answers.
“Well, yes,” he conceded.
His gaze dipped, making her suddenly aware of her arms crossed over her front and how defensive she must seem. She forced herself to relax, but that seemed to warrant another quick look from him, one that lingered just long enough to cause gooseflesh to break out over her forearms.
“But?” she prompted. Eyes up, bucko.
“But I wasn’t sure whether this plan had been shared with you yet. Besides, I didn’t know the job was definite until this morning. I just flew in last night. It was simply…a tentative offer.”
His logic was perfectly reasonable. He’d been right to wonder. After all, she hadn’t been told why he was here…or that he was here at all. Something she couldn’t fault him for, as much as she’d like to.
So why did her suspicions linger?
It didn’t help that a slight smile graced his lips, almost as if he were amused by all the questions. Defensiveness rose inside her, a desire to build a protective wall around herself, so he couldn’t see or touch or know any part of her that might tell him just a little too much about the real Trinity Hyatt.
This was business only.
She forced herself to focus on that. “Why would you come here just to consult in a situation like this?”
He shrugged. “It’s what I do. Teaching people to run their businesses properly, or more efficiently, or simply to evaluate and suggest new processes. People who inherit businesses like you have are sometimes more in need of those services than most.”
“Isn’t that kind of like ‘those who can’t do, teach’?”
That sounded rude when she said it out loud, but maybe she wanted to push him away. Just a little.
“Not when you’re as good at it as I am.”
He said the words with a perfectly straight face. So why did she feel like he was insinuating something that had nothing to do with business?
Determined to distract him, not to mention herself, she asked, “Do you usually conduct business by lying to people? The people you’re supposed to be helping?”
He straightened, though his facial expression didn’t change. “I wasn’t lying. I just didn’t reveal everything right when we met because nothing had been decided upon.”
Warning bells went off in Trinity’s head at his dangerous logic. They got even louder as he leaned over, resting his hands against the edge of the boardroom table, a wide smile appearing on his lips.
Why did her heart speed up, just like it had earlier? They were only talking. She knew Bill, Richard and the butler, Frederick, were just outside. Frederick wouldn’t leave her unguarded with a stranger. There wasn’t any danger here. But the response had to be fear…right?
Then Rhett spoke. “Besides, I definitely didn’t want to kill the mood with something as boring as business.”
“If I had known—” Trinity sputtered.
“You never would have spoken to me about art or beauty or feelings last night,” he finished for her. “All of it would have been off the table.” He leaned a little closer. “While I appreciate what you’re saying, I simply wasn’t ready to break the mood.”
Implying he’d felt all or more of the attraction she had as they’d stood alone in the rotunda. But she had been willing to walk away because discussing those things with him made her feel much more than she should. Regardless of the fact that her husband had only been dead six weeks, and the fact that getting involved with anyone would give the press one more reason to flay her alive, Trinity was fully aware that she wasn’t experienced enough to handle a man like Rhett.
He had the sophistication of a man who knew exactly what he wanted and exactly how to get it. She was completely naive by comparison—she knew that. Could she work with the businessman to stabilize the situation at the company and still give the fascinating charismatic version of Rhett a wide berth?
She glanced down at his hands resting on the tabletop and frowned. She had to establish the rules as strictly as she could. It was up to her to set the tone, stake the boundaries.
“Just how much is this consulting job going to cost me?” She had no doubt that this would come out of her portion of the inheritance.
He frowned, as if he disapproved of her attempt to bring the focus back to business. But he didn’t back down. Instead, he gestured toward the scattered papers still littering the slick black surface of the conference table. “Does it really matter?”
As much as she hated to admit it, he was right. She wasn’t in a place where she could bargain…not when the livelihoods of over 5,000 people were at stake.
When they left the boardroom, Rhett could feel Richard approaching them. Even if he hadn’t been looking, Rhett would have known by the way Trinity straightened. The way she gathered herself gave her almost another inch in height. Was she readying herself in defense…or to go on the offensive?
Relief spread through him as Bill arrived, too, so Trinity wasn’t alone with Richard. Her feelings weren’t something he should care about—as a matter of fact, the more uncomfortable she was, the more likely she was to make a mistake. Which was to his advantage.
So why was he worrying about her so much?
His phone vibrated. Rhett glanced at the display before excusing himself.
“Rhett here,” he said, connecting the call after walking a few feet away.
It was his standard greeting for his business partner, a signal to Chris that Rhett had to be careful about his words because someone might overhear him.
Once he was at a safe distance, he turned back around and met Trinity’s gaze. She didn’t immediately look away.
Chris’s voice distracted him. “What’s this I hear about you wanting me to take over your job? Has some woman got you whupped already?”
“In twenty-four hours?” His partner was way off base, though Rhett had the uncomfortable feeling this job wasn’t going to follow his usual patterns.
“Well, it could happen,” Chris said.
“In what universe?” The ribbing had the familiar comfort of a worn pair of jeans, calming Rhett’s concerns.
“Stefan was really worried. He said you sounded funny on the phone,” Chris said. “I figured lust must have hit hard and quick.”
“I’m impervious.” At least, he hoped so.
“That’s what they all say.”
Picking up the cue, Rhett and Chris said in unison, “But for us it’s the truth.”
“Seriously, Rhett,” Chris said, his tone finally turning serious, “what’s the problem?”
Rhett
