Vanessa arrived at nine sharp.
She always arrived exactly on time. Not early that suggested eagerness. Not late that suggested disrespect. Exactly on time, because precision was a form of control and Vanessa Cole had never walked into a room without controlling something about it first.
Daniel's assistant tried to stop her at the door.
Tried.
"He's in a meeting"
"He'll want to see me," Vanessa said pleasantly. She didn't break stride.
Daniel looked up when she walked in.
Something moved across his face not quite surprise. More like a man who'd been expecting a particular kind of weather and was now watching it arrive.
"Vanessa."
"Daniel." She smiled warm, familiar, the smile of someone who had earned the right to use a first name and knew it. She set her bag down on the chair
