Page 1 of Nothing to This (Nothing to… #8)

Rylee Hampton, Creative Consultant. Did that sound sufficient for seven years of graft?

Working in the marketing department, as part of a large team, most of her time was spent sketching other people’s ideas.

Her job was her job, not the be-all and end-all, but there was such a thing as professional pride.

She didn’t want to be fired. Yet she could be facing exactly that, her and every other employee.

Others weren’t so apathetic. Her marketing colleagues’ mumbles and the rumble of surrounding conversation conveyed confusion and intrigue.

The crowd was alive with questions and speculation.

When was the last time she’d been in that room?

The Christmas party? Maybe the mock expo.

Damn, she wanted to go home, but there they were, waiting for the CEO to show up for an unknown reason.

There had to be some big announcement. Had to be. That would explain bringing so many people together and keeping the gathering hush-hush until the eleventh hour. The raucous conversation continued as groups predicted what might happen on the dais at the head of the room.

Nichelle leaned in at her side to whisper, “Here comes Ted.”

Their CEO. The sooner he got started, the closer she’d be to home.

Of her marketing colleagues, Nichelle was the closest thing she had to a friend. Though, in truth, her life outside of work was more important than her job. A social life, being “in” with her colleagues, was unimportant; she wasn’t particularly close to any of them.

Polite and civil, she didn’t have deep relationships at Spotlight. She kept her head down, did her job, and went home to the life that she loved.

From behind the dais, Ted ascended the stairs to the prominent spot at the central podium. Other members of the board shuffled onto the stage behind him.

Showtime.

“Everyone!” Ted called. “Please settle down!”

Always jovial with a smile on his face, Ted was a good boss, though not the smartest of businessmen.

Word among employees implied he was understanding and generous.

He didn’t have the cutthroat spirit needed to close the deals that would ensure the corporation’s, thus the employees’, futures.

Which was better? A superior who listened in the short term or one focused on the bigger picture?

She’d only met the man once, at a function in that very room. They’d spoken for a second. He wouldn’t remember her, but she’d got a good sense from him, a good energy.

Ted tapped the microphone as the room quieted and the board seated themselves.

“Thank you, all, for coming today,” Ted said, setting his hands on the podium.

“I know this is spur-of-the-moment; you have jobs or homes you want to get to. It’s been a long day, so I’ll make this brief.

I’m sure many of you have heard the rumors about Spotlight Solutions and our financial troubles. ”

Redundancies.

Budget cuts.

The words rattled in her head.

So much for not being worried.

Tension gripped the room. It clenched her guts too. If this news related to downsizing, she could be in big trouble. Her four-bedroom apartment was already more than she should be able to afford.

“Oh God,” Nichelle said and took her hand, eyes locked on the stage.

“Please nobody panic,” Ted said and widened his grin.

“We’ve been in secret negotiations for some time now and finally the day has come to say we have been rescued.

” The room relaxed somewhat, but still held its breath.

“Spotlight Solutions has been purchased. I know it’s unexpected, but the buyout secures everyone’s jobs and our future projects.

” The room applauded. Ted held up his hands.

“Please, save your applause for our savior, Mr. Jamison Dawes!”

Impact. Like a Mack truck.

What did he just say?

No. It couldn’t be.

People kept applauding when a new person jogged up the stairs at the back of the stage. The man unknown to the room held up his hands to silence the crowd, presumably intending to introduce himself.

Oh, fuck. They needed no introduction.

Jamison Dawes wasn’t unknown to her. Yep, they definitely knew each other. Intimately. Shit. Her mouth dried as it fell open. What the hell was he doing there? What did he think he was doing?

The applause died down.

JD went to the podium to shake Ted’s hand.

All very posed and perfect, like politicians accepting the nomination for something.

Steam should be coming out of her ears. Despite being such a prominent feature of her life, it had been a while since they’d laid eyes on each other.

The last place she’d expected to see him was at her workplace.

Ted backed away to take a seat with the other board members. And she couldn’t snap out of it.

Wearing a dashing smile, JD settled the room. Been a long time since she’d seen that smile. The damn smile that tipped the first domino; they’d been falling ever since. Crashing into each other, one after another, with an inevitability she’d almost come to rely on.

With that smile, he charmed every person in the place. Like lambs to the slaughter.

“Thank you,” he declared. “Thank you, everyone.”

Known as a shrewd businessman, personable and generous, Jamison Dawes—JD to her—was a good man, and extremely successful in his field. Good at lots of things, he was a philanthropist, a mentor, and making headlines gobbling up corporations around not only the country but the world.

Whatever he was saying, she heard none of it over the ringing in her ears. He could’ve recited War and Peace and there still wouldn’t have been time to snap out of her daze.

A rushing of air overtook the ringing. A storm was coming. Seeing him up there, in front of her colleagues, her colleagues, talking, commanding attention, it was too much to take in.

Surreal was a better word. Too surreal to absorb.

The father of her children, that was his category in her life.

A category that had nothing to do with her career.

Their sparse direct contact happened through phone conversations and emails.

Most communication was done by way of his mother, the conduit for his relationship with their twins.

Marjorie Dawes satisfied formal visitation; JD showed up at his mom’s to see the kids when he could.

Dumbfounded, she couldn’t place him there, in her professional life, in her workplace. Spotlight had been hers, and only hers, and now he was there.

Why?

Why was he there?

Shit. Sitting only half a dozen rows from the front of the room had been a mistake, though not one she could’ve avoided without first knowing this was going to happen.

JD finished his speech and stepped back to accept the adoring applause.

Waving, he scanned the space. Damnit. Damnit.

His gaze went right past her. Thank God. Relief. A reprieve. He’d missed her.

She’d breathed out too soon.

His attention stopped and returned to seek out… In a sea of faces, shouldn’t she be invisible? What was she worrying about? He wouldn’t—

Nope, he fixated right on her. Embarrassing that he seemed to try to place her, like he couldn’t quite figure out her identity. The longer it took, the smaller she got.

It probably only took a few seconds; she shouldn’t be offended. Given the unfamiliar environment, and that they hadn’t seen each other for so long, it was no big deal. Right? Shouldn’t she forgive him his second of hesitation? Definitely not her finest moment.

Eventually, he caught on and tilted his head like he was asking why she was there. So sorry for existing. Owner of the damn world, he didn’t have to be so cocky. She was where she was supposed to be; he was the one encroaching on her turf. And what the hell could she do about it? Bupkis.

The father of her children bought the company that employed her, and she’d been oblivious. This was going to take some adjustment… and she’d have to call her lawyer before speaking to anyone about it. Her lips were sealed. Officially.

Ted approached JD’s other side and put an arm around him.

The men shook hands again. Their current CEO said another few words.

Ted thanked the room for their time and promised further information in due course, whatever that meant.

Everyone was dismissed like her world hadn’t just rocked on its axis.

Time to skate. When the first people stood, and the conversation level rose again, she leaped to her feet. No hanging around for her.

“I have to go,” she said, shuffling past Nichelle.

The other marketing employees happily gossiped, speculating on the direction of the company now that this savvy hotshot had bought them.

Nichelle bent down to grab her own purse. “Wait, Rylee, I’ll walk out with you. Wait for me.”

At the end of the row, she didn’t even care that her hasty pushing pissed others off.

Nichelle tried to follow, further irritating their loitering colleagues.

Winning friends wasn’t on her priority list. If they wanted to be pissed off, they could be pissed off, let them crank up their blood pressures.

“It’s okay, Nichelle. I really have to go. I’m already late,” she said. “See you tomorrow.”

Hurrying out before the masses corked the bottleneck at the doors, she needed to escape in case JD thought to corner her. As far as she was concerned, he could keep his distance forever.

Their rhythm worked for everyone, except him, apparently. Why did he screw with the status quo? The years hadn’t dampened his arrogance that was for sure. It might have been attractive when they met, now, it was just annoying.

Damnit, she didn’t like surprises.