Jackson nodded. “Yeah, I saw. Do you think the various companies know they’re dealing with shifters?”
“Depending on how fast the whole Lycan Flu thing gets out, they might now.” I shrugged. “I guess it depends how much of a handle this new CEO, Joe, has on things.” I didn’t know which to hope for—a cutthroat business man or a wet-behind-the-ears young guy who wasn’t nearly ready for the corporate world. Both held their appeal and their challenges. I checked my watch. “Speaking of…we’re about to be late to our meeting. You ready?”
Before I finished my question, Jackson was already out of the car and waiting for me by the hood. I joined him and we walked into the reception area of the building.
A woman looked up blandly from behind a desk. “Welcome to Gold Moon Inc.,” she trotted out. “How may I help you?”
“Good morning. I’m Patrick Crenshawe—”
“Mr. Crenshawe?” A man stepped out from behind a door to the left. “My name’s Wesley. I’m Miss Everly’s assistant, and I’ll show you to where you’re meeting.” He held his arm out to guide us farther into the building, but I shook my head.
“Miss? No, I’m here to meet with the new CEO. Mr. Joe Everly?” I guessed he was Joe Junior from somewhere in the Everly clan. A lot of rich men sent their entire name down the family line.
Wesley shook his head. “Easy mistake, I guess. But Jo Everly, new CEO of Gold Moon Inc., is very definitely female.”
“All right then.” I nodded and walked with him to an open conference room. A young woman was sat at the table already, her focus on some paperwork in front of her.
“Miss Everly. I’m Patrick Crenshawe of Apex Asset Management.” I stepped forward, my hand already extended in greeting. “First, though, I’d like to offer my condolences on the recent passing of your father.”
The woman in front of me started to shake her head, her curly hair bouncing around her face as she did. She reached up and scraped it back, securing it into a hair tie at the base of her neck.
“No, I’m not…” She stopped herself and inhaled sharply, replacing her initial confusion with a confident smile before extending her own arm. “I’m Charmaine Barnes, operating manager here at Gold Moon Inc. I’m sure Jo will be here in just a moment.” She flicked a glance to the door. “She never runs late.”
“But yesterday was the funeral, so I can understand if today is an exception.” I offered the smooth excuse. A reason, actually, and Charmaine nodded.
“Of course.”
At a noise at the door, we all glanced in that direction. Initially, I only saw the wobbly cup of coffee being held in one hand, and the stack of paperwork in the other. Then I glanced at the person holding both things just as she looked up and met my gaze.
I stared at two very familiar green eyes.
Well, shit.
My hair prickled as all the blood drained from my face, but I forced my usual smile on and stepped forward in greeting. “Josephine Everly, I presume.”
“Oh my God.” Jackson gripped my shoulder. He reached to take the coffee from Josephine’s hand and put it on the table. “Oh my God.” He shot a look between the two of us. “You two…” he said, astonished. “And you…” He looked directly at Josephine. “You make one killer breakfast. Come back anytime.”
For a moment, her poise faltered as she gazed at my badly behaving best friend and beta.
“This is Jackson Manning, vice president of Apex.” I introduced him as smoothly as I could. “I’m sure when he remembered his manners, he would have told you that himself.”
Instead of taking my lead, Jackson held out his hand and shrugged. “Awkward, am I right?”
Josephine glared right through him using a perfect forty-yard stare. I almost chuckled at how well she had ignored him. That was the perfect move to annoy Jackson; he hated being ignored. But he also prided himself on being able to charm anyone with his wit and humor.
Big fail, apparently, because Josephine was neither charmed nor interested.
I bit back my grin as her carefully neutral gaze fell on me. “Josephine Everly,” she confirmed. “But my friends call me Jo.”
I took her offered hand, the same sparks as last night shooting up my arm, distracting me as she slipped her fingers from my grasp and I inhaled that same vanilla scent from last night.
My wolf stirred inside me.
“Mr. Crenshawe?” She spoke my name as a question.
“Patrick.” It was a correction and a reminder to her of the name she’d used in my bed.
“Patrick,” she murmured, and her cheeks pinked a little…a reminder to me of how she looked with a flushed face. “It’s nice to meet you…again.”