My cheeks flame red and I drop my eyes. “Let’s hope I can get it written.” Self-doubt settles in my mind.
“My wife is an avid romance reader so I am sure she will devour it also.” He smiles.
I nibble my bottom lip.
“Have you met Royce yet?” Creed asks and that has me lifting my eyes.
“Not yet,” Nora steps in. “I wanted to introduce her to you first.” She stands, stepping aside and looks down at me. I follow her lead.
“Good luck, Athena,” Creed says before he averts his attention to his computer.
I duck my head and follow Nora out of his office, a large sigh leaving me.
“Creed is great, don’t be nervous around him,” she reassures me and I give her a shrug.
“I’m not.” I’m defensive in my response, and I roll my eyes.
“Okay.” She presses her lips into a tight smile as she knocks on another door, waiting to be called in again.
Within seconds, she is pushing the door handle down. A pretty red head sits at a desk; crystal blue eyes settle on Nora and familiarity glistens in her gaze.
“Anaïs,” Nora says breezily as she steps into the room, me close behind her, “this is Athena.” She half turns her bodytowards me and holds her hand out, as if showing Anaïs where I was.
“It’s so nice to finally meet you.” She beams, pushing from her desk and dressed in the team polo and cargo skirt with crisp white trainers and frilly ankle socks.
“Ditto.”
Just when I think she is going to shake my hand, she pulls me in for a hug, encasing me in her arms. I freeze, my eyes widening as I look to Nora.
“Oh,” Anaïs says as she steps back, her gaze flitting between me and her colleague. “Not a hugger?”
“Not particularly.” My lips twist and a pang of guilt shoots through me when I see her smile drop.
“Sorry,” she mumbles.
“Don’t be, it’s a me thing.” I laugh it off as she steps back and takes her seat at her desk.
“I’m just doing the rounds, showing Athena the team,” Nora says softly, settling down on the sofa.
“Oooh, nice.” Anaïs starts tapping on her keyboard. “I must admit”—she twists to look at me, and I find myself standing awkwardly between the two—“I am really looking forward to this book.” She gives me a subtle wink, and I flush with red from head to toe.
“Glad you are.” My voice is tight, my throat feels like it’s closing up.
“Are you not?” She spins herself around in her chair and tilts her head to the side.
“I won’t really know until I sit down and write it,” I admit, playing with a loose curl that has fallen from my unkempt ponytail.
She furrows her brows and side-eyes Nora.
“It’s complicated,” I whisper, focusing on my shoes.
“Well, let’s uncomplicate it, dinner tonight? Welcome you to the team,” Anaïs says and Nora claps her hands.
“Yes, let’s do that!” Excitement wraps around her friendly tone. “Are you cool with that Athena?” Nora asks.
I nod. What I want to say is, ‘thank you,’ but I am exhausted and fear I will fall asleep at the table, so I don’t. “Sounds great.” I really do try my hardest to sound convincing, but Anaïs catches me out.
“Jetlag.” She sighs, but not in an agitated way, more of a ‘she gets it’ way.
