Page 41 of The Perfect Secret

She focused her gaze somewhere between his chin and his chest, which gave a great view of his neck, but enabled her to avoid getting lost in his beautiful, traitorous eyes.

“She’s great. Sit down?” He pointed to the chair next to him and she stared at it and its proximity to him.

It was too close.

She sat in her grandmother’s seat across from him. The table served as a welcome barrier. She sat, hands on her lap, resisting the urge to clench them—or whack him. Her blue manicure was chipped, and in this light the color looked decidedly Smurf-like, which was never the intent. She made a mental note to get her nails redone—in a non-cartoon character color this time—and focused on marshaling her thoughts.

“Hannah?”

She raised her head to meet his gaze.

“What are you thinking?”

“I need a new manicure.”

He raised an eyebrow. With a sigh, she pushed away from the table.

“I’m angry. I’m angry with Jim for not defending me. This was my shot at a promotion, and he’s destroyed it by jumping to the wrong conclusion and doubting my integrity. And I’m angry at you for not telling me you were investigating Fortex in the first place.”

“Whoa, you didn’t tell me you represented them, either.”

Hannah swallowed, acknowledging he had a point. But it didn’t make things any better.

Dan reached for her hand and squeezed, but she pulled away. “What can I do?”

“Nothing.”

“What will you do?”

“Take myself off the account, I guess. I don’t have much of a choice. Even if Jim believes me, the client is always right and he has to placate them. I’ll have to hope they put me on an account I like and don’t refuse me a promotion because of it.”

“You don’t want to do something more proactive?”

“Like what?”

“Stand up for yourself, or work with me to find the leak. I’m as upset as you are about this.”

“I doubt it!”

“Why?”

She spun away from the table and ran a hand through her hair. He had no idea what he was talking about. “Because your job isn’t on the line. Mine is.”

“Hannah, the leak came from one of two places—either your office or mine. I can’t have leaks in my office. If you help me find the leak, you can show Jim your loyalty.”

“I appreciate that you’re trying to help me, but you’re not in my office. You don’t know the dynamics there and you don’t know me.”

Dan pushed back in his chair, rose, and leaned over the table. His chair fell over from the force of his movements and Hannah’s gaze shifted, but Dan stared her down. “What? I don’t know you? How can you say that?”

Closing her eyes against the threatening tears, she tried to wish away the day, but her fairy-conjuring powers were lacking. She needed to protect her job in order for her to support her grandmother. She didn’t have options, and she didn’t have the luxury of letting personal relationships get in the way of professional ones. Letting out a deep breath, she turned to him. “I need a break. From this conversation, from you, from everything.”

His mouth opened and closed, and something shuttered behind his eyes. “Then I’ll give it to you.” He walked past her, his typical straight posture slumped, and the door slammed as he left the apartment.

Her grandmother walked in while she righted the chair. “What can I do for you,Hannahla?”

Hannah gripped the back of the chair. “Nothing,Bubbe, nothing.”

Her grandma cupped her chin. “Okay, but remember what I said about second chances. If you need me, or want to talk, I’m here. Okay?”