Office Pet

“Fine,” I told my PA, “let’s get this over with.”

I crossed the ballroom with Ray and Melissa following at my heels. Ray and I straightened our tuxes and Melissa soothed her dress. By the time we found Ashton we looked perfectly put together.

Ashton was also dressed to the nines in an expensive tux. Unsurprisingly, he was alone. I knew he dated or found women to warm his bed, but it was unusual for Ash to commit to anything, much less a relationship. He liked to only depend on himself. I was lucky he agreed to connect our businesses.

“Ash!” I greeted him with a smile and held out my hand.

He took it and smiled back. His shake was firm and commanding.

“Kane,” he said. “This is a wonderful event. I’m pleased to see McKenzie Tech doing such good work. You know how much I enjoy giving to charities.”

“Of course, and I assume that you approve of the choice of charity tonight?” I asked.

Ashton laughed. “Who’s going to say no to puppies and kittens.” He raised one eyebrow at me. “I assume this was your new lady’s idea?”

My breath caught, and I couldn’t find any words. I had forgotten that I promised Ash that I would introduce him to Reese tonight.

Melissa stepped up and took Ash’s arm. “Would you like a drink Mr. Smith?” she asked, ever the perfect hostess.

Ashton smiled at her briefly, but he didn’t miss my earlier reaction. “Melissa. Ray. Why don’t you two give me and Kane a second, please?” He kept his eyes on me. “Let us old friend’s catch up.”

It was an order in the guise of a suggestion. Ray took Melissa’s arm and led her over to the dance floor.

I opened my mouth to reassure Ash but found that I just couldn’t make myself smile or say anything. He sighed, draped an arm over my shoulders, and led me back to the bar. It was a direction I was happy to go in—my whiskey was waiting for me.

“So, she left you,” he stated. I didn’t argue. “Did you deserve it?”

I nodded, unable to deny the truth. “I thought she was the one stealing money,” I admitted, “but it was a set up. I messed up bad, Ash.”

He nodded and took a seat on one of the barstools. “And you apologized?”

“Yes. She just doesn’t trust me anymore.” I hunched my shoulders. “She quit and went into hiding.”

“I see.” He looked over at the bartender and ordered a scotch. We stood in silence until his drink came and he took a sip. “I’m sorry, Kane. I know it is soon and the merger just went through, but I could cover for you a bit—if you need to take a vacation or something.”

I sat down on the stool next to him. “Thank you, Ash. I don’t know what to do. I don’t feel right without her.”

We sat in companionable silence, sipping our drinks, and watching people dance. Ray had left Melissa with her boyfriend and was now dancing with Eileen from accounting. They made a pretty good couple, Ray was one of the few men in the room who was taller than Eileen’s six feet tall frame. I watched them have fun and looked sadly at the other couples. When the song ended, Ray drifted back towards us.

My eyes caught on Sloane and her narrow, haughty face. She was coming our way as well in a tight silver dress; a bright grin plastered to her lips. She held out her slim hand to Ashton.

“Hello, Mr. Smith. I’m Sloane. Would you care to dance?”

Ash’s eyebrows went up in surprise at Sloane’s forward nature. He sifted to look at me briefly and I mouthed the word No, just to give him a quick warning about Sloane—she wasn’t someone he wanted to get involved with or bed. He gave a slight nod, took her hand, and led her to the dance floor.

Ray took Ash’s seat. He was nervous and jittery.

“Relax, Ray.” I took another sip of whiskey. “Ash and I are fine.”

“It’s not that. Oh. Eileen is going to kill me.” He frowned and fidgeted some more.

I wanted to grab him by the lapels and shake him. “What’s going on?”

“I know where Reese is.”

My breath caught. I turned to face Ray and poked him in the chest with a finger. “What you mean you know where she is? Tell me now before I punch your pretty-boy face.”

“Eileen and Sloane will kill me.”

“Who cares! What do they have to do with this?” I snapped. “Out with it.”

“Let’s just say Eileen and I have been getting quite friendly. She’s friends with Sloane who is not the ice queen she pretends to be. I just overheard them talking and Sloane is helping Reese.”

“Sloane hates Reese.”

“They seem to have buried the hatchet. Sloane’s been staying at her father’s house, and Reese has been staying at her apartment in town.”