Free Spirit Page 10

  “I suppose it is. Mr Edwards dropped a bomb on me and I’m not sure I can deliver.”

  “It would be a great opportunity for you. Maybe another rung up the ladder.”

  “Edwards already said that. But there is an unknown factor in all of this.”

  “Dylan.”

  “Yeah, Dopey. She’s not going to behave. We both know that.”

  “Maybe a bribe is in order?”

  “What could she possibly want that I can give her?”

  “True. And it would kill you to know she has you over a barrel.”

  Jacey had hit the nail on the head. That troublemaker would never let her forget it.

  “Maybe the best way to approach Dylan is through Rhea.”

  Priory laughed. “We’re thinking of negotiating with ghosts. If you had said that to me a week ago, I would have sent you to a psychiatrist.” She looked longingly at Jacey. “What am I going to do, Jace?” Priory reached across the table. When Jacey hesitated, she drew her hand back.

  “Last week you wouldn’t have thought twice about the request. In fact, you would have relished it.”

  What are you afraid of? Priory thought. “Have I changed that much?”

  Jacey looked at the table, then back up to Priory’s eyes.

  “I suppose I have. When did that happen?”

  “Sometime between one and two in the afternoon yesterday, when I came in and saw you trying to sacrifice a chicken. Or the night before giving out candy on Halloween. Or stealing holy water from the local church. Take your pick.”

  “Oh. Yeah. There were a couple of lapses.”

  “Of course, there’s this morning’s indiscretion in your bed.”

  “That’s not a lapse.”

  “No?”

  “That’s a revelation. One I hope to repeat soon.”

  “Really?” Jacey’s lips turned upward. “Well, for now, you need to put on your game face.”

  “I apologize in advance.”

  “Accepted.” Jacey placed her hands in her lap. “How about you take a day or two to digest the CEO’s request and calm down. You’re not thinking straight right now.” Jacey placed her napkin on her plate and looked at her watch. “Now, it’s about time we were back at work.”

  “Oh, no, no, no. Revelation time, remember? We have this afternoon off.”

  “No can do, boss. It’s for your own good. I’m going back to work—”

  “And face the office alone? No way!” Priory reached into her wallet and drew out a credit card. She dropped it on top of the bill, smiling as the waiter took it away.

  “You have that meeting—”

  “Screw the meeting!”

  “What’s got into you?” Jacey’s eyebrows met in a knotted V.

  “I … I don’t know.” Priory leaned back in her chair and thought about it. She was certainly losing the plot. “Okay, maybe that was a little overboard.”

  “A little?” Jacey grinned at her. “More like you’re going down with the ship.”

  “It must be residual craziness from the weekend. I know what the gossip at work is like, and it can very easily overwhelm you.” She saw the slight flinch on Jacey’s face. “I’m not deaf. I know what they’re saying.”

  “We’re saying,” Jacey corrected.

  “From now on, I’ll be taking any comments from you as camouflage. But if you go back to that office today, they’re going to grill you.”

  “Maybe you shouldn’t have taken me to lunch.”

  “I don’t want to appear a complete monster. We both know I can’t write the weekend off as paid work. I had to repay you with something.”

  “Maybe you should have made it dinner.”

  “Oh, that would look good if we got caught. Lunch was safer and it was aboveboard. They can’t do too much with that information except say that I’m acting strangely. Just accept it as a thank you for giving up your weekend for me.” Priory stood. “Now, if you insist on going back to work I better collect my thoughts for this meeting.”

  “Okay, boss.” Jacey also stood and headed for the door.

  Priory watched Jacey’s back and thought about her next move. Her assistant was as skittish as a two-day-old foal. What options did she have? She nearly walked into Jacey, who had stopped on the sidewalk.

  “I’ll call you as soon as the meeting finishes. Can I … errr….” Suddenly Priory was at a loss for words. “How about dinner?”

  “Didn’t you just say getting caught would be trouble?”

  Priory smiled. At least she didn’t say no.

  “How about I pick up takeout and bring it over to your place?” She put on her best pleading face, one that she knew Jacey was a sucker for. Finally, Priory drew out her final card. “Please?”

  “Awww.” Jacey’s gaze dropped to the sidewalk, and Priory knew she had her when that same gaze rose to her face. It was that “damn you, you got me” look.

  “I’ll pick up some wine.” Priory watched her walk away. “Don’t work too hard!” she called. As if. She’d be lucky if she would remember any of the meeting she was about to attend.

  “Note to one’s self,” Priory muttered. “Buy a change of clothes.” It was one thing to sleep with Jacey; it was another to get caught in the same clothes the next day. “And a recorder.” If she was going to get through this, something should record the meetings she knew she’d forget.

  †

  Twenty minutes later Jacey arrived back at work. Before she even had a chance to slip her bag into the bottom drawer of her desk, Lisa approached. It was then she realized her friends were a nosy bunch.

  “Went out with the boss, huh?” Lisa drawled as she perched on the desk corner.

  “Yep.” Jacey made the effort to appear busy.

  “Well? Spill.”

  “Nothing to tell. We left. We ate. I’m back.”

  “And she’s not.”

  “She went directly to her meeting.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “It was a thank you for last weekend, all right? Nothing more.” She hadn’t meant the comment to come out as snippy as it did, but she wasn’t going to apologize. They had gotten a month’s worth of gossip out of her in one morning and she’d had enough.

  Lisa stood and gave her an outraged look. “Fine. If you don’t want to share….” She left the veiled threat hanging.

  Jacey relented. “Sorry, Lisa. I’m not hiding anything, honest. It was a long, strained weekend and we’re both really tired from carrying boxes up and down stairs for two days. I didn’t get paid for this, and we both knew that, so she offered to take me to lunch instead. I couldn’t refuse … in both cases.”

  “But she’s almost human today.”

  “Like I said, she’s exhausted and so am I. In fact, she’s given me a few hours off this afternoon to go home and get some sleep. Can’t complain about that.”

  “So, like, were you with her all weekend?”

  “I had to make two trips back to her apartment for more boxes.”

  “So you slept with her at night?” Lisa shuddered.

  “Of course not. I slept on the couch. What do you take me for?”

  “What’s going on?” Rachel joined the conversation.

  “Jacey slept with the buzzard,” Lisa announced happily.

  “No! You didn’t!” Rachel replied.

  “No, I didn’t. This is how it starts, Lisa. She slept in her bed upstairs and I slept on the sofa downstairs.” Despite her best efforts, Jacey knew the rumor was ready to wend its way through the office and, like Chinese whispers, the gossip would grow more outrageous with each re-telling. By the time the gossip returned to her, she was probably involved in an orgy with ten people, two blow-up dolls, and a donkey, with a video clip of the proceedings due out online in a day or two.

  Chapter Twelve

  Dylan hovered in Priory’s bedroom. She was bored.

  Lanie, you shouldn’t be in here.

  Come on, Rhee. Aren’t you the least bit curious? She won’t b
e back for ages.

  But it’s personal.

  So? Don’t you want to know who you’re living with? Maybe she’s—

  A serial killer?

  I’m sure she loves her oatmeal, but maybe she kills people for a living.

  Oy. Rhea despaired.

  I’m joking. I’m not that stupid.

  The jury was still out on that one. She’s a businesswoman, Lanie. She does business things.

  She must have a secret or two. Let’s see. Dylan stuck her head through the chest of drawers. Mmffff waft oogh.

  What?

  Dylan removed her head. Phew, it’s dark in there. Help me open this. With some effort they managed to pry open the drawer. Dylan looked inside. Things have sure changed since our day. She levitated a pair of panties. They were brief.

  Rhea moved to take a closer look. They don’t look comfortable. Why wear something like that if no one is going to see it?

  Maybe that’s the point. Make her feel sexy.

  Rhea peered into the drawer. No, this is sexy. She drew out an even briefer pair.

  Good grief! They’re not panties! Your ass would be hanging out!

  The diaphanous material left very little to the imagination, with sheer silk and lace. Rhea rotated it and studied the rear. Dylan was right; Priory’s ass would be showing for all the world to see. This particular piece of material was not for comfort. In fact, it looked downright torturous.

  I wonder if she has a suspender belt and stockings? Dylan made a move to investigate, letting the panties drop to the floor. She flicked her finger, sending clothes flying left and right. Nope, noth…. Hello, what do we have here?

  Rhea discarded the piece of silk and joined her at the drawer. What is that?

  I dunno, but I gotta look. Dylan drew it out into the light. It tumbled from her ghostly grasp and fell to the floor, jumping into life and skittering across the carpet. Dylan flew into the air, her head disappearing through the ceiling.

  Rhea flew up onto the bed, as if she had jumped backwards in fright. Make it stop! Rhea’s voice rose to a tight squeak.

  I dwuff kmmp hyr! Dylan hovered lower. I said, how am I supposed to stop it when I don’t know how I started it! The round tube inched its way across the carpet. It’s heading for the door! Dylan rushed over and closed it.

  Do something! Rhea was in full-fledged panic.

  Dylan poked at it, watching it as twisted with the pressure. It doesn’t bite.

  Priory’s going to kill us.

  Probably, Dylan said matter-of-factly. There’s no way we can get this thing under control and back into the drawer. Maybe if we leave it alone it’ll go to sleep.

  Rhea couldn’t take her eyes off the thing. It kept making a noise at her like a growling puppy, so she doubted she could make friends with it. What are you doing?

  It could go to sleep in the dark. Dylan nudged it until it disappeared under Priory’s bed. Out of sight and all that….

  †

  Priory left her meeting twenty minutes after Jacey finished work. She looked at the piece of paper with Jacey’s address and then at the corresponding number on the apartment door. With bottle in one hand, she knocked. A moment later it opened.

  “Hey!” she said brightly.

  “Hey,” Jacey replied quietly. Priory could see the hesitation in her eyes.

  “Can I come in, or are you planning to have dinner in the hallway?” Jacey moved aside and let her in. Priory looked around the apartment. “Nice place.”

  “Thanks.” Jacey grabbed her coat and hung it up.

  Priory could feel Jacey’s emotional walls rising. Maybe a drink would help. “Here.” She handed over the bottle in an effort to get the night underway.

  Without a word, Jacey turned and went into the kitchen. Priory heard the tinkle of glass. Atta girl. She may be able to salvage something of the night yet. After a long, silent minute, Jacey re-emerged with two glasses of wine. Priory accepted the glass and they stood awkwardly before she sat on the sofa while Jacey sought the safety of the lounge chair.

  “I’m not going to bite,” Priory said before taking a sip of the wine. She enjoyed the rich fruity taste, all the time watching Jacey over the rim of the glass.

  “I didn’t say you would,” Jacey murmured. She took a gulp from her glass and swallowed quickly.

  “Whoa! Slow down!” Jacey’s nervousness amused her. “Nothing’s going to happen that you don’t want to happen. I know it’s strange moving this relationship to another location—”

  “Relationship?”

  Priory looked at her drolly and Jacey reluctantly nodded.

  “This is all new, we both know that, but I’m afraid that what we have will disappear if this last weekend is all we have. I don’t know about you, but I want to explore further. I want to know you, Jacey Ryder. That’s not unreasonable, is it?”

  “No.” Jacey leaned back in her chair and sipped her wine.

  What was she thinking? Priory hoped it was about them and what could be. As long as she had a chance, she’d take it. “So, what’s for dinner?”

  A look of panic crossed Jacey’s face.

  “Okay.” Priory stood and wandered into the kitchen. She opened the refrigerator door and peered at the contents. Did she really want to spend her time watching Jacey cook? She closed the door and gazed at the outside. Numerous magnets adorned it, and she picked one. “Italian okay?” she called.

  A moment later, Jacey walked in, looking at her in confusion.

  “I’m not cooking.” She held up the magnet, then went in search of her cell. Moments later dinner had been taken care of and she could turn her attention to warming up Jacey. The woman was positively subzero.

  “Will you calm down!” Priory snapped. “Let’s sit down while we wait for dinner.” She parked her ass on the sofa and patted the cushion next to her, slightly miffed when Jacey sat at the other end. “Don’t you think it’s a little late for that?”

  “What?” Jacey looked at her with caught-in-the-headlight eyes.

  “Playing coy. I thought we’d moved past that.”

  “No, it’s just….”

  “This is on your home turf, so to speak?”

  “Yeah. The weekend was a bit … surreal.”

  That it was. Priory had acted like a complete idiot. Was it really fair to blame the ghosts? Damned right it was. “So.”

  “So,” Jacey repeated.

  “Tell me a bit about yourself.”

  “Me?” Jacey’s voice rose to a squeak.

  “No, I’m talking to the coffee table.” Priory hadn’t meant to sound so curt, but Jacey’s response to the situation grated on her last nerve.

  “I’m a local girl, born and raised.”

  “Okay.” That was a start. “Any brothers or sisters?”

  “Two brothers, both older with families of their own. One lives in Toronto, the other California.”

  “So Mom and Dad are empty-nesters?”

  “Yep, with their trusty Winnebago.” Jacey seemed to relax a little with the questions, so Priory inched her way across the sofa. “What about you?” Jacey countered.

  “Single child of a pair of sixties flower-child wannabes. Always on the move. I had a lousy time growing up. I was never in one spot long enough to make close friends.” Even now Priory felt the pain of her fractured childhood.

  “That sounds lonely.”

  “It was what it was. Mom homeschooled me for a while. When I was old enough to be self-sufficient, I settled down and spent a great deal of time catching up on my education. Mom and Dad still travel around the country. Wanderlust, I suppose.”

  “And Priory? Where did that come from?”

  “We’ve always had someone in the family with a religious name. My Aunt Cloisteria never forgave her mother for that one.”

  “Then you got off lightly.”

  “Sure did.” Priory was within touching distance and her hand rested on the top of the cushion. She marched her fingers over the fabric and gen
tly brushed Jacey’s shoulder. “You’ve been working for me for three years now. Why?” Did she really want to know the answer to the question? What if Jacey did it for other reasons than what she hoped for?

  “Why not? It’s a job.”

  “We both know I’m not the easiest person to work for.” That revelation had taken quite a while to swallow. Priory had hoped she was a fair boss, but she knew deep in her gut that she could be demanding. Volatile. Dismissive. She was disappointed with herself to think she was capable of such negative traits.

  “The pay was good.”

  “I’m sure it was, but some things are beyond price.” Priory took another sip of her wine. “I’m sorry for all the difficulties I caused you.”

  “That’s okay.”

  But Priory saw the glimpse of hurt in her eyes. “No, it’s not. I should have been more understanding. I thought at the time that it was necessary, but I knew it wasn’t right.”

  “Then why?”

  “Why?” Her behavior had been a knee-jerk reaction at the beginning of their interaction. Had she felt some attraction to Jacey and decided her work came first? “I don’t really know. It wasn’t that I didn’t like you—far from it.”

  “Ahh.” Jacey straightened up and looked at her with interest.

  “It was hard being an executive in this company, especially a woman. Any sign of weakness….” Priory hastily turned the conversation toward Jacey. “What about you?”

  “Me?” Jacey hesitated as she thought.

  She looked as confused as Priory felt. Maybe their mutual attraction had just needed something like the strange things they’d been through last weekend to be nudged into the light. Whatever the reason, Priory was happy with the outcome. Did Jacey feel the same? She thought so.

  Her doubt began to gnaw at her and she asked a question that could stop the romance in its tracks. “Do you want me to go?”

  “The meal hasn’t arrived yet.”

  That was promising, but she needed to hear the words. “No, does this relationship end now?”

  Jacey’s gaze melted. Could she see and hear the desperation in Priory’s voice? Or was she bracing for bad news? Either way, had the question garnered a response from her? Priory waited with bated breath. The time seemed interminable.