Summer slipped out of the office an hour early. It gave her little time to shop Conner wanted, or she needed. She wasn’t a fool; she worked smarter, not harder. Summer had to decide whether to buy everything herself before the plane departed. Then she’d hire someone to do it. Or use her family’s personal shopper to her advantage. All she needed to do was call the stores, set up for her personal shopper to pick the items up and pay over the phone with the card Conner gave her for the expenses. Just two stores refused her request. She’d have to go in person. Thankfully, one shop was in the same mall as the dress shop she needed. When she arrived at the dress shop, Summer had every she needed. She lacked patience for an encounter with Gabriella in the store. Summer’s hand was on the door handle when she noticed Gabriella inside. Cursing under her breath, she had to do some quick thinking. She pulled her phone from her coat pocket and called
Summer was in traffic when her father called. With a sigh, she told the car assistant to answer the call. “Good evening, Father. To what do I owe the pleasure of your call?” He never called if he didn’t have a reason to call. Andre MacGregor changed after his first wife died. “I don’t appreciate your lip, young lady. Where are you that you’re acting like that?” “I’m standing on the intersection of Main Street and Jefferson Boulevard trying to find a date.” “Merina MacGregor. You better not be…” “Be what, father? Oh, please. I’m joking. I’m stuck at a traffic light and I’m behind the wheel. What do you want, Father? I’m unable to talk to you.” Summer knew that she’d made a mistake when she said that, because it gave her father a chance to lecture her on whatever problem her stepmother imagined Merina’s mere existence caused. All Merina needed to do was breathe in Lillian MacGregor’s direction to do something worthy of a lectur
Could Summer make it home, pack, and reach the airport on time without Gabriella? The woman didn’t work unless she pretended to assist her daddy. She called her father, daddy, in a little girl’s voice. This made Summer shudder in disgust. Gabriella was a dark-skinned beauty. Summer admits Gabriella could have modeled. Unlike Summer, who still could be mistaken for a boy from the wrong angle. She gained weight, which filled out some of Summer’s curves. Gabriella did not need to take action. Clothing fitted her off the rack. Summer was short. Her head came to Conner’s shoulder, while Gabriella stood eye-to-eye with him. They were opposites of each other. Summer wore dark hair right now, but it was a wig. Her hair, if she allowed it to go its natural color, was almost orange in bright sunlight. Girls would tease her because her skin, though freckled, practically glowed in the dark. She’s the girl that boys would dare to ask if the drapes matched the carpet. So, th
Summer’s highlight when they arrived at the hotel was, she found Conner’s father had rented several corporate suites. She had assumed she’d have a room on a different floor. But that wasn’t the case. Summer meant less privacy but more work time. Because she’d share a suite with Conner, which meant she shared a bathroom with the man. It was only a few nights. She could get through it. She needed to avoid triggering Conner’s memories of their past. Maybe he’d forgotten more than she remembered? Summer knew that was a dream. Her day filled up with taking notes at meetings, ordering food, and ensuring both Conner and Ian O’Keefe had everything they needed. Ian’s assistant called before the flight, saying they couldn’t go because of a relative’s hospitalization. Their relatives needed them by their bedside. Summer didn’t complain. In fact, Ian didn’t request or demand her help. She stepped in and assisted him. After a day of meetings and disc
Summer realized she had no say in her sleeping arrangements. She regretted attending the conference. Why Conner’s father didn’t stay with him in the same suite, she couldn’t tell. When she brought it up to Conner, he gave her a look and said, “My dad’s snoring rivals the sound that comes from a lumber production facility at peak production. There’s no way I’ll sleep in the same suite as him. We’re better off this way.” That was it. That was it. A colorful image of the sound of a man’s sleeping habits. Summer had her own curiosities about him. She thought she’d be the first person to use the bathroom to prepare for the evening’s dinner event. However, Conner had to be the first. However, he hadn’t figured out the lock on her door had broken before they took the suite. Summer opened the door and avoided an embarrassing encounter with Conner. He had his back to the bathroom mirror and through it, Summer received a detailed view of his naked form in the
This made everything awkward. Summer tried to hang back and enter by herself. Conner’s father helped by calling her back before everyone entered the elevator to head for the dinner. “Ms. O’Neil, I wish to speak to you for a moment. Everyone can go ahead; we won’t be long.” Ian announced as he waved them on. Conner tried to hang back and inquire about what his father needed help with. “It’s fine, Conner. Ms. O’Neil will know how to fix this. Go on ahead with Gabriella and her father. We’ll follow right behind you, after we speak.” Conner hadn’t appeared convinced, but he’d asked his father. Summer didn’t relax after the elevator closed behind them. Ian rounded on Summer. “Would you care to explain yourself and why you are interfering in my son’s personal life?” “Mr. O’Keefe. I’m not sure…” Summer said to Mr. Mandela. He interrupted Summer in mid-sentence. “Oh, please. I’ve heard from Gabriella how you’ve been throwing yourself
He didn’t know what his father was doing. Taking Summer away from him like that. Talking to her in private, and not letting him know what they were discussing. Conner wondered if his father used her to spy on them. While they waited, Gabriella acted triumphant and wouldn’t let go of his arm until he shook her off him. “Why are you so clingy tonight, Gabriella? What’s with the look you keep giving Conner?” Joseph Mandela, Gabriella’s father, asked her. He’d criticized the gown she’d chosen already. He claimed it was too revealing and demanded that she wear a jacket over it. She didn’t react well to that. Conner hadn’t liked how Joseph looked at Summer, either. He’d looked at her in a predatory admiring fashion and didn’t say a thing about the dress she’d worn. Even Conner would find it too revealing to accept. Joseph leered at Summer, but Gabriella didn’t give him a chance to talk to her father. Summer’s departure from the elevator with h
Conner continued to watch Gabriella and Summer. Summer paid little attention to Gabriella or her conversations as the servers appeared with their meals. “I hope you like what I ordered for you, Conner. I thought it would be a delightful surprise, so I called ahead and changed what they were serving you. Your secretary has horrible taste in food, you know?” Gabriella made sure everyone heard her and how she took an interest in Conner’s pleasure. Conner should have known something was wrong with his meal. The first course went fine. The salad was a breeze. Not what he liked, but he could eat around the pine nuts. He didn’t like the taste of pine or wood in his food. The soup looked fine. But as he brought his spoon toward his mouth, Summer’s hand shot out to stop him. Conner was prepared to tell her how rude she was being. He’d had it with women pawing at his arms. “Seafood bisque. It has shellfish in it.” Conner stopped as soo