The CEO Buys In
Page 48

Chloe sat down with the box on her lap and pulled the ribbon loose. As she opened the lid, the aroma of chocolate saturated the air. An envelope with her name written in her boss’s scrawl lay on top of a layer of turquoise tissue paper. She snatched it up and slid the heavy cream-colored card out. It had Nathan’s full name engraved on the front in a bold font that somehow looked modern and high-tech without being hokey about it. She flipped it open.
   Dear Chloe,
   Since you appreciate my taste in art, I thought you might appreciate the taste of these. You have very good taste yourself.
   Nathan
She exhaled a sigh of relief. He had been circumspect, even though his double entendre about her taste made her flush. She glanced up at her grandmother.
“If it’s personal, don’t feel you have to share it with me,” Grandmillie said. She had a sly look that made Chloe uneasy.
“No, no, it’s fine.” Chloe put the card on the coffee table and folded back the tissue paper. Under a layer of cushioning plastic lay two large rectangles of chocolate side by side. Painted onto their surface were meticulous copies of the Van Gogh and Gauguin landscapes Nathan had hanging in his bedroom. “How amazing!” Chloe breathed.
She rose and carried the box over to Grandmillie. “It’s chocolate.”
“Well, I’ll be a shot of whiskey in a wine bar, that is some very fancy candy.”
“So now you’ll understand the card,” Chloe said, placing the chocolate gently on the table and reading the card aloud. “He has these two paintings hanging together.” She didn’t mention in what room. “And he asked me which one I liked better.”
Grandmillie scanned the chocolate images. “Which one did you choose?”
“Neither. I told him they were like a great relationship. Taking one away would end it.”
“You’re smart, just like your dad,” Grandmillie said, giving Chloe’s knee a gentle tap of approval with her cane. “Smarter, in some ways.”
Chloe shook her head. “Dad was a genius.”
“His brain was full of ideas, that’s for certain.”
“And many of them were very valuable,” Chloe pointed out. “To Lindell.” She couldn’t keep the bitterness out of her voice.
“Your father signed his employment contract knowing full well what the terms were.”
Chloe sat back. Grandmillie had never said anything that blunt before. “They could have given him a bonus, Grandmillie. What kind of company makes millions from an employee and never acknowledges it in any concrete way?”
Her grandmother was silent a long moment before she spoke again. “I’m not saying Lindell treated him well, but they had no legal obligation to give him more than they did.”
Chloe tried again. “There’s obligation and there’s honor. They had no honor.”
“They were just a big corporation doing what big corporations do: making a profit.”
“Which is why I don’t want to work for a big corporation,” Chloe said. She was surprised by Grandmillie’s implied criticism of her father. Her grandmother usually just listened when Chloe got going on the topic.
She changed the subject by touching the chocolate with her fingertip. “Should we taste it or is it too beautiful to eat?”
“This beauty is meant to be devoured with more than our eyes,” Grandmillie said.
The chocolate was unbelievable. Intense, smooth, not too sweet but utterly satisfying. Almost as good as sex with Nathan. Chloe choked on the bite she’d just taken as that thought crossed her mind.
Grandmillie sat with her eyes closed as she savored her piece. “I’m thinking that most bosses don’t send their temps custom-made chocolate after a few days’ work.” She opened her eyes and turned her gaze on Chloe. “What’s going on here?”
Chloe coughed again. “I spent a lot of extra hours there and even left you alone overnight, so I guess he feels extra thanks are needed.”
“Left me alone, ha! I had six different phone numbers for Dr. Cavill and had to swear on the Holy Bible that I’d wear that emergency call-button necklace. I expected a nurse to knock on the door every hour on the hour. But that’s neither here nor there.” Her blue eyes skewered her granddaughter. “I don’t want any details because your private life is your private life, but when a man sends you a gift like this, it’s not for being a good executive assistant.”
“Um, there might be some interest between us that’s not just professional,” Chloe said. “But that happened after he hired me to go to the wedding with him.”
Grandmillie tapped her cane on the ground with a satisfied little thump. “I knew it. So why isn’t he taking you out for dinner tonight? Men in his position go after what they want.”
Chloe cast around wildly for an excuse. “He already had another commitment.”
“Don’t lie to me, child.” Grandmillie’s expression held both love and regret. “You turned him down to stay home with me.”
“I’ve missed you and wanted to spend time with you.” Chloe got up and knelt in front of her grandmother. “That’s the truth.”
Grandmillie ran her palm down Chloe’s cheek. “I don’t know what I did to deserve a granddaughter like you, but it must have been pretty darned good. You need a reminder, though. When you invited me to move in with you, we made an agreement. If my presence interfered with your personal life, I would move out.”