A Bargain with the Boss

She told herself it was an enormous relief to have him here. Things could get back to normal now. She could stop juggling so many problems and Tuck—

She swallowed. Tuck could get back to normal, too.

“He in there?” Dixon cocked his head to Tuck’s closed office door.

“I think so.”

“Great.” Dixon’s intelligent gaze took in the clutter on her desk. “Looks as if you’re busy.”

“It’s been busy,” she agreed.

“But you’ll move back to my office?”

“Of course I will. Right away.”

“Good.”

“How was your trip?”

“Enlightening.”

“You feel better? You look better.”

“I feel better than ever. I can’t wait to get back to it.”

“Great. That’s great.”

Tucker Transportation would be in experienced hands once again.

Just then, Tuck’s office door opened. He appeared in the doorway and instantly spotted Dixon.

From behind her desk, Amber could feel Tuck’s shock. His expression seemed to register disappointment. But then it quickly went to neutral.

“Dixon.” Tuck’s tone was neutral, too.

“Tuck,” Dixon answered evenly.

“You’re back.”

“You’re about the twenty-fifth person to say that.”

Tuck glanced at Amber.

“I said it, too,” she said into what felt like an awkward silence.

“You know about Dad?” Tuck asked.

Neither man moved toward the other, and she was struck by the wariness of their attitudes. Dixon had to be wondering if Tuck was angry. She couldn’t tell what Tuck was thinking.

“I saw him yesterday,” said Dixon.

“But you didn’t call? Didn’t think to give me a heads-up?”

It was Dixon’s turn to glance at Amber and then at Tuck. “Should we step inside your office?”

Tuck crossed his arms over his chest. “I don’t know why. You seem to like to keep Amber more informed than you keep your own brother.”

Dixon seemed taken aback.

“She didn’t give you away,” said Tuck, finally taking a step forward.

Amber found herself glancing anxiously down the hall, worried that other staff might overhear their argument.

“I fired her,” said Tuck. “And she still wouldn’t tell me your secrets.”

Now Dixon looked confused.

“Where you were,” Tuck elaborated. “Where’d you go?”

“Why would you fire Amber?”

“Insubordination.”

“No way.”

“To me, not you.”

Amber couldn’t stand it any longer. “Tuck, please.”

Tuck gave a cold smile. “The loyalty’s returned just like that.” He snapped his fingers. “I guess it never really went away.”

“Amber’s as loyal as they come,” said Dixon.

She moved from behind her desk. “I’m going to let you two talk.” She nodded at Dixon. “Maybe an office or the boardroom?”

“Good suggestion.”

“She’s full of them,” said Tuck.

“Has he been treating you like a jerk?” Dixon’s question was for Amber, but he stared at Tuck as he asked it.

Amber met Tuck’s gaze. “Not at all.”

Tuck stared back. “Except when I fired her.”

Dixon seemed to pick up on the tension between them. “How’d you get her back?”

“Money,” said Tuck.

“A signing bonus,” said Amber.

Dixon grinned at that. “Well, there’s no doubt she’s worth it. If she’d been permanently gone, you’d be answering to me.”

Tuck’s jaw tightened. “As opposed to you explaining to me where the hell you’ve been for two months?”

“I suppose I owe you that.”

Amber moved again, determined to leave. “You have a ten o’clock with Lucas,” she told Tuck.

“Maybe,” he responded.

What did that mean? Was he heading out the door before 10:00 a.m.? Now that Dixon was in the office, would Tuck simply walk out?

Good.

Great.

It really didn’t matter to her either way.

With the two men sizing each other up, she quickly made her way down the hall. She’d set herself up outside Dixon’s office once again. Tuck could come and say goodbye or not. It was entirely up to him.