she replied. Yep? She had commandeered the takeover of corporations. So why was she acting like a naive little schoolgirl who didn’t know how to speak?
She thought she saw a twinkle in his eye. A smile crept up the corners of his lips as he said, “How are you, Princess?”
It was a voice that could melt butter. Normally, Meredith bristled whenever anyone referred to her in a chauvinistic manner. No one she knew would have ever dared call her “Princess.” But then again, no one called her “dear,” “sweetheart” or “baby,” either. Pet names were too informal for a woman like Meredith.
“Good,” Meredith said. She patted the front of her coat, a nervous habit. “How have you been?”
“Fine,” he said. “Great. And you?”
This was disastrous. Meredith had never developed the skills of making small talk. If it wasn’t related to business, she was as awkward as the girl she once was. “Wonderful, thank you.”
“You look great,” he said.
Once again she could feel the blush burn her cheeks. So she asked, “Why are you here?”
“Carly asked me to meet her here.”
“No. I mean, why are you back in town? I’d heard you were in Europe.”
Josh sat on the bench that ran around the inside of the gazebo. “And I heard you were the head of Cartwright Enterprises.”
Meredith looked into his deep gray eyes and was immediately transported down memory lane. He was once again the boy who had touched her so knowingly, once again the man to whom she had given her virginity. Their one night alone had made her think that sex was a magnificent, ground-shaking experience. How wrong she had been. The few kisses she had received since then had been awkward and wet.
“Yes,” she said.
She had heard from him several times after their night together, but had been too embarrassed to respond. She’d known the deal before she’d slept with him. Josh Adams was not a one-woman man.
“How are things going for you?” he asked in the same sexy voice.
“Good,” she said. “Great.” It was a lie and anyone but Josh would know it. Everyone had heard the story: Cartwright Enterprises, once one of the most influential conglomerates in the world, was fighting for survival. If it wasn’t for Durasnow, she would have been anticipating filing bankruptcy papers.
“Really,” he said, raising his eyebrows. She couldn’t tell if he was questioning her or if he was just making conversation.
“So,” she said. She entered the gazebo, moving a little closer. “Sounds like fun. Living in Europe and all.”
“I guess,” he said. “I still miss some of the people from around here.”
Like Carly? “Surely you’ve made other connections by now,” she said, touching her index finger to her pounding forehead. “Are you married?”
He laughed. “No.”
“Is that funny?”
He hesitated for a moment, looking at her. “Still the same Meredith,” he said. She doubted he meant it as a compliment.
She clasped her hands in front of her. No, she thought. Looks too awkward. She unclasped her hands. She stood still, her hands stiff at her sides.
He smiled again. “What about you?”
She shook her head. Hands beside me, hands beside me… Why did he keep looking at her like that? She cleared her throat. “I heard you were working at a ski resort in Switzerland.”
“More or less,” he said.
More or less. She wouldn’t have expected him to maintain a full-time job. She knew his type. Play by day and by night. She guessed he was still keeping the same hours he’d kept in Colorado. Saving his energy for his women. Only now Josh was probably dating women half his age.
He said, “I’m flattered you kept tabs on me.”
Meredith felt as if she was being baited. “I wasn’t keeping tabs,” she replied. “I must’ve heard Carly mention it.”
He nodded toward the bench. “Have a seat,” he said. “I’d like to talk to you.”
But she didn’t move. She’d had enough small talk. “You never said what brought you back to Aspen.”
“Business.”
What kind of business would a ski instructor have? But still, that did not mean he had returned for Carly. In fact, the idea of Josh Adams returning to confess his love for Carly was preposterous. He and Carly had been friends, nothing more. What would inspire him to come back…
“Meredith?” He was looking at her curiously. “Are you all right?”
She had to laugh. Josh would, too, if he knew what she and her mother had been thinking. “This is going to sound ridiculous, but I thought for a moment that your reason for returning might have something to do with Carly.”
Josh wasn’t smiling. “It does.”
Meredith felt a lump lodge in her throat. It was not jealousy, she told herself quickly. She could not be jealous that Josh had come back for her sister and not her. After all, he and Carly were friends. She and Josh were…well, they were nothing.
“She’s getting married, you know,” she said.
“Yes,” he said. “I know.” His face darkened. He met her gaze directly, as if daring her. “I wanted to…”
But Meredith didn’t let him finish. She read his reaction as confirmation of her fears. “Leave her alone,” she blurted.
“What?”
“She’s happy. You’ll just confuse her.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He stood and walked toward her.
She held his eyes. “I think you do.” She could see the muscles in his jaw tighten. She knew she was making him angry but she couldn’t stop herself.
Meredith stepped back. “Do you want money? Is that it?”
“Is that what you think?” He stepped closer to her. So close, he was almost touching her. His eyes glared at her, burning a hole.
“Because she’s not quite the heiress these days. In fact, if she doesn’t get married, she may not have any money at all.”
“I see,” he said.
Meredith was no longer the naive little schoolgirl. She was once again the head of Cartwright Enterprises. Past history aside, she was not about to let some playboy ruin her future. “So we understand each other?” she said to Josh.
“I understand you perfectly, yes. You’re
