloe’s eyes dimmed a bit. “It’s been hard finding time to see each other lately. He’s been working late, so going away for the honeymoon won’t hurt him.”
Jordan knew the man was a tax attorney and her brothers disliked a lot about him, from his bland personality to the lack of interest in things that were important to Chloe. Her comment merely cemented her siblings’ feelings, but Jordan remained silent, as it was none of her business.
“I’m sure it’ll all settle down once you’re married and live together,” she said instead.
Chloe nodded. “I know it will. So I actually came to talk to you for a reason. I was thinking of throwing Aurora a baby shower. Do you think she’d like that?”
“I think she’d love it! And anything I can do to help, let me know.”
“I will. Let me see if I can book the country club and find a good date that works for everyone,” Chloe said, and Jordan did her best not to cringe at the thought of going to their club. Her times there as an adult hadn’t been comfortable.
“Okay, well, I’ll get back to you.” Chloe pushed herself up from her seat.
“Sounds good.”
Chloe headed back to her workspace in the office, and Jordan turned back to her computer. A message from Suzanne agreeing to lunch was in her box and she smiled. A reprieve from Linc’s sudden intense interest her, a welcome one. Tomorrow she’d have to deal with him taking her to an expensive restaurant for no good reason. But not today.
* * *
Linc spent the morning in a meeting with Brian and, through Zoom, their accountants. They’d found discrepancies in the business accounts. And now that Linc knew Wallace had been helping his father funnel money somewhere to fund deals nobody had been aware of, things began to make sense. Which didn’t mean they knew where the missing money had gone.
Linc hired forensic accountants to dig deep, and if Wallace didn’t show his face soon, Linc would hire a private investigator to find him, as well. His blood pressure must be sky-high because inside he felt ready to explode in anger and frustration. Wallace had obviously taken advantage of his father’s condition. To what end, Linc had no idea, but he was sure the man had filled his pockets with company money, probably taking a cut of whatever Kenneth had going on.
Lunchtime arrived, and Jordan ordered Linc food while she went out to pump Suzanne for information. He took note of the relieved expression on her face when she told him they wouldn’t be going out for lunch today.
Fine with him. There was always tomorrow.
He intended to use the free time to his advantage. After finishing his sandwich, he rose and slipped his suit jacket on. It was time to confront Beck. It had been a while since they’d had a civil conversation of any kind, and he sure as hell didn’t expect one now.