The Billionaire's New Year Gift. Emma Darcy

join the group that night was Ruby.

      P.J. walked over to the bar, got herself a beer, then sat at the far end where Alex had initially wanted to sit, too.

      Damn. She hadn’t even acknowledged his presence, just gave a nod and general “hello” to everyone. Soon she was engaged in a conversation with Buddy Willis, one of the pickers from Quad A. Alex might have been worried at the intimate way they were talking, but Buddy couldn’t have been more than twenty, way too young for P.J. After a few minutes, Ruby drifted down to that end of the table and joined them.

      Rick nudgedAlex. “Ruby’s got the hots for Buddy.”

      Alex smiled. “What about him?”

      Rick grinned. “I think he’s into her, too.”

      About six, Rick said he had to go. Soon after that, the other married men left one by one. By six-thirty, only Alex, two of the dock workers, Buddy, Ruby and P.J. were left and finally Alex was close enough to P.J. to actually talk to her.

      “While you were gone we had a really busy week,” he said.

      “I noticed.”

      “We missed you, though.” He nudged Ruby. “Didn’t we?”

      Ruby grinned. “You might have. I didn’t.”

      P.J. laughed. “Ruby tells it like it is.”

      “No, seriously, boss, we did miss you,” Ruby said. “Things never go as smooth when you’re not there.”

      “You don’t have to flatter me,” P.J. said. “I’m planning to give you a raise.”

      Ruby squealed. “Really?”

      By now the two dock workers had decided they were ready to eat and waved the waitress over. Alex waited to see if P.J. was going to order, saw that she was, and placed his own order for a cheeseburger and fries.

      After the waitress left to turn in the food orders, the two dock workers got up to play a game of darts. Alex wished Ruby and Buddy would find something to do so he could have P.J. to himself, but they sat there and dominated the conversation, which now centered on video games. At one point when they were arguing the merits of two different war-type games, Alex caught P.J.’s eye and he could see she was as bored as he was. He winked, and for the first time that day, he got a smile.

      Once the food came, and the two dock workers returned to the table, the talk turned to the less-than-stellar season the Mariners were having.

      “Damn games are too expensive,” one of the dock workers grumbled. “Pretty soon only rich people will be able to afford big-league sports.”

      Alex felt a guilty pang at the thought of the HuntCom sky box. He could go to a game any time he wished and sit in comfort, yet he rarely went. He made a mental note that when this charade of his was over, he would invite some of his co-workers from the distribution center to a game or two.

      After they’d eaten, the dock workers got up to play another game of darts and Ruby and Buddy decided to have a game of pool.

      “Well,” P.J. said after they’d left the table, “I really should be going.”

      “Me, too,” Alex said, although he had no reason to leave. But if she was going, he also had no reason to stay.

      They paid their tabs, said goodbye to the others, and walked outside together. The late September evening had already cooled considerably, and P.J. shivered. Alex wished he’d worn a jacket. He’d have given it to her.

      “Where’s your car?” he asked.

      She pointed to far end of the parking lot.

      “I’ll walk down there with you,” he said.

      “It’s not necessary—” she began.

      “I know, but I’ll come anyway.”

      When they reached the car, she went to the driver’s side, pausing before inserting her key. “Have a good weekend.”

      Alex didn’t intend to let another weekend go by without asking her out. “Wait, P.J.,” he said as she started to unlock the door.

      She looked up. It wasn’t completely dark yet, and in the half light of dusk, it was hard to read her expression.

      “I was wondering…if you’re not busy tomorrow night…would you like to have dinner with me?”

      “I…” She licked her lips. “Thank you, but I don’t think so.”

      Alex had not expected her to say no. For a moment, he stood there awkwardly. Faint sounds of music came from inside Jake’s, and somewhere nearby a car backfired.

      “Look, Alex, I really like you, and I’m flattered you asked, but I just don’t think it’s a good idea to date someone who works for me.”

      Damn. He hadn’t even thought of that. She was right. In normal circumstances, it wasn’t a good idea. Of course, their circumstances were far from normal. The fact that he wasn’t who he was pretending to be was something she couldn’t know. And she certainly had no idea he knew her real background.

      “I hope you understand,” she said.

      What could he say? “Sure, I understand.”

      How was he going to get around this obstacle? he wondered. Maybe he couldn’t. Maybe he’d have to find someone else to fulfill Harry’s challenge. But dammit, he didn’t want to.

      When P.J. got into her car, Alex waved and walked toward his truck. He was just unlocking it when he heard the whine of her starter. The sound was unmistakable. Her car wouldn’t start.

      Hurriedly, he got into his truck, started it and drove down to where she still sat futilely trying to get the Miata’s engine to catch.

      He set the brake, then climbed out of the truck and walked to her side of the car. She lowered the window.

      “I’ll give you a jump,” he said.

      “You have cables with you?”

      “Yep. I was a Boy Scout.”

      “Be prepared,” she said, smiling.

      Her car started on the first try.

      “Let it run a few minutes. Then I’ll take the cables off,” he said. Once he was sure her car wasn’t going to die on her, he unhooked the cables and lowered her hood. “I’ll follow you home, make sure you get there okay.”

      “Oh, Alex, that’s totally unnecessary,” she said. “I’ll be fine.”

      “I’ll follow you.” His tone left no room for argument.

      “All right. Thank you.”

      She lived fairly close toAlex’s apartment complex. When they reached her building she put her window down and when he pulled up next to her said, “Would you like to come in for coffee or a glass of wine?”

      “Sounds good.” Which was an understatement.

      “You can park in one of the visitor slots in front,” she said. “I’m going to go park in back. My unit is 112.”

      Alex parked the truck, found unit 112, which was located at the far end, and sat on the low stone wall bordering the front walkway. He wondered why she had invited him to come in. He’d have thought after refusing his invitation to go out with him, she would simply have thanked him and said goodnight.

      A few minutes later, her front door opened. She smiled, standing back to let him in. When she closed the door, she leaned back against it, and their eyes met. For a long moment, their gazes held. Without conscious thought, Alex reached for her. There was no hesitation on her part. As if she, too, knew there was no use fighting what they both were feeling, she simply stepped into his arms and raised her lips to meet his.

      P.J.’s