“The leak may just be a symptom of the problem.” Lily’s tone was pensive. “The real question is what was the point of the leak? Was it to hurt Anderson Adventures, Tyler Anderson or Iris?”
Iris frowned. “What do you mean?”
Lily shrugged her narrow shoulders. “To figure out who leaked the test results, you need to identify the reason that information was leaked. Who’s trying to hurt whom?”
Iris stared at her sister. “I hadn’t considered that. Maybe someone is out to get Ty.”
“Find the saboteur before he or she does more damage.” Lily sipped her ice water. “And let me know what I can do to help.”
Rose sniffed. “By helping her land this Anderson Adventures account, I think you’ve done enough.”
Iris arched a brow at her elder sister. “Rose, what do I need to do to prove myself to you?”
Rose’s dark eyes dimmed with concern. “You don’t have to prove anything to me. I just don’t want you to be disappointed.”
Iris lifted her chin. “The only way I’d be disappointed is if I didn’t try. And Ty has worked too hard to lose everything now.”
“Ty?” Rose’s winged eyebrows rose. “What about you?”
“Iris, are you falling in love
with Ty Anderson?” Lily searched Iris’s expression.
Iris hesitated. “I think I am.”
Rose gaped. “You’re kidding, aren’t you?”
Iris turned to Lily. “I know it wasn’t smart—”
“You’re right. It wasn’t.” Rose rubbed her temples as though her head was beginning to ache.
Iris ignored her eldest sister’s comment. “I couldn’t help myself. He’s different from the men I usually meet. There’s something so sexy about the way he’s unaware of his appeal.”
Lily reached over to cup Iris’s hand. “How does he feel about you?”
“I think he has feelings for me, too.” Iris met Rose’s gaze. “He was cautious about me at first. But now he’s realized I’m a competent professional.”
“So he says.” Rose shook her head. “Men, you can’t trust them.”
“This one trusts me.” Iris thought of the night she and Tyler had spent together in San Diego. He made her feel mysterious, desirable, beautiful. Cherished.
“Be careful, Iris.” Lily looked worried. “I don’t want you to be hurt.”
“I won’t be.” Iris was confident. “I know it’s not smart to mix business and pleasure. But you can’t always choose the time and place you fall in love.”
Chapter 12
“How did it go?” Xavier settled onto one of the gray guest chairs in Tyler’s office. Donovan claimed the other.
Tyler glanced at his watch. It was just after six o’clock on one of the longest Mondays in world history. He wished he’d left with Iris when she’d stopped by his office to say good-night. He’d been more focused on work and what he would say to his father.
Tyler rubbed the back of his neck, easing the knots that were straining those muscles. “About as well as could be expected.”
“Ouch.” Donovan gave him an empathetic look. “Is Foster going to delay his retirement again?”
“Probably.” His father’s plan to promote Tyler to chief executive officer so Foster could retire probably had taken a serious hit after this company leak. Would Foster make good on his threat to look outside the company for his successor? Tyler glanced at his empty coffee cup. Was it too late to make a fresh pot and pour himself a refill?
Donovan settled his left ankle on his right knee. “Is there anything we can do?”