brother’s condo to make sure he gets a proper meal.”
Jolie’s cheeks burned.
Natalie leaned across the table and grabbed Jolie’s hand. “Have you told him how you feel about him?”
“I don’t know what you mean.” Jolie pulled her hand from her friend’s.
“Sorry, I’m not buying it.” Natalie stared hard into Jolie’s face. “You’re in love with him, aren’t you?”
Jolie considered lying again but thought better of it. Her friend deserved the truth, no matter how pathetic it was. She sighed. “For six years.”
“Good grief. When are you going to tell him?”
“Never.” Jolie sat up straight and pointed a finger at Natalie. “And neither are you.”
“Not tell him? What good will that do?”
“I work for the man. If he thinks I’m in love with him, he’ll fire me on the spot.”
“And you’d rather work as his executive assistant, secretly in love with him, than work somewhere else. Right?”
Jolie’s lips twisted. “Pathetic, huh?”
Natalie leaned her chin on her palm and sighed. “No, I think it’s romantic. I wish I could find someone I’m completely crazy about.”
“You will. He’ll show up when you’re least expecting it.”
Natalie sighed again. “I hope it’s before I’m as old as you are.”
Jolie tossed her napkin at her. “Thanks. I’m feeling older by the second with you around.”
“Speaking of showing up—” Natalie sat up straighter, her brow furrowing “—there he is again.”
“There’s who?” Jolie twisted in her seat.
“That guy at the table by the door.”
“The one with the menu over his face.” Jolie rolled her eyes.
“Yeah, only he hasn’t always had the menu over his face.” She lobbed Jolie’s napkin back at her. “I swear he’s the same guy who’s been following me for the past few days.”
Jolie looked closer, but the menu remained up, the man studying it intently. A flicker of concern threatened her usual calm. “Have you said anything to your brother?” Devin would want to know if there was any threat to his family.
“No. If I tell him I think I’m being followed, he’ll insist on a police escort everywhere I go.” Natalie shrugged. “I’ll handle it myself rather than be put under lock and key by my overbearing brother.”
“He’s worried about you.” Jolie shot another glance behind her at the menu-covered stranger. “He worries about his family.”
“He’s annoying and overprotective. You’d think he was my father, not my brother.”
“As the oldest, he feels responsible for his siblings.”
“Well, he needs to stop it.” Natalie set her fork aside. “I have work to do at home. Are you sure you don’t mind taking the marketing plan to my brother? I promised I’d have it by the end of the day.” She laughed. “Guess late at night is still part of today.”
“I’ll get it to him.” Jolie patted her oversize purse with the file folder inside.
“Yeah, and make sure he eats that food you bring him. He looks like he’s losing weight.”
“Now who’s the worried sibling?” Jolie laughed. “I’ll stand over him until he downs every bite.”
Natalie grinned. “I can see you doing just that. Like a drill sergeant ready to pounce on him if he doesn’t.” Then her smile faded. “I have half a mind to tell him to wake up and smell the rose he has for an E.A.”
“Don’t you dare.”
“It goes both ways. Don’t tell him I have someone following me unless you want me to tell him that you have a thing for him.”
Jolie already regretted telling Natalie about her secret infatuation for her boss. No matter how good it felt to let it out and confess, she saw it for what it was, a wretched situation of unrequited love.
Everyone, especially her, knew that Devin Kendall was married to his job. What time he didn’t give to the business, he dedicated to the protection of his family. He didn’t have time for himself, much less a relationship. Jolie had known this for a long time and had come to accept it. But having turned thirty on her last birthday, she had heard the beginning ticks of her biological clock. Deep in her heart, she’d always wanted a family … children … a husband who loved her.
She wouldn’t get those things from Devin Kendall. He was in a league way above Jolie’s humble beginnings. If she was honest with herself, she’d accept that and move on.
She gathered her purse, the to-go bag of his favorite Kung Pao Chicken, and bade Natalie goodbye at her car.
The man who’d been at the table with the menu over his face had left before they did so she didn’t get a good look at him. But that didn’t make her feel any better about sending Natalie off on her own.
Despite her promise not to tell Devin, she knew she would. Natalie’s safety was more important than Jolie’s love life.
Or lack thereof.
She dropped her purse and the bag of food on the empty passenger seat, revved the engine of her four-door sedan and then drove toward Devin’s condo, trying to squelch the sudden rush of adrenaline and excitement at seeing her boss outside the office environment.
Chapter Two
Devin jumped to his feet when the doorbell rang, grumbling all the way to the entrance, regretting his decision not to buy a condo with a security guard at the front desk. “Who the hell comes by this late at night?”
He yanked the door open, ready to rip into the salesman on the other side and brought himself up short.
Jolie smiled and held up a bag that smelled of soy sauce and spices. “Hungry?”
“What the hell are you doing here so late? I would think that at least one of us would have a life.”
She snorted and followed him into the living room. “Like I could have a life. With you calling or texting me every hour of the day and night. Any man I’ve ever tried to date never understood.”
Devin frowned. “You date?”
She thunked the bag of food on the counter in his kitchen and shot a twisted grin his way. “I would if I had a day off.”
“What are you doing here?” And why did she look so damned good? Something was different about Jolie, but Devin was too wound up to put his finger on it.
