I Have Lived and I Have Loved - Willow Winters Page 0,325

Charles Jayne had called and invited me in for a meeting.

“He’s going to hire you?”

I shrugged. “He wants me to go in for a meeting on the twenty-fourth.”

“I can’t believe it,” Donna said. “Looks like Harper was a smart hire.”

What? I stared at her, expecting her to explain.

“I’m sure your networking helped, but hiring Harper was genius.”

“Why does that matter?”

“Well, she’s his daughter, right?”

“Harper?” Harper Jayne. I’d never made the connection.

“You didn’t know?” Donna asked. “That wasn’t the reason you hired her?”

“Jesus, you must think I’m a real prick. I wouldn’t hire someone just because they had a connection to Charles Jayne. And since when do I get involved with hiring junior researchers?”

Is that what Harper thought? But how could she? She didn’t know about my obsession with JD Stanley. “Are you sure that Charles Jayne is Harper’s father?” I asked. “I mean, has she acknowledged it? Have you spoken about it?”

Donna blinked. “No, I just assumed, with her name and all. I’ve never mentioned it.”

“Could be a coincidence,” I said, thinking out loud.

“Do you want me to ask her?”

Did I? I wanted to know if there was a connection. Had she arranged the meeting?

My mind was a mess. Was Harper just here to spy on things before Charles Jayne decided to invite me to pitch?

“No, I’ll ask her. Can you call her in?”

I slid my palms down the front of my pants. I wasn’t sure if I was on edge from speaking to Charles Jayne or because I was about to speak to Harper.

A few minutes later, Harper walked into my office, Donna trailing behind her. “Donna, can you close the door, please?” She gave me a pleading look, clearly desperate to know the answer.

Harper watched as Donna shut the door, then turned back to me, glancing at me from under her lashes. Shit, my dick began to stir. I needed to focus.

“Have a seat, Harper.” I gestured toward one of the chairs opposite my desk. She took the one I wasn’t indicating. Of course.

“We need to talk,” I said.

She grimaced. She thought I meant about us. “Regarding a phone call I just had.”

“Oh,” she said, and she smiled.

I was going to have to just come out and ask her. “Are you related to Charles Jayne?”

Her eyebrows pulled together and she clasped her hands together. “I’m not sure what my last name has to do with anything.”

I sat back in my chair and exhaled. I had my answer. She was Charles Jayne’s daughter. Donna had been right.

“You’re his daughter?” I asked.

She stood up. “I’m not here to talk about my father.”

“He just called me,” I said, ignoring her glare. “He wants me to meet him and I’ve wanted to add him as a client for so long—”

“Is that why you hired me?”

Her voice got higher as she spoke. I was handling this all wrong.

“Is that why you fucked me?”

I winced. Christ, I could see how it might look that way. I walked around my desk and leaned against the other side, not wanting to get too close, despite her pull. I had to stop myself from reaching out and touching her.

“You haven’t answered my question,” she said.

“I didn’t know.”

She rolled her eyes.

“I’m serious. Donna told me this morning. And anyway, I don’t recruit . . .” How did I say her position was too junior for me to have anything to do with? “I don’t get involved with human resources stuff.”

She wrapped her arms around herself. “Be honest. How long have you been wanting JD Stanley’s work?”

“Harper, JD Stanley’s one of the most successful investment banks on Wall Street, of course I want to work for them. And you know better than anyone that they protect their research like it’s gold bullion. That’s why they do almost all of it in house. Any person in my position would want to work with them.” I could really do with her inside knowledge.

She stared at me as if I were toxic.

I tapped my fingers on my desk. This could be a win-win situation. “I need your help,” I said. Now that she was here, I may as well use it to my advantage. “I want you to work on the pitch with me. Help me land this thing.”

“Wow. You don’t waste any time, do you? We fucked last night and now you think I’ll help you get ahead.”

That’s not how it was at all. I thought she’d welcome the opportunity to work on such a high-profile account. “No, I just thought