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I’ve got a date with Cole Shepherd… well, who’d have thought?
I swivel around in my seat, staring out across the Boston skyline, and let out a deep sigh. Could it get any better than this?
“Livia?” I startle at the sound of my boss’s voice. “Can you come in here for a moment, please?”
I jump to my feet, push my chair in under my desk, and walk over to his door, looking to the right.
“Yes, Mr. Wicks?”
He smiles up from behind his large oak desk, shaking his head. “How many times do I have to tell you to call me Lucian?”
“Sorry… Lucian.”
I step inside, and he lowers his dark head to the document in front of him while I wander over, and stand on the other side of his desk, facing him.
According to his profile on the company’s website, Lucian Wicks is thirty-four. He’s married, with twin girls, who are eighteen months old, and who look down at him from a large framed photograph on the wall beside his desk, cheeky grins adorning their angelic faces. They’re beautiful children, but that’s not surprising… they have beautiful parents. I’ve met Lucian’s wife on a few occasions, and she’s a stunning red-head, and a former model. As for Lucian himself, beneath that short dark hair, he’s got gray eyes and a clean-shaven, handsome face, which is now looking up at me again, his eyebrows raised.
“What did Cole Shepherd want?”
I hadn’t expected him to ask that. When Lucian’s door is open – which is most of the time – he can see the comings and goings outside, but he can’t see what actually happens at my desk… and I’m starting to think that’s a good thing.
“Oh, nothing in particular.” I decide against mentioning Cole’s invitation to dinner on Saturday. As far as I’m aware, the company doesn’t have any policies against employees dating each other, but I don’t want anyone to gossip. I’ve always been quite shy, and although I’m sure Lucian is the soul of discretion, I think it’s best if I keep quiet about my relationship with Cole… at least until I know I’ve got one.
He nods his head and returns his attention to the document in his hands. “Do you remember this?”
“What is it?”
He doesn’t hold it out to me, but puts it back down on the desk, so I have to walk around, standing beside him now, to see what he’s talking about.
“Oh… it’s the report.” The one we’ve been working on since the beginning of the month. “I thought that was all finished with.”
He nods his head. “Yes. So did I. But unfortunately, I was sent some new information on Friday, and I spent the weekend amending all the figures, which means it now needs modifying… for about the twelfth time.” He looks up at me. “I’m really sorry. I’m sure you thought you’d seen the back of this.”
I don’t know why he’s apologizing. This is my job, after all.
“It’s fine,” I say, picking up the report and flicking through it. There are a lot of changes, including some new graphs that he’s drawn in by hand, and I can’t help the slight sigh that escapes my lips.
“It’s not fine.” He sighs too. “To make up for it, I’ll order us something for lunch from that new deli.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“Yes, I do.”
I smile down at him. “When do you need the report completed?”
He frowns. “Ideally, last Friday.”
“I see.”
“That’s why I need to buy you lunch. You won’t have time to leave your desk.”
I roll my eyes. “No, I won’t.”
“I really am sorry, Livia.”
I smile. “Stop apologizing. It’s not your fault… and I didn’t have anything planned for this evening.” Other than tidying my apartment, which I guess can wait until tomorrow.
He shakes his head. “I don’t know what I’d do without you. I honestly don’t.”
