Falling Awake(73)
Author: Jayne Ann Krentz

He walked slowly through the elegantly tiled foyer and then crossed the glass-walled living room with its view of the foggy bay, listening for her in the deep silence.

“What are you doing here?” she asked from the kitchen doorway. “Is something wrong at the office?” Anxiety flared in her eyes. “Are you ill?”

He stared at her. She was dressed in a pretty, flowered robe and slippers. Her hair was damp from a recent shower.

“Kyler, Inc., is not more important to me than you are,” he said, speaking the first coherent words he could string together. “How could you think that?”

Her eyes widened a little. Then she sighed. “I see you’ve been talking to Isabel.”

He started toward her. “She came to my office today to tell me she is resigning as an instructor.”

Leila winced. “She quit? So soon?”

“Yes.” He stopped a short distance away, trying to read her eyes. “And then she told me that you think I care more about the company than I do about you.”

Leila hugged herself very tightly. “You’re spending so much time in your office. You’re never home.”

He rubbed his temples and decided he might as well finish what he had started. “Leila, Kyler, Inc., will probably be in bankruptcy court three months from now.”

Stunned, she just looked at him. “Farrell.”

“I screwed up big-time. We’re going to lose everything. I saw it coming a few months ago and I’ve been working frantically to find a way out.” He shoved his hands into his pockets. “But there is no way out.”

“This is our business. We’re partners. Why didn’t you tell me we were in trouble?” She looked both furious and hurt.

“Because I was sure that when you realized that you married a failure you’d pack your bags and leave me,” he admitted. “I was in denial, I guess. I was trying to put off that day as long as possible.”

She lowered her arms, took two steps toward him and gripped the lapels of his shirt. “How could you possibly believe that I would leave you because of a business failure?”

He gripped her arms. “Sweetheart, I knew when I married you that you had certain expectations. You admire your father and he approved of me. You probably thought that I was like him in many ways. Hell, he figured the same thing. But I can guarantee you that he won’t be feeling the same way about me three months from now.”

“Listen to me, Farrell. I married you because I love you and because, even if you happened to be successful at the time, I sensed that, deep down, you were not like Dad.”

That stopped him cold. “What are you talking about?”

“My father had affairs with other women throughout the time that he was married to my mother,” she said very steadily. “He was never home. He missed every school play, every recital and several birthdays because he was too busy doing his big business deals or traveling to meet with politicians and lobbyists. We never took vacations with Dad. He’s been married twice since the divorce, both times to women who are younger than I am. Do you really think I wanted to marry a man like that?”

The great weight that had been crushing him for the past several months lifted so suddenly he thought he might actually be able to fly.

“I didn’t understand,” he whispered, dazed.

“No, I can see that.” She loosened her grip on his shirt and raised her fingertips to his face. “I suppose that’s my fault for not making it clear. I just assumed you understood.”

He pulled her close against him. “Maybe we should both sign up for one of those Kyler Method seminars on communication skills.”

She smiled tremulously. “Oh, Farrell.” She put her head on his shoulder. “I’ve been so scared. So desperate.”

“So have I,” he said into her hair. “But not any longer. I can handle anything if I know you’re with me.”

“Always.”

They stood together for a long time. After a while Leila stirred in his arms.

“We should probably go back to the office,” she said reluctantly. “This is reception evening, after all. There will be a million and one little details. There always are.”

“Tamsyn and the others can handle them.”

“But . . .”

He framed her face and smiled down into her eyes. “You and I have other priorities.”

“Such as?”

“What do you say we get started on that family we plan to have?”

Joy lit up her face. “You’re right. That sounds a lot more important than the weekly reception.”

He picked her up in his arms and carried her down the hall to the bedroom.

36

the good-looking man with the neatly trimmed beard was waiting for her in the hall outside her small office.

“Ron Chapman.” He gave her a friendly smile. “I’m enrolled in the seminar series this week. Just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed your class on creative dreaming this morning.”

Isabel’s spirits, which had been at low ebb since the debacle, immediately skyrocketed. Nothing like a little positive feedback.

“Thank you. I’m afraid a lot of the students found it pretty dull.”

“You could have fooled me. You sure know your subject.”

“Well, I’ve worked in the field of dream research for some time,” she said, trying to come across as both modest and authoritative. “But I must admit that teaching other people how to get creative inspiration from their dreams is a real challenge.”

“You did great this morning. I’m looking forward to the next class.” He checked his watch. “Uh-oh. Looks like I’m running late for the session on time management. Probably not a good sign, huh?”

She laughed. “Enjoy the class.”

“I’m sure I will. See you at the reception this evening.”

“I’ll be there.”

Tamsyn emerged from the ladies’ room just as Ron went past on his way down the hall. She gave him one of her vivacious smiles.

“Mr. Chapman,” she murmured.

He paused. “Please, call me Ron. I understand we’re all on a first-name basis while we’re here at Kyler headquarters.”

“That’s right.” She indicated her name tag. “I’m Tamsyn. I’m on the staff.”

“It’s a pleasure, Tamsyn.”

Isabel could almost see the sparks flickering between the pair. Instant attraction in action.