Two hours later, I’m sitting at my desk trying to focus on the pile of never-ending legal documents I need to scan and enter into our digital files when my boss taps on my door.
Kai has been with Corporate Cares since the beginning. He started in the California office and was the brains behind expanding to the East Coast. His tall, broad frame leans against the doorway, and his bright blue eyes sparkle with his smile.
“Give your brain a break. There’s someone I want you to meet.” He stands up straight and nods toward the hallway behind him.
Kai doesn’t ask. He delegates, and people listen. It makes him a great boss and an even better advocate for the foundation. It always miraculously rains money whenever Kai is around. He’s older than me, old enough to be my father, but alarmingly good-looking. I’ve had to listen to Haley’s fantasies about being alone with him in the conference room more times than I can count. I’m not sure how his wife would feel about that, but it gives Haley a reason to look forward to doing office work twice a week.
I save my progress then “x” out of my screens. “A break before lunch? Whoever it is must be pretty special,” I say with a grin as I roll my chair away from my desk then stand.
“You’re aware of CD Enterprises?”
Who isn’t aware of CD Enterprises? Colton Donavan is one of the main reasons we were able to expand. His passion for Corporate Cares spreads far and wide throughout the racing circuit. The minute he slapped our name on his car and started speaking out for our cause, the donations began pouring in.
I follow Kai down the hallway to the conference room, passing Brody and Haley’s empty offices along the way. “Yes, I think we can all be grateful for the positive influence CD Enterprises has had on Corporate Cares.”
Kai presses a large hand against the heavy wooden door leading into the room, pushing it open and allowing me to enter first. “Well, thanks to them, we’ve just landed our next biggest sponsor.”
I spot him through the glass as we walk by. He’s standing on the other side of the long, birch table with his hands tucked into his front pockets. The air shifts the moment I step into the conference room. My bones turn to liquid as soon as my gaze locks with his, leaving me unsure of how I’m still standing. Eyes of earthy brown with playful spirals of copper stare back at me. He gives me a smile so genuinely sweet that I can’t help but return it. I feel every heartbeat, every single thump in my chest. The once massive room suddenly feels too small for the both of us.
This can’t be real. I know exactly who he is before Kai ever opens his mouth.
Kai places a hand at the small of my back and grins proudly across the room. “Adrienne Maddox, I’d like you to meet Levi Abbott.”
Levi Abbott.
I hear Brody’s words in the back of my mind. The East Coast Abbotts. Levi Abbott. Does any of that ring a bell?
The man in front of me has to be Blaze’s brother. They look so much alike. Except Levi’s dark hair is longer, almost shoulder-length. The curls on the ends wisp upwards beneath his backward baseball cap. His eyes, although still hypnotizing, are darker. His chest is slightly broader even though he’s not quite as tall. Even in a white T-shirt and dark jeans, the guy could be on the cover of a magazine—probably has been.
He pulls one hand from the front pocket of his jeans and extends it across the table to me. “Nice to meet you, Adrienne.” When I accept his offered hand, he brings it to his lips the way a gentleman would in eighteenth-century Britain.
“Likewise,” I say, fighting to keep my smile genuine and my nerves in check. Kai’s hand on my back feels like an anchor. Then he drops it, leaving me treading water in a sea of confusion.
Why is Levi Abbott here? Did Blaze send him? If so, why isn’t Blaze here too? Why did Kai bring me in on this when he’s more than capable of handling sponsors himself?
What the fuck is happening right now?
Levi lets go of my hand, and I breathe a sigh of relief. I didn’t feel the buzz of energy I feel when I’m with Blaze, but I do feel something. I just don’t know what it is… Or if it’s good or bad.
His eyes hold mine, and he breaks into a broad smile. “My family and I are very proud and excited to join your mission.”
I swallow the lump in my throat. “Your family?”
“My parents and me.”
No mention of Blaze. Why wouldn’t he mention Blaze?
Kai steps around me to the end of the conference table, placing his palms flat on the hard surface as he leans forward and commands the room. “The Abbotts are highly influential people. Not just here in Charlotte, but around the world. Having them on board could mean big things for Corporate Cares.” He grins for a split second then flicks his gaze to Levi. “Levi is one of NASCAR’s major players. Rookie of the Year, Daytona 500 Pole Winner, and Can-Am Duel Winner, and I’m sure he’ll add another one to the list this year.”
I whistle. “Wow. That’s an impressive résumé.”
“Back atcha, babe. Kai says you’re the best. He says you’re the heart of this foundation. That if I want to see what Corporate Cares is all about, it’s best to see it through your eyes.”
Kai needs to write brochures upselling cheap hotels or making dorky guys seem hot on their dating profiles.
I’m a simple counselor. I care about the cause. I care about the boys. So do Brody and Haley. I’m not the best of anything.
“Kai is too kind. But I’m happy to tell you all about the foundation.” I grab the back of a chair and begin rolling it away from the table to have a seat.
My boss raises his eyebrows and folds his arms across his chest. “I was thinking it might be better for him to go to the house. You know, get a feel for it firsthand.”
Oh. I inch the chair back to its proper position at the table.
“When is your next shift?” Kai asks.
“It starts tomorrow night after dinner.”
“How’s that work for you, Levi?”
Levi lifts the cap from his head, runs a hand over his hair then pulls the cap back down by the brim. “Tomorrow night sounds great.”
“Perfect. Tomorrow it is.” Kai takes a step back from the table then looks at Levi. “Wait here. I’ll just be a minute then we’ll go over the details.”
See what I mean? Even famous NASCAR drivers obey Kai’s commands.
He waits until we’re past the glass wall of the conference room and out of Levi’s line of sight before he grabs my hand and stops me from walking. His deep blue eyes hold mine. “I know this is a lot to ask, but if there’s anyone I trust to show him the heart of our cause, it’s you. The Abbotts are American royalty. This is a game changer for us, for the boys.”
For the boys.
That’s my weakness. Anyone who knows me knows I’d do anything for the boys.
“It’s fine. I don’t mind at all.”
I can’t shake the sinking feeling in the bottom of my gut. Where is Blaze? Does he know about this? How would he feel about it if he did?
A bright smile spreads across his flawless face. “I knew you’d come through for me, Addy. Thank you.”
Addy? He never calls me Addy. This whole week so far has been nothing but a series of unpredictable events, and I don’t know what to make of it.