“Theo?” My heart performs an uncoordinated stutter at hearing his name.
“Uh-huh.” Leon shoots me a knowing look. “A little birdy told me he took you on a field trip to Neptune Bay this past weekend.”
My eyes widen. “Who told you?” I say quickly.
“The man himself.” Leon chuckles, replacing his glasses. “Don’t look so surprised. He’s the boss, but he’s also one of my work kids too. We play pickleball together when we can.”
I hadn’t realized Leon and Theo were close enough to talk about “field trips,” but it makes sense. Leonisthe office gossip. He knows everything from my coffee order down to whose kid has the flu. But something else surprises me. “Theo plays pickleball?”
“Yeah. And he’s pretty good too. Kicks my butt every time,” Leon says, a glint of genuine admiration in his eyes. “I told him he could go pro if the engineering thing didn’t work out.” He shakes his head, laughing. “Anyway, he played tennis as a kid. He’s got this wicked backhand that should be illegal against an old man like me.”
I can’t help the mental image that flashes through my mind—Theo in a form-fitting short-sleeve top and athletic shorts. I can picture the lean, corded muscles of his forearms as he follows through on one of those illegal backhands. The man looks handsome in his bespoke suits, but picturing him moving with that kind of raw, athletic grace on a pickleball or tennis court makes my mouth go slightly dry.
I quickly file that particular mental image away in a very private, very locked cabinet for later—preferably for atime when I’m not standing in the middle of a high-traffic office.
“You’re not old, Leon,” I say, trying to steer my thoughts back to safety.
“Maybe. But after three rounds with Theo, my back and knees feel it.” He gives his shoulder a stiff little shrug and starts to back away toward his own cubicle. “Anyway, the ball’s in your court, kiddo. Convince him to join us. Lina loves him, and he might get Derrick and Andy to be on their best behavior.”
“Amaya and Ela normally do that,” I tease.
“Yes, but I’d rather have a sure thing,” Leon says, his voice dropping into that vulnerable, nervous register again. “This is our first date and...”
I hold up my hand. “Say no more, I get it. You want to make a good first impression with her. You want to make sure the boys say the right things—or at least don’t say the very wrong things. I’ll do my best and let you know at lunch,” I promise.
We air kiss. As he walks away, I return my attention to the bag sitting on my desk chair. Tucked inside are two boxes of Rocky Road bars, the very last of the stock the Orlando Candy Depot had. I reach in to open a box, but spot Theo emerging from his office out of the corner of my eye. He has a phone pressed to his ear and his well-traveled suitcase in his other hand.
“Yes, yes. I’m leaving now, Mr. Harris,” he says, his voice clipped and weary. “I’ll have my assistant send yours my itinerary as soon as the ticket is confirmed. Fine... Fine. Understood.”
He ends the call and slides the phone into his pocket, the lines on his forehead deep enough to be permanent. Heturns off his office lights, and the room falls dark, casting him in shadow.
I sigh, a heavy feeling settling in my chest. He’s being sent out again. I guess that means there’s no sense in asking him to dinner. On a whim, I grab one of the fresh coffees and the bag with the Rocky Road bars. “Theo,” I call out.
He glances up, looking startled to see someone already at their desk. “Morning, Kaori. Do you know if my assistant is in yet?”
“I haven’t seen her,” I say, closing the distance between us. I walk over and offer him the still-warm coffee. “I didn’t have time to sneak this onto your desk, but here. This is for you.”
His expression softens. “Thank you. It’s going to be one of those days. Weeks, actually, by the sound of it.”
He takes a long, appreciative sip of the coffee, closing his eyes for a second as the caffeine hits. “Perfect roast,” he says, smacking his lips together. When he opens his eyes, he glances at the box tucked under my arm, his nose twitching slightly. “Do you happen to have a Rocky Road in there too?”
“I do,” I say, handing him the bag.
He peeks inside and arches an eyebrow. “There are two boxes in here. If you’re planning to start leaving a box a day on my desk, I’ll have to start reimbursing you,” he says, a ghost of a smirk appearing.
“No, I was only going to leave one,” I explain, nodding toward his suitcase. “But then I saw you had your suitcase and heard you on the phone, and I thought you’d need the sugar. Where are you headed?”
“London,” he says, sounding entirely drained by the prospect.
“Again?”
“Another crisis with Vortex Rise.”
Theo mentioned Vortex Rise over dinner at Burger Chalet. It’s one of the highest-profile coasters the Excelsior Park London office is currently working on. A multimillion-dollar project for the Dearbourne Group’s newest theme park just outside Toronto. From the way he explained it, Vortex Rise has become a black hole of sorts by sucking up money and creating an endless number of problems.
“Leon asked me to invite you to join us tonight. He needs us as his wingmen on his date with Lina, but I guess that’s off the table now,” I say, a genuine pang of disappointment catching me off guard. It’s more than just a missed social outing; it’s the sudden realization that the office is going to feel a lot emptier for the next several days.
“So the sly fox finally asked her. I wish I could be there to watch it unfold. Lina’s been hoping he’d make a move.”
