The Love Game

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“Wait! Do you mind if I ask who won the contract?”

Tyler hesitated but didn’t see any harm in telling Peter he was working with Iris. “The Beharie Agency.”

“Iris Beharie?” Peter sounded as though Tyler had contracted with an alien life form.

“Do you know her?”

“Yes, I do.” The consultant’s tone was grim. “Listen, Ty. There’s something you should know about her.”

Chapter 4 (#ulink_e2454c0c-9b3c-5e18-ba0e-182c913ce99a)

Standing at her stove Friday evening, Iris wasn’t especially curious when her front doorbell chimed a little after six o’clock. It couldn’t be anyone she knew. Family and friends pulled in behind her garage and knocked at her back door. She turned off the fire beneath the boiling pot of water—the spaghetti would have to wait—then padded in stocking feet out of her kitchen and across her living room. Iris rose up on her toes to check the peephole—and gasped.

What is Ty Anderson doing at my door?

She grabbed the knot of hair she’d clipped to the top of her head. Horrified, she looked at her oversized sweatshirt and faded red tights with the name of Cleveland’s professional basketball team written on the legs.

Oh, my word! I can’t let a client see me like this.

The doorbell rang again. Iris’s panicked, gaze leaped up the stairs. But if Tyler couldn’t wait one minute for her to answer his summons, there was no way Mr. Impatience would cool his heels while she pulled on a power suit.

Iris channeled her older sister, Rose. Assume control, project confidence. She pulled open her front door. “Ty. What a surprise. I believe I mentioned I never conduct client meetings in my home.”

“We need to talk.” His somber expression alarmed her.

Iris stepped aside, gesturing him in. “What’s wrong?”

Tyler crossed her threshold before turning to face her. “Why didn’t you tell me you were fired from RGB for unethical behavior?”

A hundred words flashed across Iris’s mind. Several of them were quite unprofessional. She kept a grip on her temper by channeling her inner Lily. Remain calm; get the facts.

Iris counted to twenty while she closed and locked her front door against the chill of the late-March evening. She faced Tyler, keeping her arms at her sides and her gaze level with his. “What makes you think RGB fired me?”

“My sources in the industry told me.”

His sources? The lightbulb clicked on. Pete Kimball, that nasty, little troll. Iris drew a deeper breath. How did Lily maintain her serenity?

“Your sources are incorrect.” She tilted her head. “Are you interested in the truth?”

“Of course.” Tyler crossed his arms over his broad chest.

Iris gave him a once-over. His teak wool overcoat masked his long, lean form. His ebony eyes burned with outrage and...betrayal? Did he think she’d broken his trust? She had too much personal integrity to do something like that. But of course Tyler wouldn’t know that because he didn’t know her.

Iris led him the few steps into her living room and gestured toward her chunky, emerald sofa. “Have a seat.” The invitation went against her grain. She’d never intended to entertain clients in her home. But by showing up on her doorstep and questioning her character, he’d left her no choice.

Tyler hesitated a second or two before shrugging off his overcoat and following her instructions. Iris didn’t take his coat. He wouldn’t be staying that long.

“What happened at RGB?” Tyler set his coat on the cushion beside him.

Iris settled onto her matching love seat. “RGB was my second job out of college. I’d worked there for more than five years as a public relations coordinator. Meanwhile, other people with less experience and ability than me were advanced ahead of me because they either had the look the executives wanted or their father knew someone in management.”

“The old boys’ club.” Tyler’s tone was dry.

“Exactly.” Iris crossed her legs and folded her arms. Her stomach still churned at the injustice. She’d never forget it. “I’m not proud of the fact that I played their game for so long. I thought my hard work and dedication would be rewarded. Instead, I behaved like the definition of insanity.”

“You were literally doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result.” Tyler’s eyes no longer burned with the fires of retribution. They’d softened with an empathy Iris was even less comfortable with.

“That’s right.” She lifted her chin, defiant. “I was passed over for a fourth time for an account executive position. Management promoted the son of one of the vice president’s friends. My consolation prize was being assigned to his team provided I did his work.”

Tyler frowned. “If they wanted you to do his work, why did they give him the job?”

“His father wanted him to have the title and pay.” Iris swung her right calf in short, stiff movements. “And to take the credit.”

“Unbelievable. What did you do?”

“That’s probably where the claims of unethical behavior come in.” Iris didn’t hesitate. “I told them in anatomically correct terms what they could do with their offer and how they could do it. But I didn’t give them the chance to fire me. I quit. I can show you the email if you doubt me.”

Tyler’s eyebrows leapt up his high forehead. “You responded in an email?”

“Maybe that’s how Pete Kimball got the idea that my behavior was unethical.”

“Who mentioned Pete Kimball?” Tyler’s enigmatic expression didn’t fool Iris.

“It’s simple deduction, Sherlock.” Iris stopped swinging her leg. “Pete Kimball wants your account. And he knows I have it.”

* * *

The marketing consultant was on to him. Tyler looked away. He wouldn’t—couldn’t—lie to her. And he was glad she’d stopped swinging her leg. He’d been distracted by those shapely limbs in the faded, red leggings. About half of his bluster had been his attempt to mask his reaction to them.

His fingers twitched, itching to remove the clip binding her sable tresses. But the style emphasized her elegant, warm-honey features: high cheekbones, long nose, that Cupid’s bow mouth. He could blissfully drown in her wide, coffee eyes.

Tyler pulled his gaze from Iris’s face and let it roam over her living room. The decor reflected the woman: modern, well put together, bold; from the large emerald sofa and matching love seat, to the sterling-silver-and-onyx entertainment center and matching coffee table. Three of the walls were painted pure white. The wall behind the entertainment center was deep red. The lamp on the silver-and-onyx corner table was carved from stone. The beige wall-to-wall carpet must have come with the townhome.

“I’m sorry I accused you instead of asking for an explanation.” Tyler’s attention dropped to the magazine spread open on her coffee table. It was the latest issue of a computer gaming publication.

“Corporate espionage is a hot-button issue in the gaming industry.” Iris shrugged. “Being told you’ve hired an ethically challenged consultant probably didn’t sit well with you.”

“I appreciate your understanding.”

“Now that we’ve gotten that straightened out, I’m going to settle in for the evening.” She stood, unfolding her arms. “I’ve got a lot of work to do to prepare for your executive team meeting Monday morning.”

I’m being dismissed. Tyler suppressed a smile as he rose from Iris’s sofa. “Of course. I’m sorry to barge in on you at home.”

“I’m glad we talked it through.” Iris led him to her door. “Once you get to know me, you’ll realize you can trust me. I understand and respect your need for confidentiality.”

Tyler jerked his attention from her hips. He shouldn’t be checking out his consultant. “Thank you.”

Iris opened her front door, pulling it wider as she stepped back. “Enjoy the rest of your weekend.”

Tyler stepped over the threshold, then looked back at her. “Should we get together to discuss the agenda for Monday’s meeting?”

Her winged eyebrows knitted. “We already discussed most of it when we met this morning.”

“All right. Good.” He hadn’t felt this awkward around a female since puberty. “One thing we didn’t discuss, though, was where you’ll be working.”

She frowned. “I usually work out of my office.”

“I think it would better for you to work out of ours.” Where had that come from?

“Why?” Iris looked as startled as Tyler felt.

“You pointed out yourself that we’re on a tight schedule, which is even tighter since you insist on an internal launch.”

“The internal launch is the right thing to do for your employees.”