I laughed nervously. “Well, there is no downside to allying with Good Fellow’s. We’re the team on the ground and we never turn down help. Having someone with your access to resources would be incredibly beneficial to us.”
Lukas ran a finger along his chin and rubbed absently at the scar there. I tried my best not to stare at his jaw muscles as they flexed while he thought things over. “Where would we start?”
Lisa took over. “I was thinking we start with a bang. Something to really get the ball rolling and announce to the city that you’re getting involved with charity.”
“Something like what?” I asked.
“A charity event,” Lisa said confidently. “Something big enough where the media will show up and Lukas will get a lot of press. With any luck, this will start turning things around in terms of public opinion and favor, and you’ll start to see the financial benefits of your software upgrades.”
Lukas looked up at me. “Thoughts?”
“I’m on board,” I said. “But if you really want to do this thing right, you should commit to a campaign that goes beyond a basic fundraiser.”
He arched an eyebrow.
“Don’t get me wrong,” I added hurriedly. “We can always use the money, and a fundraiser of this proportion is sure to get us a pretty penny in donations, but this is what most wealthy people do. They dip their toe in, raise a bunch of money just by showing up and smiling at the cameras, and then they feel like they’ve done their part. No offense, but that’s not what we really need.”
Lukas’s eyebrow was still arched. He turned to his sister.
“Don’t look at me,” Lisa said. “I’m with her. It’s easy to show up for the short haul and smile for the media. But we need to go deeper. We need to make real change and we need to be able to track it. Otherwise, what’s the point?”
Lukas sighed. “Fine. What do you suggest then, Kayla?”
My name on his lips almost made me shiver. “We need to go a step further. I can help you learn and understand the plight of the people we’re trying to help. After that, you might be able to see other means of assistance beyond just donations.”
“I understand their plight already,” he said.
“Well, sure, to a certain extent—”
He cut me off. “To a certain extent? Have you forgotten how we grew up? We lived and breathed that plight. I have no interest in reliving that.”
Lisa frowned at her brother. “Nobody is saying you don’t understand. But times are different, and so are people’s struggles. I think all Kayla is saying is that it might be useful to start at the ground floor.”
Lukas prickled. “You’re the one who suggested this whole thing, Lisa. Maybe I should just leave you in charge. What do you think?”
Lisa shot me an apologetic look. I glanced down at my hands and tried to be invisible. This was not the Lukas I remembered. He had a short fuse, and he was defensive. Were there struggles in his past I’d never even known about that made him like this?
“I think you’re being rude,” Lisa said stiffly.
I reached for my handbag. “I should go.”
“No, stay,” Lisa said.
“I’ll go,” Lukas said, getting smoothly to his feet. He tugged at the sleeves of his suit jacket and looked down at me, his posture stiff and proud. “It was nice seeing you, Kayla.”
I couldn’t tell if he was lying or not. “It was nice to see you, too.”
Hell, I couldn’t tell if I was lying or not. Nice hardly seemed like the right word. Nothing about this felt nice. It felt tense and uncomfortable and I couldn’t recall the last time I’d been so out of my comfort zone.
Lukas strode to the door and stepped out into the hall. I watched him through the glass wall until he disappeared around the corner, after which I let myself deflate like a popped balloon.
“I’m so sorry,” Lisa said, reaching across the table toward me. “He’s not always like this. I don’t know what his deal is lately. I should’ve prepared you for—well, whatever this was.”
“It’s okay. You have nothing to apologize for.”
“From where I’m sitting, it feels like I do. He can be a total ass sometimes.”
I shrugged and collected my papers. “Maybe I caught him on a bad day?”
Lisa shook her head sadly. “I appreciate your optimism, but most days are like this now.”
I didn’t ask any questions. None of this was my business and I doubted Lukas would appreciate me poking my nose into his affairs, trying to riddle out why he’d turned into such a Scrooge.
If he wanted to work together, I’d still be open to it. I wasn’t one for turning down much-needed money and assistance, especially from someone as influential and powerful as Lukas Holt. But if he was going to string me along and be a jerk the whole time?
Maybe I’d just have to find someone else to partner with.
Lisa got to her feet and smoothed out her high-waisted skirt. “You’ve had a long day. How do you feel about happy hour? There’s a cute place around the block with killer Moscow Mules and chicken Thai bites.”
I grinned. “You know I can never say no to Thai bites.”
Chapter 5
Lukas
I loosened my tie as I strode to my car in the underground parking lot beneath my high rise office tower. Seeing Kayla had gotten to me more than I could have imagined possible and I couldn’t get far away fast enough. Lisa would be chomping on my heels if she spotted me in the office for blowing her friend off and getting pissy and I was in no mood to entertain that.
So I hopped in my Lykan Hypersport and revved the
