“That’s so sweet of you.”
“I have them at my house. We could go grab one right now.”
“Thank you, Hayden, but I don’t really have time now,” she says as she’s piling her stack of clothes on the counter to check out.
“How about if I take this and grab the belt from my apartment and bring it to your office?” I don’t know why I am offering to do this. Maybe I just want him to have something I made especially for him, even if he doesn’t know it’s from me. God, I’m such a sucker.
She takes the buckle from my hands and puts it on the counter, as well. “Okay, that sounds good. You can text me when you get to my father’s company and I’ll send someone out to get it from you.”
“Oh…okay.” I’m surprised she doesn’t want to step out just for a moment to say thank you, but I guess she really does work nonstop.
As I’m driving home, Caroline texts me the address to the office. Inside my loft I sift through a box of belts I’ve made over the years. It was a skill my mother taught me when I was a kid; how to wet the leather and then pound metal tools in it to make designs. I found the nicest belt I’d ever made. It was dark brown, and I’d used a finish that made it look distressed.
The only problem is that I made the designs surrounding the buckle in the shape of my eyes, and I had tooled the words “my eyes” on the back side. At the time, I thought I would give it to my future boyfriend and say, “I’ve got my eyes on you.” I laugh to myself, thinking how deeply uncool I am for making gifts for nonexistent boyfriends. What a romantic sap!
Anyway, I will probably be single forever, as long as I’m running around doing chores for the Cromptons. At least I’m getting paid, and at least someone will get some use out of the belt.
I attach the buckle and pack the belt up in a small brown bag, tying a red ribbon around the handles.
When I get to the parking lot, which is completely shadowed by the massive Crompton Industries building, I text Caroline.
She responds almost immediately, letting me know she’s sent someone down. Frankie sticks out like a sore thumb, but I decide to wait by the entrance anyway.
I look up, startled, when someone yells “Hey” my way. I’m surprised to see Blake walking toward me carrying a coffee, looking way too ruggedly handsome for the suit and tie he’s wearing. I have a strong urge to tell him to ditch the tie and undo his top two buttons. He’s smiling. Oh dear, those dimples. I jump and hold the belt bag behind my back.
“Whatcha doin’?” Blake says.
“I’m here to drop something off for Caroline.”
“Oh. You wanna come up?”
“No, she’s sending someone down.”
“Okay. Well I gotta get up there before Papa Crompton loses it.”
I laugh nervously. There’s a moment of uncomfortable silence. He’s looking right into my eyes. I move my sunglasses from the top of my head and put them on. “Blake?”
“Yeah?”
“Do you like working here?” Why am I doing this?
He shrugs. “It’s okay. It pays the bills.” His eyes crinkle at the corners. He’s trying to read me. He leans in, puts his hand on the side of my arm and plants a quick, chaste kiss on my cheek. “Have a good day, Hayden. I gotta run. I can take that up if you want.”
I’m still holding the bag behind my back, awkwardly. “No, someone will be scouring the parking lot for me otherwise.”
“Okay, see ya.”
I’m trembling as he walks in through the front doors. I’m also staring at his fine, fine butt. I seriously need to get a grip.
Chapter 8
In the parking lot, I make sure to text Caroline and let her know that Blake might have seen the bag. Just so she doesn’t use the same one to give him his present.
Now I’m home flipping through magazines and restructuring my appointment calendar to include weekly shopping with Caroline. The idea excites me. We’re making so much progress and I’m really getting to know her. And she’s already starting to open up to me. I can see the positive changes a few new clothing items have made on her entire life, and I can’t wait to see how she evolves next.
My phone dings with a new text.
Caroline: Sorry I just saw this. Oops, I already had my assistant leave it on his desk in that bag. I’m sure he won’t notice.
