“Yes, as I said before,” Jonathan continued, “we’ll be setting up individual appointments with each of you starting next month as we continue our restructuring. Any questions?”
I was pretty sure asking my coworkers if they had all seen me pull out a wedgie wasn’t appropriate, but it was the only thing that came to mind. I continued to shield my face, and as soon as the meeting adjourned, I gathered my things, and bolted for the door.
Not to brag but I wassmooth.
Slipping out as if I was invisible, I beelined to the back corner office where I’d be safe hiding behind my stack of real estate contracts all day. I didn’t even care that the fresh paint fumes were pungent. It was heaven having my own office after having shared the receptionist desk with Mabel, even if the space had recently been converted from storage and was so far down the corridor that no one came this way. I didn’t even exist back here, past the bathrooms and the breakroom, and that’s the way I liked it.
As I breezed through the doorway, tension released, and my shoulders fell. I dropped my binders on the floor. Not in a neat pile either as they tumbled over, scattering like a toddler hadgotten ahold of them. Then I dropped down into my oversized leather chair, slipped off my shoes, and put my feet on my desk.
The closest thing I’d done to a squat, well, ever. And yes, it wasn’t even close.
I grabbed the first binder off the floor, pulled out a contract, and braced it directly in front of my face. Another foreclosure acquisition. I wasn’t surprised. It seemed like this real estate firm had swallowed up every foreclosure in South Florida. Sometimes they flipped them, but often we turned them into rental houses, the nicest ones being converted to short-term vacation rentals. My job was to review everything to ensure all the Ts were crossed and no detail was missed.
Townhouses. Six of them. Looked like expensive townhouses, too because the buyout from the bank was over five million dollars. Good ol’ Mr. Fox had taken another million out to renovate, citing security upgrades, parking upgrades, and the need to add a community pool. Hmm. It must be nice to have that kind of money.
This was the part of being a lawyer that made me super sleepy. My eyes instantly grew heavy, as I hated paperwork. When I had decided to go back to school for my law degree, I had envisioned myself spending hours arguing in courtrooms, and with my love for talking, that sounded like the best job ever. The caveat I’d never seen coming was I’d LOATHED in all caps my criminal law classes. I had romanticized how cool it would be to argue in court, but when it had come down to helping criminals…I just couldn’t. I’d immediately changed my goals.
I wasn’t sure it had nothing to do with the fact that I had spent my life being bullied, and I was unable to bring myself to help the jerks.
So, corporate law it was, landing me in real estate only a month ago. I’d admit Jonathan’s business had a terrible reputation in this community for being shady, and the positionhad been open for months as nobody even applied. Still, it was a paycheck, and no one else had offered. My plan was to get some experience and then move on with the next offer. Whenever that was.
Even though I still hadn’t been given my official lawyer title, I had started here at six figures, and that would only increase each year. It was a sweet gig, and for the first time in my life, I was getting ahead. Oh, where was I? I forced my gaze back to the contract. Oh yes, so, a second mortgage for renovations, and the inspection was completed—
“What, wait,” a voice called from my office door. It teased a familiarity I’d heard before. “Who’s in my office?”
I nearly choked as I instantly jolted to my feet like a soldier, yanking on the sides of my northern-bound skirt as my eyes fled to the door.His office?I greeted him like I was reporting to a drill sergeant. “Yes, sir!”
Still flustered, my gaze danced around, landing first on his dark suit with iron-creased legs.Very nice suit.Possibly Armani. All the way to his hair, longer than I’d expected for an office. Interesting. Borderline rebellious. Finally, my gaze landed on his eyes—set deep behind dark lashes and color just like—
No way!
No, no way.
My feet fumbled back, which set me into an accidental stumble over the chair leg. I barely managed to stabilize myself but kept my eyes on his—The same color as my mother’s ring.Lightning could have split the room in two, and I still wouldn’t have been able to pull my gaze from his.
It had taken me afull yearto stop crying over him, but the sting in my eyes was as instant as if it was yesterday. A year that I’d never get back for a guy who clearly hadn’t cared about me. Not once—but twice that jerk left me heartbroken—both times dropping off the planet. I didn’t know if he’d died or gotamnesia. Had I been a game? Nobody could have been dirtier than that.
His jaw was steeled.“Elinora.”
My heart twisted, causing so much constriction. The walls around me literally started to wave.
Graham.
And he had usedmy real name. He never did that. I hated it but sort of loved it, because it always sounded sohot.But the bigger issue was,why was he here?
“What, who…” My words slowly revved back on. “You don’t work—work here, like here.” I slammed my palm down on my desk. “Here?” I motioned to him with an accusing finger. “How…how’d that happen? You have a bookstore. In Vermont. Aren’t you in Vermont?” I pointed out the window but remembered it looked south. I turned and pointed left, but that was east, so I jerked my hand to the right. “Is that north?”
His lips curled slightly. He was amused. Not mad. That was good. So good. But then again, he was here, and that was bad. So bad. He stepped into the room, and brushed the door closed with his hand. It wasn’t all the way closed like an HR scandal waiting to happen. Plus, the door was glass, preventing us from full privacy.
Phew, why was it Mars-hot in here all the sudden?
Had I gone to Mars?
That would explain so much.
Like these hot flashes. I fanned my face with my hand, wishing on all my future birthday candles that this wasn’t happening. My heart fluctuated between thumping out, “I love you!” to contracting out, “How could you?” One thing was certain—I was backed up against a wall I had never seen coming.
“Relax.” Graham’s hand stretched toward me, inviting me to sit back down. I couldn’t sit. I had the wrong skirt for sitting.I’d already been over this today. Nope, I was standing with both knees knocking.
