Stranded: A Winter Romance Duet Read online

  That was brilliant, Hope, she chided herself. Open mouth. Insert foot.

  “What I mean is, I work from home and don’t make a habit of bringing dinner out to the masses.”

  He chuckled. “That’s too bad because whatever it is that you’ve made for dinner smells fabulous.”

  She blushed. “Thank you. It’s one of Ted’s favorites and being that he’s stuck working late again, I felt it was the least I could do.” She paused and looked at Beckett and took in his casual attire. “Is that why you’re here? Are you being forced to work overtime too?”

  “Forced?” he asked as one dark brow arched.

  Hope nodded. “Ted works crazy hours and now he’s being forced to work over Christmas. I hate it. I wish that this…Mr. James would just…unclench and learn to treat his employees like people and not like things that he can control.”

  “I’m sure your brother could have said no,” Beckett said mildly.

  “No. No, he really couldn’t. Apparently it was either Ted work all through Christmas or the whole department would.” She sighed. “Now, thanks to this deal with the devil, our Christmas is ruined.” She sat down at the table and frowned.

  Beckett came and sat down beside her. “Surely that’s a bit of an over-exaggeration. I mean, I’m sure you have other people to spend the holiday with. Ted can’t be the only person you were going to see.”

  Hope looked at him and was mortified as tears began to well in her eyes. “He was. Our…our parents passed away a couple of months ago – car accident – and so it’s just the two of us now. Well, Ted’s engaged but his fiancée is working the Christmas shift in the ER for extra money.” Turning her head away, she wiped away the tears that finally fell before turning back to him. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to get all weepy on you.”

  Reaching for a napkin, Beckett handed it to her. “No need to apologize,” he said softly. “It sounds to me like you have plenty of reasons to be upset.”

  Wiping away the last of her tears, Hope straightened in her seat. “I can’t believe I just did that,” she mumbled. “So, you never said if you’re in the same boat as Ted – stuck here against your will.”

  “Sorry, but no,” he said with a crooked grin. “I’m a bit of a workaholic and tend to put in the time without being asked.”

  “I can relate to that. Like I said, I work from home so I probably put in more time than I would if I worked for somebody else.” She shrugged. “But it’s my choice. Ted doesn’t seem to have one.”

  Beckett looked at his watch and stood. “Maybe he should talk to his boss.”

  Hope came to her feet. “I keep telling him that but he won’t. He feels very thankful for his job and doesn’t want to rock the boat. I’m proud of him and what he does but I just don’t feel like all of his hard work is really appreciated.”

  “Not all bosses feel the need to pat their employees on the head,” Beckett said a bit defensively.

  Hope looked at him oddly. “I’m not saying to pat him on the head, but forcing someone to stay away from their family on Christmas and not receive proper compensation for it is a bit much, don’t you think?”

  Beckett looked at his watch again. “I really need to go. I hope that you and your brother have a nice dinner,” he said and smiled. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Hope.” He took her hand in his and shook it. “Maybe next time you bring dinner, I’ll be free to join you.”

  She couldn’t help but smile. “That would be nice.”

  “Good night,” he said as he released her hand and walked out of the kitchen.

  Hope stood there, slightly dazzled by what just transpired. It had been a long time since a man had paid her any kind of attention and never had it been someone as handsome as Beckett. She tended to attract the computer geek crowd; there was nothing necessarily wrong with those guys but Hope didn’t find them to be particularly exciting.

  Unless you wanted to talk computer software until your ears bled.

  Like she should talk. It wasn’t as if she was a super-model herself. She was short, a little too curvy and her hair was always a bit out of control. Definitely not super-model material.

  No, someone like Beckett was a definite first for her. He seemed to genuinely enjoy talking with her and seemed sincere when he mentioned having dinner with them if she came by again. She’d have to remember to ask Ted if he knew what department Beckett worked in and maybe she could coordinate another dinner before Christmas.

  ***

  Beckett actually had a little pep in his step as he walked back to his office. It had been a long time since anyone surprised him in any capacity and Hope Cooper had just managed to do that. He’d had no idea that anyone was in the kitchen and to find a beautiful woman standing there with food that made his mouth water was quite the pleasant surprise.

  He knew he worked too hard and didn’t go out and socialize much, but it was a conscious decision and one that he couldn’t regret. Did he miss dating? Yes. Did he miss just having some female companionship – hell, any companionship at this point? Yes. But as much as he would have loved to stay and spend more time with her, he wasn’t the type of man to simply intrude on someone else’s plans.

  Especially family ones.

  A shiver of distaste ran up his spine. It had been a long time since Beckett had spent any time with his own family and for good reasons. Granted, he knew that not all families were like his, but he couldn’t imagine what it was like to have a normal one. Maybe Hope had that kind of simple relationship with her brother, who knew? Beckett knew first-hand the kind of disappointment that came from being betrayed by the people who were supposed to love and support you.

  Lesson learned.

  Sitting down at his desk, he pictured Hope’s smile. It was a beautiful one that lit up her entire face. He definitely wouldn’t mind seeing her again but he knew that things could get sticky because her brother worked for the company too. Maybe he’d see her around again. Maybe she’d come and have dinner with her brother another time. That made him wonder if she’d been here before and just hadn’t noticed.

  Now that would be a shame, he thought to himself, if a beautiful woman came around and he didn’t even take the time to notice. He swiped a weary hand across his face. Something had to give, and soon. This was no way for a man to live. Long hours spent in an office with no social life to speak of was not how Beckett envisioned his life. Hell, he couldn’t even remember the last time he went on a date, even a casual one.

  Hope’s face instantly sprang to mind. Maybe she was the proverbial sign he was looking for, someone to remind him that there was more to life than just work, just crunching numbers, just…existing. A sense of excitement that had nothing to do with closing a business deal swept over him. It had been a long time since he’d felt the pull of attraction and now that he had a taste of it, he wanted more.

  Maybe it was time to step away from his desk a little more often and see what life had to offer.

  ***

  “You are a lifesaver!” Ted said as he walked into the room. “I know I said it before but as I made my way down the hall, the scent of this meal was incredible.” He kissed her on the cheek. “Did you have any trouble finding your way this time?”

  She chuckled. “Jerome escorted me up here and then pointed me in the right direction from the elevator. He was very sweet.”

  “Poor guy,” Ted said as he sat down and began doling out the food. “He should be retired by now but he can’t afford to. His wife has health issues and they need Jerome’s insurance to help with the medical bills.”

  “That’s terrible! Shouldn’t his retirement come with some sort of medical plan?”

  Ted shook his head. “Apparently they don’t offer that here.”

  Just another reason to hate G.B. James, she thought. Pushing that thought aside, she took her seat beside Ted and smiled when he put her plate of food in front of her. “I’m so glad you suggested this,” she said. “We don’t get so see each other nearly enough.”
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  “I know, I know. Plus, this was a good way to get you out of the house.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  Ted looked at her with a frown. “Seriously? You’re asking me that? You talk about how much I work but at least I work with other people. I get out of the house and socialize – even if it’s just with my co-workers or the guy in the cafeteria, but at least I’m out there! You stay locked up in your townhouse and sit in front of a computer all day. All of your correspondence with people is through text and email. Seriously, Hope, you have got to get out of the house more!”

  “Eat your dinner,” she grumbled and looked down at her own plate. “I don’t have a reason to get out of the house more. My job keeps me tied to my computer. I can’t help that.”

  “Then you need to cut back on your hours! Go out with friends or take a vacation or…something! Seriously, Hope, Merry and I are very concerned about you.”

  “You’ve talked to Merry about this?” she cried. “Why? Why would you do that?”

  “Because you’re my sister and I love you and I hate to see you hiding away in your house. You’re a young woman and you should be out dating and meeting people, not sitting alone in your house.”

  “You know, just like your job is important to you, my job is important to me. In order to get my business to grow, I have to put in these hours. And, in case you’ve forgotten, I tried to change careers last year but your boss effectively cut that dream short.”

  Ted rolled his eyes. “Not this again,” he said. “You could have approached other hotels, Hope. You could have looked for a storefront in other locations. James Enterprises wasn’t the only option. You gave up too soon.”

  “Your boss criticized my business plan and then told me that he wouldn’t allow me the spot due to you working for the company. Or have you forgotten that first part?”

  “I haven’t forgotten and I don’t particularly think it was criticism. I think he merely pointed out that you needed a little more start-up capital in order to protect yourself. That was a helpful suggestion, Hope.”

  She made a face. “That’s your opinion. I still think the man is a complete jerk.”

  “You have got to get over your hatred of my boss. This is where I work and I like it here. I’m not saying that you have to like it, but I can’t keep listening to you rip apart the man who signs my checks and whom I happen to admire. You need to just…move on.”

  “I might have if he hadn’t gone and ruined Christmas.”

  “I’m not talking about this again,” Ted said. After another bite of meatloaf, he put his fork down and took one of Hope’s hands in his. “Dinner is fabulous. Thank you.”

  She knew he was changing the subject and she let him. “You’re welcome. I have to admit, it’s one of my favorites too and I don’t usually make it unless it’s for you.”

  “You brought dessert with you too, didn’t you?”

  She laughed. “I told you I would.” Pulling her hand from his, she went back to eating her dinner. “So tell me about this big project that will have you working through Christmas.”

  “Hope…” Ted warned.

  “No, I’m being serious. No condemnation. I was just curious about what you were working on. You sounded kind of excited about it when we talked earlier.” She noticed her brother’s hesitation. “What? What’s the matter?”

  He sighed wearily. “Okay, but you have to promise not to get mad.”

  She frowned. “Why would I get mad?”

  “We’re re-addressing the café projects in some of the hotels.”

  “You have got to be kidding me!” she snapped, throwing her fork down. “So not only do I not get to see you for Christmas, but you’ll be spending the time considering other people for the position that I wanted? For real?”

  “Look, I know it’s not fair and if there was something I could do, I would. I’m not going to risk my job arguing about a policy that Mr. James has in place for a reason.”

  “Oh? And what reason could that be?” she asked sarcastically.

  “I don’t know,” Ted said dejectedly. “I…I’m just sure that there’s a reason behind it. It seemed too random to just be in there for no reason. A lot of companies have a thing about nepotism. You can’t fault him for that.”

  “Yes I can,” she said firmly. “He employs thousands of people. I’m sure that somewhere along the line there’s a couple of people working for him who are related. You work here in the home office; I would be at one of the hotels. Our positions would be so far removed that there wouldn’t be any issues. He’s just a hardass who enjoys making people miserable.”

  “I knew I shouldn’t have said anything to you about it.”

  “Well now it’s too late. You already did. Dammit.” Her appetite gone, she pushed her plate away. “It’s just not fair.”

  Ted stayed quiet as he finished his meal. When he was done, he sat back and studied his sister. “I’m telling you, you have other options. Have you talked to any of the other area hotels or to a realtor?”

  “No.”

  “I think you’re using Mr. James as an excuse not to take the risk.”

  “What?” she asked incredulously.

  “You heard me. Changing careers is a big deal and there’s a huge risk involved. I think that as much as you want to do this, you’re scared. And I understand that, I really do. But don’t use this one rejection as a reason to not do it. Come on, Hope. What have you got to lose?”

  “Um…my life savings?”

  He laughed. “Please. You make a decent living and I’ve taught you to invest well. Even if the business didn’t work out, you still have your graphic design skills to fall back on. You know that mom and dad would have loved to see you open that café. Mom was thrilled when you asked if you could use some of her recipes.”

  The familiar sadness at the mention of their parents squeezed her heart. “I know,” she replied quietly. “I don’t want to let them down.”

  “Then you need to actually try. You know they believed in you. That’s why they were willing to invest in the business. Come on. Promise me that you will at least try. Make some calls. If there’s nothing available that works for your budget then I’ll back off, but you have to do the research and ask some questions. Please, Hope.”

  Deep down Hope knew that he had a point. “Okay. I’ll make some inquiries this week.”

  Ted gave her a huge smile. “That’s my girl!”

  She couldn’t help but smile back. “What’s your schedule like this week? Any chance we can get together for dinner again but with Merry this time?”

  “I’ve got a pretty hectic week,” Ted said. “But maybe we could do this again next Saturday night here? I’ll have to check and see what Merry’s schedule is like but maybe if she’s already scheduled, she can swap with someone.”

  “Here? At the office again? How do you know that you’ll have to work?”

  “Trust me. I know,” he said dismissively and stood to begin cleaning up their dinner dishes. “Any chance that these leftovers are mine to take home?”

  She shook her head and laughed. “Of course they are. Although, I did tell Jerome to come up and help himself on his break if you’re still here.”

  “No worries. I wouldn’t mind sharing with him.” They worked together to get everything washed and packed back up and Hope pulled out the tins with the Christmas cookies in them.

  “You’ve got a dozen of the peppermint patty ones and a dozen of the white chocolate oatmeal raisin. That should hold you over.”

  “Just until next week, right? You’ll have more baked by then won’t you? Different varieties?”

  “I’ll see how the week goes,” she said and placed the tins on the table next to the leftovers from dinner. “I have another tin in here that I was going to leave for your co-workers but I think I’ll give them to Jerome if you don’t mind.”

  “Not at all,” Ted said as he opened one up and pulled out a cookie. “If only I had some
milk.”

  “I can’t believe you have any room left to eat anything,” she said with another laugh. “You ate enough meatloaf for two people.”

  “Yeah, but in my defense, I haven’t eaten all day.”

  She shook her head. “Don’t tell me things like that and expect me not to have hater-rage toward your boss.”

  “You’re going to have to get over that. Seriously.” He took a bite out of the cookie. “No one else here feels that way and they actually work for him.”

  That reminded her…”Do you know a guy named Beckett?”

  Ted finished chewing and shook his head. “No. Why?”

  “It’s nothing. He stopped in here before and we talked and I asked if he was being forced to work like you were and he kind of thought I was crazy too.”

  “That’s because, whether you want to believe it or not, we all kind of respect Mr. James. He’s a tough boss and he expects a lot but he’s fair and we all enjoy our jobs.”

  Somehow Hope doubted that but she chose not to argue it anymore. It was an argument that she was never going to win, so why ruin the few precious minutes she got to spend with her brother by fighting about it? “Anyway, he was working late today just like you but he said he didn’t know who you were.” She shrugged. “He seemed like a nice enough guy.”

  “Can I keep the insulated bag or do you need it back?” Ted asked rather than discuss the random guy whom he didn’t know.

  “I need it back for next weekend obviously. Just put all of your leftovers in the fridge and don’t forget to take them home with you.”

  “Or maybe I’ll just leave them here and then I won’t have to go out to lunch this week.”

  “Aren’t you afraid your co-workers will take your food?”

  Ted shook his head. “Nah. It’s not like that here. I’ve never had that happen.”

  “Well, don’t forget that I offered some to Jerome so if you’re missing any, that’s where they went.”

  “You’re too good to everyone,” Ted said and came over and hugged her. “I really need to get back to work. Thank you for bringing dinner over. I really appreciate it.”