Ivy had been working for weeks when they returned to work after the July Fourth holiday. The work week arrived along with the hot and humid air. Getting dressed was a challenge when the saturated air prevented her skin from drying. Her hair wouldn't cooperate. Trying to put up untamed frizz was a problem. As she left it down, she promised herself her apartment would have air conditioning. By the time she reached the cool offices, she felt like she needed another shower.

Tate looked crisp and refreshed. "How was your weekend?"

Ivy shrugged. "Fine." Boring. "Yours?"

"Good. The Fourth was fun. On Saturday, I went shopping with my brother's girlfriend."

Ivy felt a sharp pain in her chest. "What did you buy?"

"Gowns for my mother's summer party. You should come."

"No, Tate. That's not a good idea. I'll stick to being your intern."

"Ivy, did I say something wrong? Is it because I shopped with Priscilla?"

She knew her name, Priscilla. Did he say her name when he made demands in bed?

Ivy shook her head. "No. I don't fit in with your family or at summer parties. Please don't ask me to go. I need to get to work."

Ivy hid in her office hoping the tears would stay away. Immersing herself into a contract, she refused to think of him moving on while she was stuck in the mud.

By midmorning, she needed to treat herself with an iced coffee. She had paid off her credit cards and felt a little better financially. One plus in her sorry life.

Ivy sipped from her straw while she waited for an elevator. As she turned to the ding, she froze with her straw in her mouth. Baxter looked right at her as he stepped out.

Danielle stood in the elevator holding the open button. "Don't forget your lunch with your father."

"I know. I know. Good morning, Ivy."

Even with a drink in her hand, her mouth was too dry to reply.

"Coming." Dani looked at her as she held the open button.

Ivy stepped on the elevator, but didn't look at his assistant. She felt tears trying to sneak out.

Danielle's voice was soft. "This explains a lot."

"Excuse me."

"Something was off after Colorado. I thought it was because of Tate, but it was you."

"I'm sorry, but you aren't making sense." Had he thought about her?

"Never mind." Danielle smiled.

The doors opened on the fourteenth floor, and Ivy made a bee-line for the ladies' room. She carefully blotted her tears trying to preserve her makeup. Thankfully, she had worn very little because of the heat. Taking a good look in the mirror, her verdict was that she looked awful with frizzy hair. Priscilla probably had silky straight hair like Tate's and a trust fund to pay for everything a girl needed to capture Baxter Kane.

Composed, she returned to her closet to work. Tate disappeared for lunch. Apparently, she was having lunch with her father. Ivy ate at her desk reading some county ordinances and jumped at a knock.

Eleanor stood at her door. "Are you okay, Ivy?" She stopped calling her Ms. Krasinski her first week.

"It's the heat. I didn't sleep well."

"This might help." She held out a large fudge brownie. "I made too many. It's hard living alone."

Ivy pinched off a piece of brownie. "This is good. I'm sorry. I assume you have a family."

She smiled. "I do, but my sons have scattered. I've been divorce for a long time."

"I'm stuck living at home until I graduate."

"Without an air conditioner."

"Exactly, I blow the fan across my body, but it doesn't help."

"You're a good friend to Tate. She needs you. I've worked for the company since I was younger than you, so I've known the Kane children for years. The family takes care of people like us."

"Like us?"

"Loyal. Dedicated. Trustworthy."

"I strive to be all those things."

Blame it on the heat and irritability, but Ivy lay on her bed in her bra and panties with the fan blowing across her. Her nipples were hard from the breeze. Memories flooded back, she ran her fingers over a hard nub. Then she slipped her other hand between her legs. She stroked herself as she resurrected the memories that never stayed buried. Say my name. Intense hazel eyes. Magic fingers. She touched herself until she came with a lackluster intensity.

Priscilla was probably screaming as an orgasm ripped through her. Ivy rolled onto her side and picked up her phone. She typed his name and hovered before she touched search. An image appeared with him looking directly at the camera. If only it were her. She had already read his bio, so like a fool, she tapped images. Photos of him with a beautiful brunette filled the screen. Her hand sat possessively on his arm and her lips kissing his cheek. They looked like they belonged together, sharing fancy dinners. It was all very sophisticated, but Ivy knew the truth behind closed doors. She knew a private Baxter Kane.

Fantasies were fun until they got crushed. She should have never let her heart get involved. It was her own stupidity. Tears followed the anger. She wished she could stay home, but she needed the money. A professional didn't stay home because of a broken heart.

When she stepped off the elevator, Eleanor's smile turned into a frown. "You look awful. You should buy a window unit. They aren't that expensive."

She shook her head. "My father wouldn't like the electricity bill to go up."

"You should come stay with me. I have the room and central air."

"I couldn't, but thanks." She walked to her desk to start work. Never had she wanted summer to end so she could go back to school.

Tate appeared in her office at noon. Her impeccably dressed friend made her tiny space look smaller. "Come to lunch with me. My treat. Please. I feel like I did something wrong yesterday. I want to make it up to you."

She had a peanut butter sandwich. Somehow the fridge was empty even though she bought her own groceries. "I can afford my lunch." She stopped short of mentioning her paid off credit card. Tate would never understand.

As they left her office, Tate said, "I know you can, but I want to buy us lunch."

Eleanor said, "Let her. Daddy is picking up the tab."

Ivy's jaw dropped. "Is he?"

Tate shrugged. "He likes me to use his credit card. I can pay if it'll make you feel better."

"What will make me feel better is if I buy my own."

"Okay. Fine."

They went to a restaurant near their office. As they entered, she scanned the trendy decor and wondered how much lunch would be. Twenty bucks if she ordered water? She opened the menu. Sandwiches were fifteen dollars. The soup and half a sandwich was a little less. Tate ordered a twenty-dollar salad with a diet coke.

Tate waited for the server to leave. "Did something happen over the Fourth of July weekend? You were upset yesterday."

"It's just the heat."

"The heat never bothers me."

"You may not believe this, but my house doesn't have AC."

"Seriously? I didn't know. You can stay at my apartment."

"Eleanor offered me the same thing."

"Did she really?" Tate's amused smile was hard to read.

Ivy nodded, just as Tate heard her name. Ivy froze. In front of her was the girl Baxter had chosen, the one in the pictures. Ivy looked at her water glass with fascination.

"Are you meeting Baxter?" Tate asked the woman in a designer suit like Tate wore.

Her laughter was soft. "No. He doesn't take lunch. I'm with some colleagues."

"This is my best friend, Ivy. She works with me."

"Oh, that's fun. Nice to meet you. I'm sure I'll see you again. Maybe at the garden party?"

"I'm not attending." Ivy was equally shocked her voice worked as she was about the assumption they would invite her.

"You should. I have to get back. Bye." She waved.

Ivy felt nauseous. "She's nice."

"She really is. They make a good pair. She's an associate at a firm billing a lot of hours and Baxter works all the time."

"When do they see each other?" She had come face to face with the truth she had been avoiding since Aspen.

"Saturday nights. She spent the day with us on the boat for the Fourth of July."

"Boat?"

"It's my father's sailboat. We usually sail on the harbor. Do you want to come over on Saturday? I'm actually free. You can try on gowns for my mother's party."

"Gowns." Ivy shook her head. "No, I can't go."

"I'll convince you after we find the perfect one."

She could be a horrible friend and not show up. Seeing Baxter look at Priscilla while she laughed would make her cry.

When she arrived at Tate's on Saturday night, Danielle was there. "Dani is trying on gowns. She's going, and she works for us too."

"I work for Baxter." Dani held her head high as if it made a difference.

"Right and Ivy was my friend before the job."

"I have some suggestions for both of you." She handed Dani a green dress. "You think I'm crazy, but I see you in this."

She handed Ivy a nude color gown. "I don't think so."

"It can't hurt. Trying it on is the fun part."

Dani appeared and spun around. Tate frowned. "I think we could do better."

It took Ivy a moment to slip into the dress. It was like two dresses in one. The underneath was a mini dress with a long split for cleavage and an open back. The outer was sheer and see through showing off her legs up with a high slit. At first glance, she almost appeared nude like the color.

Tate knocked on the door. "Come out."

"No. I can't."

"I'm coming in." Dani hollered. She opened the door and slipped off her dress and slipped into another one. Ivy turned away. "I have a sister and no modesty. Your dress is amazing. I think it's the sexiest thing I've ever seen."

"I can't wear this. I can't go. I just can't."

Danielle whispered, "I don't know what happened in Aspen, but my guess is you like him." Ivy didn't react. "Show him what he's missing out on. When he came back from Aspen, I caught him whistling. He hasn't whistled in a long time."

"But Priscilla."

"What about her?" Dani stood with her hands on her hips. "If he likes her, then it doesn't matter what you wear. If he notices you, it's not your fault."

Tate rapped on the door. "What's taking so long. I'm opening up."

"Oh, wow!" She put her hand to her face. "I never pulled it off like you do. You are 'girl next door' meets 'the enchantress'. Every dick will be hard all night."

"I hope not." Ivy only cared about one special phallic.

"Come and wear this dress. Please." She put her hands together in prayer.

"She will. She has to, and I like this one."

"Dani, you look stunning too."

"Ivy, we'll go together. I didn't grow up in this world. My dad works in a machine shop making small parts."

"Mine is a letter carrier."

"See, we're cut from the same cloth. We'll stick together."

"I don't know." Ivy bit her lip.

"Good enough for now." Tate was a seasoned negotiator.

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