cautionary tale. As it was, the five years separating them didn’t make Jeannie any less impressive, but Lexi made it a point to never let her employees know they were so physically perfect as to nearly intimidate her.
“I’ve been worried,” Jeannie said, her voice soft and thick with suppressed tears. “I don’t understand how this happened. I’m careful, Lexi. You know that. I’m careful and I give each client my full attention. I want everything about the experience to be perfect.”
Lexi smiled at her. “You don’t have to convince me. You get raves all the time. You’re booked weeks in advance. I don’t believe this lawsuit is about the facial.”
“What do you mean?”
She’d decided not to spread the word about Garth being her half brother. It was personal information that no one needed to know. But she also didn’t want Jeannie to worry.
“In my opinion, the lawsuit is personal,” she said, wanting to stay as close to the truth as possible. “It’s about getting at me through the business. This isn’t about your work.”
“You’re not going to fire me?”
“Of course not.”
Tears filled Jeannie’s wide blue eyes. “Thank goodness. I haven’t been sleeping much because I’ve been so worried. I love working here, Lexi. I love the clients and the environment. You’re so easy to work for. I didn’t want to have to leave, especially with people talking about me like that.”
“No one’s talking. At least not anyone who knows you. It’s a nuisance suit. We have insurance for this sort of thing, but I have a feeling that it’s not going to get very far.” Lexi suspected Ann was having second thoughts about her illegal behavior. Having a crush on the boss was one thing, but going to jail for him was another.
“You think she’ll drop the lawsuit?”
“I’m hoping she will. In the meantime, I want you to do your job the way you always have. We’re going to work this out.”
She and Jeannie stood. Jeannie hugged her.
“Thank you,” the other woman said. “Thank you for everything.”
“You’re welcome. I don’t want to lose you. If the stress starts to get to you, please come talk to me.”
Jeannie nodded. “I promise.”
“Good.”
The other woman left. Lexi checked her messages, then walked down the hall to the reception area of the spa.
There were several clients paying their bill or shopping. From there she went into the relaxation area, where two women sat in robes, sipping tea and chatting after a massage.
In the back, every salon chair was filled, while the nail area buzzed with conversation.
Jed would never approve of this, she thought, picturing the lobby of Titan World Enterprises. This wasn’t a monument to success that would hold generations in awe. It wasn’t global or worth billions. It was a small business that grew every month and made her happy.
She returned to her office and walked to the window. The parking lot was below and nearly every slot was filled.
She’d gone to work for her father to prove something and had left because she couldn’t be successful there. Expanding the spa, being greedy, had also been about showing off for Jed. She’d nearly lost everything for that. If not for Cruz, she would have. So what did she want now?
She touched her stomach. Life grew there. She could think the words, but they had no meaning. Not yet. She couldn’t take it all in. A baby? Her? How was that going to change things?
What would Cruz think? That she’d tried to trap him? That she’d done it on purpose? She couldn’t be sure he would believe it was an accident, which didn’t speak very highly of their relationship.
She wanted to think he would be excited and happy. That he would admit he was desperately in love with her and wanted them to be together always. But that was just fantasy. Men never used words like “desperately.” They just ran.
What had Kathy Duncan thought when she’d found out she was pregnant with Jed Titan’s child? Had she been innocent enough to believe he would marry her? Had she known it was over? Without knowing what she’d been like before, it was hard to say. She’d taken the money, but that didn’t make her a bad person. She’d had a baby to support.
Thinking about money made her sad. Cruz had already paid off one pregnancy. Was he going to do that again? Was there any way he cared about her, or was she still nothing but a means to an end?
THE IMPULSE CAME without warning. Lexi drove into Dallas and parked in the underground structure of the impressive high-rise. She rode the elevator to the top of the building, where the executive offices were located, then told the snippy receptionist that, no, she didn’t have an appointment with Garth Duncan, but she was sure he would see her.
“Mr. Duncan doesn’t do drop-ins,” the woman told her.
“I’m sure that’s true, but he’s going to make an exception for me.” She handed over her card. “I’m Lexi Titan.”
As a rule, she didn’t play her last name very often, but every now and then, it came in handy. The woman glanced from the card to her, then stood and disappeared behind a large, carved wooden door.
Five minutes later, she showed Lexi into an office nearly as big as Jed’s, with a view of the city and the surrounding counties. Garth’s desk was the size of a basketball court, obviously custom-made. Equally massive sofas sat by the window. The architecture of the building was such that it appeared one could step off the edge of the carpeting and fall into space. It wasn’t a sensation Lexi found comforting.
Garth rose as she entered. He’d tossed his suit jacket aside and rolled up his shirtsleeves. He was handsome and powerful-the kind of man who made women wonder if there was someone special in his life or if the position was open.
How would things have been different if they’d known about each other from the start? If they’d grown up together, like a family?
“Ms. Titan,” he said, stepping around the desk and shaking her hand. “An unexpected pleasure. We met recently. Do you remember?”
She stared into his dark eyes. Did he think she didn’t know?
“I know exactly who you are, Garth. And you should call me Lexi.”
“Thank you.” He motioned to the sofas. “How can I help you?”
She took a seat. “I thought we should talk.”
He sat at the other end of the couch and smiled. “I always enjoy a conversation with a beautiful woman. I was hoping we could spend more time together before.”
“You should have called. We could have done lunch. Or were you planning to ask me out?”
She watched carefully, but he gave nothing away. “I thought you were engaged.”
“I am. I’m just curious as to your intentions. Purely business or is there something more personal going on?”
“Personal? I don’t understand.”
So he was going to play dumb, was he? Fine. “Then allow me to make things more clear. You’re Jed Titan’s son.”
Garth raised an eyebrow. “You’ve been doing some checking.”
“I have. It’s been interesting.” She waited, but he didn’t say anything. “You and I are related. We’re brother and sister.”
“Half brother and sister. We have one parent in common.”
“We’re still family,” she said. “So you’re not denying the relationship?”
“I’ve never denied it. I chose not to acknowledge it.”
“How long have you known?”
“All my life.”
Simple words, easily spoken. Was there pain behind them? A hint of sadness? Or was she reading emotion where none existed?
She couldn’t escape the image of a kid with his nose pressed against the window of a candy story. But was that just her? Was she giving herself and her sisters too much credit? Had Garth wanted to be a part of the family and
