Seduced by the CEO. Barbara Dunlop
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her voice coming out raspy from her tight throat.
“What was that?” the woman asked. When Kalissa didn’t respond, she kept on talking. “I can ride up with you on the elevator.”
“Mrs. Colborn?” called another voice, a man this time.
The first woman put a hand on Kalissa’s back, turning her. “Don’t look up. Just keep walking and listening to me. Pretend I’m saying something absolutely riveting.”
“Uh, what?” Kalissa glanced toward the voice.
“Don’t look,” the woman warned. She gave a nod to a security guard who moved forward to meet the man.
Another security guard held an elevator for them.
“Thank you, Bernie,” said the woman as they stepped inside.
Kalissa nodded to the guard named Bernie, and he reached around to press the button for the twenty-first floor. Then he stood in front of the door until it closed. Kalissa guessed her sister and her husband didn’t cram into the elevator with a dozen other people.
Her nerves ramped up even further.
“The food services report?” the woman asked.
“I’m sorry,” Kalissa repeated, not knowing where else to go with the question. She didn’t want to tell some stranger she was Darci’s twin before she told Darci herself. She was beginning to realize how poorly she’d thought this through.
“Not to worry,” said the woman. “Give me a call when you get to it. It’s all good news. The international stations are getting rave reviews, and we’ve had inquiries from two national food magazines about interviews. Can I tell them you’ll be available?”
“Can I, uh, get back to you?” Kalissa asked weakly.
The woman peered at her. “Are you okay?”
“Just fine.”
“You’re not getting that flu are you?”
“I do have a bit of a headache,” Kalissa replied honestly.
The elevator came to a halt, pinging at the twenty-first floor. The doors slid smoothly open.
Kalissa stepped out, not sure whether to go left or right. There was a small reception desk in the foyer, but she didn’t want to ask which way it was to her office.
“Mrs. Colborn?” A woman came worriedly to her feet from behind the reception desk. She glanced down a hallway behind her, then she looked at Kalissa again. “I didn’t see you leave.”
Kalissa breathed a sigh of relief. At least she knew which direction to go.
“Your clothes,” said the woman, bustling out from behind the desk. “Did something happen to the Farsen Kalick jacket? Do you need me to call the cleaners?”
“It’s fine,” said Kalissa, picking up her pace, heading for the hallway where the receptionist had looked. “I’m fine. I’ll let you know.”
She cleared the reception area, leaving the women behind her. She passed several closed doors. Two had nameplates on them, both belonging to vice-presidents.
At the end of the hall, she came to a set of double doors with brass handles, Shane Colborn, President. Her legs nearly gave way, and she put out a hand to brace herself against the wall. She did not want to run into Shane before she found Darci.
For a second, she considered turning back. But then she’d have to face the receptionist again, and she couldn’t see how she’d make it out of the building without being approached by other employees.
She straightened from the wall and took the right turn. A few moments later, she breathed a sigh of relief. She’d found it, her sister’s office door: Darci Colborn, Director of Staff Services.
It was open about six inches, and she could hear Darci’s voice inside. “I’ll be down to the cafeteria later on.”
Kalissa’s stomach clenched hard, but she couldn’t help a nervous smile. Darci sounded just like her.
“Okay,” said Darci. “Yes, I can.”
Kalissa gave a tentative knock, and the door swung further open.
Darci looked up from where she was still speaking on the phone. She leaned over for a better view, and her jaw snapped shut.
“I...” said Kalissa, not knowing where to start.
“I’ll call you back,” Darci said into the phone, replacing it on its cradle.
She moved around from behind the desk, taking several swift steps forward.
“I didn’t mean to disturb you,” said Kalissa.
“What on earth?” Darci stopped about ten feet away.
Voices sounded around the corner of the hallway, coming rapidly closer. Kalissa quickly stepped inside the office so they wouldn’t see her.
“I’m so sorry,” said Kalissa, regretting her decision to show up unannounced. “I thought this was the best way. But I didn’t think...I didn’t know...I realize this must be a bombshell for you.”
“Who are you?” asked Darci.
“My name is Kalissa Smith. I saw your wedding pictures, and well...I guess you can figure out why I’m here.”
“You look just like me.”
“I know.”
“I mean exactly like me.”
“Weird, isn’t it?”
Darci moved closer, peering at Kalissa.
Kalissa knew she was doing the same thing back.
Darci’s eyes might be a slightly paler shade of green. But their mouths were identical, so were their chins, their noses, even their hairline. Kalissa had never come across anyone with that little swoop at their part, never mind the exact shade of auburn in their hair.
“Are we twins?” asked Darci.
“I think we must be. My birthday is October third.”
Darci’s eyes widened. “Holy cow.”
“I didn’t want to bother you,” said Kalissa. “I wasn’t going to say anything. I mean, I know you must be busy, being a newlywed, and with this huge company and all. But I’m going on a date tomorrow night, and there were these girls in Annabelle’s Discount Boutique, and they thought I was you, and they took a photo, and I realized it could happen again, somewhere else, like the Navy Pier, while I was on a date, and people might think it was you.” Kalissa clamped her mouth shut. “I’m rambling.”
“We’re twins,” said Darci in obvious astonishment. “I don’t understand. How did that happen? Were you raised by our mother? Why didn’t she bring you back? And why didn’t dad ever tell me that—” Darci smiled. “Now, who’s rambling?”
“It’s unbelievable,” Kalissa whispered.
She hadn’t expected to feel this way, this ache deep down in her heart. She wanted to grab Darci and pull her into a hug. She had a sister. Tears started to tingle at the backs of her eyes.
The door whooshed open behind her.
“Sweetheart,” came a man’s voice. “Tuck is asking if...Oh, I’m sorry.”
Kalissa turned.
The man, obviously Shane, instantly froze in place.
“Darling,” said Darci, a tremor in her voice. “It appears there’s something more my father neglected to mention.”
“What on earth?” Shane started to circle Kalissa.
“We have the same birthday,” said Darci.