That’s the first time I’ve heard him shorten my name. Of course, my family and friends all call me Whit when they’re joking around, but I like the sound of the nickname on his lips.
“Guess I better get to work then, huh?” he teases further.
I tilt my head and give him a smile. “I guess so, Mr. Boss-Man. Otherwise, I’ll tell Elena you’re wasting her payroll.”
He narrows his eyes playfully. “You’re mean. I like it.”
I chuckle, and he winks at me before disappearing into his office. My face feels warm, and I press my hands to my cheeks, fighting off the blush that’s already raging.
“Come on, Whitney, get a grip,” I whisper to myself. I shake my head a few times and breathe sharply through mynose. I have to get a hold of whatever emotions are raging inside me.
Ever since we had lunch a few days ago, my interest in Theo has increased exponentially. The more I got to know about him, the more I liked what I saw.
I almost fell out of my chair at JTs when he told me that he volunteered and donated frequently to Habitat for Humanity. That was one of the most attractive qualities for me—willing to dedicate time and energy to those who need it most. And I could tell by the way his eyes lit up when he spoke about some of the projects he had worked on that this was something he was very passionate about.
It was almost too good to be true, that the new CEO of Nexus Realty Group had a focused goal in assisting Habitat for Humanity. Though our business focused more on commercial properties and selling realty for large businesses, there was something poetic about the fact that Theo was dedicated to improving what the word ‘home’ means to so many other people.
Theo would never know, but that small admission checked off the sixth item on my list, putting him at meeting four of my little requirements.
Number 6: Has a philanthropic passion
This was one quality that not very many of my previous love affairs had met. I live in a big city and often find myself attracted to many of the working upper class. Surprisingly—or maybe not—they are much more focused on helping themselves, rather than helping others.
Which is why I wasn’t too concerned when most of those relationships didn’t work out.
I ignore the fact that Theo has already met four of my tenlist items. I think about the little notebook at home and fight off a smile. Though that seems insignificant, I have the feeling that Theo is going to surprise me in many more ways, the more I get to know him.
My morning passes uneventfully. I focus on responding to emails and other correspondence. Then I move on to filing and scanning essential paper documents into an e-file.
Lunch time comes up quickly; before I know it, my stomach rumbles in protest, letting me know it’s time to take a break and get some food. As if on cue, the phone line rings, and I pick it up, placing the receiver to my ear. “Nexus Realty Group—Theo Hurst’s office.”
“Ms. Palmer,” a frigid voice greets me from the other line.
I shoot an alarmed glance over at Theo’s office. He’s buried deep in paperwork, not paying attention to me out here. “Hello, Elena.”
“Is Mr. Hurst available for our meeting?” she asks, though I know there’s really only one acceptable answer to her question.
“I’ll put you through.”
I press the hold button and then dial Theo’s line. I could just give him a holler, given that he’s only a few yards from me, but I don’t think he’d appreciate the rest of the floor knowing that Elena’s likely going to rip him a new one—heaven knows what about, but that’s her style.
Theo picks up on the second ring. “Yeah?” His voice is drained, and I instantly know he’s not having a good time with his paperwork this morning.
“Elena’s on the line for your meeting.”
He sighs, thanks me, and says, “Can’t wait to find out what this is about.”
I bite my lip and press the buttons to send Elena to Theo’s line. I hear him pick up from my desk when the phone rings, and he greets her with a fake, chipper attitude. Iwheel my chair around so I can peek into his office a little better.
I roll my eyes dramatically when he sees me peering around the door frame. He grins and gives me a sarcastic thumbs-up before turning his attention to his computer. When he’s deep into his phone call, I laugh to myself and grab my bag and other items, taking the opportunity while he’s tied up to run downstairs and grab some lunch.
I can’t put it off any longer. My rumbling stomach is a nuisance. I figure I’ll grab something quick and bring it back up to my desk while I wait for Theo to finish his phone call. Roaming around the cafeteria, I find a pre-made turkey sandwich. I pick it up and then grab a package of chips and a cookie. To drink, I choose a glass bottle of Pellegrino sparkling water.
Once I check out, I’m ready to head back upstairs when someone calls my name.
I turn around to see some of the girls from accounting waving their hands at me. With a grin, I walk over to their table and set my stuff down.
“Hi there,” I say with a smile. “How’s it going?”
