Baby Before Business (Silhouette Romance) (13 page)

Because of Anita. He’d permanently lost Cooper and temporarily lost faith in himself because of trusting someone too quickly. He wouldn’t do it again.

More important, though, he suddenly realized that if he didn’t do something soon to make Madelyn see he didn’t intend to change his mind about loving her, she would get hurt. As of this morning, Madelyn Gentry would be his friend and only his friend. No matter what she said or did he wasn’t deviating from that position.

The reporter interviewed Ty until one o’clock, then as PR director Madelyn gave Mr. Allen a tour of the building, introducing him to all of the department heads.
As they walked, she casually tossed out a few employee names by calling out hello, hoping he’d remember those names and choose those people to interview if he went in search of employee testimonials. When the building tour was over, she invited Jeff to lunch, which he accepted, then strolled into Seth’s office. Making it appear to be a last-minute decision, she asked Seth to join them.

Ty Bryant’s number one cheerleader did exactly as Madelyn hoped he would as they ate at Porter’s diner. He talked about Ty. Not intentionally, but how could Seth avoid mentioning Ty’s name when he answered questions about his high school years or college, since Ty had been his guardian? Ty had given Seth his first job, taught him how to manage his fortune—actually, it was Ty’s business sense that had made Seth rich—and now Ty intended to raise Sabrina.

Every question the reporter asked Seth somehow related back to Ty, and Madelyn sat back and let him talk. Though the article was supposed to be about Bryant Development, most businesspeople ascribed a company’s success to its CEO, and having Seth speak of Ty’s professional and personal integrity was a perfect way to show the reporter that Bryant Development’s domination of its market was no accident.

Lunch lasted until three o’clock. When they returned to the Bryant Building Madelyn said goodbye to Mr. Allen, but knew his interviews weren’t over. She hoped his choices for employee interviews would be the people she’d subtly directed him to.

When she glanced out her office window at five o’clock, she saw him approach Orelia Makin, a member of the legal staff who had just returned from Boston
after handling a complicated matter—on her own. Ty had been scheduled to go with her, but at the last minute decided to let her go alone. Because Ty had trusted her, she stood taller, walked more efficiently, spoke more eloquently than she had the week before. And Madelyn breathed a sigh of relief. Jeff appeared to be going for the employees she wanted him to talk to.

She wasn’t surprised when Ty poked his head into her office at 5:20 p.m., his face wreathed in smiles, his tie loose. “Score another one for the home team.”

Madelyn laughed. “I guess that means you’re satisfied with the way your interview went?”

“Absolutely.”

Madelyn had never before seen Ty look so relaxed or so pleased and she realized he wasn’t being Tyrant Ty. Whatever damage she had done on Saturday by pushing him had been undone by the success of his interview. Seeing how quickly he had rebounded, she also knew that, though he would suffer setbacks, he would never permanently return to being the reclusive, distant man he had been. She really had done her job as PR person for Bryant Development. The only thing he hadn’t been able to do in the past three weeks was fall in love with her.

That broke her heart. Not only because it hurt her, but also because she knew they were good together. She knew she made him happy. She knew she could love him forever, but she finally understood why he didn’t even want to try. He genuinely believed he could not trust her, and love required trust. That hurt her, but what Ty didn’t understand was that in the long run he would hurt himself more.

Still, she smiled when she said, “Then we’re ready to go home.”

“I’m going to call Louie’s for dinner.”

“Great,” she said, following him out to the hall and into a waiting elevator. When he pressed the button for the first floor, she said, “Don’t you want to go back to your office and get your briefcase?”

“I’m not working tonight.”

Taken aback, Madelyn stared at him. “What are you going to do?”

“Well, I have to make some calls to set up final interviews for my two nanny choices. Then I thought I’d relax a bit.”

“Doing what?” Madelyn asked as the elevator door closed.

He shrugged. “It’s been years since I watched anything but football or basketball on TV. Maybe I’ll check that out.”

They stood in silence, Ty with his jacket open, his tie loose and his hands shoved comfortably in his trouser pockets and Madelyn clutching the handles of her briefcase and her purse, knowing her mouth was probably slightly open in shock. Deciding to spend an evening watching television was so uncharacteristic of Ty that she was speechless. More than that, however, the unexpected choice pointed to something neither one of them had anticipated. They still didn’t know how far his changes would take him. Though he seemed so positive he would never love anybody, he really couldn’t say that for sure. Given enough time, it appeared he could change his behavior about almost anything.

She wondered if her real course of action shouldn’t be to simply figure out a way to stay around in his life until he realized he had feelings for her. Real feelings. Feelings that could keep them together forever.

Technically she already had the perfect way to stay in his life. All she had to do was get the job as his PR director and she’d be right under his nose for as long as she needed to be.

W
hen they arrived at Ty’s house, he said, “I have Louie’s number in the den.”

Madelyn said, “Okay,” but didn’t follow him. Instead, carrying Sabrina, she raced upstairs, intending to change into…

She paused in front of the closet she was using in Ty’s spare bedroom. Change into what?

Juggling Sabrina on her hip, she sighed. “What does a woman wear to get a man to give her a job without forgetting she’s a woman?”

Sabrina laughed.

Madelyn frowned, looking again at the things in her closet. If she wanted to seduce Ty, she could make anything sexy. But what did a woman wear to make a man interested in her both as an employee and a woman?

Setting Sabrina on the bed, Madelyn caught her reflection in the mirror. She wore a simple emerald-green
suit with an ecru blouse beneath and a strand of pearls. Her hair was pulled into a professional-looking bun. After a few seconds of thought, she took off her suit jacket and freed the top two buttons of her rather sedate blouse, leaving her strand of pearls on her neck. There. Sort of sexy but not blatant. Also still businesslike enough to remind Ty she was in his life because she worked for him.

She glanced at her hair. The professional bun. Maybe a tad too professional?

The blouse and skirt were enough to remind him that she worked, had a brain and should get the job as PR director for Bryant Development because she’d done exactly what they’d hired her to do. The two open buttons of her blouse proved she was relaxed, but relaxed wasn’t feminine. And she wanted to make sure Ty saw she could fill both the professional and personal spots in his life.

She loosened her bun and let her hair fall clumsily, sexily to her shoulders. Yeah. That was it. The loose, sexy hair. It didn’t look like something she’d done on purpose, only appeared as if she’d taken out her bun. But in a world of business suits, pearls and opened buttons, the sexy red hair was her trump card.

After changing Sabrina, Madelyn took her to the kitchen and fed her cereal. Then she carried the baby into the dining room where two places were set at the shiny oak table, Ty’s at the head and hers beside it. She slid Sabrina into her high chair as Ty entered the room, holding the takeout containers.

“Hey. Food just got here,” he said, as if making an announcement to a casual friend, but his words stopped when he looked at her hair. She watched his gaze fall to
the two open buttons of her blouse, but he didn’t mention either her hair or the relaxed way she was dressed. He set the cartons of food on the table then pulled out her chair.

She smiled politely. “Thanks.” As she sat, she caught a whiff of salmon and her stomach growled. “Oh, wow. That smells great.”

“I love salmon. I hope that’s okay with you.” He took his seat at the head of the table and motioned for her to help herself to the takeout.

“Yeah. I love it, too.”

She served herself from the takeout containers. Then Ty dug in. He didn’t say another word, simply began to eat, and Madelyn’s nerves tightened. She should have forgotten about getting him to notice her as a woman tonight and focused on getting him to give her the job. “So, tell me more about the interview.”

“It went beautifully. You were right. I was myself and everything worked out.”

Madelyn held back a sigh of relief. Not only did the interview go well, but also he gave her the credit for steering him in the right direction.

“I think the follow-up questions Jeff had for employees went well, too. I can casually walk around the building tomorrow…you know, ask about the interview and see if the people he spoke with will tell me what they said.”

“Good. I’d like to know.”

“Okay. No problem.”

Silence stretched between them again as they ate. Madelyn wondered if in all the stress of hiring nannies, and giving the playground presentation and the interview, Ty hadn’t forgotten about the PR job. If he had,
she wasn’t going to remind him. Eventually, Seth would approach him about it and she didn’t want to look foolish or overeager by bringing it up when her work was supposed to speak for her. So she changed the subject. “Anything else interesting happen today?”

Ty hesitated, as if considering his answer, then said, “I had an odd conversation with Seth.”

Oh, no! Maybe they did talk about her getting the PR job! And maybe he was behaving oddly because the result wasn’t good! After all, her getting the job wasn’t the only issue. Ty had never really been sure he wanted a PR department.

“He was talking like a man who is leaving.”

Because that wasn’t what she was expecting to hear, Madelyn’s breath whooshed out. “Leaving?”

“Yeah.” Ty set his fork down on his place mat and gave Madelyn his full attention. “It was the strangest conversation. He said something about being restless, wanting more…feeling something is missing and that he wants to look for it.”

Madelyn swallowed. This was just peachy. She’d led Ty directly to the one topic she had to avoid because she had promised Seth confidentiality. “Maybe he’s just going on vacation?”

“His comments didn’t sound like vacation comments. He was talking like a guy who was job hunting.”

“Because he said he was looking for something that’s missing?”

Ty shrugged. “What else could be missing? He’s got money. He has a position. Women fall all over him. The only thing ‘missing’ in his life is the challenge of seeing if he could make it on his own.”

Not knowing what else to say, Madelyn said, “Oh.”

Ty sighed. “What if he takes a job in another state then doesn’t come back, like Cooper?”

Hoping she could steer a conversation about Cooper into a conversation about anything other than Seth looking for Cooper, Madelyn said, “The way I heard the story, Cooper didn’t come back because he was angry.”

“And he stays away because he’s happy.”

The way Ty phrased that made Madelyn think he knew where Cooper was, and if that was the case she really had to get these two brothers talking. She might not be able to tell Ty that Seth was looking for Cooper, but she could sure as heck get them in the same room and tell Seth to start talking. “You
know
Cooper’s happy?”

“Reasonably happy.” Ty peered at her. “You don’t think I would let my brother go off on his own without at least checking to be sure he wasn’t starving in some flophouse?”

No. She knew better than that. That was part of the reason she loved him. He was responsible.

“But I won’t contact him. I tried about five years ago. I offered him one-third of our company. He refused it. He had an attorney call me and threaten to go after a restraining order if I didn’t stay out of Cooper’s life.” Ty closed his eyes but quickly opened them again. “He hates me, Maddy.”

“Oh, Ty! Don’t say that. You don’t deserve that.”

“He thinks I do.” Ty rose from his seat and began to pace. “Hell, most days I think I do. I didn’t believe him at a point in time when he was most defenseless.”

“You made a mistake.”

“Yes, I did. That’s why I don’t want to make a mistake with Seth. I don’t want him to leave our company. I want him to stay. Hell, if he wants to be challenged, I’ll give him a challenge.” Uncharacteristically vulnerable, he turned to Madelyn. “But how can I give him a challenge if he only talks in vague terms and won’t come right out and say what he wants?”

Madelyn couldn’t answer. Though she understood the question and even knew Seth’s rationale, something else unexpectedly occurred to her. Ty considered her a friend, someone he could confide in, or he wouldn’t be talking about Seth and Cooper the easy way he was. But, confusingly, he was being very careful not to make too much eye contact.

“And I’m going to lose him, Madelyn. He’s going to run out into the world to try to find himself and he’s not going to come back.”

Madelyn continued to study him, as something else struck her. He wasn’t simply avoiding eye contact. With the exception of his two-second glance at her hair and blouse, he’d hardly looked at her at all.

She took a breath and tried not to think about the things she was noticing and focus on the discussion. “Okay, first of all. you don’t know that. Second, he hasn’t gone. He may not go. Why not cross all those bridges when you come to them?”

“You’re right.” He sat again. “I’m borrowing trouble. Forget I said anything.”

“No, I don’t want to forget you said anything. I’m glad you can talk to me.”

He glanced at her and smiled. “I’m glad to be able to talk to you, too.”

There wasn’t a drop of real warmth or intimacy in Ty’s smile, and Madelyn suddenly understood what was going on. He’d relegated her to the role of friend. He knew she wasn’t going to be leaving his life—not if he gave her the PR job. So, to make it logical that he confided in her, took her advice and spent time with her, he called her his friend and suddenly everything they felt for each other was reduced to a simple, acceptable role.

“Ty,” she began, stretching his name out, stalling, not quite sure how to approach the subject. Finally she knew the direct route would be best. “Did you make the decision today that we were only going to be friends?”

“Madelyn, I don’t have many friends.” Saying that, he caught her gaze, and Madelyn knew he wanted her to really understand what he was about to say. “This is as good as you’re going to get from me.”

“Because you’re so sure you can’t trust enough to fall in love?”

“Because I don’t think we’re right for each other.” He drew an exasperated breath. “Madelyn, I’m ten years older than you are. I’m established. You’re just starting out. Our lives are in two different places.”

Sabrina banged on her tray and Ty turned to pick up the rattle she had dropped and handed it back to her. “And if that’s not enough to make you see we’re totally unsuited, I come with a ready-made family. I have a baby. I also have two brothers whose lives are a mess. You don’t want me.”

“Yes, I do,” she argued, feeling she had to make this last-ditch appeal. “You’re sexy. You’re handsome. You’re strong. You’re smart…and, yes, you’re responsible. Those are all reasons to love you.”

He shook his head. “Then maybe what I’m saying is that you don’t fit into
my
life except as a friend.”

“No, what you’re really saying is that you can’t take the risk. So it’s easier to tell me we’re unsuited, but you’d like to be my friend. That way you don’t have to try to have a relationship or hurt me with a complete rejection that will cause me to walk out of your life.”

“Did you ever stop to think that I’m trying to protect
you?
I have a child! I run a multimillion-dollar business, and if that isn’t enough to keep me busy, toss in two brothers whose lives are always in some kind of turmoil.”

“Your brothers are adults who can take care of their own problems. If you’re in their business, you’re meddling. And in case you haven’t noticed, I love Sabrina, too. She’s been part of the package for me all along.”

“Not really. You might have helped with her, but responsibility for her has always been mine. Up to now, you’ve been playing house.”

Madelyn gaped at him. “Playing house?” His comment stunned her so much she was forced to wonder if they weren’t unsuited. Anybody who had the audacity to accuse her of playing house hadn’t been paying one whit of attention to what was going on. And maybe
that
was the problem. Maybe hoping for anything real between them was pointless because he didn’t see her actual place in his life. And maybe it was time for her to accept that.

She rose. “You know what? I’m tired of arguing. I think we would be very good for each other. You don’t. And there’s no middle ground. I’m going home to pack for Atlanta.”

He tossed his napkin to the table and rose, too.
“Madelyn,” he said through a long-suffering sigh, “you don’t want to go back to Atlanta when there’s a good job here in Porter for you.”

“No, thanks. I refuse to be the town old maid, pining after a guy who’ll be perfectly happy to be my friend, but who’ll never see me as anything else.”

“The town old maid?”

“If I accept your job, you would keep me on your staff, as your trusted friend, and I would never break away. I would always have the stupid hope that some day you would see it’s not a mistake to love me. But you never will, will you? I’ll be another Cooper. Somebody you can’t completely control, but somebody you keep on a short leash.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

“Not really. But you have a right to your opinion just like I have a right to mine. I have to handle my life the way I see best for me.”

“What about your parents? I thought you wanted to live close to them?”

Madelyn noticed that in all the arguments he made to get her to stay, he never once said the company needed her, or the employees would miss her, and especially not that
he
would miss her. He argued everything but the things that might get her to reconsider or at least weaken. Almost as if he wanted her to be clear that if she stayed, she stayed for her reasons…not for any reason that would make him indebted to her.

“I would like to live in Porter in case my dad has another heart attack. I would also like to live here so my parents could enjoy my children—if I ever have any—since all their other grandchildren live in different states.
But I’m not going to be another person you fit into your life the way you want me to fit. No matter where you put me, I’ll still love you. Every day I’ll probably love you a little bit more. But every day as you get accustomed to seeing me as only a co-worker, you’ll forget you might have had even the tiniest bit of feeling for me once upon a time.”

He didn’t even hesitate. “Madelyn, I’m doing this for your own good.”

“Then you’re nuts.”

Madelyn walked out of the dining room with her head high, but before she turned to go, Ty could see in her eyes that her heart was broken. For the first time in his life he wished that he could love someone, that his life wasn’t so crazy and difficult, but he was who he was and he had the life he had.

And he also knew she deserved better than him.