"What … ?" She thought back to the first store he'd opened, during her junior year of college. She'd helped him revamp it and had come up with a theme that they'd since carried over to the other stores. "That's not true. You opened the first one. I just helped make it attractive after you made it look like a garage."
"Exactly. It was a joint effort," he said sharply.
"I guess you're right." She stepped closer, knowing the best way to center his mind had always been to be near him. She knew he was calculating project times, divvying himself up between the resort and the store. Some guys were like bears, all claws and scare tactics. They bullied their way into projects, creating more havoc than good. Drake was a methodical thinker, as fierce and powerful as any man she'd ever seen, but he didn't attack. He was like an eagle ready to land, circling his prey until he knew the exact second to swoop down and make a clean getaway. She admired those qualities in him as a friend and as a businessman.
"But this isn't new to you, Drake," she said calmly. "I'm not leaving you high and dry. I'm here now, and it's only Monday. I have five or six more days before I go to Boston, and you know I'll work every minute to get as much arranged as I can. And then I'll be only a phone call away. I love working with you and setting up the stores. You know that."
"Do you?" His voice was tense, but his eyes filled with something much deeper.
Curiosity? Longing?
Wishful thinking much?
"Are you really asking me that?" she challenged.
WHAT AM I doing? Drake had no idea when he'd stopped seeing Serena as just a friend-again-or when he'd begun noticing her womanly curves, the way she twirled her hair around her finger when she was sleepy, or the wanting look that came over her sometimes when they were working together late at night. But when the thrum of heat he'd felt when they were teenagers returned years ago, he'd known he had to mentally draw a line between them. He'd once again promised himself he'd never stand in her way or hold her back. She'd had big dreams since she was a kid, and after what she and her sister, Chloe, had gone through when they were growing up, he was bound and determined to make sure she achieved everything she ever wanted.
No matter how much it stung that he couldn't be on that list.
But as he gazed into her entrancing eyes, shades of sea green glimmering against soft cocoa, even with his promise in mind, he was powerless to stop the guilt-inducing questions from coming out.
"Then why leave? You left your first interior design job because you were bored, remember?" Serena had worked for several years as an interior designer right after college, and after boredom had consumed her, she'd spent the next two years helping a retail company establish their offices in Hyannis. She'd been on fire, and lucky for Drake and his partners, when that job ended, they'd been able to swoop her up to help them get Bayside Resort off the ground. The last thing he wanted was for her to go backward in her career.
"Yes, but that was years ago, and it was a tiny firm where all I did was decorate. KHB has huge clients. They assured me I would be an integral part of the client teams, involved with all design-management decisions, not just picking out fabrics and pictures. If I ever want to make a name for myself, it's the place to do it."
He was glad she'd thought it through, but that didn't take away his heartache over her leaving. "You've been doing interior design for months with Shift. We gave you an office in the community center so you wouldn't have to drive to Hyannis. I thought you were happy here." He'd even sent her a number of design clients over the winter, hoping to help her get off to a good start so she could build a reputation for herself.
"I am happy, and I appreciate everything you've done for me, giving me the office to work out of and sending clients my way. And I love helping you get the music stores up and running, taking a blank slate and creating something amazing like we did with the resort. All those cottages, the office, the community center … We made them gorgeous and homey enough so customers feel like they've come home when they arrive each summer. I love doing that, and I adore our friends. You know I do. But I need more, Drake. I need something of my own. The resort just doesn't need me anymore."
But I do.
Every iota of his being wanted to give her more, but he couldn't give her the kind of more-the career-she wanted. He turned away to try to regain control of his emotions.
"C'mon, Drake, what do I have to say to make you understand?"
He faced her again, and she crossed her arms. Her long dark hair lay sexily over her bare shoulders, contradicting the angry press of her lips. The look summed her up perfectly. She could be tough as nails or sweet as sugar, depending on the situation. She'd spent her life fighting for everything she'd ever had just to overcome a mother who worked too many hours in order to keep a roof over her girls' heads and spent her nights prowling for men. There was no way he was going to make it any harder for Serena to chase her dreams.
With a softer tone, he said, "There's nothing more to say, and I'm sorry I was a jerk. It was totally selfish of me. Let's get started on the space designs. I'm sure you've got a billion things to take care of before you leave."
"Whoa. That was a complete turnaround. You sure you're not going to secretly chain me up in the office or something so I can't leave?"
"Or something," he said with a laugh.
"Why are you laughing?"
"Because I don't chain women down to get them to stay."
Her jaw dropped open. "But you do … chain women down?"
He didn't respond.
"Oh my gosh! You do!" she said. A hint of intrigue in her eyes warred with the shock on her beautiful face.
"Tie, not chain," he clarified. "And only if they ask me to."
"They ask you to?" She mouthed, Wow.
Why did he say anything? "We are not having this conversation."
"How did I not know this about you?" she asked incredulously.
He grabbed her bag and handed it to her. "Dig your notebook out of there, Supergirl. It's time to get to work."
Her beautiful eyes were wide with curiosity that he wanted desperately to satisfy. "But-"
"Serena," he said sharply, leaving no room for negotiation. "We are not going there."
Chapter Two
SERENA RACED FROM the file room into her office Wednesday evening and grabbed her phone, typing a quick group text to Mira, Desiree, Emery, and Chloe. Leaving in five minutes. I'm sorry!! I promise I'll be there soon. She was supposed to meet them in Orleans in five minutes to shop for clothes for her new job, but Drake was still behind closed doors with the last interview of the day. She hoped that was a good sign, considering he'd nixed the first two candidates she'd brought in.
Drake's door opened, and Serena shoved her phone in her purse, trying to read his expression.
"Thank you for coming out," he said to Mina, the petite blond applicant. "We're interviewing for the rest of the week, but we'll get back to you as soon as we make a decision."
Something in his tone told Serena he'd decided against her.
"It was a pleasure meeting you." Mina shook his hand, and then she offered her hand to Serena. "And thank you, Serena. Good luck with your new endeavor."
"Thank you. We'll be in touch." She watched Mina leave, and the second she was out the door, she turned a stern glare on Drake. "What's wrong with her?"
"We can't have a Mina around here. We'll get her confused with Mira."
Serena hoped he was kidding. "Seriously? You can't tell the difference between a petite blonde and your tall, brunette sister?"
He shrugged. "She's too … "
"Experienced?" she said sarcastically as she gathered her notes for the music shop and shoved them into her bag. "Drake, she worked for three summers running the office for a cottage community. How can that not be good enough?"
"She didn't lack experience," he said casually. "She lacked personality."
"She was sweet and friendly. What more do you want?"
His lips quirked up. "Sweet and friendly will never cut it when something needs to get done. We need sweet, strong, and warily friendly."
"What does that even mean? And when did you become a psych major?" She grabbed her bag and dug out her keys.
"You've worked here for years. Do you really think sweet will cut it when Rick and I disagree and she needs to intervene or make a final decision? Or how about when guys come in and hit on her? Will friendly send the wrong message? Will she be able to deal with a handsy renter?"
"She won't have to. You always bulldoze anyone who comes near me."