I kept going until the waiter came by with our meals. He slid them in front of us and stood back politely, waiting for a break in my diatribe.
“And of course, the networking,” I finished up. “If not for the sorority, I might not have met Halley, and I wouldn’t be sitting here right now.”
I sat back, my heart beating fast. I wasn’t mad exactly, just passionate. My cheeks felt flushed, and my mind was already jumping ahead, anticipating his possible responses even as I murmured to the waiter that I didn’t need anything else.
Con inclined his head, and the man walked away. Another silence fell, but this one didn’t feel as awkward. He was watching me with something like speculative interest, like I’d surprised him. And instead of saying anything snarky, he said, “Okay, you’ve convinced me.”
My mouth dropped open. “Just like that?”
He raised his wrist and looked at his watch ironically.
The flush worked its way to my cheeks. “I have a lot to say about the topic,” I said defensively. “You wouldn’t believe what people will say to your face when they find out you’re in a sorority.”
“I can only imagine.” Con’s lips twisted wryly. “It’s good preparation for what people are willing to say to your face in this town.”
There was an exasperated note in his voice that told me he wasn’t just speaking off the cuff. I tilted my head, waiting for the story.
He shook his head. “It’s about an actress I’m trying to get in a movie, but it’s not something I can talk about really. Not yet. I can’t risk it leaking.”
I looked around as ostentatiously as he’d looked at his watch. “I don’t see anyone hiding in the potted plants,” I said.
He smiled again, and this time it was the closest thing to a real smile I’d seen yet. “Another time, maybe. But suffice to say, I’m glad that Halley never wanted to go into this industry.”
I looked up at him in surprise, wondering if he was joking. Halley absolutely wanted to go into this business.
His gaze sharpened. “What?”
He wasn’t joking. I bit the inside of my lip, wondering how to pull my shoe out of what I’d just stepped in. “It’s just,” I fumbled, “I’m surprised because isn’t this a family business? I thought maybe you’d want Halley to take over the agency eventually.”
It was a good recovery, if not also wildly untrue. I’d never once heard Halley talk about joining the agency. She didn’t want to negotiate contracts; she wanted to be in front of the camera. I couldn’t believe he didn’t know.
“A family business,” he repeated, dark eyes narrowed on mine like he knew there was something I wasn’t telling him. A long, pregnant pause followed. Nervous words bubbled to the back of my tongue, but I swallowed them back. I didn’t trust myself not to spill everything if I let the bubbly autopilot take over. I swallowed nervously and tried to smile. His expression didn’t crack. I had the feeling I was on the losing end of one of his hardball negotiations, but I couldn’t lose. I didn’t know what Halley’s reasons were for keeping her ambition a secret from the parent she was so close to, but she must have a good one.
“Yes,” I said finally through my smile. “Your dad started it, right?”
I’d met Halley’s grandfather more times than I’d met Con when we were undergraduates. I guess because he was retired and had plenty of free time, whereas Con always seemed to be pulling himself away from work with great difficulty. He liked to take us out to dinner and tell us all about the agency’s latest successes. For the first year I knew her, I thought that he was still the owner.
I got the feeling I’d said something else wrong though, from the way Con’s brows lowered. “The company I joined was very different from what it is today. My father’s company had six employees total and barely covered their overhead. Today, the Walker Agency is in every top five list in this industry.”
I could tell I had struck a nerve, but for once, I didn’t care. Anything to take his focus off Halley.
“Of course,” I said. “But your dad still started it, right? I mean he’s the original Walker.”
“Technically,” he said grudgingly.
A silence followed. I finished my steak salad and shook my head when the waiter came by with the water pitcher.
“Just the check,” Con said. His words were clipped, but his face had relaxed.
I looked away when he signed it, not wanting to see the total. Then I followed him back out onto the busy avenue. The sun was blazing brightly above, but a soft wind blew the burn out of the heat. There were more people out now, and I had to walk closer to him to keep from running into oncoming pedestrians. The crowd seemed to part around him even as eyes slid to the edges of their sockets to watch him go. It wasn’t just the women; men were compelled by him too. He radiated some mysterious X factor that went beyond his looks and understated wealth. It was a gravity, a power, like he was the center of something and those in his orbit were helpless to do anything but revolve around him.
Halley had charisma, but this was something different.
I shivered, despite the warmth of the day, but when we reached The Walker Agency, I was surprised to find I was disappointed. The moment I’d been anticipating since I found myself in this predicament was here. All I had to do now was say thanks so much for lunch and we’d go our separate ways. If Halley was done twisting his arm, I might not spend another minute alone with him for the rest of the year. He was a busy man, after all.
His expression was lighter as though he were having the same thought. “I’m going to drop you off here,” he said, slowing to a stop in front of the building. “I have some business on the other side of town.”
I heard a note of dark relish in his voice, like he was looking forward to twisting someone’s arm until they were forced to see something his way. It was ominous, but a thrill went through me all the same. What was wrong with me? I’d never been attracted to someone like Con before. My friends had loved the dark, brooding guys, but I’d always wanted the bright, sunny ones. The ones who made you laugh instead of squirm, who got along easily with my mom.
But I had to admit, I’d never been attracted to them for long.
I’d certainly never been in love.
I shaded my eyes with my hand and looked up at Con, my heart beating unexpectedly fast. “Thank you for lunch,” I said breathlessly.
“Of course,” he said automatically, then almost as an afterthought, “I always take new employees out for a welcome-to-the-agency lunch.”
There was no way that was true. I was sure of it now. He was far too busy to take out every mail clerk and intern who rotated through. His eyes met mine, and lust speared through me.
Before I could stop myself, I moved toward him.