Page 25 of Tuxedos and Tinsel

“Any chance we can get together later today? There’s something I want to talk to you about.”

Her heart rate kicked up. “It sounds important. What is it?”

“I don’t want to say over the phone and yes, it’s very important.”

She glanced over at the wall clock. “It’s eleven now. I may be able to meet you for a few minutes around two, unless something comes up. I have to get back for an appointment at four. Can I call you around one to let you know for sure?”

“That’s fine. I have to go out to check on a work site, but I’ll have my cell.”

“Okay.” She disconnected and tapped the phone against her chin. What was so important that he couldn’t tell her over the phone? Was he ending their affair? The timer on the oven went off, drawing her out of her thoughts. “I’ll find out soon enough.”

Ian leaned back in his chair and rotated it toward the window. There was so much he wanted to say to Maya and he had to do it face-to-face. Somewhere along the way his feelings changed and she had slowly eased into his heart. He sensed it when they went shopping, but he knew for sure after they made love on his living room floor in front of the tree. It was the first one he had put up in the three years he’d lived in the house. He didn’t want their affair to end. He wanted to talk to her about something more long-term. He checked his watch. Landon, one of the other architects, would be at Ian’s office any minute to accompany Ian to the construction site of an office complex. He rose to his feet and walked over to retrieve his jacket just as a knock sounded.

“Perfect timing,” he said, opening the door. “Chris. I thought you were Landon.”

“You have a minute?”

“Not really. What’s up?”

“I wanted to talk to you about the meeting this afternoon.”

“Can it wait?”

“No.”

Ian glanced around Chris’s shoulder when Landon appeared in the door. “Well, it’ll have to, big brother. Gotta go.”

“Ian, wait. I think you should—”

He waved his brother off. “Whatever it is, I’ll be ready for it. Be back later.”

Out at the work site, he and Landon met with the construction foreman, walked through the building and compared the structure to the blueprints. Ian kept checking his watch, anxious to see Maya.

“Looks like we’re on schedule. Excuse me a moment,” he said when his cell rang. Ian walked a few steps away, checked the display and smiled upon seeing Maya’s name. “Hey, sweetheart. Where are we meeting?”

“I’m sorry, Ian, but I won’t be able to meet you. My shipment was mistakenly left off the truck and I have to go to UPS to pick it up. I need it for tomorrow. Can we talk tomorrow?”

He ran a hand over his head and muttered a curse. “What about tonight? I can come to your house later.”

“I have an appointment at four.”

“I know. I have a late meeting at work, too. I can come by afterward. Six thirty?”

“All right. I have to go.”

“I’ll see you later.”

“Ian?”

Ian spun around at the sound of Landon’s voice.

“I think we might have a problem.”

He stifled a groan. This was all he needed today.

By the time they made it back, Ian had five minutes to get cleaned up for the meeting with the lone holdout. He hurried to his office and used his private bathroom to change.

Chris met him on the way to the conference room. “Ian, there’s something you should know before going in the meeting.”