Page 39 of The Fix Up

He gave her an odd look, but he took her hand anyway. He shook it a few times but didn’t let go as he surveyed the lobby and reception area. “Wow, this place is beautiful. Very hip. I love the galvanized steel wall.”

“Thank you.” Holly glanced down at their linked fingers and wondered if he realized he hadn’t broken the handshake yet. She sure as hell wasn’t going to be the one to tell him. “I chose all the slate myself, and the furniture is all mid-century modern stuff I found in flea markets and retro consignment shops.”

“I love those chairs.”

“Thanks. The couch is my favorite. It looks like something you’d see onMad Men, doesn’t it?” She gestured toward the orange leather sofa with her free hand, part of her hoping Ben didn’t let go of her other one anytime soon. “There’s another one that’s similar in the conference room. Would you like a tour before we get started?”

“I’d love one. This is great getting to see where you work. How long have you been in PR?”

“Most of my career. I got my degree in marketing, but I was always drawn to the branding and public relations aspect of it.”

“How come?”

“There’s something inspiring about being a cheerleader for a product or service I really believe in. About making sure other people have the opportunity to see it the way I do, and recognize its true potential.”

He grinned. “I like the idea that I’m now one of your products or services.”

“It is a little weird for me,” she admitted, though the weird part wasn’t the job itself. It was the fact that being around Ben now made her feel like a middle school girl with her first crush.

God, this was inconvenient.

“Did you say you started the company?” he asked.

“Yes. With my friend, Miriam.”

“Did you have a lot of investors?”

“No.” Holly bit her lip, kicking herself for not having investors or for not figuring out a way to shoulder the business mortgage all by herself. Or maybe she could have just leased a piece of property?—

“Miriam’s my business partner,” she said, forcing her mind back to the conversation at hand. “She’s also a brilliant branding specialist. She started out as a graphic designer and she’s got a great eye for color and design.”

“I’d love to meet her sometime.”

“She’s the one I consulted before we went shopping with you the other night. In a roundabout way, she’s responsible for dressing you.”

“Only fair, since you’re responsible for undressing me.” He grimaced. “I meant the zipper. Helping me fix the zipper?—”

“It’s okay, I knew what you meant.” Holly felt the heat creeping into her cheeks, so she turned toward the lobby to continue the tour. “We offer a wide range of marketing services at First Impressions, but branding and rebranding is our specialty.”

“Are these all awards you’ve won?”

She nodded toward the plaques and certificates on the wall, feeling a swell of pride in her belly. “We have a very talented team here.”

“I can see that.”

Something about his interest in her career left her wondering whether Chase had ever shown this much curiosity about her job. At one point not long after their honeymoon, he’d stopped by her office to take her to lunch and spent an hour visiting with her employees. At first, Holly had been thrilled with the attention, delighted by his interest in her career and his effort to get to know the people who made up her circle of friends and professional acquaintances.

It wasn’t until later she’d realized he’d been snooping around for ammunition, eager to prove to Holly that she needed to cut back her hours.

“Marla in payroll said you’ve been very supportive of her choice to work part-time after having a baby,” Chase had said later, twining his fingers through her hair to loosen her chignon.

“Her name is Mara,” Holly had replied slowly, wondering why he’d taken an interest. “But yes, I helped her work out a job-share arrangement with another payroll specialist who also wanted to work part-time. It’s gone well so far.”

“Hmm,” Chase had murmured. “So hypothetically speaking, you’re in support of a woman putting her family first before her career.”

“Of course,” Holly said a little too quickly. “Or finding a way to balance the two—it’s up to the individual woman, of course.” She remembered the sinking feeling in her gut, the knowledge of what was coming next.

“So you’re saying family isn’t important to youpersonally?” Chase had challenged.

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