CHAPTER 3-HE WANTS HE GETS-SUMMER

            When Summer left Conner’s office, she had several things she needed to manage. Finally, she left the message from Conner’s father on his desk, informing her she was uninvited to the business dinner. She pointed it out to Conner and told him she didn’t want to be the reason Conner had with his father. Could he speak to him and clear this up? Then tell her what they’d decided.

            The look on Conner’s face was one Summer was glad hadn’t focused on her, but his father. It wasn’t an expression she’d ever seen him wear before, and it added to how much he’d changed from the pre-teen Conner she remembered.

            Where did the boy who teased her for having a sunburned nose when he hid her hat in the hollow of a tree one summer afternoon? Or the boy who insisted they dance to the music filtering out of the conservatory one evening when her parents were hosting an evening event?

            That had happened before their mothers passed away in a car accident. Summer remembered that horrible day. It hadn’t been the reason their fathers’ friendship ended, but she suspected it was a sign of the end coming.

            Now he wanted her to make the calls that would put her in the firing line of his father’s temper when Conner insisted, she’d be attending the dinner with him, and he’d bring Gabriella with him as well. Oh, Summer could see what Conner was doing. He would get what he wanted and fulfill his father’s wish. Conner had two women who despised each other on his arms. He’d either become the envy of bachelors and playboy, or they’d be thanking god they weren’t him. If the two women with him, catered to his every whim, then they’d feel envious of him. But it depended on how the women acted.

            It burned her when he asked Summer to wear another cocktail dress like the first dress she’d worn. Summer was certain his request contained an HR complaint. She felt tempted to report it. He’d admitted that his business associates had enjoyed seeing her wear that dress.

            Summer would need to raid her closet again. That first dress she’d worn was a dress she wore to an intimate celebration her father gave for her return home after she’d graduated. The second came from her prom. If she was supposed to be poor, Summer knew she’d be wearing knock offs and second-hand clothes. So, she recycled her dresses with the help of a friend who was a dress designer. She’d taken several older pieces to her, and Liv worked her magic on them. Updating and reworking the clothes into something she could use. It wasn’t perfect, but it meant she wouldn’t show up in a dress a wife of Conner’s business associates might recognize and criticize her for wearing.

            Now Conner wanted her to compete with Gabriella. If the witch knew Summer was coming to dinner, Gabriella would dress extravagantly to outshine her. Summer needed an affordable and unique solution, hoping Liv had something suitable. Liv didn’t do this for others. She did this job for Summer as a favor.

            By day’s end, Summer altered the plans as Conner wanted them.

            “Summer, I’ve straightened out my father. You’ll attend the dinner with me, but I’m afraid I will have to escort Gabriella as well.” Conner threw open his door almost two hours later and started speaking to her. Unsure of their relationship, Summer pondered Gabriella’s status as his girlfriend. Why was he so resistant to take her alone? He still hadn’t told her why he acted like that. It was like he hated them both.

            “I have informed our hosts of the change in plans. They are making the changes necessary to accommodate your needs even though they aren’t happy with how late they are. I left the business class tickets for you and Ms. Mandela as they are. Only managed to get a coach ticket for myself. I will assume your father will appreciate that.” Summer didn’t like the idea of flying in coach, but it gave her an excuse not to sit with Gabriella. She’d rather cram in with a hundred strangers than suffer listening to Gabriella make comments about how degrading it was to sit during the flight with the employees.

            “You can cancel the tickets. My father has decided there are enough executives going. He has approved the use of the company jet.” There went her perfect plan to avoid Conner and Gabriella for the entire flight. She let out a beleaguered sigh.

            “Your father will attend, then?” She made a mental note to be careful how did her makeup in case he looked too closely at her. Her final personal interview had been with him, and he looked at her peculiarly throughout the entire interview. She wasn’t sure if he recognized or found her familiar. After all, he knew her mother before she’d died.

            “Summer, he’ll be attending too.” He knows you’ll attend with me and will be on that flight.” Summer wasn’t happy with the way Conner spoke. She was a problem between his father and himself. But Conner was conflicting. He was overloading her with odd jobs and work. Or he was telling his father he didn’t need a personal assistant. Or he was demanding he bring her along to events like this. Summer wasn’t sure if she was coming or going with him. Did he want her around or not? She’d swear she heard him call her his personal ‘insistent’, rather than assistant to his father.

            “As you wish, sir.”

            “Very good. Now don’t forget to pick up my tux from the dry cleaner’s today and bring it with you. If you haven’t heard from my father’s personal assistant about the time our flight is leaving by two this afternoon. Leave me a message. No errors will occur.”

            “As you wish, sir.” Summer tried not to be offended or bring up questions about the problems between his father and himself. As an employee, it wasn’t her place to comment. She knew she didn’t want to get involved. It was too risky. Summer wondered what caused the change in her and her father’s once close relationship.

            “Will you have a dress in time? Or will you need time to shop?” Conner appeared concerned, but she didn’t see him asked if she wanted to leave early to get his shopping done. Forget about finding things she might require.

            Summer’s face twisted at the idea of shopping. She hated much of the current fashion, so refurbishing a few dresses she liked suited her a lot more. Summer also had his extensive list of items he wanted for the trip. “I only need to pick up a dress I’m having altered.” He didn’t need to know she’d six dresses ready to pick up.

            “Ensure that you’ve packed for the entire weekend. We may not return the next day.”

            “I’ve packed for a four-day weekend. That should allow for any layover.”

            “Excellent. I can’t wait to see what you bring with you. I’ll be out of the office, but you can reach me by phone. Try texting first.”

            “Yes, sir.”

            He left the office without another word. She caught sight of his broad shoulders encased in his well-tailored Armani suit jacket. He had his trench coat slung over his arm and his briefcase in his other hand. She heard his Italian leather shoes sound on the stone tiled floor all the way to the elevator.

            Meanwhile, her feet were resting on top of her shoes hidden beneath her desk because she couldn’t stand the pinching anymore. Throughout school, she’d called them torture devices, and she meant it. Her opinion hadn’t changed now that she was in the workforce.