Saved by the Bride (9 page)

Annika didn’t want to publically admit to not being able to pay
her cell phone bill but she didn’t have to as Nicole rushed on.

“Never mind, I’ve found you now. Guess what? I’ve got two
brides who want to talk to you about invitations.”

Annika frowned trying to think who it could possibly be. “But
no one’s got engaged since Thea and Jason.”

Nicole squealed with excitement. “That’s the thing. Two women
called today after seeing us on TV and they’re seriously considering getting
married in Whitetail. They’re driving up to visit on Wednesday and they want to
meet with everyone to get quotes.”

Mrs. Norell beamed. “See, Anni, we
do
have a new business so you don’t have to worry. Now you can work
for Mr. Callahan and help him, as well as doing your invitations.”

Annika rested her head in her hands for a moment and silently
counted to ten. When she looked up she spoke slowly and calmly. “That’s great
news. It really is but two wedding inquiries don’t make a business. They’re
inquiries and they might lead nowhere. Let’s be realistic here. You don’t have a
website or a brochure outlining what is on offer. You don’t have a central
person to pull everything together and you don’t even have a place where brides
can come to discuss their ideas.”

“The town can have the use of the warehouses rent-free, until
they sell.”

All heads snapped to Finn.

“Really?” Melissa checked. “What about utility costs?”

“I’ll pay for lighting and normal use but if you start using
more than just basic office equipment we’ll discuss that.”

Annika groaned. As much as she liked the idea of a wedding
business, it wasn’t a remotely practical solution to Whitetail’s employment
needs. Even if it did start to take off, it would be slow to build and probably
only generate income for a select few. The town needed so much more and quickly.
It was hard being the only person who could see the big picture because it made
her sound like a pessimistic naysayer, but they’d asked her to be mayor to guide
them through this crisis so it was up to her to lead them. How was she going to
tell them that a warehouse was hardly a romantic place for brides to come and
discuss their fairy-tale wedding?

She took a long look at Finn who suddenly seemed almost too
relaxed as he leaned back in the booth drinking a soda. She wished she knew what
was going on behind those dark, enigmatic eyes. Why his sudden largesse with the
warehouses? Why the unexpected surge of generosity? She hadn’t been able to get
anything out of him and now he was offering something, but it did little service
to the town. Tilting her head, she signaled frantically with her eyes and then
slightly tapped his shin under the table for good measure, hoping he’d get the
message and retract his offer.

He didn’t. Instead, he smiled at her before addressing the
crowd. “As Annika pointed out to me earlier, the warehouses are of no value to
anyone empty. Letting you use them until they sell is the least I can do for
Whitetail. I’ll throw in some IT equipment too, if you want it. We’ve recently
upgraded the Chicago offices so there’s some going spare.” He pulled out two
business cards and gave one to Nicole and the other to Melissa.

Nicole smiled and her face lit up again for the second time in
a week. “You’ve been incredibly helpful, Finn. We’ll be in touch.”

“Best go through whoever’s my P.A. She’ll be handling it all.”
His gaze swung to Annika as his foot connected lightly with her shin.

Now he was the one doing the warning off. Under normal
circumstances it wouldn’t have even been necessary. Sure, she needed the money.
She badly needed the money but not even possible eviction would have been enough
to propel her into the job of being Finn Callahan’s P.A. But nothing about this
situation was normal. As mayor, the town depended on her and she in turn had to
protect the people of Whitetail. She needed to keep a very close eye on things
from a business perspective and there was only one way to do that. Even if it
meant risking her sanity.

She raised her hand and her voice. “You can go through me. I’m
his new P.A.”

Finn’s jaw tensed and his eyebrows hit his hairline, but it was
the flash of fire in his dark, dark eyes—fire which flared for a moment before
quickly being doused by stony resignation—that sent butterflies somersaulting in
her stomach. It was going to be a very long summer.

* * *

It was Monday morning and Annika tried to listen as Finn
paced across the office. His wide mouth and tempting lips that had featured in
more than just one dream, moved continuously as he outlined her job in crisp and
precise detail. She’d expected a grilling from him on why she’d taken the job
but from the moment he’d stepped through the doorway, he’d treated her like she
was any ordinary employee and had immediately launched into orientation. They
could have been in Chicago and the only nod to the fact they weren’t was his
clothing.

Gone was the more formal business shirt of yesterday. Today he
wore an apple-green short-sleeved shirt which sat square on his broad shoulders
and had the unsettling effect of making his eyes far more chocolate-noir than
inky black.

She shifted in her seat and crossed her legs. Watching those
eyes and that mouth was far too distracting on so many levels that she didn’t
dare count. Instead she moved her gaze around, trying to pin it to a wall or the
blinking light on the fax/scanner/printer/copier, but it kept flitting between
Finn and the lake. The house was built on a point and this afforded almost every
room a view, including the office. Today the summer sunshine shimmered against
the blue water which sparkled and danced like a shower of silver glitter. The
recreational sounds of vacationers drifted on the air—the distant buzz of
motorboats, the delighted squeals of children splashing in the water and the
thwack of balls as they hit the strings of tennis racquets. Every part of her
wanted to be outside and she wondered how any work ever got done in this light
and airy room.

Finn didn’t appear to notice the blue-blue sky, the vivid green
of the trees, the silvery glistening lake or even her. Nothing it seemed could
distract him from work, which was probably why he had millions of dollars in the
bank and she had less than nothing.

Just
start
the
final
painting
for
the
gallery
exhibition
you
agreed
to
and
earn
some
money
that
way
.

The thought had her ducking for cover.
No
time
.
The
town
needs
me
and
that
means
working
here
.

Finn rubbed the back of his neck. “I usually use an agency to
hire temporary staff so I’ll have to ask someone in payroll to organize a
contract for you and get your social security details and all that stuff. Payday
is the end of the month.”

Money
. That snapped her attention
back on task. She checked the desk calendar—there was far too much of the month
left and too little money to cross the gap between now and payday. She tucked
her hair behind her ears and tried to sound casual. “That sounds like a lot of
trouble for such a short period of time. I mean, it’s not like I’m getting any
benefits so why not make it easier and just pay me cash?”

He stopped pacing, turned his head and just like a marksman, he
held her in his sights with those delicious cocoa eyes.

Her heart leaped and her breasts strained against her bra. She
quickly crossed her arms, desperate to hide any telltale signs that her body
craved him with an intensity so strong it strayed way beyond the boundaries of
common sense. So far from the boundaries that it scared her more than she cared
to admit. Arguing with him was a lot safer. That and the fact it would distract
him from getting to the truth that she was stone broke.
No
one
needed to know that. She didn’t need pity or a
lecture; she got enough of both from her brother.

He cocked one eyebrow. “Avoiding the IRS, are we?”

She tossed her head. “You’re really determined to think the
worst of me in every situation, aren’t you?”

His palms flattened against the side of the desk but his mouth
twitched at the corners. “If the boot fits.”

She swung her sandal-clad feet up onto the desk as if giving
him the bird. “Oh yeah, I’m up there with the top criminal masterminds of the
twenty-first century.”

His eyes stalled on her brightly painted toes and his voice
rumbled lower than ever. “I’ve met the rest of the masterminds and they’re far
more coordinated than you.”

Suddenly it felt a lot more like flirting than disagreeing.
Planning to put her legs back on the floor and act more like the P.A. she now
was, she abruptly moved her legs and immediately felt the wheels of the office
chair skate out from under her. “Ohh!”

Her bottom slid forward until her spine sat flat against the
chair and she hung precariously between the chair and the desk, her arms not
long enough to reach the wooden top to save herself from falling.

Rich, vibrant laughter erupted around her before strong arms
rescued her, helping her rise to her feet. Finn grinned down at her. “I rest my
case.”

“My klutz-like tendencies are just part of my cover with the
masterminds.” She brushed her Capri pants free of imaginary lint to hide the
fact she was a trembling mess just from seeing him smile and having his warm
hands on her arms. She voiced the unspoken elephant in the room. “I’m surprised
you’re even letting me work for you.”

He leaned forward, his breath tickling her cheek and his voice
deep and low. “I like to keep my enemies close.”

A wave of heat dumped over her so fast it stole her breath and
the tingling aftershocks made her head spin. His lips hovered so close it would
only take a small move to the right and a slight tilt of her chin and her lips
would be brushing his. Tasting him again, feeling her body come to life under
his touch as he infused her with—

Stop
it
.
This
is
so
not
a
good
idea
.
At
the
very
least
he’s
your
boss
and
if
Ryan
taught
you
anything
it
was
never
mix
business
and
pleasure
.
Ever
.
Again
.

She stepped back, desperately needing the distance, and she
walked over to the windows. “Only we both know I’m not your enemy because you
ran a police check on me. Trust is a big issue for you isn’t it?”

He shrugged, the businessman back in action. “It’s standard
business procedure. AKP can’t afford anyone selling secrets.”

Surprise lit through her. “Does that really happen?”

“It can. We’re in an enviable market position at the moment but
business is fluid and it can change in a heartbeat. Which reminds me—you need to
sign a confidentiality clause stating that everything you see, hear or read
while in my employ stays here. Will that be a problem?”

She shook her head. Keeping secrets wasn’t a problem for her;
she kept plenty of her own. “Not at all. So we’re agreed. I keep your
information safe and you pay me cash every Friday. Deal?”

Finn watched Annika wind the ends of her hair around her
fingers and the memory of those silken strands caressing his palms four days ago
had him curling his fingers into a tight ball, trying to crush the simmering
desire that refused to leave him. Damn it but he’d almost kissed her again a
moment ago and that was after the grand total of twenty-five minutes of working
together.

He still couldn’t believe she’d accepted the job and he’d
decided not to ask her straight up why she had. No, he’d wait and see what
panned out because if he’d learned one thing over the last few days it was that
she
always
had a reason for her actions no matter
how crazy. And he’d been right—a hint at the reason hadn’t taken long to emerge.
He didn’t care how she got paid but he found it interesting that she was so
insistent on cash. “Is money why you took this job?”

“As everyone explained, I’m the best person for this job.” She
gave him a beaming smile. “You really do ask a lot of questions but it’s my turn
now.” She flicked open his diary. “I’m going to make an appointment for you to
meet with Ellery tomorrow to discuss the sale of the warehouses, and speaking of
warehouses,
why
did you offer the town their
use?”

He did a double take at her irritated tone. “Hang on a minute.
You’ve harangued me long and hard about not using them and not providing
employment for the town so why am I suddenly the bad guy for offering them
rent-free?”

Her eyes flashed silvery blue daggers, in sharp contrast to the
smoky hue that had almost made him kiss her a few moments ago. “I get that
everyone is excited about the wedding idea, but, try as I might, I really can’t
see it being the financial savior of the town.”

“Some of the most successful companies have started out as
ideas most people swore would never work out.”

Her forehead creased in deep furrows. “Yes, and a million more
have failed. This wedding plan would be okay if it was
one
person starting out and risking all, but the entire town is
pinning its hopes on it. I’m really worried it will fail and cause them even
more heartache. Whitetail can’t afford that, not financially or emotionally, and
as acting mayor I have an obligation to protect the citizens.”