CHAPTER11
“The board started looking for my replacement,” came the quietly murmured words that had Andi looking up from the file on her lap to find Devyn sitting next to her, looking lost in thought and-
What time was it? Andi couldn’t help but wonder as she glanced past Devyn and realized that it was pitch-black outside. Frowning in confusion, she glanced down at her watch and felt her shoulders slump when she saw how late it was only to realize what Devyn had just said.
“What are you talking about?” Andi asked, tossing the file on the coffee table as she shifted on the couch so that she was facing him.
“Carta Hotels’ board has decided after careful consideration that it might be in their best interest to find someone who shares their vision,” Devyn said, looking lost in thought as he absently drummed his fingertips against the armrest.
“Wait. Why would they do that?” she asked, somehow resisting the urge to reach over and trace his jaw with her fingertips, hating to see him this upset.
“Hillshire Hotels,” Devyn said, looking lost in thought.
“How did you find out about this?” Andi asked, needing something to do, she reached over and took his hand in hers and pulled it onto her lap.
“Lucas paid me a visit and after he left, I made some calls,” Devyn said, watching as she played with his fingers.
“That doesn’t make sense. The project wasn’t even your idea,” she said as she looked up and found him watching her as she debated the best way to tell him what she found.
God, she really didn’t want to be the one to tell him.
“It doesn’t matter,” Devyn explained, slowly exhaling as he pulled his fingers free so that he could take her hand in his and absently rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb.
“What are you going to do?” Andi asked because that didn’t make any sense. Then again, none of this made any sense.
“I have no fucking idea,” Devyn said, dropping his head back against the couch with a heavy sigh.
“What did Lucas say?” she asked, watching his thumb gently caress her hand.
“That I should do whatever it takes to keep them happy,” Devyn said dryly, looking exhausted as he tried to figure out how this happened while she sat there, amazed by just how much she liked it when he touched her.
It just felt…right.
There was no other way to explain it. She liked the way that he touched her, the way that he’d held her those nights when the pain became too much, and that was the problem. She didn’t want to notice how handsome he was or how much she liked it when he touched her. She just…
She just wanted to finally figure out what she was supposed to do with her life.
“What are you going to do?” Andi asked, allowing him one last caress before she pulled her hand away and grabbed the notebook that she’d been working on all day off the coffee table.
“Honestly? I have no fucking idea,” Devyn said, laying his arm across the back of the couch as he drummed the fingertips of his other hand on the armrest.
“Can you talk to them?” she asked, absently toying with the cover as she debated waiting until she went through the rest of the files before telling him.
“That’s not an option,” Devyn said absently as he got to his feet and headed to his desk.
“Why not?” Andi asked, frowning as she watched him rub the back of his neck.
“It’s complicated,” he said, picking up a file only to toss it back on his desk and go still when she blurted out, “I have to tell you something.”
“What is it?” he asked, throwing her a questioning look as she swallowed hard, debating double-checking everything before she said anything only to feel her shoulders drop in defeat when he said, “Andi?”
“Someone’s been embezzling, but I don’t know how much yet. So far, they’ve managed to steal over ten million dollars,” she mumbled hollowly.
“Are you sure?” he asked between clenched teeth.
After a slight hesitation, she mumbled, “Yes,” watching as Devyn slowly nodded as he took that in and-
“FUCK!”
-grabbed his chair and sent it flying across the room.
* * *