He paused a moment. “Just so you know — not that I want to give you any ideas, mind you — but if you decide to take legal action against Rivers Marketing and Technology, both Haddison and I would support you.”
Kennedy blinked. “You would?”
“Yes.”
Kennedy took a moment to think about that, then asked, “And what is your proposition?”
“I meant what I said in that meeting. You’re one of the best employees we have in marketing. I’d like to offer you Whitworth’s job. You’ve earned it.”
She blinked in surprise. “You want me as junior executive of marketing?”
“Yes. I believe you’re the most qualified person we have, and Rivers can’t afford to lose such a dynamic employee. I know Friday is your last day and would appreciate it if—”
“I’ll take the job with one stipulation, Mr. Rivers.”
He lifted a brow. “And that is…?”
“That you reconsider your ‘college-only’ policy for management employees. You have incredible people working for you who might not have a degree, but they bring to the table years of experience and loyalty to the company.”
He nodded. “I agree and accept your stipulation. I look forward to working with you as my junior executive.”
Kennedy couldn’t help but smile. “Thank you for the vote of confidence.”
“And thank you for accepting my proposition, Ms. Bennett.”
There was a knock on the door. “Come in.”
Haddison entered. “That matter has been taken care of.”
Maceo stood, smiling. “Good.” He glanced at his watch. “I’m leaving for the day. Tonight is date night with your aunt, and we’re getting an early start.” He then turned to Kennedy. “Can we meet tomorrow morning around ten to discuss things further?”
“Yes, thank you.”
“Great. I’ll have my secretary add it to my calendar.” He then pointedly looked at Haddison, then back at Kennedy. “I’ll leave the two of you to talk. I’m sure there’s a lot to be discussed.” Then he walked out of the conference room, closing the door behind him.
Haddison turned to Kennedy. “You’re meeting with my uncle in the morning?”
“Yes.” Not sure if he knew about Mr. Rivers’s proposition, she said, “He offered me Whitworth’s job.”
She could see the surprise in his eyes. “He did?”
“Yes.”
“Did you accept?”
“Yes, but with stipulations.”
“Which were?” he asked, coming to stand before her.
She told him and he nodded. “Congratulations. You deserve the promotion. I know you’ll do a good job.”
“Thanks.”
As they turned to leave, Haddison said, “Let’s go back to my office. We can talk there.”
“Alright.”
They walked to the elevators. When one arrived, Kennedy was relieved to find it crowded — that meant she had more time to get her thoughts together. Because right now, she didn’t know what to say to him. Didn’t know how to apologize for questioning his character. That investigative report clearly showed he’d been in her corner all along. He’d even uncovered things she hadn’t known about.
Stepping off the elevator and walking to his office, she realized how in sync their steps were, the same way their movements in bed together always were. Why she was thinking of that now, she wasn’t sure, but it was hard to look at Haddison and not recall some of the things they’d done together. Things that should make her blush, but instead filled her with heated lust.
“Cancel my meetings for the rest of the day, Millie,” he said to his personal assistant before opening the door to his office.
Once he closed the door behind them, he turned to her. “There was a reason no one knew Maceo Rivers and I were related.”
She nodded. “I know. He told me, and I understand why you decided not to say anything. Now knowing what Whitworth and Matthews were up to, I’m glad no one knew. Especially those two.”
She paused a moment, studying the carpeted floor before looking back up at him. “I want to apologize for doubting you, Haddison. For questioning your honesty, trustworthiness, and integrity. And I appreciate you believing in me, even when you didn’t know me. After, all, we’d basically just bumped into each other. Yet you doubted what Whitworth and Matthews told you about me. You didn’t believe I would betray this company and take Rivers’s clients when I left.”
She watched as he shoved his hands into his pockets, and instead of saying anything, he walked over to the huge window in his office that overlooked downtown St. Paul. Something was bothering him. She’d been around him long enough to know.
She walked over to him. Was he upset with her for doubting him? He had every right to be. But she had apologized. What else could she do? “Haddison? Are you angry with me for—”
“No,” he said quickly, turning around to face her. “I’m not angry with you. It’s just that I know how much honesty means to you, and something you just said hit a nerve.”
She frowned, not understanding. “What kind of nerve?”
He took a deep breath. “There is something else I haven’t been totally honest with you about, Kennedy.”
She felt a muscle tighten in her midsection. “What is it, Haddison? Are you married? Have a child? Have a—”
“No,” he interrupted her. “None of those things.”
“What, then?”
He studied her face for a moment, then took another deep breath. “When we bumped into each other in the hall a month ago, that wasn’t our first meeting. We actually met for the first time seven months ago.”
HADDISON COULD TELL KENNEDY had no idea what he was talking about. He’d made a decision to tell her everything because his uncle had been right — keeping secrets was the fastest way to ruin a relationship. With love came trust, and deep down, he knew he loved her.
“Come, let’s sit down and talk,” he said, taking her hand and leading her over to the loveseat in his office. Once seated he faced her, watching as she obviously tried to figure out when their paths might have crossed.
Taking her hand, he said, “Remember me telling you that I was an FBI agent.”
She nodded. “Yes.”
“What I didn’t include was the fact that I worked undercover, playing a hardened criminal myself in order to bring down organized crime — gangs, mobs, and cartels.”
He could see she hadn’t made the connection yet, so he decided to bring it home for her. “Seven months ago, I was working undercover to expose a gang of bank robbers who were associated with the mob.”
She blinked, and then her eyes widened. He saw her swallow the lump in her throat before asking, “Bank robbers?”
“Yes.”
She continued to stare at him for a minute. Then she pulled one of her hands from his and reached up and touched the area next to his eyes, slowly caressing his lips before fingering his beard. He didn’t have to ask what she was feeling for, and knew the moment she found it. His scar.
And then he saw something in her eyes he hadn’t expected — tears. Before he could explain, she said, “You were in the back seat with me. They told me you had been killed. That you hadn’t survived the accident.”