“What?” He asks. “Are you interested in him?”
“Ev! No!” I groan. “I’m just curious. I saw him with?—”
“Joy.”
“Sure.” I lift my hands in the air. “With Joy—but forget I asked. It’s none of my business.”
Everett leans onto the countertop, crossing his arms. “Theo is totally off limits. Anything I tell you right now doesn’t mean you should be crushing on him. Got it?”
“I mean, obviously. He’s my boss, he’s older, and?—”
“Even if he weren’t those things, he would be off limits as far as I’m concerned.” He shakes his head. “Forget it. I don’t know what I’m worried about. He’s not seeing anyone—and he willneversee anyone. You know what I mean?”
“Ah…” I wrinkle my nose. “He’sthatkind of guy.”
“No, no. Don’t get me wrong. Theo is my best friend. I love him. He’s a good guy—or as good as a man can really be—but you know how he is about his work. It’s the only thing he’s ever been able to commit to. You deserve better than that.”
It’s rare to see Theo this serious, but he is now, even though his words are slurring. Everett wants to crush whatever I feel for Theo—which is nothing—but if itweresomething… he would probably be right to dissuade me.
I trust my brother.
None of this matters. It’s not as if Theo would ever be interested in me. My crush is just that—a crush. Nothing will ever come of it.
“I understand,” I murmur. “Just curious. I miss having someone to gossip with. Nothing else. I promise.”
“Good.” He backs away. “You’ll let me know if you get any vibes, right?”
“Yeah.” My voice rises. “Of course. There are no vibes.”
“I’ll kill him…” Everett mumbles, clumsily ascending the staircase.
I’m notlying. Not exactly.
There are no vibes coming from Theo, that’s for sure. I may feel some vibes, considering that seeing him with Joy made me bubble with jealousy—I felt sick, and I couldn’t even finish my dessert. But whatever I feel for him is harmless. I’m not the first woman to have a crush on an attractive older man, and I won’t be the last. There’s safety in knowing nothing will come from it. Even before Everett confirmed it, I knew that was true.
Theo has been kind, professional, and even protective of me. He probably looks at me as a younger sister.
A sick satisfaction still lulls me to sleep, knowing he can’t belong to anyone else.
Chapter Nine
EVIE
This is my first stuffy business lunch, and as long as I’m working at Intentional Paper, I know it won’t be my last. The Finland trip is approaching fast, so it may be my last for a while. Lunches with Theo don’t count. They’re never quite as stuffy as this one.
It’s not like I have to talk much. I’m allowed to sit in the corner of the booth and tap on my iPad—taking notesandmaking sure we’re set for the trip. Flights are booked, we are in communication with the cabin owner, and we’re set for all the photo opportunities in Finland.
“Why should we do business with you?” the older man asks Theo in a voice that could put someone to sleep—and not in a good way. It’s flat—boring. “There are many paper companies out there, and some do the same things you claim to. So… why you?”
I sip on my drink, doing my best to stay alert—at least enough to take my notes.
They’ve already been chatting and drinking for thirty minutes, and they’re only now getting down to business. I don’t understand how they can operate like that; it all feels like such a waste of time. Couldn’t they have had this talk over email?
This may be another business lesson, and I intend to make the best of it. Working as Theo’s assistant can either derail my dreams or lay the building blocks for my future. I want it to do the latter.
“Are there other people making paper?” Theo shrugs and drains his glass. “Sure. Are there other people doing it in an ethical and sustainable manner? I would say so, but no one does it as well as we do.”
“Those are mighty words.”
