“I know so. Nothing stops you. You go after what you want, and you get it.” Her cheeks warmed as she remembered just what he’d gone after in the simulator and how much she’d enjoyed giving it to him.
He seemed to sense where her thoughts had wandered. “Why are we waiting until later in the week to see each other?”
Hailey laughed and made a joke because it was easier than the truth. “To give you time to think of something as exciting as simulator sex.”
“Challenge accepted.”
“I was joking—”
“No backpedaling. I’ve got this.”
“Good night, Spencer.”
“Good night, Sunshine.”
Hailey hung up the phone and hugged the puppy to her as she walked toward her bedroom. I can’t judge you for not wanting to be alone in your crate. I tell myself I’m okay with being on my own, then I talk to Spencer and I can’t help but want more.
Hailey slid beneath the sheets on her bed and put the puppy on top of them near her feet. She’d barely laid her head down on the pillow when she felt the puppy scramble up to snuggle into her side. “You’ve got the right attitude. Life doesn’t just hand us what we want. We have to go after it—believing that the outcome we want is possible.”
She closed her eyes while lightly petting the puppy’s head. “Hope. That’s what I’ll call you. Everyone needs it in their life. Skye. Me. Spencer. Delinda. Even Michael. Don’t worry, little Hope, you’re exactly where you need to be.”
Late the next day, Spencer was having a hard time concentrating during an excruciatingly long staff meeting. Work had always been his sanctuary, but lately his thoughts were pulled elsewhere.
Saturday felt like a lifetime away. I’ve never been good at waiting.
“We’ll move ahead on a timeline they’re comfortable with,” Jordan said to the team seated around the conference table.
From now on call me Mr. Nice Guy.
One young man raised his hand. “Is the simulator broken? Is that why we’re meeting in person?”
“No,” Jordan answered. “I wanted to remove all distractions.” He looked over at Spencer. “But I guess it’s not a matter of location.”
“Everything is set for the Chinese presentation,” Spencer assured him.
“That’s good, but we’re discussing WelTune and the order they submitted over the weekend.”
“Sorry, missed that part.”
Jordan turned to the team. “We’re done for today. Get out there and start this ball rolling.” Once they were alone, Jordan dropped into a chair beside Spencer. “Okay, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I’m good.”
“Really?”
“I’m taking your advice and going slow.”
Spencer’s phone rang. He almost ignored it, but took it out to check the caller ID. “It’s Hailey.” He answered without hesitation. “Hey, Sunshine.”
“Do you have a minute?” she asked in a small, tight voice.
“Sure,” Spencer said. “What’s wrong?”
“I screwed up.”
“How? Talk to me.”
“I didn’t get the job at SmartKart. I called today to tell them I was accepting it, and they told me the position had been filled.”
“Who did you speak to?”
“HR. They were quite clear.”
“You didn’t speak to Kyle Kyees?”
“No.”
“Then it’s probably a clerical error. I bet the next call you get is them saying they were mistaken.” Especially after I rip Kyle a new one.
“I shouldn’t let myself get upset about this. I mean, I already have a job anyway. It’s just that this one seemed like the answer to sorting everything out. I thought it would make things better for everyone. I shouldn’t have said anything to my present employer before checking that the position was still open. I’m such an idiot.”
“No, you’re not. I have a good feeling about this. It sounds like your folder didn’t make it on someone’s desk. An easy fix.”
“You think so? I’m sorry to call you at work with this.”
“You can always call me, Hailey. Always.”
Her voice shook as she spoke. “You don’t know how much it means to me to hear you say that.”
“Where are you? Just tell me, and I’ll be on my way over.” Funny how priorities could quickly change. Hailey wasn’t an interruption. There was nothing at WorkChat more important than knowing she was okay.
“No. You can’t come here. I’m still at work. Oh, I hate this. If I get a babysitter, would you meet me tonight?”
“You have to ask?” When she didn’t answer right away, he said, “What time?”
“Seven o’clock? Where we met last time.”
“I’ll be there.”
Immediately after Hailey hung up, Spencer made a call. As soon as it went through, Spencer said, “Kyle, someone in your HR department dropped the ball. I need you to clue them in to the fact that you’re hiring Hailey Tiverton.”
“Spencer, I meant to call you earlier.”
“Now there’s no need. First, assure me that you’ll have this immediately resolved, then we can address your question.”
“Hailey Tiverton, or rather the job we offered her, was what I wanted to discuss with you. That position has unfortunately been filled.”
“This is a joke, right?”
“I wish it were.”
“What changed?”
“Nothing. I thought we had an opening for a buyer, but we’re already overstaffed in that department.”
“Wait, are you overstaffed or did you just fill the position we spoke about?”
“Shit. There is no job here for your girlfriend.”
“Then—I repeat—what changed? We had an agreement.”
“I know.”
“But?”
“I—you—sometimes—”
“Fucking spit it out.”
“You’re putting me in an awkward position.”
“It’ll go from awkward to painful if we have to have this conversation in person.”
Jordan waved a hand in front of Spencer to catch his attention. “Is that Kyle Kyees? Ask him if he is still meeting with Darion Galloway in Sydney next month.”
“The billionaire real estate agent, Darion Galloway?” Spencer asked. “The one responsible for the success of the last three chain stores that tried to break into that market? I think I did hear he might not be able to make that meeting.”
“Spencer, come on. I hate to do this, but I don’t have a choice. Not even if it kills that connection,” Kyle said.
“What the fuck?” Spencer mouthed silently to Jordan while putting Kyle on speakerphone. Maybe Jordan could figure out what the hell had changed Kyle’s mind. “You sound scared.”
“Not scared. Realistically cautious.”
“Of what? I asked you to hire a woman I know. How is that a problem?”
Jordan shrugged, looking as confused as Spencer was.
“Listen, as much as I’d like to help you, I’m not getting between two feuding Westerlys.”
“Two Westerlys? What are you talking about? Did someone from my family tell you not to hire Hailey?”
“That’s messed up,” Jordan said loud enough for Kyle to hear.
“I’ve already said more than I should have.”
“Who? Who told you not to hire her?”
“I shouldn’t tell you, but what the hell? You have been good to me over the years, and you should know. Your grandmother called me and told me to make the job disappear.”