The Hardest Fight. Amy Vastine

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       CHAPTER FIVE

      LUCY HAD NEVER met a checkbook she couldn’t balance. She might not have gone to school for accounting, but she had good number sense. The files Nora had given her were filled with a lot of numbers—numbers that were not adding up. Of course, the incessant hammering going on in the main office was not helping her concentration.

      Paige was too smart to fall for Dylan’s manipulation, so why was she being naive about his true intentions? He was so transparent, it was pathetic. He had to know no one was going to believe he was doing anything for Open Arms out of the goodness of his heart. He wanted their house. He also wanted to drive Lucy crazy.

      She covered her ears and shut her tired eyes. It sounded as if an entire construction crew was out in the reception area. The banging and drilling and sawing were creating a sensory overload. If she had wanted to listen to this racket all day, she would have gone to work for her dad’s construction company.

      Pushing back her new chair from her desk, she practically flew the three steps to the door and yanked it open. She wasn’t expecting to come face-to-chest with Dylan. His navy blue T-shirt was pulled tight across said chest, the muscles clearly defined under the cotton. His arms were raised up over his head and his focus was on something above her door.

      The urge to wrap her arms around his waist and press her cheek against him nearly knocked her off her feet. Shocked by the impulse, Lucy stepped back and cleared her throat. There would be no comfort found in Dylan’s arms ever again.

      He lowered his chin and leveled his gaze with hers. “Sorry, are we too loud out here? The noise is bugging you, isn’t it?”

      She refused to let him know he was right. “No, you’re just in my way.”

      Dylan took notice of the fact that he was blocking her path. He sighed and stepped aside. “Of course.”

      Lucy slid past him and she made her way into Paige’s office, closing the door so their new handyman couldn’t overhear.

      “How can you work with your door open?”

      “Did you see how quickly they got that hole patched up?” Paige was grinning from ear to ear as she leaned forward. “Eugene offered to give the whole place a fresh coat of paint. I’m thinking we should add a little color to this place. Maybe do everything in yellows and grays. That’s in right now. What do you think?”

      “What are you talking about?” Lucy felt as if she had stepped into another dimension. “Who’s Eugene?”

      “Dylan’s friend. The guy helping him with the repairs.” Apparently, they were all on a first-name basis now.

      Lucy hadn’t noticed anyone else once she got past Dylan and his too-tight T-shirt. “I came in because it’s supposed to be quiet here on Saturdays. I can’t get anything done with all this noise. Do you want to get some lunch with me before I head home?”

      Paige sank back in her fancy leather chair. “Are you really going to make me get up?” She closed her eyes and swiveled the chair from side to side, something she could never do with her old one. “I love this office furniture. Have I mentioned that?”

      “Only a hundred times. It’s not annoying or anything. Oh, wait. Yes, it is. It’s very annoying.”

      Paige opened one eye and then the other. “I’m not falling for anyone’s tricks if that’s what you think. There is no reason not to enjoy the gifts we are being given.”

      “He’s making you like him,” Lucy argued. “If the board is swayed to sell, you’re going to feel like you owe it to him to sell to his client because he’s been so nice to you.”

      “If the board votes to sell, why shouldn’t we sell to his client? What’s your deal with this guy? Give me a reason not to like him.”

      The real reason would only lead to more questions that Lucy didn’t want to answer. “Just trust me on this one. Please.”

      Paige narrowed her eyes as if trying to read Lucy’s mind. Seemingly giving up, she sighed. “Fine, but one of these days I’m getting the whole story. I’ll bring the wine, you’ll bring the details.”

      Not even Lucy’s sisters knew the details. Dylan was an off-limits topic even with those closest to her. Opening those wounds any further could only result in disaster. Lucy wasn’t going there—ever.

      The pounding of a hammer brought Lucy out of her head. She stood up and motioned toward the reception area. “Can we please go get some lunch before I take all of their tools away and throw them out the window?”

      Paige laughed and pulled herself up and out of her chair. “Can I like Eugene? He has nothing to do with Prime Developments and he wants to paint this place for free. Did I mention that he offered to do that?”

      “You did. And I don’t care who you like as long as it’s not—” Lucy opened the door and was once again greeted by Dylan’s blue shirt. Her eyes found his. “Why are you always in my way?”

      “I was just coming to tell Paige that we’re breaking for lunch.”

      “We were heading to lunch, too.” Paige nudged Lucy aside. “Do you and Eugene want to join us?”

      Had she completely forgotten everything they were just talking about? Lucy was going to lunch to get away from Dylan, not to socialize with him. “We’re going to City Vegan. That’s not really Dylan’s style.”

      “We could go somewhere else,” Paige suggested.

      “No, don’t change your plans for us.” Dylan backed away from the door. Lucy’s shoulders relaxed until he added, “We’ll go to the vegan place.”

      “Since when do you eat vegan food?” she asked, frustrated by his air of nonchalance around her. If he had really cared about her five years ago, he should find it as hard to be around her as it was СКАЧАТЬ