“What is it?” I asked a bit curious.
Henrietta had only come to my office a handful of times. None of those times had she rushed in there as she had today, smiling so big. If Mia and Ruth hadn’t been there, I likely would’ve been smiling just as big.
“I, uh . . .” she started a bit apprehensively. “I was watching the news this morning. There was a fire at an apartment building in Lansing . . .”
She explained about the guy replacing her smoke detectors and what he’d said about being sure the apartment likely had no working smoke detectors and why. It had reminded her of my dilemma.
“I remembered you saying one of the biggest selling points of the EPG to big companies is the tax breaks they get and the discounts they get on their insurance,” she added as that smile she’d walked in with resurfaced. “It got me thinking. If smoke detectors being ripped out in these apartment buildings is a big enough issue for the property owners, since the EPG can be installed in undetected areas of the building and most tenants wouldn’t even be aware what they are or that they’re even there . . .”
Most of what she was saying about making the tax and insurance breaks selling points were things I’d already begun to look into. Though I hadn’t thought as broadly as she was thinking: the value to a property owner of the anonymity of the EPG versus a smoke detector. Replacing a smoke detector was relatively cheap but not for real estate investors who owned hundreds of buildings around the country that could add up to tens of thousands a year. She’d actually started to research other things I hadn’t looked into, such as how to get on counties’ and states’ lists of approved products that would satisfy certain mandated safety measures in commercial buildings.
It was fucking brilliant, and I knew now why she’d been smiling so big when she first walked in, but mostly I couldn’t get over how excited this made her too. Seeing her beautiful eyes shine so bright actually made me feel giddy. Giddy.
I was a grown ass man. I’d never even used the damn word in my life much less felt it. And so profoundly. I had no business feeling giddy!
When she said she could show me some of what she’d found online, I excused myself from my office immediately. I didn’t miss the way Mia and Ruth exchanged glances, but there was no way she could turn this into anything more than what it was—one hundred percent business. Never mind that I’d never been so tempted to hug and kiss someone in my life.
Henrietta spoke excitedly as she typed and clicked on different pages and quoted articles regarding safety regulations in different counties in Michigan alone.
“This is just the tip of the iceberg,” she said as she clicked on a spreadsheet with different data from all the different counties and states.
She stopped when she noticed I was staring at her. It was the strangest thing. “You did all this?”
The excitable smile she’d been wearing all this time flattened into more of a timid or embarrassed smile and she nodded. “I could hardly wait for you to get here, so I had to keep myself busy somehow. I figured it’d be easier to show you if I had it all in one place.”
Then something happened, the same thing that had been happening all too often lately. I was instantly distracted at the sight of her teeth sinking into her bottom lip. My eyes dropped to her soft wet lips and stayed there too long, but I couldn’t look away. When I finally did, it was only then that I realized how close I was now sitting next to her. So close I could smell the fragrance of whatever shampoo she wore—her skin. My hand was next to hers on the desk. Without even thinking, I grazed her finger with mine. The touch was so miniscule, so insignificant, yet I could see it in her eyes—eyes that tried as desperately as I mine did to hide something.
And then the words spilled out of my lips before I could give it another thought.
“I could hardly wait for you to get here too.”
My sister, walking out from the bathroom in the hallway, snapped me out of my trance. If it hadn’t been for that, even with Mia in the house, I might not have been able to fight the temptation to cradle her face in my hands and kiss her.
The door to my office opened, and Mia’s and Ruth’s voices further pulled me out of my trance, and I gulped in a big chunk of air. I turned to Mia and Ruth as they entered the back room.
“We got the ones we need.”
Mia waved a stack of photos at me even as her eyes bounced back and forth from me to Henrietta. The reminder of just how close I’d been sitting to her had me scooting away slightly.
“Don’t worry. I’ll get these back to you as soon as I make copies,” she said.
I stood up, pushing the seat I was sitting in back to the other desk where it belonged.
“You don’t have to,” I said, glancing up at her. “You can keep them.”
She gave me a strange look, glanced at Henrietta one last time, and then turned back to me with a lift of a brow. “Walk me out?”
I nodded and followed her out. We weren’t even out of the house when she turned to me with a purpose.
“She cheered you right up.”
That confused me. “What?”
“I’ve never seen you switch gears so fast,” she hissed in a lowered voice as we hurried out the front door as if maybe she didn’t want Ruth to hear her. She stopped out on the front porch and glowered at me. “It was disgusting. My stomach literally turned watching you two.”
“Cheered me up? Switched gears?” I asked, doing my best to sound as clueless as I could because not only was my heart still racing, my stomach was turning now too. “Who said I was in a bad mood before she got here?”
“Well, you haven’t been that happy to see me in years.”
And there you had it. Mia was officially on to me. Fuck! “What? Stop.” I put on my best soured expression, shaking my head, and reached for her hand, pulling her to me as she tried to walk away. “Mia, don’t, okay?”
“Don’t what?” she asked even more annoyed.
“Don’t do this. She’s my little sister’s friend.”
“Do you think I’m blind?” she asked, and I pulled her even closer to me even as she tried to squirm away. “Do you know how humiliating that was for me?”
“What was?” I asked, pulling back.
Had she seen my exchange with Henri? But before she could answer because I was almost afraid to hear it, I tried to explain.
“She had a good idea. A damn good one. You know how I feel about this business, Mia. You know anything that’ll move it forward excites me. Her idea excited me, babe. Not her.”
She stared at me for a moment without saying anything then pulled away. “I’ll see you tonight. Unless”—she turned back to contemplate me then toward the front door—“you’re working late again.”
“I’ll pick you up early,” I countered.
Without another word, she got in the car with Ruth, and I watched them drive away. The inevitable was happening already. After what happened inside between Henrietta and me and with Mia being upfront and honest as usual about her feelings, two things were clear. Whatever it was that I was feeling for Henrietta—happening between us—it wasn’t going away. If anything, it was intensifying in a way I no longer had any control over it.
In answer to Mia’s question earlier, she wasn’t blind and that meant one thing. I’d have a big decision to make a lot sooner than I anticipated before things really got out of control.
Acknowledgments
As always, writing the story is mostly all about what's gnawing at me until I get it down on paper. But bringing it all together takes a small army. I couldn’t possibly do this alone. I’d like to thank everyone who contributes in some way to every single book I put out.
To my husband and “assistant,” Mark, thank you for believing in me always and encouraging me to do this. I appreciate your patience, especially when I go on and on about the corner I’ve written myself into this time or while I tell you about my latest crazy idea for a plot. You've contributed so much more than you're aware of to all
of my stories.
To my babies, Marky and Megan, thank you for understanding when I disappear into “the zone” for days at a time. I think we’re all used to this way of life now, and you’ve been troopers all the way. You’ve both made me so proud, and I love you to the moon and back!
To my beta readers, Judy Devries, Dawn Winter, Emily Lamphear, and Amanda “Hootie” Clark, thank you all SO much for your always completely honest opinions and feedback. I promise you the next one you won't be sending me scathing emails asking WHY? in the middle of your read. Wait. I just remembered something. Never mind. ;)
I’d also like to thank the many bloggers out there who have supported me and have pimped, reviewed, and participated in my cover reveals and announcements. You guys have been a HUGE part of my success, and I thank every single one of you from the bottom of my heart! A special shout out to Ing Cruz of “As the Pages Turn” for all your help with the cover reveals, release blitzes, and blog tours! You are VERY appreciated!
Thank you to Theresa (Eagle Eyes) Wegand, my one-stop superhero, beta reader/editor/formatter, listener to all my whiny rants/vents and obsessive worrying, and friend—even when you’re brutally honest. LOL ;) I promise I’ll never hold it against you and truly appreciate it! As always, your work is impeccable, and I can’t say enough about it. I hope to be working with you for years to come! Thank you so much!
I want to give a special shout out to “my FP girls,” my incredibly talented group of superstar authors. I feel absolutely blessed to have found you. I owe you all so much. Thank you for the love, empathy, and your friendships. Each and every one of you!
Thank you to Amanda Simpson of Pixel Mischief Design for my cover art. You’re an amazing talent and awesome to work with. So far you’ve created some gems for me, and I’m excited about what’s yet to come and working with you on many more! And I love, love, LOVE the cover of Rage. I CANNOT wait to do the cover reveal! =D
Thanks to my good friend New York Times Best Seller JB Salsbury for turning me on to my new cover artist! And also for being such a great fan of my work! I’m so glad I finally got to meet you last year and so proud of you and all your success!
A special shout out to my street team “Team Reyes!” To my admins, Leslie Cary, Jenn DaSilva, Delashawne Hodgeson, and Christina Garner Staggs for running it with so much love and enthusiasm. Thank you for all the hard work you put into the team! But to all who are part of Team Reyes and are part of the madness and FUN, I thank you all for your continued support! Love you guys! I’m SO looking forward to the team’s meet and greet this year!! <3
And, of course, my incredibly awesome readers! Thank you all for your patience! I know Sydney's story was a long time coming, but he had to grow up and wasn't meant to meet Emi until he was ready for her. ;) I love hearing from you, so keep the messages, comments, and emails coming! <3
About the Author
USA Today Bestselling Author, Elizabeth Reyes, was born and raised in southern California and still lives there with her husband of almost twenty-one years, her two teens, her Great Dane named Dexter, and one big fat cat named Tyson.
She spends eighty percent of time in front of her computer, writing and keeping up with all the social media, and loves it. She says that there is nothing better than doing what you absolutely love for a living, and she eats, sleeps, and breathes these stories, which are constantly begging to be written.
Representation: Jane Dystel of Dystel & Goderich now handles all questions regarding subsidiary rights for any of Ms. Reyes’ work. Please direct inquiries regarding foreign translation and film rights availability to her.
For more information on her upcoming projects and to connect with her--she loves hearing from you all—here are a few places you can find her:
Blog: www.ElizabethReyes.com
Facebook fan page:http://www.facebook.com/pages/Elizabeth-Reyes/278724885527554
Twitter: @AuthorElizabeth
Email
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She enjoys hearing your feedback and looks forward to reading your reviews and comments on her website and fan page!
Elizabeth Reyes, Again
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