“I just can’t get used to that huge diamond he bought. I prefer the simple band. But I wore the engagement ring every day for five months, and today’s the first day I left it off.” Anne’s face reddened as she hid her hand at her side. “I was hoping no one would notice.”
“Are you excited about your first day?” Sam asked Emily.
“Uhmm, sure.”
“Are you going to let your mom find a match for you, like she did for me?”
“Absolutely not.” Emily cast a stern look toward her mother. “I know we’ve teased about that in the past, but I really don’t want you to interfere in my love life.”
“I’ll try not to, but it goes against my nature.”
“Mom, I mean it. Anyway, I have no time for the complications of a relationship right now. Maybe in a couple of years...”
“Oh no—I want to be a young grandmother. And Gram wants to be a great-great grandmother before she dies.”
Gram had claimed great-grandmother status with Emily and her sister, Charlotte, upon her grandson’s marriage to Anne. At the age of ninety-six, Gram was a feisty force of nature.
“We can discuss this another time, Mom. I really want to get to work. I need to make a good impression so the employees won’t accuse Mr. Gherring of nepotism.”
Sam chuckled. “No worries, Emily. We can’t accuse anyone of that—we don’t even know what it means. But I’ll take your mom away, and let you get to work. Let me know if you have any questions.”
Emily had all of her things arranged and her workspace decorated with five minutes to spare before her workday officially started. She considered getting a cup of coffee, but opted to simply plunge into her work. Her mind was engrossed in figures on an Excel spreadsheet when she heard a man’s voice beside her.
“Hey, Emily. What are you doing here?”
A smiling face peered over the top of her cubicle. It was him. He was the last person she wanted to see in New York City and one of the few she actually knew. She’d met Spencer Marshall at a rock-climbing gym while visiting her mom in the city in the fall. He was everything she wasn’t. He was an outgoing, adventurous, adrenaline junkie. He’d be a perfect match for her audacious sister, but instead, he’d chosen to pursue her. Calling. Texting. Skyping. Emailing. He was incredibly persistent, despite her discouraging hints. She hadn’t mentioned her move to the city, knowing he would be even more tenacious.
It’s not that he was unattractive. Merely looking at his face made her blood start pumping faster. He had deep penetrating brown eyes; he kept his dark brown hair cut short on the sides and a little longer on top. He smiled at her with even white teeth and dimples to boot. His youthful face contrasted with the strong jaw line and rugged look that said he was all man. And she knew from watching him climb he had a body to go with it—tall, with broad shoulders and lean muscles. No, the problem wasn’t with his looks. The problem was... The problem was... He was overwhelming. That’s what the problem was. After every encounter or conversation, her mind quit working, and she couldn’t think straight. He had a sort of aura or presence that interfered with the proper function of her brain. That simply wouldn’t do.
She’d jammed dating at the bottom of her extensive agenda for her new life in New York City. But if she ever decided to date again, she needed someone different. Someone calm. Stable. Conservative. Even-keeled. Unexcitable. She needed a rock she’d be able to anchor her life to. Not someone who was unpredictable and daring—even if he was heart-stoppingly handsome.
“I work here. And what are you doing here?”
“I work here, too. Your stepdad gave me an internship this summer. This is great. We can get together... I mean, we could do some fun things together. Would you like to go climbing again?”
“Uhmm, I’m not sure. I think I need to concentrate on getting settled—you know, moved in and unpacked and such.” She mustered her most discouraging tone.
“Great. I’ll come help you unpack tonight. What time? And I need your address, too.”
“I don’t know about tonight. I still need to stock my pantry. I don’t have any food yet. So tonight will mostly be grocery shopping. Nothing I really need help with, but thanks—“
“Even better. I’m a wiz at shopping and a great cook. I’ll get you set up.” He answered his vibrating cell phone. “Hi, Olivia... No, not tonight. I’ve got plans. Maybe Wednesday? Awesome—see you.”
Without blinking an eye, he turned back to Emily. “So tonight? I’ll come about six thirty? Sound okay?”
Emily shook her head in disbelief. She knew from her mom’s description he was popular with a lot of girls. But had he actually made a date with another girl on the phone while he was in the process of making a date with her? He was way too much of a player.
“Spencer, it sounds to me like you’ve got too much on your social calendar to squeeze me into it.” She poured on the sarcasm. “Maybe tonight’s not a good idea.”
“I’ll never have too much going on to squeeze you in. I’d tear up the whole calendar and throw it away to make room for you. See ya tonight.”
He turned on one heel and left her standing with her mouth agape. She was in big trouble.
Returning home from her first day at work, Emily felt bone-tired. She’d successfully negotiated the subway system, but her commute still took her about forty minutes. Of course, she’d been offered a ride home with her mom and stepdad, but she’d steadfastly refused. She had to prove she could do this on her own. Her stepfather had convinced her to move into one of the apartments owned by Gherring Inc., but only until she
