Allie rounded her desk and took a seat across from her friend. “Nothing happened. I went to Julian’s chateau and gave him his precious ring. End of story.”

“You were gone for hours.”

“Because in true Julian form he left me waiting in his office while he went to attend to other matters,” she said, accenting the last word with finger quotes. At least that part was true. Allie met Harper’s gaze, hoping she’d take the tiny sliver of truth at face value and drop her interrogation.

No such luck.

Harper shook her head. “Sorry, not buying it.”

“Why not? You know how he is.” Allie woke her computer and launched the e-mail app. Her inbox contained numerous Google alerts with Hudson’s name. Against her better judgment she opened one . . . and there it was. She and Hudson were officially over, at least according to TMZ. How the hell? Not that it mattered. Whoever leaked the news, for once, was actually helping them.

“Julian being an asshole and making you wait?” Harper snorted her disdain. “Sure, that I buy. But the rest of this? No way. You can’t seriously expect me to believe that while you were cooling your heels in the Haunted Mansion you had this great epiphany that Prince Prissy Pants is your soul mate?”

“I never said that.” And she never would.

“Well then how the hell do you explain your sudden change of heart?” There was a moment of unexpected silence followed by Harper’s sharp intake of air. “Did he threaten you?”

Allie’s hands stilled.

“Because if he did, you need to go to the police and—”

“This has nothing to do with Julian,” she interrupted. It wasn’t a total lie. Julian’s threats weren’t Allie’s motivation; protecting Hudson and Nick was. And unless she wanted to add Harper to the list of those at risk, she had to somehow convince her to stand down. “Things were off between Hudson and me before I even saw Julian.”

“But not before he called.” Harper met Allie’s surprised reaction with a smirk. “Don’t bother denying it; me and your man had a meeting of the minds in my hotel room.”

“Yeah, about that—some secret agent you are,” Allie teased. “How long did it take before you spilled the whole story?”

“Hey, don’t look at me like that. You were the one not answering your phone. We were worried about you. And besides, Hudson is . . .” She shook her head but said nothing. Apparently even Harper Hayes was at a loss for words when it came to Hudson Chase. “Well, you know how he is.”

Did she ever. There was no deterring Hudson when he wanted something. A fact he kept proving to Allie time and time again. Only this time she was done fighting him. This time they would fight together, as a team, even if no one else knew it but them.

“I’m sorry I scared you,” Allie said. “Honestly, I lost track of time when I was at Julian’s, but everything is fine.”

“Then why did you break things off with Hudson? I saw the way the two of you were at Christmas. Despite everything else that has happened, you were happy.”

Allie shrugged. “I’m not denying he got me through a rough time. I’d been dreading the holidays and he was a welcome distraction.”

“Distraction?” Harper squeaked. “No, no, no. A tub of chocolate-chocolate chip is a distraction. What you two had was real. I could feel it every time you looked at each other.” Harper’s expression softened and her voice grew uncharacteristically quiet. “You love him.”

Allie took a deep breath, willing her voice to remain level. “No, I was caught up with the idea of him. The teen romance, recapturing a more innocent time. None of it was real. This . . .” She waved her hand around the office. “This is real. My family’s legacy, the one Hudson tried to steal out from under me, is real. I was too distracted by grief and sex to remember that, but hearing Julian’s voice on the train that morning brought it all back into focus. My father brokered that deal with Julian because Chase Industries was breathing down his neck. And no matter how hard I try, I can’t separate that man from the one you saw on Christmas Eve.”

A beat of silence passed as Allie’s words hung in the air. Harper had just opened her mouth to speak when there was a knock at the door.

“Come in,” Allie called.

Colin poked his head around the door. “Sorry to interrupt. Seems word has spread that you’re back in the office. The phone hasn’t stopped ringing.”

Allie waved him into the room. “Hit me.”

He began reading items off the tablet in his hand. “There’s an issue with this morning’s cover story—liability seems limited but legal wants to brief you on the potential fallout; the web designers want you to sign off on the cable news layout; that editor from Chicago magazine called again; and the union rep wants five minutes today or there won’t be a tomorrow.” He glanced up. “His words, not mine.”

“Have legal run the issue past Ben’s office; refer Shaw to the PR department, but give them a heads-up and tell them I won’t be granting any interviews at this time; and add the union guy to today’s calendar, a ten-minute block, but put him in just before lunch so ten doesn’t dissolve into thirty.”

“Got it.” Colin nodded as he tapped the screen. “And web?”

“Take a look at the design; if it’s in line with what we discussed, then go ahead and sign off on it.”

His head snapped up. “You want me to sign off on the new look?”

“You’re the one who came up with the idea. I trust you can determine if they followed through.”

“Will do.” Colin’s wide grin was almost enough to brighten what was already shaping up to be a shit day, even without factoring in the lack of Hudson time. Allie respected the fact that Colin had chosen to gain practical experience while earning the money he needed for grad school. And while there were certain mundane duties he’d need to perform as her assistant, he was also a valuable asset she had no desire to squander.

She thanked him before he left, then turned her attention back to Harper. “I know you mean well, but—”

“But you have an empire to run. Yeah, yeah, I get it.” Harper grinned. “I need to get work too. But don’t think this is over.”

Allie was quite sure it wasn’t. “How about we meet for a run tomorrow?” she offered as a compromise, secretly hoping the exertion would distract from the inquisition.

Harper groaned. “How about I meet you for coffee after your run?”

“Fine. Text me where and when.” Allie made a mental note to hit the gym after work as well. All those rich European meals were starting to bite her in the ass. Literally. And it wasn’t like she was going to have anything better to do with her Friday night. Might as well work off a few calories along with her sexual frustration.

“I can never repay you for everything you’ve done for me,” she said as she walked her friend to the door. “And not just this week—”

Harper cut her off with a wave of her hand. “You really need to stop thanking me. That’s what friends are for. Especially when one of the friends has access to a private jet. How the hell am I ever supposed to fly Southwest again?” she asked, laughing to herself as she pushed through the glass doors that led to the elevator bank.

Allie turned to find Colin waiting for her with a small white envelope. “What’s this?” she asked.

“No clue. Found it when I came back to my desk. It’s marked Personal and Confidential, so I didn’t open it.”

Allie’s breath caught when she saw the handwriting. “Thank you, Colin. Hold my calls.” She hurried back into her office and closed the door. Inside the envelope was a note scratched in the same handwriting.

25th Floor, 353B. Now.

Her heart raced as she yanked open the door.

“Everything all right?” Colin asked as she rushed past his desk.

“Yes. Be back in a few,” she told him. But the truth was she had no idea how long she’d be gone.