As she closed the door, she glanced at the return address. Who on earth did she know in Wichita, Kansas?
Her heart suddenly stopped, then started hammering at her throat. Emerald, Inc.’s headquarters were in Wichita.
Her hands shook as Alyssa pulled the tab to open the thin cardboard packet. If Emerald Larson had sent anything but a final paycheck, she’d get it back so fast she’d wonder if it had ever left her office.
But when Alyssa pulled the papers out of the envelope and thumbed through them, her mouth fell open. It was her letter of resignation, along with a handwritten note from Emerald Larson, herself.
Dearest Alyssa,
In order for your resignation as operations manager of Skerritt and Crowe Financial Consultants to be effective, you’ll need to deliver it to me in person. I’ve arranged for a car to pick you up at your apartment tomorrow morning at eight. Please be prompt. The corporate jet will be waiting to fly you to Wichita, then return you to Albuquerque later in the day.
Yours truly,
Emerald Larson
Suddenly feeling as if her knees were made of jelly, Alyssa sat on the couch to stare at the letter. She’d never heard of anyone having to hand deliver their resignation. Why would the woman do that? Was it even legal for Emerald Larson to require that of her?
Alyssa wasn’t sure. But she’d go to Wichita if that was what it took to divorce herself from Skerritt and Crowe, Emerald, Inc. and the fiasco with Caleb. Then she’d spend the rest of her life trying to forget the only man she would ever love.
“Who’s your mole at Skerritt and Crowe, Emerald?” Caleb sat in the executive office of Emerald, Inc., staring across the French provincial desk at his indomitable grandmother. “And don’t tell me you don’t know what I’m talking about. You had to have someone at the firm feeding you information. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have mentioned that Alyssa and I make a good team.”
To her credit, she didn’t even try to pretend that she didn’t know what he was talking about. “Does it matter, darling?”
“Yes, it does.” He wasn’t about to let her get away with playing her little mind games. “You told me, Hunter and Nick that we’d have free reign in managing the companies you gave us—without your interference.”
“I haven’t interfered with the way you’re running the financial firm.” She smiled. “I just wanted to keep track of how you’re doing, that’s all.”
“Did it ever occur to you to ask me?”
She patted a platinum hair back into place. “I wanted an unbiased opinion.”
Caleb sat forward. “Let me assure you. If I’m about to land on my ass, I’ll let you know so you can send in one of your ace managers to clean up the mess before it’s too late. I’m not about to let the employees at Skerritt and Crowe pay the price for my screwups. They’re good people and I don’t want to see them hurt by your little experiment.”
Instead of being offended by his statement, the old gal looked as pleased as punch. “All right.”
“And I’ll tell you something else.” If she thought he was finished, she was sadly mistaken. “If I find out you’re playing any more of your little games with me or the firm, I’m out. I’ll go back to Tennessee and you can forget offering me any more of your sweet deals because I’ll turn them down flat.”
To his surprise, she grinned. “I would expect no less from a grandson of mine.” She glanced at the diamond-encrusted watch on her left wrist. “Alyssa should be arriving in just a few moments. Are you sure you don’t want me to stay? I might be able to clarify the facts about your father.”
He shook his head. “You’re getting her here was enough. I’ll handle it from here on out.”
She stood up and walked toward the door. “If you need me—”
“I won’t.” Too keyed up to remain seated, he rose to his feet. If he had any chance of a future with Alyssa, he had to be completely honest with her. And the information about himself would have to come from him, not his rich-as-sin grandmother. “I got myself into this. I’ll get myself out.”
Emerald nodded approvingly. “I hope your young woman realizes what a good man you are, Caleb. Best of luck, son.”
Caleb stared at her for several long moments. There was a sincerity in her voice that he hadn’t expected. “Thank you…Grandmother.”
When Alyssa stepped off the elevator on the sixth floor of Emerald Towers, a distinguished-looking gentleman of about fifty was waiting for her. “Ms. Merrick, please follow me. I’m Mrs. Larson’s personal assistant, Luther Freemont. I’ve been instructed to take you directly to her private office.”
As she followed the man down a long hall, Alyssa clutched the folder containing her resignation. She wasn’t nervous, but she was eager to get her meeting with Emerald Larson over with. Once she’d done that, she could work on rebuilding her life.
Mr. Freemont stopped in front of a set of tall, ornately carved mahogany doors. Holding one of them open for her, he stepped back. “I hope your meeting turns out to everyone’s satisfaction, Ms. Merrick.”
“Thank you.”
Why would the man tell her something like that? Was Mrs. Larson going to try to talk her out of resigning?
If so, the woman was in for a disappointment. There was no way Alyssa could continue working at the firm as long as Caleb was there.
But when she walked into the office, her heart felt as if it had dropped to the floor. Instead of finding Emerald Larson in the plush executive office, she saw Caleb looking out the plate-glass window.
When he turned to face her, he looked so devastatingly handsome that her breath caught and a shaft of longing went straight to her soul. His low-slung jeans emphasized his lean waist and muscular thighs, while the knit fabric of his navy polo shirt drew attention to the well-developed muscles of his upper body, reminding her of how strong he was, how easily he’d held her when they’d made love in the shower. His light brown hair was slightly mussed as if he’d recently run his hand through it, but it only added to his appeal.
“Good morning, Alyssa.”
“Where’s Mrs. Larson?”
He shrugged. “I suppose she’s around the offices here somewhere.”
His smile and the sound of his deep Southern drawl caused a wave of emotion so strong it threatened to bend her double, to sweep through her. She turned to leave. “I can’t do this,” she whispered.