The Night We Met Read online

  He was always such a romantic at heart, definitely not a trait he had passed down to me. Not that I was averse to the idea of being in love...for others. I had been in love once, or what I thought to be love, and that didn’t end well at all. I had never been one to wallow in self-pity, but between the loss of my mother, my ex-boyfriend, and my ex-best friend, my heart had taken a beating. A pounding so intense I refused to give it away to anyone ever again…because eventually everyone leaves, one way or another.

  I shook my head and stood up, pressing my lips on my father’s cheek. “Well, someone has to worry. I have to jump in the shower. I’m supposed to be meeting Bridgette for coffee.”

  “Okay, send your sister my love and tell her it would be nice if she came to visit every now and then.”

  “Don’t count on it, Dad. You know she’s married to that job, like a newlywed on her honeymoon!” I joked before heading into the shower.

  ________________

  “Okay, so I thought when you said coffee, we were actually going out for coffee. Instead of me sitting in your office, drinking this cup of mud while you pound away on your laptop.” I sat on the other side of my sister’s desk, staring at the murky liquid in Styrofoam I was holding, wondering how we were even related, much less sisters. She was so put together in her expensive business suit, perfect makeup, and hair that had never heard the word frizz. Everything about her was so meticulous. Then there was me—ripped-up jeans, plain white T-shirt, wet hair thrown up in a messy bun, and not an ounce of makeup on my face. “Hello, Earth to Bridge…” I waved my hand in front of her when she didn’t respond.

  “I’m so sorry, Em. I meant to text you to see if we could reschedule…and.” She paused and blinked at something that had just popped up on her computer screen. “Shit! Damn it!”

  I rolled my eyes, knowing this wasn’t the day to play catch-up with my big sister.

  “The company is in trouble, and now some asshole from the corporate office is coming to evaluate and see if this office or the L.A. office is going to be shut down. I’m stressed to the max,” she continued.

  “Oh, no. So, you might be out of a job?”

  She nodded, trying to chase away the tears in her emotion-filled eyes. This definitely wasn’t the time to tell her of my father’s financial woes. Especially when my sister was facing her own. Her husband had just been laid off from his job and was on the search, so this was the last thing she needed. She closed her laptop, finally giving me her undivided attention. “Enough about me and my problems. What’s going on with you, and how is Dad?”

  Shit. She had to ask. I couldn’t lie to her. Despite us being total opposites, we shared everything with each other. Our hopes, our fears, our happiness, and our letdowns. We were total sisters when it came to those things. “Nothing much new with me and Dad…well, I’m a little worried.”

  “Why?” She squinted her green eyes and twisted a strand of her long red hair around her finger. A nervous habit she hadn’t outgrown since we were kids.

  “Well, he’s meeting with the accountant this afternoon about some back taxes he owes on the bar.”

  “How much?” She slouched.

  “Don’t know, but I’m assuming it’s a pretty sizable amount because he didn’t even want me to find out about it.”

  “Shit.” She sighed. “Let me just get through this review and then we’ll try and get it all figured out. I could help him out if all goes well, and I still have a job.”

  “Bridgette, don’t be silly. Connor is out of a job. You’re having your own financial worries.” The first part of that may have been true, but the fact was, as long as my sister was married to Connor Clark, they would never have financial worries. Connor’s family came from old money, as my father would say…and lots of it. He was a frat boy who had been given everything in life and more. It was obvious his family thought their son married under him when he took my sister as his wife, but he didn’t care. He truly loved Bridgette and didn’t display that same sense of entitlement his family did. He was like the big brother I never had, but after three years of he and my sister being married, I still didn’t sense the father-son closeness between him and my dad.

  “He has a few good leads and is actually waiting to hear back from a callback interview he went on the other day that he thinks went really well. And, if all goes well here, I heard that the management team of whatever office is chosen is going to receive a huge bonus, so maybe that will be enough to cover what Dad owes and then some. Fingers crossed.”

  “I’m crossing my fingers and my toes! I’ll let you go get back—” I turned my head toward the glass window surrounding my sister’s office, doing a double then a triple take at the tall, well-dressed businessman who had just stepped out of the elevator. Something about him seemed so familiar, and it didn’t take me long to figure out why. My heart leapt out of my chest, the same way it had when I first laid eyes on him the night prior. My stomach twisted and churned, and not in a good way. In addition to being undeniably good-looking, he carried himself with that same sense of prominence that had originally attracted me to him and led me right to his hotel room, but something about him today seemed even more attractive. Was it the expensive suit or the fact I was seeing clearer, minus the alcohol?

  “Oh, God!” Bridgette moaned as he walked past her office and disappeared, allowing me to expel the breath I’d been holding. “That’s the guy whose ass I have to kiss for the next few months.”

  “Oh no!” I whimpered, rocking back and forth in my seat. The room began to spin as the pieces were coming together, and I was finally coming to the realization of who my one-night stand was to my sister.

  “Em, what’s wrong?”

  I swallowed hard, not wanting to tell her, but once again my sisterly vow wouldn’t allow me to keep it from her. “Bridge, you’re gonna kill me.”

  “Why?” she asked through clenched teeth, raising her eyebrow and taking a deep breath as if she was prepping herself for the answer.

  “I slept with that guy last night.”

  I didn’t think it was possible for my sister’s already pale complexion to go any lighter, but with those words what little color she had, drained from her face. “Emme, please tell me you’re joking,” she begged.

  “I wish I could, but I’m not.” I covered my face in embarrassment.

  “Emmeline, what the hell?” She was pissed beyond words. If the tone of her voice wasn’t an indicator, the fact she called me Emmeline was. “What did we talk about last time we were together? No more random hookups, and now here you are less than a month after we had that heart-to-heart, telling me you did it again with somebody, and this time not just anybody. You do realize this guy holds my future in his hands? Damn it, Em!” She banged her fists on her desk.

  “It’s fine. He doesn’t know I’m your sister, and it’s not like I’m ever gonna see him again.

  My sister raked her hand through her hair, seeming defeated as she looked down at her phone and the message that had just beeped in. “And the day keeps getting better.” She was on the brink of tears.

  “What?”

  “Connor didn’t get the job.”

  “Oh, Bridge, I’m so sorry.” I walked around to her side of the desk and looped my arm around her. “It’s going to be okay,” I reassured her.

  She nodded and dabbed her eyes with a tissue, trying her hardest to put on a strong front. “Everything happens for a reason. Remember that was always Mom’s motto? So, I have to believe this now more than ever. Everything is going to work out. Dad’s going to keep the bar, I’m going to keep my job, and Connor is going to get one.”

  “Yup, that’s right. Everything is going to be fine.” I nodded in agreement, forcing a smile, trying to lift her spirits.

  She stared ahead, deep in thought. The same way she would when we were younger, and she was trying to think of a ploy to get us out of trouble with our parents. “Em, I have an idea, and if we could pull it off, it will check off two of three
items on the wish list.”

  “Okay, I’m listening.”

  “What if you sleep with him again?”

  “What? You just yelled at me—” She held up her hand to stop me.

  “Get to know him. Let him see that sparkling personality you win everyone over with and throw in some sex for good measure.”

  I shook my head in disbelief. “Okay, and how exactly is that going to achieve our goals?”

  “He is the deciding factor of which office gets shut down. His opinion alone controls everything. Rumor has it when all is said and done, he’ll be working closely with whichever office stays open, for the restructuring. Which means frequent trips from Germany to the lucky office that wins the battle.”

  “I’m still not following you…”

  “Don’t you think he’d rather come back to the place where he has a vested love interest in someone?”

  “Wait…what are you saying…I’m supposed to fall in love with this guy? I don’t even know him.”

  She raised an eyebrow.

  “Well, I mean…I know him in some ways, but….”

  “You’re not going to fall in love with anyone, you’re going to make him fall in love with you. Then once the decision is made, and everything is finalized, you break up with him.”

  “Well, that’s kind of cruel, and how do you know it’s going to be so easy to get him to fall for me? Plus, if he knows I’m your sister, I’m sure that violates some kind of company policy or something in his decision-making process.” The bile rose to my throat just thinking about this plan.

  “First of all, he’ll never know we’re sisters. Second of all, the guy is a pompous ass. He had the L.A. office jumping through hoops with his outrageous demands, so no, I don’t think it’s cruel. Really, it’s a benefit for him. He gets to spend his time here with a beautiful, intelligent, funny woman.”

  “Okay, now you’re just sucking up!” I smirked.

  “Come on, Em, I’m giving you permission to sleep with someone, no strings attached. And despite my feelings toward him, I will admit, he’s pretty nice to look at. Use your slutty ways for the greater good.”

  “Bridgette!” I tried my best to seem offended but couldn’t help but laugh at her insult.

  “Oh, I don’t know if I like this idea. How on earth am I even going to accidently run into him again?”

  “I’m sure you can figure that out.”

  “Bridgette, Lukas Reinier is in the conference room.” My sister’s assistant poked her head in with the same sense of apprehension on her face that had been plastered across Bridgette’s from the time I had stepped foot in her office.

  “Lukas, that was his name! Ha…now I remember!”

  “Really, Em.” Bridgette shook her head in disgust.

  “I was drunk.” I shrugged in defense.

  “Well, let me go start my date with destiny.” Bridgette stood up, and it was clear to see she was visibly shaken. “Will you think about it, please?”

  I looked out at Bridgette’s assistant, running around, trying to get everything in order. Suddenly, I remembered my sister telling me how her assistant had left her abusive husband and was doing her best, trying to raise her two little boys on her own. How would they survive without her working? Then there was my sister. Her husband was out of work, they were trying to get pregnant, and now she was being faced with the possibility of losing her job as well. Last but not least, my dad. If he lost the bar, it would devastate him. It was something he and my mother started together and the last piece of her he was holding on to with all the happy memories they had together there.

  So many people could benefit from this plan my sister had concocted. All I had to do was follow through with it. I wasn’t worried about falling in love with the guy. I wasn’t even sure if I was capable of falling in love anymore. He was handsome, more than likely rich—and if he was really the jerk my sister made him out to be, then why should I care about his feelings in the matter?

  “I’ll do it,” I muttered, taking one for the team, at the same time feeling much like I was making a deal with the devil.

  Chapter 4

  Lucas

  “I’M SO SORRY to keep you waiting, Mr. Reinier.”

  My eyes traveled up and down the tall redhead’s body as she entered the conference room. Not bad. Attractive face, long legs, nicely dressed. At least I’d have something decent to look at on this trip. Unlike the little troll I was dealing with in L.A., who had a typical case of Napoleonic syndrome. He ran that office like a well-oiled machine and wasn’t afraid to challenge me on things. As much as he got under my skin at times, I had to admit, he was the type of person we needed to head our U.S. base. Strong-willed and not afraid to stand up for what he believed in. He didn’t let his emotions get in the way of his job. I wasn’t sure if the pretty face sitting across the table from me would have that same drive and determination. She’d have to prove herself in a big way, but for now, I’d enjoy the view.

  “Welcome to the Manhattan office. How has your stay been so far?”

  Really? Was she a tour guide or a senior VP, trying to save her job and the jobs of the employees under her?

  “My stay has been fine, Ms. Clark.”

  “Oh, it’s Bridgette.”

  I arched an eyebrow at her.

  “I just prefer to be called Bridgette.” Her voice quivered as she dropped her gaze to the floor, smoothing her hand over her skirt and clearing her throat. I was making her nervous. A good indication that she caved easily under pressure. “So, I have the spreadsheets all done for your review.” She bounced back, her tone a little stronger as she placed a copy of the spreadsheet in front of me. “As you can see, profits were up from last year and we—”

  “Profits were up, but so were expenses. So, really it’s a wash, isn’t it, Ms. Clark?”

  “Well, if you look at the trend over the last three years, the percentage of the expenses has gone down. It’s impossible to have a year without an increase.”

  “Oh, and why is that?” I leaned back in my chair, with my hands intertwined behind my head. I knew she was right, but I wanted to see how she handled her explanation of it. She twisted a strand of her long, wavy hair around her finger and stared down at the spreadsheet, bouncing her leg up and down under the table. This girl was making my job way too easy. Based on this initial assessment, I was pretty certain my time in New York would be a lot shorter than I had planned.

  Her posture stiffened and her eyes focused keenly on mine, with a spark to them that had been absent before. “I think that’s something that’s taught in Business 101, Mr. Reinier, but if you’d like me to give you a refresher course on how it all works, I’d be happy to. I just assumed since time is money and both of our time is valuable to the company, you’d care to discuss more important matters like the core operations of this office. Am I wrong in that assumption?”

  Who was this woman? She had changed from the scared little kitten who walked in the room just a few moments ago into a tiger. Bold move on her part. Little did she know, but she had just passed my test. It looked like I would be spending the allotted time in New York after all.

  Chapter 5

  Emme

  MY EYES SWEPT the bar area, making sure everyone’s glasses were filled before finally taking a two-second break to hit the ladies’ room. It had been nonstop all afternoon and now into the evening. Not that I was complaining. The more business the better. My father assured me there was nothing to worry about when he returned from the accountant, but I still sensed some apprehension in his words. I came out of the bathroom to find Dad back behind the bar after he had promised he’d go upstairs and eat. I hated that he was so stubborn. It was honestly a full-time job just keeping up on him and making sure he was taking care of himself.

  “Dad, I told you to go eat dinner. I’ve got this covered.”

  “I did,” he replied, turning his back and cracking open a beer for one of the customers.

  “Emme, darlin’
, can I get another rum and Coke when you get a chance?” Hal, one of the regulars, shouted across the bar.

  “Yeah, no problem!” I shouted back.

  “I got it, sweetheart. Why don’t you go upstairs and take a breather? You’ve been running yourself ragged here for hours.” My father took the bottle of rum from my hand and prepared the drink.

  “No way. It’s crazy busy in—”

  I threw my hand over my mouth and let out a loud gasp when I saw him walking through the door. The handsome stranger I’d spent the night with. The same stranger who held my sister’s and indirectly this bar’s fate in his hands. Out of every bar in the city, how on earth did he end up in this one? I had spent the entire afternoon racking my brain on how I would accidently run into him again, and here he was just a few feet away. More importantly, how was it possible that he got a little sexier each time I saw him? The perfectly assembled businessman from earlier in the day was now sporting a more casual look; losing the jacket of his expensive suit and loosening the tie that hung around the neck of his crisp white shirt with his sleeves rolled up. His clean-shaven face from when I had last seen him in the morning at my sister’s office was now favoring a hint of a sexy five-o’clock shadow, with a strand of his sandy-brown hair swept across his forehead.

  How did I end up in the hotel room of this guy who looked like he could be modeling for a cologne ad? I had started my day looking a mess, and I was certain that hours on end of running up and down the bar refilling drinks only added to my disarray. My one saving grace was that he wouldn’t even remember me. It was totally plausible. We were both drunk, and I probably wouldn’t have remembered him…if he wasn’t so damn gorgeous.