Page 80 of Nefarious
Val scrolled through her unopened emails aware that Noelle kept throwing her furtive glances. When Val found a handful from Dane, she said, “Ah.” He’d gotten up early to schmooze, and every picture he sent showed him with an arm around a different pretty young woman. He was so obvious, Val nearly rolled her eyes, but Noelle’s haunted expression gave Val every reason to admit that Dane’s ham-fisted efforts weren’t going to waste. “So he’s enjoying the conference, I see.”
Noelle rushed around the desk and gawked over Val’s shoulder. “Do you know who that is?” She pointed at one of the girls in the photos. “I don’t recognize her.”
“No, I don’t know. Let me see if I can zoom in on her name tag.” She blew up the picture and with the enlarged name tag, the girl’s cleavage became nearly lifelike. “Does it say Karen?”
Noelle resumed her pacing, her hand destroying whatever remained of a once orderly hairdo. “This is crazy. I’m driving myself crazy.”
“Calm down, Noelle.”
“I should want him to find another woman. I should be glad that he wants to forget about me and move on. Why am I letting my imagination go?”
“Sit down, Noelle. Surely, you’re just overreacting.” She frowned. “Although Dane does have a number of acquaintances in the city.”
Noelle dropped into a chair, but her hands continued to fidget. “I deserve this. I sent him to the conference to get him away, to get him out of my sight. I drove him to seek solace with some other woman.” She stared at the floor, eyes vacant. “What am I going to do? I can’t get him out of my system.” She balled her hand into a fist and pressed it against her forehead. “I can’t be in love with Dane Russ. I can’t be obsessed with a guy who has ‘acquaintances in the city.’ What am I going to do?”
Val came around her desk and stood behind Noelle, rubbing her shoulders. “You can’t get him out of your system by sending him away, Noelle. You’re going to have to confront your feelings. And him.”
“Should I make him come back?”
Val considered the optics. If Noelle made him come back, it might appear like she was abusing her power, but that could be explained away. No, Noelle needed to chase Dane to New York. She’d look desperate. The board wouldn’t put up with even the hint of scandal. “What if you went to him?”
“The board said I’m not supposed to go to the conference. I would have gone myself if they hadn’t forbade me to.”
Even better. “You’re the CEO, Noelle. You can do whatever you want. And it’s only a couple of days.”
Noelle’s breathing slowed as she relaxed and gave into the urges she’d clearly been resisting for hours or even days. “Yes. If I go see him in New York, we can talk things out.”
“I’m sure Dane would like that. I’ve never seen him quite so agitated.”
Noelle twisted around and faced Val. “Do you think he’s sincere? I mean, his reputation—”
“His reputation was built on a lonely man’s futile search for the right woman.” Val hoped this was true. She hoped when he came back to her, she’d have him body and soul. And so she gilded the lily. “Noelle, I think that woman is you.”
The twinkle returned to Noelle’s eyes, but it only highlighted the turmoil going on there. “I can’t thank you enough, Val. I’m going to check flights right now."
Val thought for a second. Could she get Noelle to leave a smoking gun on top of everything else? She rubbed Noelle’s arm. “But do make sure to send him an email if you decide to go. He should be aware of your intentions. It’s only fair.”
Noelle nodded. “Oh, right. Of course.” She stood, clearly eager to act on her decision.
Val caught her by the elbow. “And Noelle, it might not be the worst thing to let things take their course.”
Dane,
I’m catching the next flight to New York. I know I said I wanted some distance to sort out my feelings, but since you’ve left, I can’t think at all. I’m in misery. I may get in trouble with the board for leaving right now, but I can’t work, I can’t sleep, I can’t breathe. I need to see you and settle this. I’m coming straight to your room when I arrive. I hope you’ll meet me there.
Noelle
The knock on the door was so light, Dane almost didn’t hear it.
“Thanks for your company, Margaret.” He gave her one last kiss before showing her out. “I promise I’ll contact you next time I’m in town.”
Margaret laughed. “Next time, let’s do more than talk.”
Dane opened the door for Noelle, who looked like she’d drunk four pots of coffee and snorted a line of cocaine. Her normally neat hair had been twisted and pulled until the fasteners no longer functioned as anything but moral support.
Her eyes flitted from Dane to Margaret. “Who’s that?”
The pained expression that pinched her features gave Dane a small sense of satisfaction. He was mortified that he’d spent the entire night pouring out his frustrations to Margaret when she’d been more than willing to help end them. He’d let her get some sleep while he took a stroll down to fetch breakfast and made an appearance at the conference. Considering Noelle's appearance, his selfie bait had worked.
