One White Lie: Barrington Billionaire's Series: Book One (2 page)

“Lena. What are you doing here?” he asked sharply.

Give me strength. And lots of it.
“I’m your assistant—temporarily, that is.” She could feel his cool gray eyes look her up and down as though he hoped they were playing tricks on him. It was evident she was the last person he wanted to see at his door.
Yeah, you’re not my first choice either.

“Hell, no.”

Her mouth gaped open in amazement at his boldness. Then she remembered all too well
who
she was talking to.
Nothing you say should surprise me anymore.
Lena wasn’t about to back down, not from him or anyone else. If he expected her to be the soft and sweet girl he’d dated, he was going to be sadly mistaken.
That girl no longer exists, thanks to you.
“Good morning to you as well, Mr. Henderson.”

If he picked up on her sarcasm, he didn’t let it show. Without even blinking, in a firm tone he said, “We’re not doing this.”

She wasn’t sure what he meant. If he thought she had planned this, that she knew he was the Mr. Henderson she was going to report to, then he couldn’t be further from the truth.
It’s such a common name. He’s the last person I expected to see.
In fact, if she’d had any indication who her new boss was going to be, she wouldn’t have accepted the position.
God, he was still as handsome as hell, but when did he become so mean?
Maybe she’d been blinded by love back then and hadn’t noticed. Whatever, it was no longer her concern. There was only one thing she was here for, and that was the hefty paycheck that came with this title. “A lot has changed since the last time we spoke. I can assure you, Mr. Henderson, I have the qualifications to do this job. If I didn’t, your assistant wouldn’t have offered me this position.” She met his gaze and added, “Unless you don’t trust her judgment.”

Brice’s nostrils flared. “Don’t concern yourself with whom I do or don’t trust. There is no way I can have you working in my office.”

Panic filled her. “Why?”

“Not that I owe you an explanation, but our history would be at the top of the list,” he said plainly.

No shit. That totally slipped my mind.
How badly she wanted to tell him exactly what she thought of him and what he could do with this job, but wasn’t going to keep a roof over Nicholas’s head. No, she needed to suck it up and do the only thing a person in this situation could do.
Plead.
“Bri . . . I mean, Mr. Henderson, Nancy explained that you are in a crucial phase of your project. Please give me one week to show you I can do this.”

“No.”

Damn, he isn’t going to make this easy.
“Okay, the truth is, I honestly need this job. My school loans are due, and I have rent to pay. I turned down another opportunity for this job. If you turn me away now, I won’t be able to pay my bills.” In a more controlled tone she said, “What we had was a long time ago. It won’t affect my performance now unless you’re concerned it will affect yours.”

The room fell into an uncomfortable silence. Looking at her intensely he said, “Nothing will interfere with my success. Not you or anyone else. Do I make myself clear?”

Crystal.
Nodding, she said, “Understood.” There was so much she wanted to say; she understood because she felt the same about providing a good stable home for Nicholas. Pushing the topic would only fuel his original opinion that they couldn’t work together.
Less is more.
Lena turned her focus back to her assignment. Trying not to show any emotion, she asked, “So may I get you a cup of coffee?”

It was sad to think that Nicholas’s and her future completely rested on Brice’s need of caffeine fix.
Please be thirsty.
She had spent the last three years avoiding any form of drama, and she was now trying to sweet talk her way right back into it.
Remember, this is for Nicholas.

T
he last thing he needed right now was an ex-lover creeping into his life. Brice wanted to tell her to get out of his office, that it didn’t matter to him if she ended up on the street, but he knew that was a lie. He’d always been attracted to Lena in a way that was unlike any other. That was the problem back then, and apparently it hadn’t lessened over the years.
Why you, Lena?
Being in the same building, never mind his office, was going to bring a whole new level of distraction into his life.
I don’t have time for this shit.

B&H Advanced Engineering was his company. He made the decisions, not some Human Resources department telling him what he could or couldn’t do. So why was she still there?
Because, you spicy thing, you challenged me, and I never walk away from a challenge.
He watched her turn away and head off to make his coffee. Was it his imagination or had he seen a slight curl of her lips before she left?
Lena being here isn’t good.
No matter how he tried to resist, he found himself checking out the curve of her hips as she swayed, teasing him.
You were sexy before, but damn, you filled out nicely
. His blood grew warm with need. Running his hands through his hair in frustration, he slammed the door.
Out of sight, out of mind.

That may have worked for the last three years, but somehow he didn’t think it was going to be quite that easy now.
What are the odds with all the people in Boston, you show up at my door, Lena?
Something didn’t feel right. Could this truly be a coincidence or was this some form of payback from Nancy for giving her grief about taking a medical leave when he needed her most?
No, she wouldn’t, would she?
Yesterday he would’ve said no. When he and Lena were dating, Nancy was his father’s assistant, not his, so she wouldn’t have information regarding his personal life. Then again, could she have overheard one of the many arguments he’d had with his father about his choice in women? Nancy did have an uncanny memory for details that most people overlooked. It wouldn’t surprise him one bit if she’d held on to that information for when she needed it most.
Well played, Nancy.
If it weren’t for the fact that she was his right hand in running this business, she should consider herself fired.
I won’t forget this when you return.

He needed someone on the front line to deter the endless interruptions that Nancy handled so effortlessly. She might not have been thrilled with his lack of empathy, but there was still no way Nancy would’ve hired Lena if she, in fact, hadn’t had the skills needed to do the job. And do the job to his satisfaction.
A lot has changed. I can make this work.
Brice knew the risk if it didn’t. He hadn’t spent every waking moment for the last three years practically hibernating in his office and lab to have Lena Razzi crash-land back into his life and ruin the goals he had set for himself.

I hope I don’t regret this.
Brice tossed his cell phone on the leather couch, and headed for the shower. As he turned the water on, he couldn’t get the picture of her olive skin and deep brown eyes out of his mind. A cold one was in order.

Her hands trembled as she poured his coffee.
Brice.
His name continued to echo in her mind over and over again.
What did I get myself into?
The situation was no longer about whether she had the skills for the job. It was about finding a way to be around Brice Henderson on a daily basis and not allow what they once shared to affect her life in any way.

The last time she saw him was a day she’d worked hard to forget. For the most part, it had become a blur, a moment in time that had begun to fade away. Seeing him now brought it all back as though it were yesterday. They had been dating for a year, and everything seemed to be going great. Neither of them had spoken of the future, yet she’d felt hopeful. At that time, she would have shouted from the rooftop how much she loved the man. Would have done anything for him. In a blink of an eye, that all vanished. They were supposed to meet for dinner that night, and she had bought a new dress for the occasion. There was something huge she needed to talk to him about, but the opportunity never came. Harsh words crushed their little romantic evening. When Brice arrived to pick her up, she could sense his anger. His jaw had been tense, and his hands had been clenched into a fist as though itching for a fight. When Lena suggested maybe they should make it another night, he flew off the handle, yelling things that still to this day made no sense. He accused her of trying to hold him back from achieving his dreams. She had been so shocked and stunned, she could only stand there, her mouth gaping wide open. Lena had thought his dream was to one day take over the family business, but he had always kept his work life private. Had he wanted her to ask, to have been more involved? With the benefit of hindsight, he must have since her original tactic hadn’t been enough. Back then she thought the best way to keep him happy was to discuss only positive things, not how his day never appeared to be that. Thinking back now, maybe he’d wanted her to ask.
Maybe he’d needed me to ask.
Maybe if she had spoken up then his words and actions wouldn’t have been such a surprise. Brice had been ranting and raving about some project and how it was the answer to all his problems. Before she could ask him to explain, he had turned to her and said sharply, “No one, including my family or you, will ever come between me and achieving my dreams. That’s the one and only thing that’s important to me. The success of this project is my life.” Lena never heard from Brice again after that horrible night. He had made no further contact and had obviously completely forgotten about her and moved on. She hadn’t seen him since that night.
Until now.

Stirring the coffee reminded her of the last morning they’d woken in each other’s arms. How had she been so foolish to have believed he could’ve been her happily ever after? It wasn’t just Brice who had moved on with his life, so had she. She wanted to hate him, but she couldn’t. Because of him she’d found the most important thing in her life.
Nicholas.
There was only one major problem; she hadn’t shared his existence with Brice that night, and hence, he still didn’t know.
And I’m going to keep it that way. Nicholas doesn’t need to be anything less than what he is: wanted.

Keeping her work and personal life separate was now imperative.
I just hope it’s not impossible. You were my first love, Brice, but you no longer hold that position.

L
ena’s initial fear of seeing Brice more than she could handle faded after a few days. The only time she saw him was when he grabbed his coffee each morning on the way to the lab and even then no words were spoken.

Not having to interact with him was what she wanted, and she should be happy with that. Instead, it somehow only added to her anger.
Never seeing you again was definitely what I wanted, but come on, Brice, would it kill you to at least acknowledge my presence?

Thankfully the continuous ringing of the phone kept her busy throughout the day. It was amusing how persistent people were. At what point would they get the hint that Mr. Henderson was never going to take their call?
It would be so much easier if I were allowed to tell them that straight up.

If it weren’t for the fact Nancy had given her the “okay to transfer call” list, Lena would have thought Brice blew off everyone.
I know which list I’d be on.

Picking up the receiver for the hundredth time that day, she said, “Good afternoon, Mr. Henderson’s office. This is Lena, how may I help you?”

“So how is your first week? Have you found everything?” Nancy asked.

Oh, if you only knew.
“Yes. Things are just as you described. Thank you for leaving such detailed notes.”

“I’m glad you’re enjoying the position.”

You couldn’t be further from the truth.
“I have settled in fine.”

“Good. I was worried you might find it . . . difficult.”

Oh, you don’t know the half of it. Difficult is the understatement of the year.
Lena asked a few brief questions regarding billing and ordering supplies. Nancy rattled off the answers without hesitation. She ran a tight ship and left everything in such good order it didn’t leave room for error. With the few business items off the table, Lena tried to change the subject before Nancy asked how she and Brice were getting along. It wasn’t what Lena should say that concerned her as much as it was what she would say. Somehow when she thought of him, her mouth spewed words without a filter. The last thing she needed was Nancy second-guessing if she had made the right choice hiring her. “How is your mother doing?”

A short pause and Nancy’s voice wasn’t as happy when she responded. “I’m glad I took the time to be with her.”

Why the hell did I ask that?
Even though the relationship with her parents was not picture-perfect, at least they both were healthy.
Not something I should take for granted either.
Just hearing the strain in Nancy’s voice made Lena want to call her mother and tell her how much she loved her, appreciated her. Ever since she declared she was keeping the baby and would never again speak the name of the father, they’d spoken, but with forced pleasantries.
Maybe we start with a visit back home first.
“Don’t worry about things here. I have your number and won’t be shy. I’ll call you if I have any questions.”

“I knew the moment Talent Hunters sent me your résumé you were perfect for the job. What concerns I may have had at first are now gone. You don’t know how relieved I am to hear things are going well. It will give me the ability to focus on what I need to do here.” Nancy chuckled.

Lena had been surprised how quickly everything had moved. First Talent Hunters Agency called her and asked for her résumé, and then that same afternoon they scheduled the phone interview with Nancy for two days later. At the time she thought it was fate, that her struggle was almost over, and her luck had finally turned.
Was I far from the bullseye or what?

It was too late now and from their brief phone call, things seemed worse than Nancy may have at first anticipated.
Just what I need.
Another reason I can’t walk out that door and never show up again.
This month was going to be the longest ever.
Just keep your distance, Brice, and all will be good.

No matter how angry or hurt she had been, thoughts of how wonderful it had been before their breakup started to creep back into her mind. She had pictured them growing old together. No one had ever made her feel loved and so special.
And then in an instant, you made me feel worthless, disposable.
She wasn’t sure it was something she could ever forget because the moment she did, she risked it happening all over again.
Hurt me
once, shame on you; hurt me twice, shame on me.

Five thirty.
Another day over.
Pulling her purse out of the desk drawer, she straightened her desk and headed out of the office. This job was an opportunity to prove herself as a highly skilled personal assistant. When she and Nancy had first spoken about it, she had crossed her fingers with the hope that if she could make them see how capable she was, maybe a full-time permanent position would be available to her. However, she would mark each day off with a large X and slowly count them down.
There’s nothing here for me after Nancy returns.

She hated leaving work after the sun had already set, but at least the daylight hours were getting longer and things were changing. Most days, Lena enjoyed the diversity of seasons New England had to offer, spring and fall being her favorites. She even had found it peaceful walking at night as the snowflakes fell, leaving everything so clean and white, but with that came the frigid temperatures. I
can’t wait until this freezing winter weather is over.
There was nothing enjoyable about it right now. Maneuvering within the snowbound and icy city with someone who couldn’t decide if they wanted up or down made everything more work.
Maybe after this job I should move back home to Plymouth.
It would be a much quieter place to raise her son, and she knew her parents would be happy too.
Everyone’s happy, except for me.
Going home would be like admitting they were right; she couldn’t make it alone in Boston. There was no way was she going to admit to them or to herself that she failed.

Making her way through the noisy streets, Lena rushed to pick up her son before the daycare closed at six. With only a few minutes to spare she entered the door to see her son was the last one to be picked up.
Just a few more weeks, Nicholas, then back to normal
. She bundled him up, and they went out into the night. It was going to be good to get home for some quality mommy time before a bath and bedtime. Thankfully this job didn’t require any overtime as it was already tough enough having him at daycare so long. The last thing she wanted to do was ask one of her friends to pick him up and watch him at night.
No amount of money is worth me not being there for him.

It had never bothered Brice to spend extra long hours in the lab. He was the first to arrive, the last to leave, and only stopped because he needed to eat. That lifestyle appealed to him because the more he worked, the closer he was to achieving the success he desired.

The moment he saw Lena standing at his office door, his nights were no longer filled with thoughts of calculations and chemical compounds. He was once again being haunted by memories of the long nights they had spent lying naked, enjoying what each other had to offer. When they made love, she had been so responsive to him. Would she be so now? He could almost hear the soft purr she made as he made her come.

Slamming his fist onto the desk, he tried to focus on the monitor in front of him.
Damn you, Brice. Concentrate
. Even though he only saw her a few seconds a day, it was enough to throw off his entire game. Was she purposely trying to distract him by seeming uninterested? If Lena thought he hadn’t noticed her watching him as he walked away from her desk, she was wrong. He didn’t miss a thing about her. He never had. It was written all over her beautiful face.
She still wants me, and fuck, I still want her.

Any other time and any other woman, he would have been more than happy to fulfill her desires and his as well. But this wasn’t the time for even the simplest distraction, never mind one as sweet as her. No matter how badly he wanted to take her into his office, rip off the blouse covering her full breasts, and taste every inch of them, it would need to wait.
Just a few more weeks and everything will be just like I have dreamed.
Everything he’d worked so hard for was about to become reality, and future possibilities were limitless. No way was he going to blow it lusting after a woman, no matter how badly he wanted her. He needed to keep his priorities straight. Like any professional sportsman, you chill out before the big game, and his was just about to begin. The difference was, this was a once in a lifetime opportunity. If he blew it, there was no second chance. Everything he had given up, including Lena, would’ve been for nothing.