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I narrowed my eyes at him. “You really are a jerk, you know that?” But I moved out of the doorway and let him inside.
“Frannie, do you want me to stay?” asked Marco, standing in the hallway.
“No. But thank you.”
Marco stared at Colton for another minute. “I’ll just be in the kitchen if you need me.”
I nodded, and we both watched Marco walk away. My heartbeat slowed, but my thoughts raced.
Why would Chris come back here after all these years?
I would think about that later. Right now, I had to worry about Colton, and being near him threatened to start my heart back up again—only this time for a different reason.
I sat down on the couch and crossed my legs, waiting for Colton to reveal why he’d shown up at my doorstep unexpectedly. He paced the living room instead.
“I had a meeting with Robert Morgan today,” he said, finally. “It didn’t go well. He didn’t sign the papers.”
“Did you buy his favorite bottle of cognac?”
A small grin played on his lips. “I did.”
I nodded, a bit impressed he had considered it. I recalled all the research we’d come up with independently and together, and asked, “Did you show him all the graphs we’d prepared and the projections?”
“I showed him everything. But he wants more.”
“What else could he want?”
“You.”
“Me?” I sat back, surprised by his answer.
“When I realized Morgan wasn’t going to sign the deal today, I panicked and offered to make him a five percent partner.”
I snorted. “He would never agree to anything less than twenty percent.”
“You’re right. He asked for twenty-five.”
Wrapping my arms around my knees, as I still felt shaken having seen Chris again, I said, “Well, if you really want this to happen, you’ll have to accept it.”
“I did. But there’s one more condition. Morgan said he doesn’t partner with anyone until his wife gives him her approval.”
“You shouldn’t have a problem. You can be charming when you put your mind to it. As long as they aren’t one of your employees.”
He steepled his fingers in front of him and turned toward me. “He wants her to meet my assistant as well.”
“Then you should ask—” Then it hit me. “He thinks that I’m still your assistant?”
“I may have said something about you only being on a temporary leave of absence.”
I raised my eyebrows at him. “So, you lied?”
“I wouldn’t call it a lie.”
“I would.”
“This wasn’t the same thing, Frances. I didn’t sleep with the guy.”
His words hit me in the chest, as he had to have known they would. I closed my eyes, deciding what I would do. On the one hand, I could use this as an opportunity to make amends for my actions, but on the other, I would just be a puppet in someone else’s charade. I hated lying in the first place and didn’t wish to lie to Morgan and his family. Not even for Colton. I was tired. This week, especially this day, had taken a lot out of me, but for the first time in a long time, I didn’t want to sacrifice myself to please others. I would choose what was best for me.
