Chapter 1
Lucy rang the doorbell of the large and impressive looking two-story
house. She had hemmed and hawed over going for most of the afternoon and still
wasn’t sure that she had made the right decision. The door opened; Jerry’s
wife Heather beamed at her in delight and she was suddenly glad she came.
“Lucy! Honey, it’s so good to see you! I keep telling
Jerry to invite you over for dinner but you know him – he just grumbles about
keeping his professional life separate and sneaks off to his shop in the back
to tinker with his cars. Which is just silly because the man loves you like
you’re one of his own daughters you know.”
Lucy flushed a little and Heather laughed. “It’s true. I
know he acts all gruff and serious at the office but he’s such a softie. Oh,
he’d kill me if he knew I was telling you this.” She looked around before
leaning forward and whispering conspiratorially, “You’ve always been his
favourite at the office.”
Lucy laughed. “Well don’t you tell him this but he’s always
been my favourite as well.”
Heather looked her up and down. “You look lovely tonight
Lucy.”
“Thank you.” Lucy tugged at the hem of her shirt. “I
wasn’t sure if this was a formal or casual event so I threw a skirt on rather
than my jeans just in case.”
“You would have looked just as lovely in jeans my dear.
Besides, it doesn’t matter what you’re wearing – we’ve got a mixture of everything
tonight.”
“It was really nice of Jerry to do this.” Lucy said.
“I thought so too. Jerry thought it would be good to have a
bit of a shindig for everyone at the office. You’ve all been working so hard
for the last six months and the company has been doing so well that you deserve
a night of celebration.”
Lucy was still standing on the doorstep and Heather smacked
herself lightly in the head. “Oh for heaven’s sake! Come in – come in! I
didn’t mean to leave you standing on the doorstep like a lost little waif!”
“Don’t worry about your shoes Lucy.” Heather called over
her shoulder as Lucy followed her into the house. “The others are gathered in
the living room and the dining room. Go start mingling and I’ll grab you a
glass of wine.”
Lucy went down the hallway and into the living room. She
scanned the room quickly. Nearly everyone from the office was there, and the
living room and adjoining dining room were filled with people. Alex was
standing by the fireplace talking with Maureen and Wallace, and Jerry was
standing next to Carol and gesturing wildly, his face already a bit red from
the wine.
She scanned the room again, refusing to admit to herself who
it was she was looking for. When she didn’t see him her pulse, which had been
thudding loudly in her ears, quieted down. Ignoring her disappointment she
headed towards Penny who was standing next to the large bay window.
* * *
“Oh my God! Look who just walked through the door!” Penny
couldn’t hide the glee from her voice. It was just over an hour later and Lucy
had been telling Penny about the time her brother had tried to stuff her into
the dryer when Penny had interrupted her with a soft squeal.
She looked behind her. Jason had just walked into the
living room. Immediately her face flushed and her heartbeat quickened. She
turned away swiftly.
“Damn, he looks good.” Penny sighed. “I wonder where he’s
been for the last two weeks.”
Lucy shrugged. “I don’t know and I don’t care.”
It was a lie of course. Two weeks ago she had been in Jason’s
bed having the best sex of her life and not caring that he was her boss. But,
she thought grimly, a lot could change in two weeks. The Monday after the
weekend she had spent with Jason, she had been on cloud nine, but that had
changed quickly. By Tuesday he was gone from the office and no one knew why.
Not even Carol knew and she could always
Lucy rang the doorbell of the large and impressive looking two-story
house. She had hemmed and hawed over going for most of the afternoon and still
wasn’t sure that she had made the right decision. The door opened; Jerry’s
wife Heather beamed at her in delight and she was suddenly glad she came.
“Lucy! Honey, it’s so good to see you! I keep telling
Jerry to invite you over for dinner but you know him – he just grumbles about
keeping his professional life separate and sneaks off to his shop in the back
to tinker with his cars. Which is just silly because the man loves you like
you’re one of his own daughters you know.”
Lucy flushed a little and Heather laughed. “It’s true. I
know he acts all gruff and serious at the office but he’s such a softie. Oh,
he’d kill me if he knew I was telling you this.” She looked around before
leaning forward and whispering conspiratorially, “You’ve always been his
favourite at the office.”
Lucy laughed. “Well don’t you tell him this but he’s always
been my favourite as well.”
Heather looked her up and down. “You look lovely tonight
Lucy.”
“Thank you.” Lucy tugged at the hem of her shirt. “I
wasn’t sure if this was a formal or casual event so I threw a skirt on rather
than my jeans just in case.”
“You would have looked just as lovely in jeans my dear.
Besides, it doesn’t matter what you’re wearing – we’ve got a mixture of everything
tonight.”
“It was really nice of Jerry to do this.” Lucy said.
“I thought so too. Jerry thought it would be good to have a
bit of a shindig for everyone at the office. You’ve all been working so hard
for the last six months and the company has been doing so well that you deserve
a night of celebration.”
Lucy was still standing on the doorstep and Heather smacked
herself lightly in the head. “Oh for heaven’s sake! Come in – come in! I
didn’t mean to leave you standing on the doorstep like a lost little waif!”
“Don’t worry about your shoes Lucy.” Heather called over
her shoulder as Lucy followed her into the house. “The others are gathered in
the living room and the dining room. Go start mingling and I’ll grab you a
glass of wine.”
Lucy went down the hallway and into the living room. She
scanned the room quickly. Nearly everyone from the office was there, and the
living room and adjoining dining room were filled with people. Alex was
standing by the fireplace talking with Maureen and Wallace, and Jerry was
standing next to Carol and gesturing wildly, his face already a bit red from
the wine.
She scanned the room again, refusing to admit to herself who
it was she was looking for. When she didn’t see him her pulse, which had been
thudding loudly in her ears, quieted down. Ignoring her disappointment she
headed towards Penny who was standing next to the large bay window.
* * *
“Oh my God! Look who just walked through the door!” Penny
couldn’t hide the glee from her voice. It was just over an hour later and Lucy
had been telling Penny about the time her brother had tried to stuff her into
the dryer when Penny had interrupted her with a soft squeal.
She looked behind her. Jason had just walked into the
living room. Immediately her face flushed and her heartbeat quickened. She
turned away swiftly.
“Damn, he looks good.” Penny sighed. “I wonder where he’s
been for the last two weeks.”
Lucy shrugged. “I don’t know and I don’t care.”
It was a lie of course. Two weeks ago she had been in Jason’s
bed having the best sex of her life and not caring that he was her boss. But,
she thought grimly, a lot could change in two weeks. The Monday after the
weekend she had spent with Jason, she had been on cloud nine, but that had
changed quickly. By Tuesday he was gone from the office and no one knew why.
Not even Carol knew and she could always
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