found him consulting with his crew over a set of building specifications.
Waiting quietly while he answered the workers’ questions and resolved their problems, Bonnie thought of a dozen things she wanted to tell him when they were alone again. Her heart raced at a reckless pace.
“My foreman is going to ride back to the office with us.” Luke nodded at the burly, hard-hatted man standing beside him. “We need to talk to the architect about some changes in the blueprints before we begin the next cluster.”
What could she say? Hoping her disappointment wasn’t blatantly obvious she murmured, “Fine,” and rode into Atlanta wedged between two sets of shoulders that made the cab seem terribly cramped for space.
Luke parked his truck in the Dunwoody section of Atlanta where his office was located, then waved his foreman on ahead of them. “This shouldn’t take long,” he promised, briskly ushering her toward a sleek prismatic tower of polished granite and glass. “Chris knows we’re on our way.”
After they’d entered the stunning structure, Bonnie read the directory and learned that they were in the lobby of the “Ford Industrial Complex.” She couldn’t contain an exclamation of pleased surprise. “You own this building!”
He laughed and escorted her into the elevator. “A monument to my edifice complex, I suppose.”
“From a tree house to a skyscraper,” she teased as they were whisked to his penthouse suite. “Now that’s progress.”
When they stepped out of the elevator, it was like a hot wire had shot an electric spark through the office. Word processors ceased production. Conversations stopped in mid-sentence. And every female gaze fixed on the two of them as if drawn by some inexplicable force. Had they suddenly grown a matching set of horns or something? Bonnie glanced at Luke and started to make light of the devastating effect his mere presence had on his employees. A shadow near the receptionist’s desk caught her eye and the joke died on her lips. She didn’t notice the floor-to-ceiling windows spilling sunlight onto the plush silver-gray carpeting. She didn’t see the imported marble desktops or the suede furniture. Her attention fastened instead on one anguished gray gaze. And with an instinct as old as the ages, Bonnie knew she was looking into the eyes of a woman in love—with Luke.
Chapter 7
A bolt of jealousy riveted Bonnie to the spot, while a profound despair flooded the other woman’s sweet-sad face. Busy rifling through a stack of messages that the receptionist had handed him, Luke stood between them.
“You must be Bonnie.” Her low-key voice wavering, the brunette beauty stepped forward. “I’m Chris Miller.”
Bonnie recognized her name as the one Darlene had mentioned and felt as if she’d been physically slapped by Luke. What gall! Arranging for an ex-wife to meet a current mistress! Betraying none of the rage boiling up inside her, she replied with cold politeness, “How do you do.”
“I’m sorry—I should have introduced you.” Luke looked up, his broad smile including both of them. “Chris is the architect who designed the cluster-housing development that you saw today.”
Her throat clogged with unspeakable fury, Bonnie didn’t trust herself to respond. How convenient for him, having her on the payroll!
“Are the blueprints ready for me to review?” he asked.
“They’re on the conference table,” Chris answered softly.
“Let’s get this done so the crew can break ground on the new cluster tomorrow. It shouldn’t take you more than a few minutes to sketch in the changes.” Luke glanced at Bonnie. “You’re welcome to join the meeting, if you want.”
She shook her head, unable yet to deliver a civil reply.
“Make yourself at home in my office, then—first door to your left,” he invited before heading in the opposite direction, his mind obviously occupied with altering the blueprints.
Chris Miller smiled sadly, then
Waiting quietly while he answered the workers’ questions and resolved their problems, Bonnie thought of a dozen things she wanted to tell him when they were alone again. Her heart raced at a reckless pace.
“My foreman is going to ride back to the office with us.” Luke nodded at the burly, hard-hatted man standing beside him. “We need to talk to the architect about some changes in the blueprints before we begin the next cluster.”
What could she say? Hoping her disappointment wasn’t blatantly obvious she murmured, “Fine,” and rode into Atlanta wedged between two sets of shoulders that made the cab seem terribly cramped for space.
Luke parked his truck in the Dunwoody section of Atlanta where his office was located, then waved his foreman on ahead of them. “This shouldn’t take long,” he promised, briskly ushering her toward a sleek prismatic tower of polished granite and glass. “Chris knows we’re on our way.”
After they’d entered the stunning structure, Bonnie read the directory and learned that they were in the lobby of the “Ford Industrial Complex.” She couldn’t contain an exclamation of pleased surprise. “You own this building!”
He laughed and escorted her into the elevator. “A monument to my edifice complex, I suppose.”
“From a tree house to a skyscraper,” she teased as they were whisked to his penthouse suite. “Now that’s progress.”
When they stepped out of the elevator, it was like a hot wire had shot an electric spark through the office. Word processors ceased production. Conversations stopped in mid-sentence. And every female gaze fixed on the two of them as if drawn by some inexplicable force. Had they suddenly grown a matching set of horns or something? Bonnie glanced at Luke and started to make light of the devastating effect his mere presence had on his employees. A shadow near the receptionist’s desk caught her eye and the joke died on her lips. She didn’t notice the floor-to-ceiling windows spilling sunlight onto the plush silver-gray carpeting. She didn’t see the imported marble desktops or the suede furniture. Her attention fastened instead on one anguished gray gaze. And with an instinct as old as the ages, Bonnie knew she was looking into the eyes of a woman in love—with Luke.
Chapter 7
A bolt of jealousy riveted Bonnie to the spot, while a profound despair flooded the other woman’s sweet-sad face. Busy rifling through a stack of messages that the receptionist had handed him, Luke stood between them.
“You must be Bonnie.” Her low-key voice wavering, the brunette beauty stepped forward. “I’m Chris Miller.”
Bonnie recognized her name as the one Darlene had mentioned and felt as if she’d been physically slapped by Luke. What gall! Arranging for an ex-wife to meet a current mistress! Betraying none of the rage boiling up inside her, she replied with cold politeness, “How do you do.”
“I’m sorry—I should have introduced you.” Luke looked up, his broad smile including both of them. “Chris is the architect who designed the cluster-housing development that you saw today.”
Her throat clogged with unspeakable fury, Bonnie didn’t trust herself to respond. How convenient for him, having her on the payroll!
“Are the blueprints ready for me to review?” he asked.
“They’re on the conference table,” Chris answered softly.
“Let’s get this done so the crew can break ground on the new cluster tomorrow. It shouldn’t take you more than a few minutes to sketch in the changes.” Luke glanced at Bonnie. “You’re welcome to join the meeting, if you want.”
She shook her head, unable yet to deliver a civil reply.
“Make yourself at home in my office, then—first door to your left,” he invited before heading in the opposite direction, his mind obviously occupied with altering the blueprints.
Chris Miller smiled sadly, then
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