I knew I began seeing her differently, that a part of me started to crave being in her presence. But I lied to myself. I lied and forced myself to believe it was just our deal and I’d simply grown to depend on it. And I lied because the alternative wasacceptance.
Accepting that I’d fallen for the girl I was supposed to hate.
Accepting that there was someone out there who could make me want things that I swore I never would.
Accepting that Morgan made me feel things I’d never felt before.
But I couldn’t lie to myself anymore.
As I finally allowed myself to acknowledge it all, toacceptit, I sank onto the edge of my bed and leaned forward, burying my face in my hands.
I was fucked. So incredibly fucked.
Chapter 35
I tappedmy foot against the carpeted floor in the hallway outside the office door, scrolling through my phone while I waited. When I heard the door open, I glanced up to see a few older men in suits walk out, chatting with smiles.
Lucas appeared in the doorway a moment later, grinning at me. “Sorry about that.”
“No worries.”
“Ready?”
“Yeah.” I grabbed my things and stood, walking into his office before he shut the door behind me.
“God, sometimes they just ramble on andon,” he said as he shook his head.
“Let me take a wild stab in the dark…members of your board?”
“How’d you guess?”
“Their stuffy looks. That, and they’re old.”
“Fair enough,” he said with a chuckle as he gestured to theseating area of his office. I set my bag down as he took a seat. “So, what do you have for me?”
I smiled as I unrolled my layers of plans across the top of the table in front of him. “Your new office, sir.”
Lucas and I had a meeting to go over the plans for his new office and to make his selections for what he wanted for the space in terms of paint, window treatments, flooring, furniture, and everything else. I needed to get in touch with the contractors and have everything ordered a few months in advance to ensure it would be there and ready when I headed to Miami, barring any delays or issues.
I showed him my plans for the layout of the space, he ordered us lunch, and for the next couple of hours, we went through samples and swatches galore.
“That one”—I tapped the hardwood sample he was looking at with my chopstick—“is my favorite. It’s a little darker than the others. Looks more sleek.”
“Yeah, I think I like that one the best, then this one,” he said, pointing to another. I nodded, and he set the samples down before biting into a crab rangoon. He swallowed his bite and washed it down with water. “So, that’s everything, then?”
“Yeah,” I answered as I leaned back in the chair. “I’ll get all your selections put in and ordered. Hopefully, there won’t be any backorders or delays, but we have your secondary choices for each, just in case.”
“I’ve already booked your flight, your room at the hotel in Miami, and a rental car under the company card. And I’ll be giving you one to take with you to cover any meals and whatnot while you’re there.”
“Is it a good room?” I teased.
“The family of a friend of mine from college owns the hotel.So…” He trailed off with a smile for what I assumed to be a dramatic effect. “He got me a private suite for you.”
“Shut up!” I grinned. “Seriously?”
“Seriously,” he repeated, his grin broadening. “And he promised to keep an eye on you. You know, alone in a strange city and all that.”
“You’re a gem, Lucas Carlisle.”
