A Taste of Honey (2 page)

“So all your worries were for nothing?”

“It’s made me feel easier having a man working with me. I couldn’t take a woman, Stan. No way. I’d go nuts.”

Stan laughed. “Your reputation laughs at your denial, Will. You’re a woman’s man from way back.”

“I’m not talking about my private life. You know what I mean.”

“Not every woman in business is like your ex.”

“I have no qualms about women in business, what I don’t want is a woman working side by side with me. Now I won’t have to face that. Thank God for Charles Honey.”

Will pushed himself back in his chair. It wouldn’t be so bad. Running Knight Books was the challenge he needed. He was getting soft here in Darwin. Back in the big time was called for. Charles Honey was a top man. Yeah, things were going to be okay.

• • •

Charli had hoped she’d meet young Mr. Knight at the funeral. As it turned out it was only a small service in the chapel with sandwiches and coffee later. She’d asked around but it had appeared that young Mr. Knight had left immediately after the service. She consoled herself she’d meet him soon enough.

No sooner than she’d thought that, a fax arrived stating that William Knight would be arriving at the office early the next day.

Charli had Malcolm Knight’s office thoroughly cleaned in preparation for William Knight’s arrival. She moved into his office and glanced around. Maybe she should get some flowers as a welcome from the staff. She buzzed the intercom. “Yes, Charli?”

“Judy, order some long-stemmed yellow roses and irises to be delivered first thing in the morning — no, have them delivered now. You never know, our young Mr. Knight may get here sooner than he said.”

“Sure thing, Charli.”

“And, Judy.”

“Yes?”

“Don’t stint on them. We want Mr. Knight to feel very welcome for his first day with us.”

She studied the desk once more, everything in its place and a place for everything. She moved the telephone a fraction toward the edge of the desk, bringing his desk lamp a little further toward his chair.

Hands on her hips, she said aloud, “I think our young Mr. Knight should be content with his office. I can’t wait to meet you, William Knight. If you’re half as nice as your uncle then we should have a good working relationship.”

Courtship was far more interesting in the caveman era.

Will had decided to stay at his uncle’s house rather than the hotel he always stayed at when in Melbourne. The house was old but comfortable and only six kilometers from the Central Business District. His mother lived too far out of the city to argue that he should stay with her. Thank God. He loved his mother dearly but she drove him crazy. What his mother needed, he’d decided, was the love of a good man. She’d been too long on her own and at forty-nine too young to remain a widow.

He’d left the funeral directly after the service. Although anxious to meet everyone, and especially Charles Honey, Will thought it was neither the time nor place to meet the staff and discuss the future of Knight Books. He’d get into work early tomorrow. Fresh and vital, he’d interview each staff member personally. Well, he’d have Charles beside him advising him all the way.

Moving to the sideboard, he poured himself a generous splash of Johnny Walker. Excited now about taking over the reins, he sipped the fiery liquid, his mind brimming with ideas about expanding the business, and if Charles Honey was as good as his record stated, then he was the man who could help him make Knight Books the best publishing house in Australia.

He wouldn’t bombard Charles with new ideas too soon as he wasn’t sure what type of man he was dealing with. He may be sensitive about change, or he may be a man who grabbed new innovations in two hands and went along with all Will’s suggestions. Will hoped for the latter.

As soon as they could, they’d have a chin wag about what to do, which way to go. Will wanted to talk to each staff member, assure them that their jobs were safe. All he expected was loyalty and a fair day’s work for a fair day’s pay. His uncle had stuck firmly to traditional publishing but Will had ideas about going into e-pub, especially with fiction. It was the way of the future.

Will squashed himself into a large sofa and took a swallow of the whiskey. He nestled himself deeper into the soft leather and gazed at a rather pompous painting of his uncle hanging over the fireplace. His aunt had had it commissioned for his uncle’s sixtieth birthday. It reminded Will of the Lord of the Manor surveying his estate and manor house. His uncle was nothing like that at all. He’d been a kind and generous man who always helped someone in trouble. His staff had loved him unconditionally because of his fairness and sense of trust he’d placed in everyone he met.

His uncle had always been there for him. Guiding him, advising him, encouraging him when he wanted to buy the run-down publishing house in Darwin. Applauding him when he’d succeeded in making it one of the most respected houses in Darwin. He loved his uncle very much and tried to model himself on him.

Raising his glass to the painting, Will said, “Here’s to you, Uncle. I promise that I’ll make Knight Books the best publishing house I can.”

It’d take a while to settle down and it wouldn’t be easy taking his uncle’s place. Staff usually didn’t like change, forced or otherwise. But he also knew that he could win their trust and loyalty once he proved to them that he was the same cut as his uncle.

The only true downer he could think of was that his mother would want him to meet every single girl she could find. Okay, he could live with that. He liked women’s company. Just because he’d been hurt and humiliated didn’t mean his urges had died. But he was careful about his choice of woman. If they started cooking him lamb roast and apple pies or wanted to take his dirty laundry home wrapped in brown paper, he’d back off.

He knew his mother wanted him married and she wanted grandkids. He felt a tug of compassion that this was something he could never give her, and somehow he had to make her understand that he’d never marry again. Once hurt, a million times shy.

He finished off the whiskey, rose from the chair and walked to the large French doors and out onto a beautiful stone veranda overlooking a magnificent garden.

He’d take over the reins tomorrow. All a man needed was a challenge to get the blood surging through his veins.

Maybe Charles could arrange a cocktail party where he could meet the authors. Maybe he should take the staff out for lunch to get to know them in a more relaxed atmosphere and vice versa.

There was so much to learn, and so many people to meet that Will gave a silent prayer of thanks for Charles Honey. A man he could rely on. A man he could trust not to stab him in the back.

The first thing he’d do was to make Charles’ job permanent. He didn’t want to lose him, and, as an added incentive, give him a raise.

Yeah, man, life was great.

Bring her candy and flowers. Shower her with gifts and write her a love-letter.

Charli had made sure she arrived early for work, but she still hadn’t arrived before the young Mr. Knight as she could hear him moving about in his office. She hesitated outside his office door, her hand raised as if to knock. She lowered her hand, moved away, and sat at her desk pondering on the correct course of action. She wanted to appear professional and in control of any situation. Show him that she handled any new circumstance that came her way with a clear head and strong shoulders. A chief editor he could rely on in any emergency.

She imagined he’d be uneasy, on edge about taking over the reins. After all, he knew no one here at the house. She’d be the calmness he was seeking, the friend in need, and the comrade-in-arms he could rely on.

Still, the question remained, should she barge in and introduce herself or wait until she was summoned? Her answer came to her with the sound of a buzz from the intercom. “Please, come into my office.”

His voice had sounded firm but nice. Heart resolute and spine ramrod straight, she was nervous and excited at the same time. She straightened her skirt and fluffed her hair, taking a quick peep in the mirror to reassure herself that everything was in place for the big meeting. Drawing in a deep breath, she entered his office. A large hulk of a figure sat behind the desk.

“What in the hell — ?” he said rising to his feet.

Charli was looking into the face of the most overpoweringly handsome man she’d ever seen in her life. His eyes had a hypnotic effect. A gaze that was as fascinating as drifting leaves in an autumn’s breeze. When William Knight walked into a room, women the world over liquefied. Her eyes lowered and, oh my God, his mouth. A vision of it pressed against hers filled Charli with the strangest and most wonderful sensation.

He stood and moved around the desk to stand in front of her. Charli, at five-foot-seven was dwarfed by the sheer height of the man facing her.

“Mr. Knight? I’m Charli Honey, Mr. Knight’s chief editor — I mean the deceased Mr. Knight’s chief editor — no, your chief editor.”

She was going to blow his socks off with her professionalism, instead she’d lost every bit of decorum, her usual polish now dim and tarnished. She felt as inept and defenseless as a rabbit cowering before a dingo.

The green eyes weighed her up. “Sorry, I don’t mean to appear rude, it’s your name that threw me.” He glanced down at some papers on his desk, tapping a sheet of paper with the end of his pen.

“My name?”

“I thought you were male. And that you’re definitely not.”

“What has me being male or female got to do with anything?”

What was with this man? He was talking in circles. There definitely was a communication barrier between them. Damn. That’s so not what she wanted. She wanted them to be working mates from the word go.
Okay, okay, take it easy. Try to calm down. I’m nervous and that’s only natural.
She took a deep yoga breath through her nostrils and thought of green forests and sweet baby does.

“Everything, Honey. I’ve just been reading your file. Very impressive.”

The forest dissolved into hot desert and sandstorms as her feminist instincts stood up and yelled inequity. How dare he call her
honey
? She wasn’t his honey! She was no one’s honey. Still, she refrained from chastising him, for the moment at least. “Thanks. I hope you’ll be satisfied with my work, Mr. Knight.”

“I’m sure we can work things out.”

Slightly taken aback at his words, she said, “Work things out? What do you mean?” The first warning that something was wrong snapped her brain as the long cruel hand of fear took her by the neck and shook her. Something wasn’t quite kosher.

He sighed and raked his hand through his thick thatch of black hair. His gaze met hers. His eyes were so green. Deep penetrating green. She’d never seen a man with green eyes before. Hazel yes. Blue, brown, and gray but never green. They were incredible. This man might be insensitive about another’s feelings, but he was dazzling.

She suddenly wished they could have met under different circumstances. She wished that he liked her and that this conversation wasn’t taking place. She wished they’d met at a party.

His office dissolved …

I’m casually sipping a gin and tonic. William Knight walks in. Stunning in his tight jeans, white T-shirt and black Bomber jacket. Our eyes lock. Fascinated, he ambles to my side and wraps his arm around my waist. “Dance with me, you captivating wench,” he breathes.

With a toss of my head, I throw the glass to the floor; laughing at my power over this man.

We dance like we’re made for each other. He lowers his head and his sexy mouth finds mine in a kiss that explodes —

• • •

“Honey,” Will said. He’d been having a one-way conversation for the last few minutes. Charli Honey, although one of the loveliest women he’d seen in a long time, was a little bit odd, to say the least. She was staring off into space as if she’d seen the landing of aliens.

She blinked. She swallowed. “Yes,” she said.

“Do you have a hearing problem?”

“My hearing is perfect.”

“It’s like talking to a brick wall.”

“My mind wandered, that’s all.”

“Is it back with us now?” He grinned.

“What were you saying, Mr. Knight?”

He tapped papers. “You’re position as chief editor is temporary. The position has never been filled.”

She eyeballed him. “Filled?”

Will had to admit he felt bad. He didn’t like what he was doing, it didn’t sit well with him. But the alternative? She might put Bathsheba to shame, but my God, no way. Anyway, hadn’t David ended up murdering Bathsheba’s husband? “You must understand that I can’t allow this discrepancy to continue.”

“ — Discrepancy?”

“The position will be advertised in-house and in several major newspapers.”

“Advertised?”

“You seem to be repeating me, Honey.”

“That’s because I’m trying to understand what’s going on here.”

“What don’t you understand?”

“None of it.”

Hell. He studied her lovely face, her glorious red hair that swung low over her shoulders, the warmth of her coffee-colored eyes, and wished they had met under different circumstances. He liked what he saw very much and that made it extremely dangerous for them to be working together. What if he fell for her? What if behind those fantastic eyes and that innocent expression was a schemer? My God, she could have the same plans as Mavis. His safe world trembled. Maybe she’d imagined now that his uncle had died that she’d be taking over the reins of Knight Books? She was too beautiful to be trusted.

“Your position as chief editor is temporary. My uncle never made it permanent. My hands are tied. This was never meant to be a temporary position. You must understand this.”

“So where does this leave me?”

“You’ll revert back to your former position as editor.”
I’ll make it worth her while. Same wages. A bonus for work well done.
He felt more at ease now. As if he was doing her a favor.

He saw fire in her eyes. “I’ve been doing the job for nearly a year.”