“It’s a lot of hours,” Henryreminded me. “A lot of late nights.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I sawCatherine’s face flinch in disgust. Her reaction only added to my nerves.What was that about?“I can handle it,”I said firmly.
There were only a handful of otherdesigners in the office that could juggle both the graphics and vision side ofthis project. Sure, they were more experienced, more professional, and morecutthroat. But I was on my way to being all of those things.
Kind of.
Someday.
My confident smile wobbled. Okay,cutthroat wasn’t really my thing. But it could be. Black Soul could make it be.
“Good,” Tucker Senior announced fromthe head of the table after Henry had picked a few more designers for supportstaff. “That’s settled. As usual, if you have questions or concerns, don’tbother me with them.”
My coworkers and I laughed ourobligatory response that we gave every time he made that joke and began togather our things. Meeting officially over. Thirty minutes late.But over all the same.
I glanced down at my phone. Threemissed texts and two more missed phone calls.
Whereare you???
Shit.I had to go.
By the time I stood up, the room wasabuzz with excitement over the Black Soul project. For the Durham area,SixTwentySixwas the best marketing firm around. But thisproject could build our reputation to national acclaim. And the commissionwouldn’t be bad either.
I tried to slink out quietly, but Ididn’t make it far. “Black Soul, huh?” Brian, one of the few designers thatwasunder thirty years old, asked. He was a total hipsterwith too-tight pants and a man bun. Basically, he was an adorable hotdog.
“Exciting, right?” I tried tosqueeze past him, but Daria from sales stepped in front of me.
“Do you think you’ll meet anyonefamous?” she asked.
“I, uh, no?” I spin-moved to theright and managed to take two steps closer to the door. Henry moved in front ofme, a shit-eating grin plastered on his spray-tanned face.
“Do you have a minute, Molly? Iwanted to personally welcome you to the team.”
Checking my phone as discreetly as Icould, I tried not to flinch and bit back the truth. “Yeah, sure. I have a minute.”Quite literally, one minute.
He stepped over to the corner of theconference room, and I breathed a sigh of relief that he hadn’t taken me backto his office. This would be much easier to get out of.
Henry’s hand landed on my forearm,just above my bent elbow. He squeezed gently and kept his hand there.
Suddenly, all concerns of being late,and feelings of glee for being chosen for the team vanished, and anuncomfortable feeling ofickinesswashed through me.Oh, no, was Henry Tucker hitting on me?
I glanced down at his hand where itsat too warm and sticky against my bare skin. He didn’t remove it. So I shiftedthe things in my arms, and took a subtle step back.
He followed me.
Ugh.
“I’m expecting a lot from you,Molly,” he said in a smooth, deep voice.
Fear of being too inexperienced forthe job I was just assigned pooled in my gut. Like a swamp. With fifteen-footalligators. I smiled widely to distract attention from the green tinge of myskin. “I know. This is a big job. I’m really thrilled to be part of the team.”
Henry’s expression softened. “Ibelieve in you, Maverick. I think you have exactly what I need.”
I licked dry lips and tried not tonotice when Henry glanced down at my chest. Gross.
Shifting my planner in front of my body,I cursed myself for not buttoning my sleeveless blouse up to my chin. “Thanks,Henry. I’m looking forward to working with you and Ethan on this.” Lie. Total,complete lie. But one that needed to be said.
Henry leaned forward, bringing usuncomfortably close together. “But mostly me, right?” He winked.
