When Darkness Falls (8 page)

Darbie looked up and saw her expression. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, just a little overwhelmed. No one has ever given me something like this before.” She frowned. “I’m not sure what to think.”

“That’s your problem. You think too much!”

“I just don’t want to give Garrett the wrong idea. We went out to dinner once, we’re not a couple. I’m not sure what his expectations are.” She motioned at the shoes. “Maybe we should return them.”

Darbie gawked. “Don’t be such a Debbie Downer! Relax! An amazing guy gives you a few pairs of shoes. So what?”

“Not just a few pairs of shoes but thirty-two pairs of expensive shoes!”

“Look, you came here to start a new life, and you’ve met a great guy who obviously appreciates you. What’s the problem?”

“I don’t know. It’s just all happening so fast.”

Darbie looked her up and down as her lips puckered. “You really are wound up tight. At this rate, you’re gonna blow your cork before you’re thirty.” She tugged on Chloe’s hand. “I want you to do yourself a favor. Sit down.”

Chloe made a face. “What?”

“Sit down,” Darbie repeated insistently.

Begrudgingly, Chloe complied.

“The guy sent you shoes, not a wedding ring. Go on a few dates with him, and see how it goes. If it doesn’t work out, you can always go your separate ways. What have you got to lose?”

The exasperated look on Darbie’s face made her feel foolish. Maybe she was making a big deal out of nothing. “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to give him a chance,” Chloe said thoughtfully.

“Good, it’s settled,” Darbie said matter-of-factly. She handed her the red sandals. “Try these on.”

“I don’t want to try them on,” Chloe countered.

Beasty sauntered into the room.

“Hey, boy,” Chloe said, “come here.”

He gave her a disinterested look, walked past her, and then rubbed against Darbie’s leg. “See even Beasty wants you to try them on.” Darbie began stroking his back, and he purred loudly.

Chloe’s eyes narrowed.
The traitor!

“Do yourself a favor—for one small moment, be less like you and more like me. Live a little.” She shrugged. “What can it hurt?”

If only she could be more carefree and cavalier like Darbie!
She’d played by the rules her entire life, and it had gotten her nowhere. Maybe Darbie was right! Maybe she did need to let go a little. “Fine! I’ll try on the shoes,” she grumbled. A minute later, she held out her foot for inspection much like Darbie had done earlier. “What do you think?”

A smile curved Darbie’s lips as she gave Chloe an appreciative look. “Fabulous! I believe there may be hope for you yet.”

C
hloe’s eyes
popped open at the first sound of her alarm clock. She’d gotten a good night’s sleep, devoid of any loud music blaring from Lila’s house and no dreams of Dan. She stretched and threw back the covers. Today was the first day of the rest of her life and the day she would start her new job at Marsh Interiors. This time, she was determined to make sure that everything went smoothly.

She hopped out of bed and stood, eyeing the clothes she’d laid out to wear the night before. In the light of day, they looked too formal, so she hung them back in the closet. She sifted through her clothes, finally deciding on a pair of chocolate-colored pants and a matching blouse, trimmed in an Aztec gold design. Her 14k gold loop earrings would add the perfect touch, and she would wear her hair piled high on her head because her mom said it made her look more professional. And, thanks to Garrett, she had some stylish Antonio Melani pumps to complete the outfit. After applying bronzer to her cheeks, mascara, and peach lip-gloss, she decided she couldn’t do any better. Hurriedly she grabbed her purse and headed for the door. Beasty trailed after her but made a beeline for Darbie’s room when Chloe bent down to pet him. “See you tonight, Beasty. I know you’ll miss me,” she said sarcastically while closing the door.

When Chloe arrived, Yvette led her to a desk in the back, adjacent to a glassed-in office where one of the executives worked. She gave Chloe a stack of employment papers to complete. “I’ll come back in about an hour and take you around to introduce you to everyone.”

Chloe nodded and took the papers. She had just finished completing them when Yvette returned. “Do you have any questions?”

Chloe shook her head. “No, it was pretty self-explanatory.”

“You can always change things if you need to. They’re not strict about it.”

“Thanks, that sounds great.”

Yvette gave her a cheerful smile. “Let’s introduce you to the team.”

Chloe stood and smoothed down her pants. “Okay, let’s do it.”

Yvette chuckled. “The first day is always the hardest. You’ll get the hang of things pretty quick. We’re a small team but very effective.” She introduced Chloe to Kate Dillon the only other designer at Marsh Interiors. Kate looked to be in her late forties and fit the part of a successful designer to the letter. Her blonde hair curved on her shoulders, and she was dressed to the nines. She was only passably cordial, and it was clear from the way her bright blue eyes raked over Chloe that she would view her as competition on every level. When Kate started peppering her with questions about the trade, Yvette had to step in and rescue her. “Now, don’t go monopolizing Chloe. I still have to introduce her to a couple more people.”

“Of course you do,” Kate said, offering a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

Disappointment settled over Chloe as they stepped out of Kate’s office. The woman was obviously not pleased that Hank had hired her. In her interview, Hank told her that Kate had been their only designer for years, but due to an increase in business, she was no longer able to handle everything, hence the need to hire another designer. Hank had warned her that Kate was a little concerned that he was hiring someone else.
That was a blatant understatement!
At least Kate was the only other designer she would have to deal with. When too many designers worked in one place, things tended to get fiercely competitive with everyone vying to get the best projects—a group of female sharks, circling around the fresh meat, trying to get the biggest piece.

Next, Chloe met Butch Stanley who handled the books. He was a large, jovial man in his mid fifties who looked like he would be more at home in a manufacturing setting than in an upscale design firm. He was a breath of fresh air in comparison to Kate. He told them several jokes before Yvette finally said they needed to leave.

When they were walking down the hall, Yvette turned to Chloe and lowered her voice. “The last person I want to introduce you to is Hank’s brother. He’s one of the most eligible bachelors in Salt Lake—a real lady-killer.” Her eyes flashed with what looked like resentment. “Be careful,” she continued, “if you don’t keep your guard up, he’ll sweep you off your feet and then dump you the second some new girl comes along.”

It was obvious from Yvette’s bitter tone that she was speaking from experience. Chloe straightened her shoulders. “Thanks for the warning, but I can assure you, I have no intention of getting mixed up with the owner’s brother.” The words came out harsher than she’d intended, but Yvette looked more relieved than surprised. Chloe realized then that Yvette still had feelings for Hank’s brother. She felt an unexpected connection with Yvette, who was obviously nursing a broken heart. Chloe knew exactly how it felt to be used and then cast aside. A fierce dislike for Hank’s brother welled in her breast, even though she’d never met him.

Yvette stopped at the office that was next to Hank’s. She put a hand on the doorknob. “You ready?”

Chloe gave her a brief smile. “Of course.”

Yvette knocked once and then opened the door. “I brought the new employee to meet you.” She motioned for Chloe to follow.

The office was totally different from Hank’s. The walls were bright white, and the décor was modern and sparse, giving it a cold feel. The desk was made of metal with two red lacquer chairs facing it. There was a sitting area to the right that was comprised of a charcoal leather sofa and two club chairs, arranged around a glass coffee table. The combination would’ve been monochromatic were it not for the exotic multi-colored rug underneath the furniture. It looked very expensive. Large photographs of outdoor scenes, mounted onto acrylic, adorned all of the walls except for the one behind the desk where there was a streamlined bookshelf that was expertly arranged with abstract sculptures and books. Hank’s brother was sitting in a red, high-back, leather chair with his back to them. He had a phone to his ear. A moment later, he ended the call and turned.

Chloe reached and took hold of one of the chairs to steady herself. Her mouth dropped when Garrett rose and came around the desk. He extended his hand as if they’d never met. “I’m Garrett Singleton. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Welcome aboard.”

She opened her mouth to ask him what kind of joke he was pulling, but the warning expression in his eyes stopped her.

“It’s nice meeting you,” she said, thrusting out her hand.

He took it in his, holding it longer than was necessary. Chloe’s face flamed when she saw Yvette look at her and Garrett’s clasped hands. She quickly removed her hand.

Garrett gave her a coy look. “Nice shoes.”

Her eyes went round as she looked down at the pumps. Humiliation burned through her veins, and she wanted to crawl under the rug. She cringed at the furious look that twisted over Yvette’s face.

Garrett smiled, never taking his eyes off Chloe. “Thanks, Yvette. I’ll do the introductions from here. You can get back to work.”

Yvette looked like she might protest. She gave Chloe a withering look before turning and leaving the room.

Chloe’s knees gave way, and she sat in one of the chairs across from Garrett’s desk. “You have a lot of explaining to do.”

Garrett laughed and returned to his seat. “What do you want me to explain?”

“Why didn’t you tell me you were Hank’s brother? That’s why he hired me, wasn’t it? I thought it was odd when Hank called me into his office that day when I returned the shoes. And when you said you had an interview, you meant that you were going to interview me.” Accusation hung heavy in her voice.

Garrett held up his hands. “Hold on, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. First of all, I promise I had nothing to do with Hank’s decision to hire you. I just told him that he needed to give you another chance, and he did. Besides, he’s the one that wanted to interview you from the get-go, so it wasn’t too hard to persuade him to interview you again.”

Her eyes went hard as everything came together. It hurt to think she’d been had. “You should’ve told me who you were from the beginning.”

He spread his hands in defeat. “You’re right, I should’ve. But you were so upset about botching the interview that I didn’t want to risk it.”

She shook her head. “I don’t understand.”

“Had you known who I was, you never would’ve agree to have dinner with me.” His eyes met hers. “Don’t deny it.”

“You’re right. I wouldn’t have,” she admitted.

A smile tugged on his lips as he leaned back in his seat and crossed his legs. “But see, you did have dinner with me, and we had a wonderful time.” He leaned forward, eyeing her. “Let me rephrase that—I had a wonderful time. What about you?”

Was he really giving her a puppy-dog look? She didn’t know whether she wanted to hug him or slap him. There was a naïve, childlike quality about Garrett that was endearing and frustrating at the same time. Everything seemed like it was a game to him. He kept looking at her with those probing eyes, and she felt herself soften. “Yeah, it was nice,” she said stiffly. Silence settled between them, and she shifted in her seat, unsure what to say next. Had she known who Garrett was, she never would’ve gone out with him. Dating the owner’s brother was a complication she didn’t need, not to mention the fact that she didn’t relish the thought of making an enemy out of Yvette. But there was no going back. She had gone out with Garrett, and there was still the matter of the shoes. She sought for a way to open up that conversation as she watched him pick up a lime green exercise ball. From the way he began methodically squeezing it, she could tell it was something he did routinely, almost without thinking.

“About the shoes.”

“They look nice on you.” He transferred the ball to the other hand.

“Yes.” She took a deep breath. “You didn’t have to do that.”

He waved the comment away with a flick of his hand. “I know. That’s why it’s called a
gift
.”

“I would’ve called you earlier to thank you, but I didn’t know how to reach you.” The words rushed out in a nervous huff.

He put down the ball. “Chloe, relax. It’s going to be okay.” He stood and came around the desk. Then he sat down in the chair beside her and reached for her hand. He flashed her that dazzling smile that had caught her attention from the beginning, and she could see the confidence radiating in his blue eyes. “How we met is not important.”

There was something so captivating about him that it took effort to hold her train of thought. “It’s not?”

He chuckled. “No, it’s not.” He began rubbing his thumb back and forth across the top of her hand. Heat crawled up her neck. This whole thing felt terribly inappropriate! “What’s important is that we did in fact meet,” he continued smoothly, gazing into her eyes.

She felt like a fly that was caught in a spider’s web. And the spider in question happened to be very easy on the eyes and ultra charming. Yvette was right! He was a lady-killer, and if she weren’t careful, she’d be his next casualty.

As she was trying to figure out a way to diplomatically remove her hand, the door opened. Her heart dropped when she saw Hank step into the room. His face went a shade darker when he realized that Garrett was holding her hand. Chloe wanted to die right then and there. Garrett dropped her hand and let out an uneasy laugh. “Hey, Bro. I was just welcoming our newest employee.”

“I can see that,” Hank shot back. His eyes met Chloe’s, and she cringed at the disappointment she saw in them.

A hot shame pelted over her.
So much for making a good impression on the boss!

“Yvette told me where you where,” Hank said briskly.

I’m sure she did
, Chloe wanted to say. She pressed her lips together in a tight line.

“I need to get you briefed on the current projects, so that you’ll be up-to-speed at the staff meeting this afternoon at 2:00 p.m.”

“Of course.” Chloe stood.

“See you later,” Garrett said, touching her arm.

Irritation sparked over her as she gave him a curt nod and quickly stepped around him. Garrett needed to take his Casanova attitude down a notch, or she’d be out of a job faster than she could blink. Her eyes went to Hank who looked like he could bite nails. He motioned. “This way.” He turned on his heel and charged off down the hall so quickly that she had to practically jog in order to keep up with him.

C
hloe looked
up as Hank strode into the conference room and took his place at the head of the table. Yvette came in behind him, a notepad in hand. Kate entered next, followed by Butch. Everyone commenced to make small talk. Chloe had not seen Garrett since the incident in his office, and she wondered where he was. Judging by the way Hank kept glancing at the clock, she figured he was wondering the same thing.

Hank had spent two hours, going over projects with her in explicit detail. Several times, she was tempted to try and explain her association with Garrett, but there never seemed to be a good time. Furthermore, Hank’s demeanor was so businesslike that it bordered on rudeness. Clearly, he was determined to keep the relationship on a purely professional level.

At ten minutes past the hour, Hank cleared his throat. “Thanks, everyone, for being here today. We need to get started. First, I’d like to officially welcome Chloe Kensley. Let me say on behalf of the entire team that we look forward to working with you.”

“Thank you.” She looked around the room. “I’m excited to be here.”

Garrett strode in and chose the seat beside her.

Hank gave him a look that could kill. “You’re late,” he said flatly.

“Sorry, it couldn’t be helped. I got held up on a phone call.” He turned his attention to Chloe, smiling at her like she was the only person in the room. “Welcome to the team.”

She swallowed and nodded, ignoring the curious looks that were flashing between Kate and Butch. Yvette was scowling like she wanted to wring her neck. Chloe pulled at her collar that suddenly felt tight around her neck. When Garrett placed his hand on her knee, she knocked it away, giving him a look that said
Back off!

A look of surprise flickered over Garrett’s face, but he recovered quickly.