with one minute to spare. The space reminded her of what she’d learned about him over the years. The word vivid came to mind. Weren’t offices supposed to be sedate and understated? No one must have given Miguel the message, because the reception area was the polar opposite of traditional.
Bright blues, yellows, greens and reds interspersed with white would’ve made teaching primary colors to a kindergartner fun and exciting. She blinked as she looked down at her conservative navy blue skirt suit with the maroon-colored silk blouse. She felt more than a little out of place.
She gasped as she turned to the right and saw what appeared to be a Jackson Pollock in matching colors to the office. Was it real? Just as she was about to step closer to the painting, the receptionist said, “Good afternoon. How may I help you?” His grin spoke of more than just politeness. He was amused by her reaction. His red suit and white dress shirt adorned with a canary-yellow pocket square fit right in with the trendy atmosphere.
“Hi. My name is Tanya Carrington and I have an appointment with Mr. Miguel Astacio.”
“Please have a seat. I’ll let him know you’re here.”
She nodded and sat, gripping her purse on her lap. For the hundredth time, she asked herself if she really needed Miguel’s help. She’d been in worse situations than having her livelihood snatched away. When had she started lying to herself? She’d never been in such dire straits. Josh seemed to think Miguel could help, so she’d trusted him and consented to him calling his best friend. Besides, she’d transitioned into a confident woman who ran a restaurant and nightclub. Did it matter that it was failing miserably and she was spiraling into a near-debilitating debt?
“He’ll see you now, Ms. Carrington,” the stylish receptionist announced.
She swallowed hard with a longing look at the watercooler as she forced a smile to her face. “Thank you,” she said while standing on shaky legs, making sure not to trip in her comfortable wedge heels. With the aim of going into the lion’s den with a strictly professional mentality, she ran through a couple of her favorite affirmations. I am worthy. I am great. I am successful.
When she stepped into the large office to see the man who’d broken her heart with his callousness years ago, feelings of self-doubt rammed into her like a linebacker. One last thought rolled into her mind: I am screwed.
* * *
Miguel had lowered the heat, yet his fingers had difficulty grasping his pen due to the excessive sweat. He figured the busy look would be best when Tanya walked in. Unfortunately, a shaky pen due to his trembling hands was too telling, so he lay it down and waited for her to walk in while pretending to read a document.
The woman who entered could’ve been a swimsuit model with her full hips and breasts, emphasized by a slim waist. His gaze settled on her flawless medium-brown complexion and lingered. Her beauty stunned him. Large onyx eyes stared at him from beneath finely arched brows. Her light hand with the makeup emphasized her sculpted cheekbones and succulent lips. Who was this woman and where was Tanya? He watched the door she’d closed and waited for Josh’s sister to follow behind.
“Good afternoon,” the stranger greeted.
He started at the sound of the familiar voice, and he snagged in a sharp breath. “Tanya?” he whispered. This gorgeous woman couldn’t be her.
Her eyes turned cold although she smiled while extending her hand. “Good to see you again, Mr. Astacio.”
The hard tone of her voice indicated otherwise. Pulling himself together, he ignored her hand the same way he did her lie. After how he’d treated her back in college, she’d probably never wanted to see him again, but at least he’d been honest. He extended his arms out to her, not missing the way she shrank away even though his smile was genuine. “There’s no Mr. Astacio among us. Bring it in.”
Instead of coming forward as expected, she stepped back, reached for his right hand and pumped it up and down.
Once again, the woman had shocked him. Everyone wanted a piece of him when he was willing to give it and yet she’d rejected his embrace. One thing hadn’t changed between them, though. The zap of electricity that hit him had been present every time they’d accidentally touched.
Her eyes widened and her nostrils flared for a beat with her sharp inhale before she pulled her hand free. “It’s been a long time.”
Unable to get over how much she’d changed, he continued to stare, wondering why he’d never known such a transformation had occurred. What good would it have done to ask Josh about her when he’d made the ultimate choice to maintain their friendship instead of pursuing a relationship? They didn’t run in the same circles so he never saw her. “You look amazing.”
Shifting from one foot to the other revealed her nervousness. “Thank you.”
“I’m being rude.” He waved a hand toward one of the two maroon leather chairs in front of his dark oak wood desk. “Please have a seat.”
She nodded, perched on the edge of the chair and crossed her legs at the ankles. Her long skirt suit exposed no skin. Most women who came to see him for a favor wore midthigh dresses and didn’t sit as demurely. He wondered if he should be pleased or disappointed by her conservative demeanor. It would’ve been nice to see more of her legs. They’d always been beautiful.
His breath got stuck in his throat as their gazes locked. “You look amazing.” Hadn’t he said that already? Perhaps he was dehydrated from the excessive sweating he’d done before her arrival. “Can I get you some water? A drink?”
She opened her mouth to speak, but then shut it and shook her head. “No, thank you.”
What had she been about to say? The woman he’d known in college had always spoken her mind, yet another trait he’d appreciated. And then he remembered that she’d come to see him because her nightclub was in deep financial trouble.
He strode to the refrigerator hidden within a dark varnished cabinet that matched the rest of the furniture, pulled out a bottle of water and downed half of it before returning to his side of the desk. How should he play it with her? Keep it strictly professional or treat her like a friend? Asking her on a long-awaited date was out of the question. Nothing had changed and he refused to ruin the incredible friendship with Josh. Tanya was still off-limits. No matter how exceptional she looked or made his heart race.
She opened her bag and took out a notebook and pen. “Thank you very much for seeing me. I’ll get right to the point so as not to waste your time.”
Had her voice always been so husky? He’d remembered a lot about her, but not that. He nodded in response.
“It’s no secret you’re the marketing expert of your family’s successful conglomeration. You can take any product, rebrand it and make it fly off the shelves.” Her throat bobbed with her swallow, and he wondered if she was rethinking declining the offer of a drink. “You’ve done it with food products such as your chocolate puff cereal and malt drink, your children’s multivitamins and quite recently, you’ve catapulted your newly launched watch line into the must-have category for the rich and famous. Time magazine said you had the ‘Midas-branding touch.’”
Should he be impressed she’d done her homework? Once again, he had to stop comparing her to most women. She’d always shone above the rest.
For the first time since walking into
