would be on the line if things went too far with Austin. He would come out of the scandal unscathed, while Katia and Stephania would pay the price—financially and emotionally.
Katia tried to convince her mother that she was wrong about her and Austin, but Stephania couldn’t be swayed. Before Austin returned home, Stephania announced to Hanna that she wanted to quit. In a matter of days they’d moved to Stephania’s cousin’s house on the South Side of Chicago.
Katia was devastated. She was impossibly in love with Austin, and she believed in her heart that he loved her back. But the shame she felt when she overheard her mother explain their sudden appearance in Chicago to her cousins was unbearable. Katia would always know that because of her love for Austin, her mother had lost a good income. They’d been forced to take charity from their family.
Yet being without Austin was agonizing, and Katia cried every night for months after the move. Still, she was embarrassed by the way she’d acted around him; when they were together, she couldn’t think straight, much less make intelligent decisions. Though Katia knew that she would never have gotten pregnant, she had to admit her mother was right that her relationship with Austin could have compromised her future and well-being.
The only way to cure her addiction to Austin was to never write or call him again. She despised herself for not contacting him, but at the time, she’d felt she had no choice. She had to make a new life and put Austin in the past—forever.
Fortunately, Stephania landed a good-paying job at a luxury hotel in downtown Chicago. She loved her work and often brought Katia to the city to shop and eat in the hotel dining room. Stephania adored Chicago city life, and this was her way of trying to make amends with Katia after taking her away from Indian Lake. Those had been good years, despite Katia’s broken heart. Stephania had remained at the hotel until she’d died of cancer nearly ten years ago.
Katia had come a long way since she’d lived in Indian Lake. But thinking of Austin now, she rediscovered a lead coat of guilt she thought she’d long ago discarded.
Katia had broken Austin McCreary’s heart, and she’d never apologized, never tried to contact him. Never once had she lifted a finger to do the right thing.
She was the bad guy.
KATIA WAS WEARING a gray wool pencil skirt, a black turtleneck cashmere sweater and black pumps when she walked into Jack’s office on Monday morning. Jack had called her in for a brainstorming meeting with him and Barry. She carried a legal pad, pen and the chocolate mousse for Barry.
“Good morning, gentlemen,” she said cheerily, placing the foil-wrapped cake on the credenza behind Barry’s chair. “That’s for you and Ava.”
Barry glared at the wrapped silver lump. “Thanks. What is it?”
Katia’s smile dropped from her face. She noticed Jack’s head was down as he peered at a report of some kind in front of him. The tension in the room was as thick as February fog and nearly as visible. “Cake. Okay, guys. What’s up?”
Barry glanced out the window.
Coward.
Slowly, Jack raised his head, and his dark eyes settled on her. “Have a seat. Want some coffee?”
“I’m fine,” she replied. “Let’s get to it. You look like you could use something.”
“Something,” Jack mumbled.
Katia stared at the partners. She didn’t like the way they were avoiding her gaze, and Jack’s face almost wore pity. She felt her blood turn to ice. “You’re firing me.”
Jack folded his hands on his desk. “I think that’s a little drastic just yet.”
Barry squirmed in his chair. “I had suggested some staff cuts, but Jack disagreed. The problem is that for all intents and purposes, the company is most likely going down.”
Katia pressed her fingertips into her temples. “Wait a minute. Back up. Why don’t you tell me what’s going on? We’re supposed to be brainstorming. Maybe I can help.”
Barry swiped his face with his palm. “Right now, we’re bleeding money. If we cut your salary and lay off a few employees, Jack and I might be able to hang on.”
“A couple of the... You mean Tina?” Katia couldn’t believe this.
Apparently, whatever mess they were in, Barry’s solution was retreat. Well, she’d tried that strategy once in her life and look where it had gotten her. No. Retreat was out of the question. No wonder Jack had wanted her to stay sharp for this meeting. These guys needed a miracle.
Jack leaned forward. “I didn’t tell you last night, Katia, but on Friday, Tina handed in her notice. After the wedding, she and Allen are moving to Wisconsin. He got a job as assistant coach at the university.”
“But...she didn’t say a word to me.” Katia felt wounded and slightly betrayed that Tina hadn’t confided in her. Clearly, Tina saw their relationship differently than Katia. Tina was Jack’s employee and Katia’s assistant. They weren’t friends, as Katia had assumed. No, Tina had probably read the situation correctly. Katia should have known better than to assume her work relationships were anything more.
Katia’s mind kicked into warp speed. She may have been wrong to get so invested in her friendships with colleagues, but if she wanted to keep whatever career she had left, she needed to come up with a brilliant plan to save her job.
“Can I at least say my piece?”
Barry sliced the air with his arm. “I don’t see how—”
Jack cut him off. “Go ahead, Katia.” He shot Barry a quelling look. Barry frowned but told her to go on. Katia took a deep breath and decided to give it all she had. “Since the first day I walked into these offices, I knew I was in the right place and that I would help your company grow. I took pride in my work, and I still do. You both know my goal is to eventually become a partner here. I want equal say, equal pay and equal respect. I want to grow old with this company. You two may be the last honest guys in the insurance business, and I swear to you, I have no problem convincing clients of that. I also know I could sell our plans to the devil himself if I had to.” She stood up and put a hand on her slim hip. “So out with it. What’s going on?”
Jack exhaled and leaned back in his chair. He twirled a ballpoint pen in his fingers. “All right, truth time. You’re aware that we’ve been pushing for new clients. That’s why we sent you up to Michigan and Indiana. You brought us three good companies, but it’s not enough.” Jack paused and glanced at Barry, who gave him a slight nod. “Katia, our expenses are eating us up. Both Barry and I have taken a pay cut. But the corporate taxes doubled this year. We got notice two months ago that our rent has increased by more than half. Sure, we could move—”
“But rents are skyrocketing in Chicago,” Barry cut in. “Add to that the mounting cost of benefits and the 401(k) program. It’s not what it was when you first signed on.”
“That’s why Barry came up with the idea to become a web-based business. Our site is really shaping up—I think Barry’s done a great job.”
Katia smiled at Barry. “It’s a good move. It shows we’re on top of the times, and it gives us access to people in other states without having to travel. But it’s not enough, is it?”
“No,” Jack replied.
Katia tried to concentrate. Coming up with a good idea felt like chopping through a jungle with only a butter knife. Then she had it. She pictured a billboard she’d driven by on one of her trips to Indiana. Stillinoyed? it had read.
The billboard was a direct slam against the political system that was strangling Illinois businessmen like Jack and Barry. Katia had read articles about the steady stream of Chicago-area businesses that were relocating to Indiana. The state