Blurring the Lines (Men of the Zodiac) (14 page)

Chapter Eighteen

“B
lake Whitman’s office.” Grabbing the message pad and a pen, Kira cradled the phone between her shoulder and ear and wondered for the millionth time why she didn’t leave the headset on her head.

“Something came across my desk, and I need you to not freak out, Kira.”

She dropped the pen as her intuition kicked in. “Something bad, Tish?”

“It might be best if you come here.”

She clicked open Blake’s calendar. He’d waved goodbye twenty minutes ago as he’d headed out to a site meeting with two analysts and the company’s top project manager. He wasn’t expected back for almost two hours, so she rushed to Tish’s office.

She knock
ed and opened the door, but paused when she saw the stricken look on her friend’s face.

“Why do I think I might not want to hear this?”
“Three of the six board members are still in favor of the shiny, new downtown. Looks like your boss hasn’t come through on your bargain. I wonder if he’s tried to change anyone’s mind.”

A pain gripped Kira’s chest, and she inhaled sharply. “What?”

Kira sank into a chair and stared out the window. Blake had promised to save her mom’s building. She’d slept with him. They’d just discussed trusting the process, and now that process might not work in her favor. She’d really believed him when he said she was different. That he wanted more.

She was delusional. He existed on a different playing field. He might keep her for short term and when he needed to release some pent-up tension, but his proposal to change their relationship from a casual affair to a commitment was as unachievable as a trip to the moon. Lying to her about the Bromwell was case in point that he couldn’t be trusted.

“Show me.”

Tish slid the proof across her desk, and she picked up the two pages and scanned them. The first was an email to accounting, detailing the cost analysis requirements for the two different architectural plans, including the price of the properties not already owned by Whitman-Madison. The second was from Keith to Blake confirming that every landowner located on the downtown bayside street had signed the city council’s preemptory sales agreement, including her father, Dominic Layton.

Kira held the printed emails in her hands. Tangible evidence the buildings would be bought and razed.

The papers slipped from her fingers and tears blurred her vision. Her friend hugged her and patted her back and told her they’d figure out something, but it was over. Everything was over. She’d been so dumb thinking working for Blake would keep her mother’s legacy safe. All along
,
he’d been working behind the scenes to finagle the purchase of the building anyway. Once her dad signed on the dotted line, there was no way to hold Whitman-Madison accountable to not demolish it.

“I’ve got to go,” she murmured. “I’ve got to—” Why the hell hadn’t she told her dad her plan? Begged him not to sign? Because she hadn’t expected Blake to go through with the acquisitions
.
He’d promised her that he’d try to sway the board. That he’d come up with viable options to keep the Bromwell. He accepted her foster dogs in the office. He’d adopted Honeybear. He’d slept with her and said he cared. How could someone like that have made such bald faced lies?

“How can I help you?”

“This is something I have to handle on my own. Thank you. I-I appreciate you sharing this with me.”

She plodded back to Blake’s office and entered and closed the door. After sinking into the space where Honeybear reclined, she crossed her legs and took the Shar Pei’s head in her lap
.
She stroked her and told her she wasn’t crying and that they’d survive this latest mistake.

She’d trusted Blake. Even fallen for him. He’d tricked her into his world, given her everything she thought she wanted, and in the end, he’d done exactly as she’d originally expected.

Honeybear closed her eyes and snuggled deeper into her lap. Kira didn’t know how long she stayed on Blake’s floor, but eventually the tears slowed and a numbness replaced her anger.

She didn’t have to go down without a fight. She could stick with her original plan. Take the matter to the city council. They still had the final say in the redevelopment plan. As her father had pointed out, after the council chose Whitman-Madison for the design team, the corporation had to approve plans to take the community redevelopment board and the city council before they could even begin.

Determined to carve out a new plan of attack, she thought back to all that she’d accomplished since working at Whitman-Madison. She’d been able to do more for the community and make monthly contributions to her favorite charities. She didn’t have to feel like she’d wasted the time she’d spent here.

Gently sliding out from under Honeybear, she stood and checked the time. Blake was due back any moment, and her face must be all blotchy from her temporary bout of hopelessness. After slipping out of his office, she made her way to the restroom and took her time calming herself.

When she returned to her desk, his head was bent over a thick binder. She tapped on the door and walked through before she lost her nerve. “Blake?”

He looked up and grinned at her. When he saw her face, his expression tempered. “Why the frown?”

Her hands were shaking, and she clasped them in front of her and tried to even out her breathing. “Is it true?”

“Is what true?”

She clenched her jaw and then said, “That half the board didn’t like the new plans for the downtown revitalization?”

His mouth opened and closed. His stunned but not surprised expression told her he was aware
.
“You always knew that was a possibility.”

That wasn’t the impression he’d given her. Not when she’d shared with him her excitement over a museum and pathways. The betrayal stung. “How could I have expected you to save an entire downtown? Why would you? But I thought…” She stared at his granite face and another thought struck her. “How long have you kept it from me?”

“Don’t pretend like you’re so innocent.”

Innocent?
What had she done? She blinked and bit her lip, wracked her brain for answers. Her hands shook with anger, and tears threatened to fall. No way would she cry in front of him. “I trusted you.”

His lips flattened into a thin line. “How did you even find out? It was classified information and there’s no way you should have had access to it.” Kira had expected an apology, some remorse, an explanation. Not the fury coarsening his voice. Before she could say anything he held up his hand. “Just as I suspected right along. I always wondered why someone with advanced degrees would pretend to be a dog walker. Would barge into my office and agree to become a secretary so readily. I didn’t want to believe you had any reason other than your mother’s building… If even
that
is the truth.”

“I had no—”

The angry downward slash of his arm cut her off. “You pretended you didn’t know how to use a phone. You brought in dogs, feigned interest in charities to hide the fact that you were here with an ulterior motive. I knew you weren’t interested in me for who I was, but what information you could steal from me.”

“Steal? How dare you!”

He narrowed his eyes and shook his head. “No wonder you were so eager to read through every file, to mislead me with your cute little pink sticky notes.”

Her fingers trembled and the air caught in her lungs. Was that what he thought of her?

When she didn’t respond, he flung more evidence at her. “I lost the strip mall to baseball fields. And the grocery store next to the library? That sweet deal turned sour.”

She paused and took a breath. Those had happened before she’d started working for him. She opened her mouth to defend herself but realized that wasn’t the point. “Why would you think those were because of me?”

“Because I can do research, too.” He stormed over to his desk and opened the top drawer. Then, he tossed the same email with the list of names she’d seen in Tish’s office. “Does the name Dominic Layton ring a bell?”

Her heart hung heavy in her chest, and she saw the futility in arguing with him. “My dad?”

“The consulting conglomerate.” He spat the words at her.

They’d already addressed her working for Layton Enterprises. “I don’t understand—”

“At any time, you could’ve clued me in to what I was up against.” He cut her off and rubbed his forehead.

He meant that she hadn’t made idle threats about stopping his company’s winning bid to city council. But her dad had signed. There was no reason for him to be upset. She was the one who’d been betrayed.

“I…” She couldn’t make sense of everything whirling in her brain. She stepped forward.

He stepped back. “Do you deny you misrepresented who you were?”

She was flabbergasted. He’d not only betrayed her, he’d turned his betrayal into her fabricated crime. She’d trusted him, yet he thought she was, what? Some sort of corporate spy? She held up a hand. “No. You know what? I don’t care. I never should’ve cared. I shouldn’t have trusted you. I don’t know what I was thinking. I quit.”

His eyes narrowed to a slit. “You can’t quit because I’m firing you. Pack your things up and go. Now. Before I have you brought up on charges.”

W
hen Tish entered the bedroom, Kira tried to act like she had everything under control, but the ache in her heart wouldn’t stop. They’d planned to have Friday night pizza with some other girls from the building, but she didn’t want to move from her bed. With quiet steps, her friend approached and sank onto the bed.

“What can I do to help?” she asked, lifting Teddy the Tea Cup Yorkie from the pillow. The puppy licked Tish’s face and then settled into her arms.

Kira shook her head without lifting it from her arm. “Nothing.”

“Did you really quit?”

“He…he fired me. He thought I was s-stealing information.” Why had he turned out to be such an asshat?

Tish’s eyes bugged out as Kira told her about Blake’s accusations. “That’s ridiculous. I’ll march into the office and—”

She clenched her teeth. “No. I don’t care what he thinks. I trusted him and he betrayed me.” It hurt to find out too late what Blake really thought of her. That he could so easily accuse her of stealing information from him because she wanted to thwart his business dealings
.

“Keith was super pissed. He wanted Blake to reason with you. He’ll be furious to find out how his brother reacted. Everyone knows how honest you are.”

“He’s the liar.” Kira rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling. “The only reason I took the job was to save the building on my own.” She grabbed Teddy and kissed the top of her head. “I grew up there. Ran around The Fresh Bean after school. I can’t let it go. It’s where—” She sniffled. “It’s where my mom died.”

“I know.” Tish rubbed the dog’s belly.

The familiar feeling of emptiness washed over her. Her entire life she’d tried to find where she fit in, how she mattered. She’d thought she’d finally found someone who understood her dichotomy. But she’d been wrong. “Part of me isn’t surprised. Why am I not surprised?”

“I don’t know. I’m surprised.”

Why had she expected him to hold up his end of the deal? Why hadn’t she taken preventative measures against the group sale of the street? It hurt that he’d responded to her accusations with his own baseless slurs. She’d wasted so much time. She could have used these past months to rally support for the building. Gathered interested parties to help her preserve the building as a local landmark. At the very least, told her father about her plans.

She shouldn’t have taken the easy way out with that job. She shouldn’t have been taken in by his gorgeous eyes and easy smile. She hated how much it cheapened what they’d shared to have Blake betray her. She’d really thought they might…what? She rolled off the bed and forced herself to follow Tish into the living room. Just sex. She and Blake had just sex. A quick fling and an angry goodbye. No need for her to make this more than it was.

Except she was pretty sure she hated him.

B
lake sat at a table outside The Fresh Bean and stared at his phone. It hadn’t taken long before Keith laid into him for what he’d said to Kira, especially after Tish called in tears and confessed to being the one who’d mentioned the confidential board negotiations. He shouldn’t have let his temper get the better of him, but after all Kira had done in the past to stymie his acquisitions, it was only natural to think the worst of her.

But he was wrong. She was guileless. She had a good heart. She fostered dogs. Tish confided she’d given up a high-powered career to do volunteer and pro bono work.

Yet, even as Blake acknowledged his accusations were hurtful, he hadn’t called her to explain that he was still working with the board to get them behind the new architectural plans. He’d wanted to, but she’d called him a liar.
A liar.
If she thought
he
was guilty of “lying by omission,” well, so was she.

After all they’d shared—hell, he’d adopted a dog with a heart condition, opened his pockets wider for all the charities close to her heart, even told her he wanted a closer relationship—she hadn’t trusted him enough to ask about his plans for the board meeting. She’d just railed at him, like he hadn’t cared enough to help her. Hadn’t cared enough to ask.

He’d always been truthful with her, hadn’t said anything about the building because he was convinced he’d win the day for her. Kira was the one who’d been less than open about her past.

So many times since she stormed out of his office, he’d wanted to go back in time and change how he’d reacted. But when he went to pick up the phone, he reminded himself that all that mattered to her were the dogs and the building. If he mattered, if she really cared, she wouldn’t have been so quick to quit.

So here he was, at her favorite coffee shop, in front of her mother’s building, still trying to make up his mind what to do…or say. Because whenever he thought about facing every day without Kira to greet in the morning and hold in his arms at night, he knew he was lost. Maybe she’d walk up, they’d find some way to brush it off through rational negotiation, and she could come back to his office. And his bed.