He raised an eyebrow. “I thought that’s why you were nodding.”
She blushed, this time bringing her hands up to her cheeks. “Goodness. I’m such an idiot,” she whispered, but then she squared her shoulders, dropped her hands, and cleared her throat. “I wasn’t nodding to say yes. I was merely agreeing that your friends’ husbands would have a problem with you taking their wives to a fancy event. As to whether or not I’ll attend with you…” She cut her eyes away from him then and stared at some point just beyond his elbow before continuing. “I learned a long time ago that it’s better to wait until someone actually asks before assuming enough to say yes.”
At that, Andrew laughed. Unless he’d mistaken her meaning, for the first time since she’d started working for him, she was reprimanding him for something.
He kind of liked it.
“I was kind of rambling, wasn’t I?”
She gave another single nod, and then did something unexpected. She laughed. She had never laughed like this in front of him, full and loud and without any inhibition, much less had the nerve to laugh at him.
Correction: he really liked it. He grinned back at her, pushing his hands into his pockets and rocking back on his heels with delight.
Employee, man. She’s your employee. Remember?
Right. And he didn’t miss how she was still avoiding his eyes. Damn it. Did she think he was coming on to her? Maybe she just felt awkward that they were the only two people left in the quiet office. She had been acting strangely ever since he came upon her in the hallway. Either way, something was making her nervous, and he didn’t like the thought that it might be him.
He yanked his hands from his pockets. “I want you to understand that this is all aboveboard. I’m happy to put something in writing about this having nothing to do with your position at the company. You wouldn’t have to pretend anything. I’ll introduce you as Harbor’s CFO, or as Ms. Klaus. Whichever way you’d prefer. Though with this year’s theme being ‘Magic at the North Pole,’ your last name, coupled with my ridiculous ‘Santa CEO’ nickname, might invite a few more jokes than you’re willing to hear all night.”
Back when he had founded Harbor Technologies ten years ago, Andrew had insisted from the start that his corporation give back to society. He’d been the one to start the trend of giving big gifts to organizations that did good works locally, and his employees got time off for community service days. He even allowed all new parents to take up to six months off from work. Paid.
But it was when he instituted the company’s Christmas Bonus Fund that the media dubbed him “the Santa CEO” and started featuring him in national news. Even Vogue had done a spread on him, touting his attractiveness inside and out. He’d hated every minute of the interviews, fawning reporters and fans, and especially the nickname, but all the attention had established him as one of the key leaders in the world of corporate philanthropy, so he’d accepted it as a necessary evil.
Meredith finally brought her wary gaze back to his, but nodded again. Was she agreeing that she would go with him? Or was she—oh, right.
He gave a little cough. “Right. What I’m trying to say is, would you be willing to attend with me? As my, uh, companion?”
Companion. That safe, bland word annoyed him, but it seemed to do the trick with her. “Of course I will. Anything to help Harbor.” She took a deep breath and put out her hand to shake on the deal.
He grasped her hand and gave it a firm shake, the curling warmth between their skin making him hold on a bit longer than necessary. When they let go, he had to resist the urge to flex the strange tingling sensation from his fingers. “Thanks. I owe you one. I’ll e-mail you over the details tonight. If you need a new”—he waved his hand in the general direction of her body—“dress or outfit or something, please send me the receipts and I’ll happily reimburse you.”
“That won’t be necessary,” she demurred.
“Great. Well, great.” Time to leave, before it really gets awkward. He gave her a brusque nod and turned to go, but apparently the night wasn’t finished throwing him curveballs. Her voice stopped him before he could walk out the door.
“Actually, um, there’s something else before you go. Speaking of the Christmas Bonus Fund…it’s in trouble.”
Chapter Three
Meredith forced herself to stand up and look Andrew in the eye. He had just turned back around with a look of shock in his face, and she was deathly afraid that he was going to fire her on the spot even as some insane part of her prayed that she’d still get to go to the gala with him. Not that the evening together meant anything. She knew better than to attach the dream of a future to anyone in life. That way lay only heartbreak.