Rebound (Boomerang #2)(15)

I don’t know if my brain will be worth a damn with him so nearby, but I can’t let anyone else know that. Especially not him.

“I think so too,” I tell him, and then I meet Cookie’s icy glare with a wide smile. “Problem solved.”





Chapter 8



Adam


What was that about, Cookie? You put her in the kitchen?”

“Yes! It was a good place for her.” Cookie drops into the chair opposite my desk. She crosses her legs and rolls her eyes. “You saw how she came in here this morning, Adam. She acts like she owns the goddamn place! She needs to know she can’t steamroll us just because she represents her daddy’s money.”

I picture Alison moments ago, standing before her team like an army general. Cookie’s exaggerating, but it’s true. She showed a cool side I hadn’t seen at all on Saturday night. She was totally in control, confident and assertive about her needs.

The office kitchen for Quick’s daughter? Christ. That could have been a disaster.

“Cookie, listen. We have to play ball with her—and her team. If they perceive this as a hostile workplace, do you think they’re going to want to invest?”

“We shouldn’t have to kiss her ass, Adam!”

“Yes, we should! Professionally speaking!”

Nice. Way to clarify that one, Blackwood.

Cookie jumps a little, surprised by my raised voice.

I didn’t sleep well last night, despite a long surf session yesterday with Grey. Nightmares of Chloe kept waking me. Added to this Alison Quick complication, my nerves are shredded this morning.

“Sorry, Cookie,” I say, but she doesn’t look offended. She looks like she’s trying to diagnose me with her gaze.

The door swings open, and my maintenance guys come in. I’m relieved by the distraction. Darryl pushes an office chair with a small printer sitting on the seat, Ralph carries a heavy box.

“Where to, boss?” Darryl asks.

“Right there,” I say, nodding to the small conference table in my office.

Cookie and I fall into a tense silence as the guys move the table closer to the wall and get an impromptu workstation set up for Alison. She’ll be here with me, and her assistant, accountant, and lawyer will get cubicles outside.

“You asked me not say anything, Adam, and I won’t,” Cookie says after Darryl and Ralph leave. “I won’t tell anyone about your romantic tryst, but I do not like that girl.”

“What are you worried about, Cookie? That I won’t be able to stay away from her? That I’ll screw up the deal because a pretty girl talked to me? Trust me. I’ve got plenty of other options. And you saw Alison just now. She’s over what happened. It’s no big deal.”

Actually, it surprised me how over it Alison seemed. A little too over it. Like Saturday never happened.

“She’s not trustworthy,” Cookie says.

Her choice of words catches my attention. “What do you know about her?”

She opens her mouth to speak, then shakes her head. “Nothing.”

That’s a lie.

Interesting.

Cookie always tells me the truth. Always.

“I want what’s best for the company,” she says quickly. “And I just don’t like her.”

“You’ve made that clear, Cookie.” I push out a long breath and check the time on my phone. I have lunch with Alison in five minutes, and then I’ll be taking her by the location I’ve leased for Blackwood Films. First, though, I need to get Cookie to settle the hell down.

She wields power in my company. She’s head of marketing, but more than that, no one questions her motives. She’s like a surly guard dog: you might not love her, but you trust her. You need her. If she doesn’t like Alison, people will notice and follow her lead. I can’t have that. I can’t have Cookie slinging arrows at the people holding the coin purse.

“Listen, Cookie. There’s nothing between Alison and me. It was a random thing. We didn’t know and we were just having a little fun. She’s not going to be a problem—but you’ve got to find a way to get along with her for the next few weeks. We’re trying to impress the Quicks. I need them to feel great about what we’re getting into. Boomerang. The production company. Everything. You haven’t exactly gotten us off on the right foot with Alison.”

“No, you’re right. Maybe I should have kissed her.” She looks away from me, and stares at the view of West LA through the windows. “I’m sorry,” she says, the words clipped, like they hurt her. “I just like what we do here. I like working for you. I don’t want anything to change, Adam.”

I’ve only seen this earnest side of her a handful of times in four years. It’s the only time Cookie actually scares me, when she’s soft like this. Vulnerable. It means she’s really worried.

I want to keep talking to her. I want to find out what’s got her so shaken up about the Quicks, and I want to assure her everything’s going to be fine, but it’s time for my lunch with Alison.

I stand, taking my jacket from the back of my chair. “We’re only going to change for the better. I promise you that. This money is going to bring us some amazing opportunities. Stay with me on this, Cookie. Okay?”