Chapter 214: Chapter 214

At the sound of Hope’s voice, accompanied by a light knocking on the door frame, Wynter looked up from her computer where she was studying the most recent addition to her client roster. After removing the ear buds that she used to keep the background chatter at bay, she smiled. “Sorry. I didn’t hear you.”

“When you’re free, I’d like to talk to you for a couple of minutes.”

“Sure.” She frowned. “Is everything okay?”

Skyler’s arrival at work interrupted their conversation. “I’m hearing wedding bells for Larissa and Paul! It’s a great way to start a Tuesday!” She lifted the white box that she held. “I figured this celebration calls for a cake. Bonus time! Cha-ching!”

Wynter shook her head. Every success called for a confection, and as did each defeat.

“Congratulations! I wondered if he’d actually get around to popping the question.”

“He was almost at the end of his contract.” She grinned. “Maybe discussion about the renewal terms scared the crap out of him.”

Hope laughed. “Whatever works.”

“Brilliant strategy.”

“Let me go cut this thing, and then you can all join me and continue telling me what a great job I did.” Skyler sashayed toward the conference room.

“She’s good.” Wynter still had a lot to learn about how the business worked.

“Sometimes love needs a little nudge.”

Could be true. Which might be why some of their clients were willing to pay top-tier fees. Having an advocate mattered.

Somewhere in the distance, above the sound of a ringing phone, Tony’s voice reached her. “I don’t eat sweets.”

“Let me grab a cup of coffee and see if I’m better able to stay away from the cake than Tony is. Shall we meet in about ten minutes?”

“Sounds good.”

Since she’d already had three cups of mocha and knowing the only way to resist temptation was to avoid it, Wynter opted to continue scanning her new client’s file. The woman would be stopping by the office tomorrow in order to meet with Wynter—to be sure they had synergy—before Friday evening’s mixer.

With her expectations, this promised to be a difficult assignment. But Hope and the computer had come up with three potentials with a match probability of over eighty percent. Wynter didn’t have long enough to study any of Gwendolyn’s matches, so she decided to look at those after her meeting.

Instead she straightened her desk, which left her too much time to think. Since she’d seen him last, Wynter had received two text messages from Lucas. The first was on Saturday night, letting her know his sister had arrived and was planning to stay with him for a couple of days.

The second was Sunday afternoon. His father was stable but would remain in the hospital another twenty-four hours. Because of the prognosis, Lucas planned to return to work on Monday. He added he hoped she was doing well and looked forward to seeing her soon.

Which was another temptation she absolutely had to avoid.

Coffee in hand, Hope passed Wynter’s office. “I’m ready for you anytime.”

Wynter followed. “Close the door.”

Puzzled, frowning in concern, she did so. “Did I do something wrong?”

“Not at all. Sorry if I alarmed you.” Hope shook her head. “I didn’t want to mention it in front of the team or take you by surprise.” Then she turned her notebook computer toward Wynter. “What am I looking at?”

Hope didn’t answer.

“An intake questionnaire?”

“You’ll want to read it.”

Julianna was five foot seven, athletic, and enjoyed running and working out. She owned an international recruiting firm, focusing on the tech industry’s highest-priced employees. Last fall, she’d been named as one of Houston’s most powerful women.

Her wants included marriage and a child. Two was an option.

She was experienced in BDSM, but it was for stress-relief only. If her husband went to a club, that was fine, as long as it was not in the metro area.

To Wynter, every word was a dagger.

The only thing on Julianna’s absolute no list? Love. Her words were clear: It’s a messy, useless emotion.

Her hand trembling on the mouse, Wynter continued to scroll until she reached the possible match section.

Lucas’s name was bolded.

“The match is a hundred percent, Wynter.”

Stunned, unable to thread two thoughts together, she sat back.

The news should have delighted her. After all, maybe then she could be the one bringing cake to celebrate a cha-ching worthy bonus.

“I’ll let you decide what you want to do about this. How we handle it is up to you. I can send it over or talk to him, if you prefer.”

Her unspoken words clung to the air.

As his handler, it was her obligation to pass along the information. Which was exactly what she wanted to do. Wasn’t it?

Since she’d taken him on, her focus had been on finding him the mother of his children. He’d get the wedding he desired, and he’d be a satisfied client.

“I’ll give you a minute.”

Hope left, quietly closing the door behind her.

Wynter continued to stare at the screen until her eyes blurred.

Foolishly she’d believed that she could sleep with him, scene with him, without involving her heart.

The lump of emotion clogging her throat told her otherwise. She’d made a monumental mistake.

Then, with a resolved sigh, she straightened her spine. She knew what she had to do. No matter how difficult.

Standing, she closed the lid of the laptop and picked up her phone.