real-world experience. Maybe he was looking to replace her with some hotshot MBA from a real business school and he wanted to tell her in person. Maybe Sam had been right all these years and Cabe Jordan really was an elitist who had always looked down his nose at people like her.
Heavens, she had to get a grip. And try to stay positive. There could very well be a good reason for Cabe’s visit. Hadn’t she just come across an internal email regarding an opening in upper-level management? Perhaps he was here to tell her she was being promoted. It was possible. After all, her numbers spoke for themselves.
Did she dare to hope? Her job here meant so much for both her future and everyone who depended on her.
A quick knock on the door preceded the abrupt entrance of her assistant carrying a gleaming silver tray laden with pastries, a coffeepot and two brand-new porcelain mugs. Nothing but the best for Mr. Jordan.
“Thanks, Nora,” Jenna said as she set the tray down on a side bureau.
“You got it. Do we know his ETA yet?”
“Won’t be much longer now.”
Nora put her hand over her heart, a dreamy, faraway expression on her face. “I wonder if he’ll have Carmen with him.”
“Carmen?”
“You know, that Spanish model he was photographed with recently.”
Jenna shrugged. “I wouldn’t know.”
“Oh, come on. You have to be as curious as the rest of us. He’s been spotted out and about with at least three different beauties in the last month alone.”
Jenna merely smiled. If she was curious about anything, it was the reason for this whole trip to begin with. “Mr. Jordan’s personal affairs are none of my concern. I simply work for the man.”
“And what a dreamy man he is.” Despite being a happily married grandmother of a newly born infant, Nora was unabashed in her appreciation of handsome men.
“Be that as it may...” Jenna brushed an imaginary piece of lint off her right shoulder. This conversation was making her uncomfortable. Cabe had always been an endless source of gossip around here. She understood the curiosity—of course she did. Handsome, successful, mysterious. Cabe had really made a name for himself in the retail jewelry business. But endless speculation about the man wouldn’t get her a regular paycheck.
“I should probably get back to work on this presentation I set up for him.” She glanced at the graphic on her screen. She’d worked all night on it, taking the initiative to put together a slide presentation for Cabe’s review. Even though she didn’t know the exact reason for his visit, she figured presenting him with some specifics on the current business numbers wouldn’t hurt.
“I’m sure you’ll impress him, dear. Please don’t fret.”
Nora, of all people, knew how much Jenna needed this job. Her school loans alone were enough to keep her in debt for a good portion of her adult life. But as far as assurances went, Jenna wasn’t convinced.
“It can’t hurt to be prepared.”
“Of course, dear.” Taking the hint, Nora walked out of the office, gently shutting the door behind her. As much as she wanted to relax about all this, Jenna couldn’t seem to heed Nora’s advice not to “fret.”
She had to face it. Whatever his reasons, for the next several days, she would have to be Cabe Jordan’s glorified and overqualified chaperone. If only she could figure out why he needed one.
* * *
The only thing draped on Cabe’s arm when he walked in was his suit jacket. Not that she’d really thought he’d have a date with him when he came into the office. Though if the gossip websites were to be believed, he didn’t travel far without female companionship. Jenna stood as she eyed him in the reception area, chatting with Nora.
She watched as he walked over to the doorway of her office. Dressed in a well-tailored suit that fit him like a glove, he looked impeccable. Tall, still fit. Jenna drew in a deep breath. Those websites hadn’t done him justice. She’d refused to acknowledge it since receiving that email, but the truth was absolutely impossible to ignore now. The silly schoolgirl crush she’d had on him as a kid hadn’t abated one iota.
Well, if he was out of reach then, he was downright unattainable now. Still, like Nora, she could certainly appreciate his...pure masculinity.
Snap out of it.
He was waiting for her to invite him in as she stood there with her mouth gaping open. Staring at him. How utterly unprofessional. So much for coming across as the dynamic, invaluable employee Cabe’s company couldn’t do without.
“Mr. Jordan. So nice to see you here. Come in. Please.”
Wow, now she was positively dazzling him with her talent for witty conversation. He strode into the room and gave her a warm smile that sent electric volts down to her toes.
“Jenna. We’ve known each other a long time. Please call me Cabe.”
He spoke the words cordially enough, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that she sensed some subtle undertone, some kind of underlying message. Or maybe that was just her silly attraction to him that she’d thought she had gotten over eons ago. She’d been so wrong about that.
Definitely not the time to realize it.
She gave her head a brisk shake to clear it. She could not blow this initial meeting. She had the distinct impression the future of her livelihood depended on it.
“Would you like a cup of coffee? Cabe.”
His smile grew wider. “That’s more like it. And I’d love some coffee. But only if you’ll join me.”
She nodded and moved to the serving tray. Cabe held up a hand to stop her. “Please, let me.”
Really? He was going to serve her?
“How do you take it?”
“Just cream, please.”
He poured with a steady hand, doctored it with the small pitcher of creamer and handed her the cup. He poured a cup straight black for himself before sitting down across from her desk. In the smaller chair.
Was it her or was Cabe going out of his way to make her feel less of his employee and more of his equal?
Jenna cleared her throat. “So, what brings you here?”
He shrugged. “Just figured it’s about time I visit the flagship Boston site. Now that the Manhattan store is thriving, I can devote some attention to other areas. This is where it all began, after all. Feel I may have been neglecting it over the years.”
Did he mean it would have fared better if he’d been more involved? But the regional New England stores were doing fine with her at the helm. Sales had grown progressively over the years. Not at an astronomical pace but pretty steady, despite the slow economy. Heavens, why such paranoia?
“I see.”
“Just for a few days.”
“Well, I think you’ll be pleased with the overall numbers. Here, let me show you.” She walked over to the other side of the desk to face her laptop and motioned for him to follow.
Mistake. She hadn’t thought to pull over another chair facing the computer. They had no choice but to stand side by side. He smelled of pine and sandalwood.
She pushed herself to go through each slide, hardly aware of content. She stammered on every other sentence. Hopefully, she was at least coherent.
Cabe nodded at all the right points, so that was at least encouraging. He also asked some pertinent questions that Jenna was blessedly prepared for. Still, when she finished with her presentation, she felt as if she’d just trekked the full length of the Freedom Trail. And felt just as out of breath.
If Cabe