Unforgettable Read online

  Inside the pantry, she used the stepstool to reach behind the canned and boxed food to her secret stash of chocolate bars. They weren’t just comfort food; she was addicted to the sweets, and tonight she needed their soothing creaminess.

  She poured a healthy dose of wine into a long-stemmed glass and walked over to the window in the living room. Most of the time she kept the motorized shades up so she could enjoy the view any time of the day and night.

  She sipped the rosé and bit into the candy, but the flavors didn’t generate the pleasure they usually did. She found little comfort in her late night indulgence, her mind unsettled because she continued to think about Lucas.

  The first time she’d seen him he’d flirted with her and her friends, and his sense of humor had piqued her interest. During the course of the meal at the restaurant where he’d worked, she’d caught him looking at her several times, and not in the way a server paid attention to a customer. He’d been interested right from the start, the same way she had been.

  She’d paid the tab for the meal, and on the way to the car with her friends, she’d heard her name being called.

  “Ms. Johnson! You forgot something.” She’d turned and it was him, and when he caught up with them he handed her a folded piece of paper. With a sexy smile that had turned her insides mushy, he’d said, “You forgot my number. Call me,” and hurried back inside.

  Ivy smiled to herself, remembering his words when she finally called.

  “Do you have a habit of picking up waiters in restaurants where you dine?” he’d asked.

  “Yes. I have one in every city.”

  His amused laugh came right away. They’d made a date for when he left work the next day, and so had begun her summer romance with Lucas Baylor.

  Ivy sat down on one of two sofas and picked up her electronic tablet from the table beside it. She swiped the screen and did what she’d avoided doing over the years. She did a search for Lucas and found his website.

  On the home page she saw his book prominently displayed, The Rules of Man, dubbed the relationship handbook for the modern woman. She read the blurb and then continued to explore the site. In the bio section he gave a quick summary of his educational background and his current life.

  He was an adjunct professor of creative writing at Mercer University’s Atlanta campus and wrote a weekly blog. She was surprised to learn that he’d spent three years teaching English in South Korea instead of the one-year assignment he’d initially signed up for. He must have loved it there. His author website didn’t mention whether or not he was married, but she hadn’t seen a ring on his finger.

  “Interesting name,” she murmured, when she saw the blog title read Why He Won’t Marry You.

  She skimmed the articles, most of which covered what women should expect in romantic relationships, from a male perspective. Clearly he was successful based on the thousands of blog followers, and each of his posts had hundreds of commenters. Full conversations and heated debates took place in the comments section.

  She zoomed in on the headshot of him and focused on the broad, megawatt smile that rivaled the brightness of the sun.

  He had nice lips. She traced a finger over them and closed her eyes. A quiet shudder ran through her as she remembered how much she’d enjoyed kissing those deliciously thick lips of his.

  “Luscious Lucas” her friends had called him. Every time they said it, they added a lascivious smile and a little shimmy—all because of those lips of his. And she’d been the lucky one who’d enjoyed them during the most exciting summer of her life.

  Sighing, Ivy clutched the tablet to her chest.

  What would he do—how would he react, if he knew what she’d done?

  Chapter Four

  Ivy’s driver pulled up in front of the Johnson Enterprises building, the seat of her family’s multi-billion dollar beer and restaurant business. The family business had started as a small brewery a generation before and blossomed into a heavyweight in the beer industry. It was one of the few beer companies still privately-owned and U.S.-owned. Their chain of restaurants were a successful and lucrative enterprise, as well.

  She waited for Lloyd to come around and open her door.

  “Don’t forget to pick up Katie for my lunch with her,” she said as she stepped onto the pavement.

  “Only you and the little one today?” Lloyd asked.

  “Yes. No executives or bankers or anyone like that.” She smiled. “Just me and Katie. She’s been looking forward to our lunch date, so I cleared several hours for her. Janelle will be waiting downstairs at the hotel with her for you, and you can bring her up in the executive elevator.”

  “Understood, ma’am. Have a good morning.”

  Ivy lifted her briefcase over her shoulder and walked into the atrium. Employees buzzed around and headed to their offices. Some acknowledged her with head nods. Others averted their eyes as if not worthy to even look at her. The latter response always made her uncomfortable.

  “Good morning.” She called the cheery greeting to the security guards posted near the elevators.

  “Good morning, Ms. Johnson,” they both greeted her.

  “How are you?” the older one added.

  “Fine.” Ivy paused at the desk. “How’s your grandbaby?”

  His eyes lit up. “He’s walking now.”

  “No way. Already?”

  “Yes, ma’am.” His face filled with pride.

  “Next thing you know, he’ll be pulling everything down.”

  He chuckled. “He’s already started. Taken over the house, to hear his mother tell it.”

  “I remember those days. I wish her luck.”

  She could take the executive elevator, which required swiping a card to gain access and was used exclusively by the top executives of the company. But she preferred to come in the front and mingle with the staff. On the way up, she chatted with people in the cabin before riding to the top floor alone.

  “Morning,” she said to the receptionist at the front when she stepped out onto her floor. Abigail was an attractive brunette with her hair styled in a chin-length bob and a wireless headset on her head.

  “Morning, Ms. Johnson.”

  Ivy continued to another part of the floor, which opened into an office suite where her executive assistant, Cynthia, stood waiting for her arrival. With her sparkling blue eyes, flaxen hair, and exuberant personality, she’d garnered lots of attention from the men in the office, but she was a consummate professional and one of Ivy’s best friends. As soon as Cynthia saw her, she walked around her desk to offer Ivy a warm cup of coffee.

  “How’d it go last night?” she asked.

  “It was a long night.” Ivy took the coffee and entered her office. Cynthia followed close behind.

  Decorated in bright colors, the office resembled someone’s home rather than the office of a corporate executive. She’d chosen the casual style on purpose, bringing in her own decorator to extend the colors from her house to this space. Deep oranges, reds, and gold filled the artwork and the pillows on the gray sofas in the sitting area. An area rug in the same bright colors held the space together.

  She walked around her L-shaped desk and sat down in the executive chair. Last year she’d switched out the black one for a chocolate color. The chamois-soft leather had been a splurge she was glad she hadn’t resisted. The way it cupped her derriere was like sinking onto a pillow filled with down feathers.

  “But how was the party?” Cynthia cracked the blinds just enough to let in light but not so much that the sunlight would be distracting.

  Ivy sipped her coffee. “Great turnout, lots of people in attendance.”

  She toyed with the idea of mentioning Lucas, but decided against it. Why dredge up the past more than necessary? The sight of him had made her heart race the same way it did when she went full-throttle at the maximum incline on the treadmill. That bugged her. He shouldn’t have affected her so much.

  She and Cynthia had been friends since the
ir days at Emory University in Atlanta. They’d immediately bonded when they discovered they both hailed from the Northwest. Cynthia knew about Ivy’s relationship with Lucas because she’d been one of the friends with her the day they’d met him at the restaurant. As the weeks wore on, she’d also teased her mercilessly when Ivy ditched her friends to spend more time with him.

  “Everyone seemed to have a good time,” Ivy continued. “You should have come.”

  “No, I couldn’t. Rick’s only on leave for a few more days, and I want to spend as much time with him as possible.” She held up her hand. “Before you say I could have brought him with me, we wanted to spend time alone.”

  “Ooh. Does that mean you finally got laid and I can stop hearing about passion parties and the toys you bought?” Ivy rolled her eyes in fake annoyance.

  Cynthia giggled, blushing. “For now. I think he’s given me enough loving to last until the next time I see him.” She sighed dramatically. “God, I love that man.”

  Cynthia and Rick were lucky to have each other, and their relationship had withstood the test of long periods apart. It only seemed to strengthen their bond when they were back together.

  “You have one urgent email,” Cynthia said, getting back to business. “I’ve already drafted a response and flagged it for you.”

  As the Chief Operations Officer of the JBC Restaurant Group, Ivy was in charge of both chains of restaurants—The Brew Pub and Ivy’s. Because she always rode to school with her daughter in the mornings, she arrived a little later than normal. Cynthia reviewed her emails first thing and flagged any that needed her immediate attention.

  “One urgent email? You mean I’ll actually get some work done today?” She scooted the chair closer to the desk.

  “Looks like it.” Cynthia headed toward the door. “Today’s your lunch with Katie, right?”

  “Yes, so when she gets here just bring her in.”

  “Will do. It’ll be nice to see the little munchkin.” Katie had won over the hearts of much of the staff.

  Ivy set to work, tackling the email first before turning her attention to contracts that needed to be signed and revenue reports that had to be reviewed. By lunchtime, she’d crossed a number of items off her to-do list, a minor feat in itself, considering all the calls she’d also fielded. Her goal, however, was to be finished with the major tasks of the day so she could concentrate on her daughter when she arrived for lunch.

  ****

  In the coffee shop across the street from Johnson Enterprises, Lucas sipped a cappuccino. The steel and glass structure loomed overhead, and waves of people traveled in and out constantly.

  He had a good view from his post at the bar in front of the window where pedestrians walked past. Some dressed in professional business attire, while others were of the hipster crowd with their shag haircuts and bargain thrift store clothes. He’d lost track of time while sitting there, but he’d been in the same spot for a long time, reading the paper and checking emails on his smartphone, all while debating his next move.

  The Johnsons employed tens of thousands of people across the United States and around the world. Cyrus Johnson Senior had built the company from his trademark lager. One craft beer product had turned into an enterprise boasting over 30 beers, seasonal blends, and limited edition releases.

  The Brew Pub served as the testing ground for new beer flavors before they hit the market at large. Ivy’s was their high-end establishment, named for Cyrus Senior’s only daughter. They only offered select beers from the product line there, along with old Scotch and fine wines.

  He hadn’t known all this when he first met Ivy. She’d kept her family background a secret. Over the years he’d analyzed and re-analyzed their relationship, and seeing her last night had him thinking even more about the past. She didn’t seem upset about the way their relationship had ended and had been friendly enough.

  “What the hell,” he murmured to himself. He’d invite her to lunch and see what she said. He had nothing to lose, and since she’d been so cordial last night, maybe some of that friendliness would extend into today.

  He dropped a ten on the table, left the café, and strode across the street.

  Chapter Five

  Once per week, Johnson Enterprises stocked the executive lounge with snacks, juices, and fruit. Ivy passed over those options and chose a bottled water. On the way back to her office, she had to walk through the main reception area, and when she did, her heart almost stopped.

  Lucas was standing there, living up to his nickname and looking as luscious as ever. Tailored black slacks hinted at the strength of his powerful thighs, and the light blue shirt did nothing to hide his massive chest and the bulge of his muscular arms.

  She smoothed a trembling hand over her outfit in an effort to maintain her composure. When he turned his head in her direction, her body tingled. His eyes drifted over her royal blue dress and the gold poodle brooch over her right breast. She was certain she looked good, but something about Lucas always made her second guess herself.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked, trying to quell the ridiculous excitement bubbling up inside of her.

  “I hope I’m not being presumptuous, but I thought maybe I could take you to lunch?”

  He wanted to take her out? She stared at him blankly and then rapidly recovered. “I have lunch plans.”

  “Oh.” He looked disappointed but not defeated. “Do you have a few minutes before lunch then, so we can talk?”

  She considered the request. What could Lucas possibly want? She took a deep, quiet inhale. “I only have about five minutes.”

  “Not a problem. I won’t even take that much of your time.” He continued to smile, and with his Southern accent, he was downright charming. She could feel herself coming apart at the seams already.

  She didn’t smile back but said, “Follow me,” and walked ahead of him down the corridor.

  In her suite of offices, Cynthia looked up briefly from her computer. Uncertain acknowledgment appeared in her friend’s eyes, but instead of staring, she politely lowered her gaze and continued typing. If she remembered who he was, Ivy knew she’d grill her later about his appearance.

  They entered her office and she immediately sought refuge at her desk, standing beside it to help prop her up because even such a short time in Lucas’s presence left her weak-kneed.

  As he looked around, Ivy took the opportunity to observe him. Her mind immediately strayed in an inappropriate direction, imagining him naked, all brown skin and muscles under the dress shirt and pressed slacks. She imagined him over her and recalled the way he would force her to say things when they made love. It wasn’t enough to control her body.

  “You love this shit, don’t you?” he breathed.

  “Yes.”

  “Say it, darlin’. Let me hear you say it.”

  “I love this shit.”

  “Yeah.”

  He plucked a nipple between his lips and sucked as if it was his last chance to get her off.

  “Your secretary looks vaguely familiar to me,” Lucas said.

  Ivy blinked and remembered where she was. In her office, with Lucas, with hard nipples. Thank goodness for bras with padding. She crossed one ankle over the other to silence the throbbing between her legs.

  “That’s Cynthia. She was still living in Atlanta when we met nine years ago.”

  “Ah yes, now I remember.”

  She needed to keep her hands busy, so she picked up the limited edition Mont Blanc pen she’d used to sign documents earlier. “So…I’m surprised to see you here.”

  “Yeah.” He rubbed his hand across his bristled jaw, which made her wonder what those bristles would feel like if she touched them herself. Were they soft, hard, somewhere in between? “I couldn’t leave without coming by and saying hello. We didn’t get a chance to speak last night because you were so busy.”

  “I’m busy today, too.”

  “I’m sure you are.” He either didn’t take the hint
or didn’t care. He turned in a half circle, his eyes sweeping the room. “It’s strange seeing you in these surroundings, looking like an executive, so different from when I last saw you.”

  “I was twenty-two years old then. I was different. We both were.”

  “And I didn’t know who you were at first,” he said thoughtfully. “I never understood why you didn’t tell me right away.”

  “For the same reason I kept it a secret from everyone. People behave differently when they find out you have money.”

  “Did I act like I cared?”

  “No, you didn’t.” Which had been a pleasant surprise, making her love him even more. She glanced at his hand. “You never married?”

  “No. Marriage isn’t in the cards for me. You know that.”

  She hadn’t forgotten. He’d broken her heart when he’d told her the truth about their relationship. “This isn’t a forever thing. It’s just a for now thing. I have plans.”

  “True.” Fatherhood hadn’t been in the cards for him, either, but that didn’t stop her from fantasizing, wishing she could have been the woman to make him change his ways. To extinguish the wanderlust that had driven him to seek adventure on the other side of the world. To make him want to settle down and start a family.

  “I promised not to keep you, so I’m going cut to the chase.” He tucked a hand in the pocket of his trousers. “I know the way things ended between us years ago wasn’t the best, but I was wondering if we could keep in touch. The truth is, Ivy, I’ve never forgotten about you, and I thought maybe we could…be friends at least.”

  Friends.

  To hide the sudden pain from his suggestion at the inadequate substitute, she looked down at the pen in her hand. There were so many reasons why she couldn’t be friends with him, none of which she could share. She couldn’t tell him that even though the longing had subsided over the years, she’d never stopped thinking about him. She couldn’t tell him that he had a daughter—not after he’d told her he didn’t want to be a father. Not after she’d lied and told him she’d taken measures to make sure she didn’t get pregnant.