“If I thought that would do the trick, I’d do so in a heartbeat,” assured Matthew. “But I doubt it’s that easy, my friend. Besides, how would you manage to pull off a feat like that without her learning about your feelings for her?”

“I haven’t quite figured that one out yet,” admitted Ian. “And it would be a very tricky situation, given that she’s been an exemplary employee from day one. It would arouse all sorts of suspicions if I just removed her from the team for no good reason. So it seems that I’m stuck playing the part of the lovelorn fool for the foreseeable future. Or, as far as Tessa is concerned, the cold, uppity bastard who barely gives her the time of day. But better she thinks that way than ever knowing the truth.”

“If you say so, Ian,” said Matthew in a tone that indicated he was very far from being in agreement. “I just hate to see someone as deserving as you wasting your life on a woman who’ll probably never be yours.”

Mercifully, Matthew changed the subject after that, providing Ian with a much needed distraction. But during the brief drive back to his office after lunch, his thoughts couldn’t help returning to the woman who haunted his dreams on a regular basis.

He wondered if the flowers had been delivered yet, and figured they must have been considering the extra money he’d paid for the last minute order. He wished that he could have been there to witness Tessa’s reaction upon receiving the bouquet, hoped that the unexpected gift had pleased her.

He had been poised in the doorway of one of the executive offices – the one closest to the support teams’ group of cubicles – and finishing up a conversation with Ford Stillman, his Finance Manager, when he’d overheard one of the girls making some snide comment about Tessa being the only one without flowers. It was only then he had recalled it was Valentine’s Day, and a brief, discreet glance over at Tessa’s desk confirmed the absence of a bouquet.

It had been sheer impulse – or perhaps temporary madness – that had compelled him to place a call on his way to lunch to the very exclusive florist he used on occasion. Fortunately the florist was also extremely discreet, and had assured him that the roses would be delivered with complete anonymity. There would be no way for the recipient to trace the bouquet back to him.

And even though Tessa would never suspect that he had been the one to send her the exquisite vase and flowers – both of which had cost more than five hundred dollars – the idea that his secret gift might bring her some well-deserved pleasure had thrilled him to no end. After all, it wasn’t as though he could take her out to dinner or fly her to some romantic spot for the long weekend or give her a more expensive gift.

Ah, but if she was his, thought Ian as the Town Car approached his office building, he would certainly go out of his way to sweep her off her feet this Valentine’s Day – not to mention every other day of the year. He longed to show her the world – taking her to meet his family in England, or on some wildly romantic vacation to a European destination like Venice or Lucerne or Barcelona, or to a more exotic locale like Tahiti or Buenos Aires or New Zealand.

But for now he had to content himself with the knowledge that at the very least she hadn’t been forgotten or neglected on this most romantic of days. As he walked past her cubicle on the way to his office, he dared to glance in her direction, and a warm feeling spread through his heart when he saw her take a sniff of the pink-tipped white roses, her slender hand touching the delicate buds with reverence. Tessa might never know who her secret Valentine was, but it was enough for Ian – at least for now – to see that his gift had made her smile.

Chapter Sixteen

June

Tessa gave the food and beverage display one last critical inspection, rearranging a tray here, a stack of napkins there, until she nodded in satisfaction. The caterers who delivered the supplies for these meetings actually did all of the hard work, so that all she really had to do was make sure everything was set up according to standards.

Today’s meeting was due to be a lengthy one, as it was the initial sit-down with the firm of architects who had been selected to design a brand-new Gregson resort to be built in the Napa Valley. As such, heartier fare had been ordered - trays of sandwiches and bowls of assorted salads – instead of the usual breakfast pastries and fruit that were served at the majority of the morning meetings. There were also trays of assorted cookies, brownies, and macarons, and Tessa’s mouth watered at the sight of them. She’d been in a rush to get to the office early, knowing how much work there would be to prepare for this meeting, and had only eaten half a slice of toast thus far today.

She had also been skipping meals again lately, she realized somewhat guiltily. Not intentionally, of course, but as a result of being extra busy at work, and also because of Peter’s increasingly long absences from home. By the time she arrived back at their apartment each night, she was worn out from the long days at the office, and too lonely and morose to have much of an appetite. Dinner most nights these past couple of weeks had been a bowl of soup or a grilled cheese sandwich, and she’d had to force even that down.

She’d lost a few pounds as a result, evidenced by the loose waistband of her taupe linen skirt. The skirt was part of the work wardrobe she’d brought with her from Tucson, the lightweight fabric ideal for the hot Arizona climate. And after a colder than average spring here in San Francisco, it seemed that summer was finally beginning to take hold, given the warm, sunny weather outside today. Tessa had paired the simple skirt with a pretty blouse of pale pink cotton. It was sleeveless, and buttoned down the front with a row of ruffles. With it she wore low-heeled taupe pumps, and had pulled her hair back into a thick knot at the nape of her neck. Mrs. Carrington, thought Tessa wryly, would be in complete approval of the conservative ensemble, even though all of the pieces had been purchased at various discount stores.

As she continued to set up for the meeting, Tessa couldn’t resist glancing in the direction of the doorway every few seconds, rather anxiously anticipating the moment he would walk inside. And the moment he entered the room, she just knew that all of the air would feel as though it was being sucked out of her lungs, and she’d have to remember to breathe. He seemed to have that exact effect on her each and every time she saw him, and especially on occasions like today’s meeting when she would be spending a couple of hours or more in his presence.