Free Lost and Found by Bernadette Marie Page B

office.”
    “ No. I just think there is
more there than her being just an assistant.”
    That was something he didn’t want to
be obvious. He was having a hard enough time with that
himself.
    “ I don’t think that would
be a very good idea.”
    “ You can’t help fate. I
mean, she did run right into you, right?”
    “ That doesn’t mean history
is going to repeat itself.”
    Zach shrugged. “You never know.” He
turned to leave. “I’ll meet you downstairs.”
     
    It was late when Ed got home, and all
he wanted to do was climb into bed.
    Dinner with Regan and Zach Benson was
always a treat, and Ed appreciated it when they spent time with
him. Zach had become a very important person in his life at just
the right time—a role model. He hoped that he’d been a role model
for their children.
    Regan had wanted to hear, first hand,
about the new assistant. She was a bit too thrilled that he’d
“bumped into her” and then hired her.
    Ed hoped he hadn’t given her any
reaction when she began planning a future for him and Darcy. The
truth was, though he’d had an undeniable attraction to her, he knew
it would wean off. If he’d been able to keep a woman, he’d be
married. But Ed Keller was all about his job, and that left very
little time for anything else.
    His mother had said that the right
woman just hadn’t come around yet. His father said he was doing the
right thing by holding off. Zach had been something like forty by
the time he’d gotten married, and Ed thought he still was quite a
vibrant man in his sixties. Of course, age had never been an issue
with Ed. He’d been a hard worker and had climbed the corporate
ladder, rung by rung. He was already seated in the V.P. chair by
the time anyone knew he was Zach’s nephew. There was nothing anyone
could say. He’d started at the very bottom. In fact, he owed as
much of his success in life to his Uncle John for letting him get
his hands dirty on a lot of projects that no one else would take
on.
    He could plan out the greatest builds
and help build skyscrapers from drawing to grand opening. He had
all the tools. There wasn’t a job on the site that Ed Keller hadn’t
done himself.
    That’s what had humored Regan the
most. How could Ed do every job in an organization as big as
Benson, Benson, and Hart and not be able to find a girl? But one
had bumped right into him, and he’d hired her. That was an act of
commitment right there! If Ed couldn’t make life work so that he’d
have a little love in there, his aunt figured the next best thing
would be for it to just “happen” along—and it had.
    But Ed didn’t want those kinds of
complications in the workplace. He didn’t fancy dating his
assistant. For one, if they dated and things didn’t work out, then
he was back in the same boat he was in a week ago. And on the other
hand, if they did work out, it would be awkward and again…he’d end
up back where he was a week ago when Darcy decided to go home and
raise babies.
    Ed fixed his pillows, laced his hands
under his head, and laid back.
    He’d gone too far with that last
thought. Babies.
    Tomorrow would certainly be a
challenge. His entire family would be at that fundraiser. Each and
every one of them knew how he met Darcy, and it must have been just
a little obvious that there were sparks between them. Well, sparks
could be extinguished as well as a blazing fire.
    Ed shifted in his bed to get
comfortable. A plan brewed in his head.
    Distance. That’s what he needed from
Darcy—distance.
    He’d send the car for her tomorrow.
Christian would be at the fundraiser, and Darcy McCary was plenty
comfortable with his brother, though that piece of information
clawed at him. But, if he was going to keep some space between
them, this would be the perfect opportunity.
    Yes, if he didn’t show up to the
fundraiser with Darcy on his arm, and she came as only an
employee—alone, they’d all have to leave alone this silly notion of
fate happening