Tempting the New Boss(44)

Mason opened his mouth and all that came out, low and hard to hear, was, “That was your brother?”

Her parents stiffened and some of the sympathy she had been feeling for him dissipated.

She waited for the insensitive comment that was sure to follow. Even guys who had the requisite ability to screen themselves often pissed her off with what they might say off-handedly about her exuberant, special little brother.

And that was the kiss of death with her. One wrong word about Joey and a guy was gone as far as any of the Anderson sisters were concerned.

Her parents didn’t take too kindly to it, either.

“Yes, that was Joey,” her mom said, a slight tightening in her mouth.

But Mason commented no further, merely watching Joey’s energetic enjoyment of an oversize chocolate chip cookie, the crumbs falling freely.

Her mother turned to Camilla. “We were thinking of having Brandy just stay back with your brother, but we didn’t have the heart to lie to him, and he was as worried as we were.”

“I’m glad he came, Mom. Though I’m sorry you guys had to go to so much trouble. I’m fine really.”

Her dad kissed the top of her head again, and her mom captured her hand and squeezed it.

Mason turned from watching Joey back to Camilla, not making eye contact with either of her parents. “Can I have a word?”

“Sure. Of course. Excuse me for a minute, guys.” She hurried after Mason, who was already striding over to the fireplace.

“Sorry about this,” she said quietly when she joined him. “I know they’re a little much, and you’re not used to—”

He pulled her toward him, bending his head as if he was going to, ah, actually kiss her. In front of everybody, even though as far as her parents knew he was just her brand-new boss, and she wasn’t planning on explaining anything more to them right now, or to the pilots for that matter who were beside them, done checking in, card keys in hand, all of them watching. She jerked away.

“Mason!”

He dropped his hands, not even glancing at their audience, and ran them through his hair. “I wanted to talk to you, Camilla. Be alone with you.”

“Not now, for goodness sake.”

“Why not?”

“Mason.” She sighed, smiling over at her parents, who looked quickly away, pretending they weren’t watching the exchange with her boss. “It’s a family thing, okay? We’ll talk later,” she added, not sure how she felt about it, either. “And not a word about Joey, do you understand?”

She turned away, barely hearing his soft, “Not really.”

“Mason just wanted to talk about tomorrow,” she told her parents and the pilots when she went back to them, Mason a beat behind her.

“Do you need anything from us at this point, sir?” one of them asked Mason. “Or should we reconvene in the morning?”

“Morning’s fine,” Mason said shortly. “I don’t need you. Just Camilla.”

She let that last part slide.

The pilots nodded. “Pleasure to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Anderson.”

“You, too, boys,” her father said. “Remember, fans for life!”

They grinned and headed to the elevator.

“I better go check in,” Mason mumbled.

When he walked away, her mom’s brow furrowed. “I hope it really is okay we brought Joey, Cammy. We didn’t give a thought to the fact that your boss would be here. We were just so worried, but, well, we don’t want to embarrass you.”

“Mom, don’t be ridiculous. Of course it’s okay you all came.” She kissed her cheek, still soft and unwrinkled despite her seventy years. Genetics. She glanced at Mason, who was behind one other person in line at the reception desk. At least he hadn’t tried to take cuts. “I’m finding out that my new boss is kind of, ah, well, odd sometimes. But nice,” she assured them. “Very nice.”

Her dad frowned and kissed her hand. All this affection was even more than the amount usually poured on one of their daughters. That almost crashing in a plane thing again. She felt as cosseted as when she was five and fell out of their slow-moving station wagon, packed to the gills with Andersons. She had merited an ice cream cone and control of the TV remote for the whole night, even though it was her own fault for unbuckling her seat belt and not closing the car door properly.

“He wasn’t saying something about Joey when he pulled you away, was he?” her dad demanded.

“No! Of course not! No, that was about tomorrow, like I said. Plans for tomorrow and everything.”

“Hmmph. It didn’t look—” He glanced at his wife, who shook her head slightly. “Never mind. Your career’s your own, Cammy. You worked hard enough for it. But I will say that I know you just started, but don’t you take any nonsense from a boss about anything, no matter how good the job. You’re too smart to—”