The Millionaire's Intriguing Offer

Getting Closer

Bailey hung up the phone and let out a frustrated noise, something between a groan and a shout.

"What's the matter?" Tito called from his office across the hall.

"Sorry," Bailey said, getting up from behind her desk and walking over to lean against the frame in his doorway.

"It just seems like every time I'm really focusing, I get interrupted and have to pick up a call. That wasn't even anything related to OFC - just someone calling to offer us a deal on cleaning services."

"I know. I'll try to pick up more of them myself," Tito said.

"It isn't that. It's just really bad timing that Ella had to have her baby right when we are launching the first summer program. There are way to many things to get done in the time we have. It's Thursday already and I'm nowhere near through everything on my to-do list for this week. In fact, it keeps getting longer."

It wasn't that she begrudged Ella her maternity leave. She admired Tito for giving Ella three months off work. It was unpaid leave, but for an organization that only had three employees giving maternity leave at all was amazingly generous, and wasn't required by any state or federal law. She knew there were countries where maternity leave - paid leave even - was taking for granted, but Tito had researched it when he interviewed Maria for the job and she volunteered that she was pregnant, telling him that she thought it was only fair to let him know before he hired her.

"It will all fall together."

Bailey shook her head dubiously. "Glad you think so, but I'm not so sure." She took a deep breath. "Listen, I know how you feel about spending our donated funds and grant monies on anything other than direct services. But don't you think-"

She was interrupted by the phone ringing again, and Tito held up to finger to pause their conversation as he lifted the receiver.

"Good Morning, this is Tito Martinez. How can I help you? . . . . "Yes, hello Mrs. Carmichael, I'm so glad you called." He made an apologetic face at Bailey and she shrugged and headed back to her office. Delphia Carmichael was a major supporter, both in terms of financial contributions and sometimes-not-so-helpful suggestions. Bailey knew Tito was in for a long conversation, and marveled not for the first time at his patience. According to Tito, patience was something he'd become good at during his years in prison.

Bailey realized that patience was a virtue she had yet to acquire, but she was working on it.

As she stepped into her office, the main phone line rang again, and she dutifully picked it up.

"OFC, this is Bailey Reid, how can I help you?"

"Maybe I just wanted to hear your voice." Jack's low sexy voice came through the phone and she felt that same little tingle of excitement she always did.

"Why didn't you call my cell? Oh, never mind." She remembered she'd shut it off during a meeting outside the office this morning and forgot to turn it on again. Jack would have gone straight to voicemail.

Jack laughed, smooth and low and sexy, and Bailey shifted in her chair. Honestly. She had to stop reacting to the sound of his voice like she was in the middle of her first high school crush. And the romantic weekend they'd just spent in Key West had only made matters worse.

"Hey, I'm on the way to court but I should get done early this afternoon. You up for dinner tonight?"

"I wish. I could. We're kind of swamped here. Looks like I'm going to have to work late."

"I miss you," Jack said.

It had only been four days, but Bailey was missing him too.

"I really had a great time last weekend," she told him. "I do want to see you, but I'm afraid I'm just not up for going home when I finally do get done today, then getting dressed up for an evening out. I'm thinking more about putting on my yoga pants and a big t-shirt and eating takeout food on my couch while I binge-watch mindless TV." She paused. "You're welcome to join me. You could even pick up the takeout."