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“All right, let me look over it,” he said. But his mind was drifting back to Alexis once more. Here he was, a week later, sitting in his office with the biggest deal of his career in front of him, and he couldn’t seem to focus on it.
It wasn’t like he couldn’t look her up. He had the resources at his disposal to do so. But he was wrestling with the propriety of it all.
“Phoebe?” Magnus asked, glancing up from the stack of paperwork.
“Sir?”
“What do you think a woman might think if a man tracked her down after not giving him her phone number? Do you think she would be flattered that he went to so much trouble for her?”
Phoebe tilted her head, studying him for a moment. “Did she say no when you asked for it?
“I wouldn’t bother pursuing someone who already turned me down. I just never asked for her number or exchanged contact info at the time.”
Phoebe nodded slowly, eyes widening. “Is this about the masquerade? Did you meet someone there? You don’t go out, so I’m guessing that’s where you met her.”
Magnus nodded silently in confirmation.
“Can I speak freely?” Phoebe asked.
Magnus nodded. “Go ahead.”
“I think it might be tricky.” Phoebe leaned against the desk, tucking a red curl behind her ear. “Normally, I agree it would be quite romantic to seek out a woman you met for just one night. It would be like some kind of fairy tale.”
She sighed with a smile on her lips, then frowned. “On the other hand, isn’t it kind of against the spirit of the Full Moon Masquerade? Everything is supposed to be kind of anonymous and one night only, right?”
Magnus sighed, tapping his fingers against the mahogany desk in front of him. “Yeah, that’s true. You’re right. I should just forget about her, shouldn’t I?”
Phoebe pursed her lips and then snapped her fingers. “Hey, maybe you’ll see her again at the next masquerade.”
At that, Magnus’s eyes widened. “Of course …” he murmured to himself. “Though three weeks feels like forever when I’ve thought about her nonstop for the last week. I don’t even know how I feel about her, to be honest.”
Phoebe shrugged. “It might give you enough time to figure out how you feel.”
Magnus nodded and sighed again, looking down at the stack of documents for the pharmaceutical deal. “I should get back to this,” he said, gesturing to the papers. “I’ll look it over and send it off to you within the hour.”
Phoebe grabbed her tablet and headed back for her desk just outside of Magnus’s office, shutting the door for him.
Not even a minute later, there was a grand commotion from outside, and the doors were flung open once more. “Everything all right, Phoebe?” Magnus asked, looking up.
However, instead of his capable assistant, someone Magnus loathed strode through the doors. “Hello, Magnus,” Carvin Hibbard said, flashing him a smile full of white teeth.
“Carvin,” Magnus grounded out. “To what do I owe the displeasure? Still bitter over losing the Hatchetfield Coffee deal?”
The man was the bane of his existence, his professional rival who could never quite keep up with him.
“I never wanted that shitty coffee company,” Carvin said, rolling his eyes. “But I am here to make you an offer.”
Magnus smiled, wondering what Carvin thought he had this time. “Go on then, I’m all ears.”
“I want you to back out of the Crispin Pharmaceuticals deal and let my company have it instead. If you do, I’ll cancel the date I have with a certain Alexis Nixon this weekend.”
Magnus stared at Carvin. “Are you serious? You come in spouting bullshit and expect me to fall for it?”
“I’m dead serious,” Carvin said, whipping out his phone. “I can prove it.” He shoved the mobile at Magnus and pulled up to the text conversation between him and Alexis.
It’s amazing to meet someone as accomplished and beautiful as you, Carvin’s text read.
You’re quite the charmer, aren’t you? Alexis had texted back.
