Joanna's Highlander (Highland Protector #2)(59)
“You sure?” Mary gave her a dubious look and paused with a menu in one hand and a glass of ice water in the other. “You kind of look a little pale.”
You should see me from the inside. “I’m positive. Thanks.” If she ate or drank anything right now, she knew for certain her nervous stomach would reverse gears.
The tarnished bundle of old Christmas bells wired above the café door jingled out a cheery warning that made Joanna’s blood run cold. She didn’t have to look to know that Lilian Tasker had arrived. She felt it—kind of like the feeling she got right before she puked. A throbbing, about-to-be-turned-inside-out sort of feeling. Joanna swallowed hard, then sucked in a deep breath through her nose and softly blew it out her mouth. Must. Calm. Down.
The firm click of high heels against the linoleum-tiled concrete grew louder, like the ticking of a doomsday bomb. A subtle scent of perfume that probably cost more per ounce than the price of the tour bus wafted through the air as the elegantly foreboding woman slid into the seat across from Joanna.
She barely smiled and graced Joanna with an imperious nod as she laced her long, slender fingers together and rested her clasped hands on the edge of the table. “Good day, Ms. Martin. I’m glad you agreed to a meeting.”
Stay calm. Joanna kept the mantra at the forefront of her thoughts, trying to blot out the disturbing comparison of Lilian Tasker to a platinum-blond cat toying with its prey before it snapped its neck and ripped its guts out. Remembering Mrs. Tasker’s no-nonsense-and-don’t-waste-my-time attitude from the rare times they’d crossed paths at Asclepius Pharmaceuticals, Joanna sat taller in the chair and forced a smile.
Might as well cut to the chase. I know this isn’t a social visit. “Whether my day is good or not might depend a great deal on our conversation.” Joanna folded her hands on the table in front of her, attempting to mimic the woman’s aloof air. “What can I do for you, Mrs. Tasker? I think we both know that you didn’t ask me to lunch because we’re ‘besties.’?” Damn. I actually sound brave. All she had to do now was keep up the act.
“No bullshitting and straight to the point. Good. I like that.” Mrs. Tasker smiled and leaned back in her seat. “And do call me Lilian.”
Joanna nodded, relaxing a bit—a very small bit. The woman’s smile seemed genuinely friendly rather than territorial. Strange. “And I’m ‘Joanna.’ Now—what can I do for you, Lilian?”
“Work for me.”
“Beg pardon?” Joanna leaned forward and cocked her head. Surely, she’d misunderstood what Lilian Tasker had just said. She swallowed hard, suddenly wishing that it was late enough in the day for alcohol. I could so use a drink right now.
Lilian gracefully lifted one hand, motioning to Mary, who was doing her level best to inconspicuously hover close enough to overhear the conversation. “Miss—coffee, please. No cream. No sugar. Joanna?”
Joanna blinked. “Uhm…yes. Please.”
“Two coffees, please.” Nodding at Mary like royalty dismissing a servant, Lilian turned back to Joanna. “Much has changed in the three years since you left AP. Your former boss, Mason Tasker, has left my father’s company without a CEO at the helm and while the man was a drug addict and a total ass as well as an embezzling thief, he was quite the savvy businessman—except, of course, where his brother, my illustrious husband, was concerned. I need a new CEO, Joanna. I’m here to offer the job to you. Are you interested?”
“You can’t be serious.” Joanna gratefully accepted the cup of coffee Mary deposited in front of her and took a sip. This had to be some sort of trap. Some elaborate plan for Lilian Tasker to get revenge for all the chaos that Joanna had unintentionally caused in her life.
“Why in the world can’t I be?” Lilian delicately sipped at her own coffee, studying Joanna as though she couldn’t fathom why Joanna didn’t understand. “Before the debacle of my imbecilic husband, you were quite the rep. I’ve seen the numbers. Read your reports. Father and I were very impressed and realized what an asset our company lost when you left.”
“In case you’ve forgotten, I left because you fired me.” Joanna sat straighter, tensing against what had to be some sort of forthcoming attack. “And what about all the rumors? The smear campaign that blacklisted me with any decent company in the United States or Canada?”
“You’re not a woman to run from a few backbiters, are you?” Lilian leaned forward, cold blue eyes narrowing as she lowered her voice. “You, Joanna, were not my husband’s first indiscretion. Actually, I didn’t mind Matthew’s many dalliances and distractions. They kept him occupied and out of my way. But in your case, Matthew and Mason went too far. When they openly slandered you, they sent some very unbecoming ripples into both my social and business circles.” She straightened in the chair, her face hardening and her look growing dangerously colder. “I will not tolerate being humiliated. By anyone. Ever.”
Wow. Joanna mouthed it in her head but didn’t say it out loud. She made a mental note to never intentionally piss off Lilian Tasker. She finally nodded when she realized Lilian was waiting for her to respond. “I understand how that time had to be unbearably difficult and embarrassing.” Joanna paused, took a deep breath, then mentally said, aw, the hell with it. “And I truly apologize for my part in it. I hope you believe me when I say that I had no idea that you and Matthew hadn’t divorced like he’d said.” She blew out a heavy breath and frowned down at her reflection in her coffee. “And I swear that I had no idea about your son and daughter. I was stupid enough to believe Matthew when he said the two of you never had any children to make the divorce more complicated.”