eyes opened wide. “You can’t come over here.”
“Why not?”
“Because…because, you’re now my boss.”
“It’s not a date, Anna, I just want to make sure you’re okay. A good leader makes sure his people are in fighting shape.”
“So are we fighting?” she asked, confused for a moment. She really wanted to slip back down and go back to sleep.
“No. I’m just bringing soup.”
“I’ll be fine. I don’t want to be entertaining guests.”
“You won’t be entertaining me, you’ll be eating the soup from the deli. You still like vegetable and beef?”
“You know it’s my favorite.” She cringed as soon as the words left her mouth. She was not trying to reinforce the relationship they had at one time. Anna held her breath waiting for his response.
He merely said, “I’ll be there within a half hour.”
Hanging up the phone, she gingerly got out of bed and went to use the bathroom. Then she brushed her hair, rinsed her mouth with mouthwash and tried to see if she looked better for having slept half the evening away.
She checked the living room to make sure it looked presentable and then continued into the kitchen to heat water for tea. Her fleece robe and fuzzy slippers kept her warm. She could hear the rain still falling outside. The thick robe was not the kind of attire she would have worn had Tanner been coming over for any other reason. That alone should clearly emphasize to him that she no longer considered them a couple. Not that he would think so. But she didn’t want any wrong impressions from this visit!
Still, she checked that she had on some lipgloss before he arrived. No point in looking as bad as she felt.
When the doorbell rang a short time later, she tried to calm her nerves as she went to open the door. Raindrops glistened in his hair and on the shoulders of his jacket. Tanner carried a large bag with the deli’s logo. The aroma of the hot soup immediately had her mouth watering. She took in a deep breath. Suddenly she was ravenous. She held out her hand for the bag.
“Thank you,” she said.
He pushed past her and walked into the apartment as if he had every right to be there. He had visited several times when they dated so he knew his way around. Without hesitation he headed for the kitchen. Anna followed him reluctantly. She paused in the doorway and watched as he swiftly poured the hot soup into a bowl and found a spoon. She gave up and went to sit at the table.
“Eat up,” he said a moment later, placing the bowl in front of her.
Anna took a taste. It was wonderful. Tanner waited until she began to eat, then rummaged around in the bag and withdrew some hot rolls. He took a plate down and put them beside her, along with a handful of wrapped butter pats.
Anna looked at him. “Did you eat?”
He nodded. Leaning his shoulder against the archway he watched her.
She became flustered. Glancing at him, she frowned. “Could you stop staring at me?”
He pushed away from the wall and came to sit beside her. Reaching out, he took one of the rolls, broke it open and buttered it.
Mitzie came in from the bedroom. She walked toward Tanner, her tail high.
“Hey, girl,” he said, noticing the cat. She showed no hesitation in coming over and rubbing herself against his ankles. He leaned over and scratched her back. The loud purr indicated her delight.
“I wanted to explain about us,” he said, still leaning over a little. He glanced at Anna.
She continued to eat. “It’s not necessary. I figured it out today when I saw you’re the new CEO. I have my own rules against dating fellow employees. You might have mentioned the reason at the time, however.” She wouldn’t tell him how hurt she’d been, how confused. She’d taken weeks to get over him. For one haunting moment that morning she feared she wasn’t over him. But she knew there was nothing to do but go on.
Her focus now was totally on relocating to Brussels. The brief affair they’d enjoyed was relegated to bittersweet memories. The story of her life.
“There was a lot of secrecy around the transition,” he said. “Both at the company I was leaving as well as at Drysdale Electronics.”
“I know how to keep my mouth closed about secrets,” she said stiffly.
“It wasn’t my secret to keep,” he said. “But I wanted to make sure you knew that it wasn’t because I didn’t enjoy being with you.”
Anna felt a little spurt of happiness in his words. She had wondered at the time if he had just tired of her. Or if that one night that had been so magical to her—hadn’t be so special for him. She’d been totally swept away by the love they’d shared. Had he not stopped calling her, would she have convinced herself things could be different this time? Maybe she could find a man to love, who would love her.
She frowned at her wayward thoughts and concentrated on eating. The soup was delicious and so far she didn’t feel queasy.
“Thank you for clearing up the situation,” she said.
He laughed. “I’ve missed that about you, the innate politeness. What have you been up to lately?” He settled back in his chair, watching her eat. Mitzie strolled over to the sofa and leaped up, soon settled with paws beneath her.
Anna looked at him suspiciously as she reached for a roll. Taking her time to butter it slowly, she glanced at him again. “Pretty much the same as I did before I met you. I go work, I go to the gym. Occasionally I hang out with friends. I don’t see you at the gym anymore.”
“Once I knew you worked at Drysdale, I stopped going. I’ll be starting up again now. Membership is part of my compensation package.” He waited a beat, then said, “No special man?”
She almost responded but thought about it for a moment, shaking her head. “That’s really not any of your business at this point is it?” she asked. It sounded better than the truth, that she hadn’t even thought about seeing another man after him.
“Ouch,” he said with a grimace. “No, it’s not, but I’m curious.”
She shrugged. “Thank you for bringing the soup. I’m feeling much better for eating it.” He’d delivered the soup, seen that she ate it. Would he leave now? She wasn’t sure she wanted him to, but his staying would only lead her to regret the way things were.
“You still see the doctor tomorrow?” he asked.
“Yes, boss.”
Tanner rose and leaned over Anna, resting one hand on the back of her chair and one on the table.
“Don’t come into work until you’re completely well. Call and tell me what the doctor says.”
Feeling trapped, she glared up at him. “Don’t get so close, you could get the flu.”
“I’ll
