“I think you and your sister could learn a lesson in sharing,” Elizabeth Adams said from the opposite head of the table from her husband. “I recall Kayla had the same problem working with Ethan.”
Byron huffed from his side of the table. “That wasn’t the same thing.” Although he and his son-in-law had come to a truce over the past few months, Byron had not forgotten how Ethan became a member of the family. His hostile takeover of Adams Cosmetics had nearly caused a rift in their tight-knit family. It was only when Byron realized Ethan truly loved his daughter Kayla that peace had come. It hadn’t hurt either that Ethan had given Kayla back enough shares to make them equal partners in Adams Cosmetics.
“You’re right, it wasn’t the same thing, but the outcome can be. Ethan and Kayla are working great together at the helm of A.C. And you, Shane, could learn a lesson in humility. You can’t do it all,” Elizabeth said.
“I know that, Mom.” Shane sighed wearily. For some reason, she could always get through to him. “I recognize that I’ve been working a lot of overtime, but you know as well as I do that’s who I am. I’m driven to make sure we get Adams Cosmetics out of the slump.”
“And you will,” Elizabeth stated emphatically, reaching over the table and squeezing her son’s hand. “We’re just giving you some help.”
“I just wish it wasn’t Gabrielle Burton.”
“Perhaps she’s changed,” Courtney offered.
Shane thought back to the bossy diva with the pencil in her perfectly coiffed updo, two-piece cardigan set and trousers leaning over his chemistry table. He doubted she’d changed at all.
* * *
Butterflies were jumping up and down in Gabrielle’s stomach as she waited in the hall to meet with Ethan Graham, his wife, Kayla, and Shane Adams on Friday morning. Although Ethan had pretty much guaranteed her the job, she was nervous about Shane having the final sign-off.
It didn’t help that she was operating on very little sleep. She’d flown in the day before and arrived in the evening. Once she’d made it to her hotel room, she was wide awake because she was still on Paris time. Gabrielle could only hope that the smug, self-entitled playboy she once knew had mellowed as the years had gone by.
* * *
Shane sat at the head of the conference-room table, waiting for Gabrielle Burton’s arrival. His head was bent as he gave her resume one more cursory review, when a pair of shapely caramel legs came into his view.
Slowly, his eyes made their way from the legs to the sensible gray knee-length skirt and matching long-sleeve jacket with a lavender scarf tied around her neck. What she was wearing was perfectly suitable for an interview, but heaven forbid the woman actually show a few curves. He liked a woman who wasn’t afraid to show off her God-given assets, and that definitely wasn’t Gabrielle Burton.
But she had a natural beauty, which he supposed was why her nut-brown complexion was clear and her face was free of makeup. She wore her hair in a simple French twist. Oh, yes, this was exactly the woman he remembered.
Ethan and Shane both rose from their seats, but Ethan was the first to speak. “Gabrielle, glad you could make it here for an in-person interview. I hope your flight was pleasant.”
“Pleasant?” Gabrielle chuckled. “It was more than pleasant.” She’d never been in anything so divine. “You really didn’t have to send your private jet.”
“It was my pleasure,” Ethan stated. He turned to his side. “This is my wife, Kayla Graham.”
“Pleasure to meet you.” Gabrielle shook her hand. Kayla Adams was several inches taller than her, with flawless mocha skin, curly hair that nearly reached her shoulders and a clearly pregnant belly.
Gabrielle turned and braced herself for seeing Shane Adams again after nearly a decade. He was every bit as fine as he’d been back then, maybe more so. He towered over her at six feet with a short curly afro, creamy café-au-lait skin, hazel eyes and full, sexy lips. She could tell that a sculpted body lay underneath his Italian suit.
“Gabby.” Shane nodded at her. “You’re looking well.”
Gabrielle hadn’t expected such a friendly greeting, given they’d been rivals in school. “No one’s called me that for a long time.”
“I hope you don’t mind me using your nickname. Gabrielle just seems so formal.” Shane smirked, knowing she hated it. In school, she’d said the nickname Gabby reminded her of some airhead name like Buffy, and she’d refused to answer to it.
Gabrielle swallowed hard at having those sensuous eyes staring at her so intently. “Well, I do prefer Gabrielle.”
“As you wish.” Shane watched her sit down and cross her legs all the while pulling down her skirt. It made Shane wonder what it was she was hiding underneath.
“Well, we are happy to have someone of your caliber interested in Adams Cosmetics,” Kayla said, trying to ease the obvious tension between the two chemists. Courtney had reminded her that Shane and Gabrielle were not fans of each other.
“Your resume is quite impressive,” Ethan stated.
“Thank you,” Gabrielle said and smiled. “I believe in working hard to achieve one’s goals.”
“After you graduated second in your class at perfumery school, you joined L’Oréal?” Shane jumped right into the fray.
Gabrielle stared daggers at Shane. Trust him to remind her that he’d beaten her as valedictorian of their class. Had he called her Gabby to knock her off her game? “That’s correct. And I’ve enjoyed an immensely successful career there.”
“Why don’t you tell me some of the projects you’ve worked on?” Shane asked. It was time to skip the pleasantries and get down to business. Find out exactly what Gabrielle Burton was made of.
“Well, I’ve worked on numerous L’Oréal fragrances, and recently we’ve been working on some new skin-firming crèmes.”
“Tell me more,” Shane urged.
For the next hour, Shane grilled Gabrielle about her work in the lab. When he was done, he was impressed with her credentials, but he wasn’t about to tell her that, at least not yet. Gabrielle was competitive and would be eager to prove her worth.
Kayla watched Shane and couldn’t believe how hard her brother was being on Gabrielle. She had never seen him behave this way toward a woman. Usually Shane was such a smooth talker that women melted around him like butter. Gabrielle seemed immune to Shane.
“One final question,” Shane said. “Do you really feel confident working in cosmetics even though your primary focus was fragrance?”
“I am a qualified chemist,” Gabrielle stated. She resented that Shane was implying otherwise. “And I am confident that I can work on cosmetics or fragrances.”
“That’s good to know.” Shane’s gaze focused on Gabrielle. “Because this company means everything to me, and I will not settle for mediocrity.”
“Wow!” Ethan looked down at his watch. “Look
