from the new guy and focus on what her boss was saying. “Take a look at that file and you’ll get an idea of what she can do. I think she’s definitely the person you’re looking for that could add a great deal of value to the projects you’re considering.”
Sierra looked at her boss, a man she’d respected intensely for years. He’d mentored her through some complex work and given her more opportunities than she would have received if she’d gone with any other firm. But why was he asking her to show this man her work? Not this man. Anyone but this particular man.
Memories of him lying in a hospital bed, his body broken and bruised because of her father’s cruelty, came rushing through her mind. If Drake Harrison ever found out that she was related to the man who had almost killed him, who had actually left him for dead, he would hate her with an intensity that didn’t bear considering.
Everything was so confusing! She didn’t like the many paths her mind kept jumping onto. She didn’t understand and confusion was difficult to deal with. Add in her emotional reaction as well as the physical response and she was just all over the place mentally!
Deciding to ask a few questions that might give her fried brain some much needed answers, she cleared her throat and squeezed her “frustration ball” behind her back. “I’m sorry,” she interrupted as smoothly as possible under the circumstances. “But what’s going on?” she asked, glancing nervously between her boss and the man who justifiably should hate her.
Drake raised an eyebrow, wondering why she was asking that question. An e-mail had gone out to all employees informing them of the acquisition this morning. He and Todd had been wandering the hallways, going from office to office, meeting each person, answering questions and generally just being visible in order to reassure everyone that things wouldn’t change with the new management.
Todd chuckled, obviously understanding the situation. “You have that big presentation this morning, don’t you?” He’d worked with Sierra for too long not to see the signs. “Did you even go home last night?” he asked, wondering if she’d spent the night working on the details in order to perfect any issues she’d perceived in her work. She’d done it before and he’d admonished her for it, but Sierra was one of those employees that took on a challenge and didn’t stop until she’d corrected any issues. Her dedication was one of the reasons clients asked for her so often.
Sierra squeezed the ball behind her once again, knowing that with each squeeze, the ball’s “eyes” would bug out, keeping hers from doing the same. “Yes,” she replied as if she didn’t understand how the two questions were related.
Todd smiled patiently. “This is Drake Harrison. He’s took over the firm as of last night at midnight. You would know that if you’d taken the time to read your e-mail this morning before you dove into your work.” Todd looked at her over the top of his glasses, his message both amused because he knew that she’d probably put in too many hours of overtime recently, and slightly admonishing because he’d told her several times over the years to check her e-mail every morning before she became too absorbed in her work. “Everyone was informed about three hours ago. There’s a big luncheon in the main conference room in two hours to get to know Mr. Harrison better. Will you be there?”
Sierra was about to decline, not wanting to be around when the extremely tall, now-healthy and somewhat terrifying Drake Harrison decided to do his meet and greet. The less time she was around him, the less chance he had of recognizing her and the less time she had to experience this disconcerting reaction her body had to his nearness.
She looked from Todd to the stranger who really wasn’t a stranger, wanting desperately to hide somewhere.
“Um…I wasn’t…”
Drake could see where this was going and he wasn’t going to let her off the hook. She was fascinating, he thought while he watched the expressions change on her lovely features as she tried to get out of the meeting. “She’ll be there,” he contradicted before she could even decline the invitation.
She blinked and looked up at the man’s blue eyes. “I will?”
She took a deep breath, trying to remember that she should be thrilled that Mr. Harrison was so vital and healthy. He’d come such a long way and he’d