“Hmmm…” His head shook slowly from side to side.
“What does ‘hmmm’ mean?”
“It means I thought you’d be farther along than this.”
“Farther along? I just started this morning.” She clenched and unclenched her fists, trying to stay calm in the face of his unfair criticism.
“Technically, it was yesterday afternoon.”
“I wasted most of yesterday afternoon talking to you,” she fumed. “You were gone all morning. It’s time for you to step in and make a few phone calls. These people won’t talk to me.”
“No can do. I don’t have the time.” He straightened, dusting his hands together. “Cole discovered a pressing issue in Research and Development, and his deadline is in two weeks. He needs my help. But I’m sure Branson would be willing to work with you if you asked him.”
Was he really deserting her?
“I don’t know what you’re trying to pull, Finn Anderson, but you can’t just bow out.” She was proud that she kept her tone even, though the blood pounded in her ears. “If you do, you’re setting me up to fail. Not only will I lose my job, but the LA Fundraiser won’t happen, and Limitless will lose all those donations.”
“Don’t be so dramatic.” Finn rolled his eyes, and Laurie was tempted to gouge them out of his head. “Just call Bran and tell him we can’t work together. He’ll jump in and take my place.”
So furious she could barely see straight, she ground her teeth together, “You know what? You’re going to get your wish. I’m going to call Bran, because I know he would never let me down like this. Yesterday, I thought I saw a different side of you—one with decency and integrity. But I should’ve known better.”
She felt a bit of satisfaction when he flinched, thinking she’d struck a guilty chord. But then his features morphed into an indifferent expression.
“I didn’t try to make you believe better of me. That was all your doing. Your wishful thinking.”
“Yeah, I guess I was wrong.” She groped in her desk drawer until she located her cell phone, snatching it out so fast she bumped her knuckles, though she refused to wince. “I just have one question… I can’t understand how you can be nice one minute and despicable the next. I figure you’re either really a class-A jerk, or else you despise me so much, you want me to fail, even if it means ruining the LA Fundraiser. Which one is it?”
He averted his gaze, muscles convulsing in his throat, as he answered in a strained voice. “Call me whatever you like. This is who I am. And I don’t need your judgment.”
“What happened to the Finn Anderson I saw yesterday? The one who was at least trying not to be offensive?”
She stared at those crystal eyes that wouldn’t quite meet hers, still finding his self-assessment hard to accept, even after everything he’d done. She waited for him to crack—to admit he was playing some bizarre game. She didn’t even break her gaze when the office door creaked open behind her and a cheery female voice called out in an English accent, “Finn! There you are, love!”
His head snapped toward the voice, his blue eyes opening wide, filled with something akin to terror.
“Mum!”
CHAPTER 5
Laurie turned to face the woman who’d inspired such fear on Finn’s face. A mane of red hair—though not a color found in nature—surrounded plump, rosy cheeks. With a build similar to Laurie’s father, a professional football player, she would’ve been daunting, if it weren’t for the rapturous smile on her face. Her intense blue eyes were an exact match to Finn’s, and they were focused on Laurie.
“Oh!” Finn’s mother exclaimed in an accent much stronger than Finn’s, motioning toward Laurie. “Is this her?”
Laurie shook her head, knowing she couldn’t possibly be the “her” Finn would’ve mentioned to his mother.
“Uh, Mum. This isn’t a good time,” Finn began.
“Why ever not? Did I interrupt something?” She strode across the room toward Laurie’s desk, her imposing form balancing on towering heels that made her taller than her son. Her hand jutted forward, and Laurie reluctantly offered her own, fearing the grip might break her fingers. Luckily, the woman showed mercy and only squeezed tight enough to cause minor discomfort. “Susan Anderson, at your service. And you are…?”
“Very busy.” Finn clamped an arm around his mother’s shoulder and wrenched her around until she faced the opposite direction. He walked with her, pushing her toward the door as she twisted to gape over her shoulder. “Laurie’s working right now.”
“Laurie? Is that her name? Aren’t you going to introduce us?” In a stage whisper, she added, “Is this your girlfriend?”
“Come on, Mum.” He shoved her toward the door. “We’re in the middle of an important project.”
“But why can’t I meet her?” Susan protested as he forced her out the door and shut it behind them.
Laurie stared at the door, listening to the rise and fall of muffled voices outside. She wondered why Finn hadn’t simply corrected his mother as to his girlfriend’s identity. Laurie deduced the mystery woman must work somewhere at Phantom Enterprises or Limitless for Susan to assume it might be Laurie. Maybe Finn didn’t want to say the girl’s name in front of her, though it wouldn’t have mattered—she hardly knew any of the other employees.
The door opened again and Finn slid through, shutting it behind him quickly to lean against it, white-faced, like he’d escaped from a deranged assailant. In three strides he was at Laurie’s desk, kneeling beside her chair, his hands together in supplication.
“You have to help me. Please.” His wild eyes darted from side to side.
“What are you talking about?”
He sat back on his heels and pushed both hands through his hair, leaving the strands poking in haphazard directions like straw. “You have to pretend we’re dating.”
“What?” She stood up and backed away, sending her desk chair rolling.
“Please. I’m desperate.”
“I can’t pretend I’m dating you. I don’t even like you.”
“I understand.” He held out both palms, still kneeling. “You don’t have to like me. I told her we were having a bit of a spat.”
“You told her what?”
