Brushing Off the Boss: A Half Moon Bay Novel (Entangled Bliss) Read online

  Jack held up his hand. “There’s no need to be so cranky.”

  Regret spiked through her chest. There was no need to take it out on Jack. He drove her crazy with his laid-back attitude, but he was too nice a guy to bear her temper. Way too nice for her peace of mind.

  “I’m sorry. I’ve been feeling sorry for myself and it’s time to get over it.” She swallowed and held his green-eyed gaze, trying to ignore the regret that was filling her. Just as well it had turned out the way it had, because she’d been sucked in by him. He’d almost gotten past her resolve of not investing emotionally in a relationship. Marietta and Arielle had turned up in the nick of time. It would have been a huge mistake.

  “I’ve got some news you might like. I’m selling my house, too. So if you’re still interested you can have first option on it. It’ll save me a lot of time before I head off.”

  This time she couldn’t help the tears that filled her eyes, and she brushed them away angrily before they could spill onto her cheeks.

  My job, my exhibition, and my cottage. And worst of all my sister. Sienna had lost so much in the last few days. She wasn’t even going to think about losing what might have been with Jack. She steeled herself and swallowed back her despair.

  “Now let’s order and get out of here as soon as we can. This was a bad idea.”

  …

  Jack felt like a total and absolute heel. His move to Carmel and his decision to keep the gallery—the gallery that he’d had nothing to do with since he’d bought it—had brought a lot of turmoil into Sienna’s life. He’d never been able to handle it when a woman cried. Arielle had picked that up mighty quick, and now Sienna was on the verge of tears. But she wasn’t ready to fall into his arms to be comforted—she had the hard shell back up and in place.

  The silence stretched uncomfortably as their meals were delivered; he ate without tasting anything. Finally, Sienna pushed her plate to the side and held his gaze.

  Her eyes were huge and touched by shadows on the fine, transparent skin beneath them. Her cheeks were lightly flushed and her full lips set in a straight line. A pang of sympathy shot through him, and his fingers itched to reach out and cup her face.

  “I’ve had enough. Can you pay the bill?” The legs of the chair scraped on the tiled floor with a loud squeak when Sienna pushed it back and rose gracefully to her feet. Her shoulders were stiff, and he sensed she was only just holding herself together.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow.” Sienna’s voice was soft and she avoided his gaze.

  “Wait for me. I’ll walk you back.” He kept his voice firm. “We need to talk some more.”

  Sienna ignored him and strode to the door, giving Giuseppe a wave in the kitchen as she hurried past. Jack pulled out his wallet and threw a hundred-dollar bill to the waitress. “Keep the change.” He pushed open the door and looked up the street. She must have run, because she was almost to the corner of the street where the gallery was.

  “Wait,” he called after her as he took off in a jog. Even without running shoes, she had the key to the front door in her hand by the time he caught up.

  “I asked you to wait for me.”

  “I heard you, and I didn’t want to.”

  Jack took her arm gently. “Sienna, listen to me. We’re going to sit down and talk this out.”

  “There is nothing to talk out, Jack”

  Jack ran his fingers through his hair. “I think there is.” He took the key from her and opened the door with one hand without letting her go with the other. Sienna tried to pull away as he gently led her through the gallery to the studio.

  “I’m not going to let you go, or you’ll take off.”

  She glared at him without speaking. They reached the sofa bed, and he sat her down on it before he let go of her arm. He stood in front of the sofa and crossed his arms.

  “I’ve changed my mind.” Jack waited for her to look at him after he spoke.

  She lifted her head. “About what?” Her face was closed, but at least she was listening to him.

  “About the gallery. About the studio.” He crouched down in front of her, and the whiff of perfume that reached him pulled him back two nights to when they’d been laughing together in this bed. Jack held her gaze with his. “I’ve watched you work here, and I know how well you do it. I’m going to contact Dad’s secretary and tell her to redo the contract and we’ll go ahead with the sale.”

  She gazed up at him. “You can’t do that. What about your commission?”

  He waved his hand and grinned. “I’ll sort something out. It’s not the end of the world if it’s a bit late.” Surprise shot through him as his words hung in the air. He realized it didn’t matter. Sienna’s happiness was more important than anything he had to prove to himself…or his father. Or had thought he did. Yeah, he had a deadline, and he wanted to show Dad he wasn’t a loser, but none of that mattered. Sienna’s happiness was more important to him. His priorities had switched and he hadn’t even been aware of it happening. Money wasn’t going to rule his life; if he lost this commission, there would be more.

  Her sharp floral perfume washed over him as her eyes lit up, and then her face closed again as she drew her lips together. “I don’t want it anymore.”

  “Sienna, do you know what you want?” As soon as the words left his lips he regretted them.

  Her mouth dropped open as she took a deep breath, and he couldn’t keep his eyes off her lips. “Yes, Jack. I do. But what I want, and what’s right for me, are not necessarily the same thing.”

  Goddamn, he couldn’t help himself. His arms seemed to go around her of their own accord and he crushed her against his chest. He dropped his chin to the top of her head as she leaned into him and relaxed. “I’m sorry I’ve made you so unhappy by coming to Carmel.”

  He felt her take another deep breath before she pulled away and tipped her head back. “It’s okay.” Her eyes held his steadily, and a flash of desire shot through him.

  “I made the wrong decision in the first place. You’ve just helped me move forward with the direction of my career and my life.”

  Jack shook his head slowly. “Has it got anything to do with Arielle?”

  Sienna stared at him for a moment longer before she reached up and patted his cheek in an almost motherly touch. “No, it hasn’t. You’re a good man, Jack. You’re very kind and thoughtful, but it’s too late. You’re not as casual and carefree as you try to make out you are.”

  She moved away from him and stood. “Now, I’m going home. I’ll see you tomorrow if you come into the gallery.”

  Jack rocked back on his heels and watched as she picked up her bag and pulled her car keys out. He didn’t follow when she let herself out of the back door. He waited till the throaty purr of her car reached him as she backed out of the parking space. At least it started.

  He stood and dropped onto the soft cushions and inhaled her floral perfume, which lingered in the air. The sofa bed was looking good. He couldn’t trust himself to stay away from Sienna if he followed her home.

  …

  Sienna walked into the cold, empty bedroom and threw her bag onto the bed. It landed with a soft thump and she crossed to the window. The moon was hidden behind heavy clouds and the night was dark. It suited her mood. Leaving Jack had been hard; when he’d held her, she’d enjoyed the comfort of his arms and tried to ignore the excitement that his touch caused. But the last few days had reinforced her conviction not to let anyone too close—not even Jack, though it was so very tempting to lean on him.

  Georgie had hit the nail on the head. “It’ll just complicate matters if you have to work for him,” she’d said. But neither of them had any idea that Sienna would fall for him.

  Admitting to herself that she was falling for him was in a strange way cathartic, and Sienna felt a bit happier. She turned away from the window and her gaze settled on her cell phone, which must have fallen to the floor when she threw her bag onto the bed. She groaned as she picked it up. She scrolled t
hough over twenty missed texts and calls from Georgie. All thoughts of Jack fled from her mind as her protective instinct kicked in.

  “Damn it. Marietta, if you’ve told her and broken your word, I’ll never forgive you.” Sienna muttered under her breath as she scrolled though message by message trying to see if Georgie knew the truth.

  She held the phone in her hand, took a deep breath and pressed speed dial for Georgie. She should have gone up to Nebbiton tonight and not given in to the temptation of being with Jack. She should have known that Marietta couldn’t be trusted. No one could.

  Georgie’s voice broke as soon as she answered the call. “No matter what she’s done, she can’t destroy our relationship. We’re still sisters.”

  “She did tell you.” Sienna fought back the dismay that flooded through her. “What about…have you seen Uncle…Renzo?” she asked. She was still having difficulty coming to terms with him being her father and not her uncle.

  “No, but Marietta said she told him she was going to tell both of us.”

  “She promised me she wouldn’t tell you. I wanted to tell you.”

  “You don’t always have to be the strong one, you know. I’m not as weak as you seem to think.”

  Sienna put her hand up to her eyes. They seemed to ache constantly these past few days. “I’m sorry. I just wanted to be there when you found out. After all”—she tried to inject some mirth into her voice to lighten the mood—“I am the oldest.”

  “You are. But I’m okay. It makes sense, doesn’t it?”

  Sienna wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “Yes, it does.”

  “Are you coming up to see Uncle Renzo?”

  “No, and I’m not going to call. I’ll see him at Faith’s party.”

  “Love ya, sis. Remember I worry about you, too. You don’t have to do all the worry for both of us.”

  They ended the call and Sienna stared out at the lake. No matter what Georgie thought, she didn’t feel very strong at the moment. It was time to find that strength again and get on with her life. How could things have changed so much since their birthdays such a short time ago?

  The rest of the week passed quickly. Sienna avoided Jack on the odd occasion he came into the gallery. Luckily the gallery was busy, and she’d been with customers each time he walked in. He must have been staying in the studio because there was no sign of him at the house each night.

  Sienna started to clear out the studio, and she packed up the frogs and took them home. Her car hadn’t let her down, and she decided it was a glitch she’d ignore. Hopefully it was all right, because she couldn’t afford to get it fixed.

  The gallery was quiet this morning, and there had been no sign of Jack since yesterday. She stared at the display on the shelves in front of her, flicking a duster without really seeing what was in front of her. A couple more days in the gallery, and then Faith’s party to get through and then she could leave Jack behind. Maybe things weren’t going to be too bad

  But as much as she tried, she couldn’t put Jack out of her thoughts. The worst part about the week had been his absence. Even though it had been only a few days since she’d told him she was leaving, she’d seen him only from a distance and she missed him around the gallery and the house. He was obviously avoiding her, and that was something she was going to have to get over. She’d booked her flight to Milwaukee the night of Faith’s party and she wondered if Jack had found someone to look after the place. He couldn’t shut it, no matter what he said. That would be bad for business. She typed him an email asking if he had found her replacement. It was safer than talking to him.

  A reluctant smile tugged at her lips. But would he check it?

  Chapter Seventeen

  Sienna leaned closer to the mirror and drew a perfect circle on each cheek before filling it in with bright pink lip gloss. Being an artist and having a steady hand helped with getting into costume. Hopefully, she’d remember to keep her hands away from her face while she was driving up to Nebbiton. She’d figured it was easier to get dressed in the fairy costume and wear it, and carry a change of clothes for the plane in the backpack she packed for the trip to Milwaukee. She was catching the red-eye from San Francisco tonight and had already asked Georgie to take her to the airport.

  Smoothing down the stiff tulle of the short skirt, she pirouetted and grinned at herself in the mirror. She could just see little Faith clapping her hands when the three fairies arrived in costume for her party. The low throb of a motorcycle engine caught her attention and her hands stilled on the skirt of the costume; her heart sped up. She tried to tamp down the excited anticipation that curled in her stomach. Jack hadn’t been there when she’d left the gallery yesterday with one long, last look at what might have been. Harder than leaving the gallery was the knowledge that she was leaving him behind.

  I wonder why he’s here? She waited for him to come through the house. She hoped he still felt comfortable enough to come in. A couple of taps at the front door sounded rather than the expected turn of a key she waited for.

  Holding her breath, and with her hands clenched together in front of her, she took one last look in the mirror before she crossed the hall to open the door.

  At least the fairy clothes might lighten the situation.

  “Wow, a fairy princess.”

  Sienna held the sides of the tulle skirt and dropped into a little curtsy. Jack’s face lit up in a wide grin and a pleasant shiver trembled down her back. If anything, he was more tanned and relaxed than he’d been earlier in the week when he’d last been in the gallery. It was impossible to upset the man. He was always so damned happy.

  “That’s me. What can I do for you, Jack?”

  “I’m on my way to the birthday party, but my Prince Charming costume is here.”

  She stepped back to let him inside.

  “I was going to get in my costume when I got there. Maybe I should get changed here?”

  A little devil poked her as she thought of Jack riding up the highway as Prince Charming. “Definitely. Ana made it quite clear on the invitation that we all arrive in costume.”

  “Hmm. I’m going to look ridiculous riding on Highway 1.” His nonchalant grin sent a tremble down her back.

  “You are.” Sienna looked up at him. She felt so much better now that he’d stopped by, and she could tell him that she wasn’t coming back. It was cowardly to just leave. “I’m going straight to the airport after the party.”

  “Okay. A vacation will do you a lot of good. ” He grinned and her heart started at triple time as the sexy crinkles around his eyes deepened.

  “Why didn’t you use your key?” She followed him down the hall. “You didn’t have to knock.”

  “I thought it was more polite.”

  “Have you been sleeping in the studio?” If he had, he’d been gone every morning when she’d got there.

  “No, I’ve been staying at a hotel.”

  Guilt ran though her and she frowned. “You didn’t have to do that.”

  “No problem. Now that you’ve finished up, I’ll stay in the studio.” He stared at her. “You know yourself how convenient it is to work and sleep there.”

  “Yes, I do.” Heat filled her cheeks as she thought of the last time she’d spent the night there. “It’s a great space. It’s got everything you could need.”

  The last couple of days had passed in a blur, but the time she’d spent finalizing the bookings and the accounts had been hard, especially not knowing where she was going to go after she left here. Every time the phone had rung about her canceled exhibition, Sienna’s confusion deepened and she was almost—only almost—beginning to regret her quick decision to leave.. Once she went to Milwaukee and visited her mother’s grave, she was going to find closure and think about her future.

  “Sienna?” Jack’s voice interrupted her thoughts. “I’ve parked behind your car. Can you wait till I get changed?”

  “Sure, I still have to pack the cakes up.”

  Jack disappear
ed into the apartment. “I’ll be quick.”

  Sienna went to the kitchen and transferred the fairy cakes from the fridge to a large container. She hummed a nursery rhyme as she worked; Mitzi and Thelma would be proud of her—a domestic goddess and cook she was not. She stepped back and surveyed her creation. As much detailed work had gone into decorating each cake as she put into her sculptures. Each cake was topped with a couple of little fairy-tale characters in a profusion of bright primary colors.

  “They’re not for eating, are they?” Jack must have been standing close behind her, because she could feel his breath on her neck. “They’re fantastic. Make sure you get a photo of them.”

  Sienna stepped sideways away from the warmth of his arm when he pointed to the cakes. She walked around to the other side of the table and reached for the lid of the container before leaning across and snapping it shut. “Will you carry…oh my goodness!”

  Her hand flew to her mouth to stifle the giggle that threatened to spill over.

  With his sun-lightened hair and his tanned face, not to mention the skintight costume, Jack made a stunning Prince Charming.

  “You like?” He grinned and dropped into a bow. Hot–pink tights encased his long muscular thighs, and a deep green slim-line satin top was tucked into the waistband of his tights

  “You look like the guy in Shrek.” She stumbled over the words when heat reached her cheeks; she was grateful for the pink makeup.

  “Which one? Not the Mommy’s boy one?”

  She let the giggle spill out. “Yes, that one. I think that’s the costume they’ve sold you.”

  “But is it okay?”

  “Yes, I love it.” She lifted her gaze to meet his as her giggle broke into a laugh. “You’re not really going to ride your bike like that?” She looked down at the heavy motorcycle boots he held in one hand. “I guess you are.”