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“Yeah, Octavia hired you, she needs to hear it from you.”
Bliss chewed on her bottom lip and I wanted to chew on it to. Jerking my gaze off her mouth I silently cursed myself.
“When?”
“Now.”
“Now now?”
“Yep, right this second.”
She inhaled deeply, squared her shoulders and simply replied “okay.” That one word sounded like she was going into battle. It was fucking adorable.
“Thank you for stopping by.”
I shrugged. “I was coming in anyway. I’ve got a shit ton of things to work on. I’ll be here most of the day.”
She looked as surprised as me.
Bliss York
OCTAVIA WAS FURIOUS about the order. She had me get the invoice, read it entirely and when I gave her the balance she freaked, cursing a blue streak and threatening the lives of those who were to blame. I had to admit her anger was justified. Paying thirty thousand dollars for scarves she didn’t order would make me have a stroke. She’d ordered ten, receiving sixty. I was instructed to repack them, though I hadn’t unpacked them, only had a peek. Then return them all. The supplier had made a mistake. She wouldn’t be buying any scarves from them. I thought that was a bit overboard. She was carrying Jimmy Choo items and it was an honest mistake but I didn’t say so.
Once that was all handled the new shipment arrived. Light shoes, swimsuits, summer wear in general, the things she wanted displayed. Octavia wouldn’t buy more than ten of each item and those sizes were select and popular. If anyone wore something larger than an eight they shouldn’t step foot inside this place. She carried double zeros, up to size eight, and only one size eight per item.
I thought it was a little elitist and exclusive, which was exactly what Octavia was. This was an elitist and exclusive store. The more I got to know Octavia through her calls, along with the texts she sent, I realized she thought that way. I myself didn’t exclude anyone, because I didn’t want to be excluded. This, of course, made me wonder about Nate. Who had he become? Someone attracted to that?
I didn’t want to judge him. I knew nothing about their relationship and it was unfair to make assumptions. But I did once know Nate. He was nothing at all like Octavia. He came from privilege and wealth, however, he didn’t act entitled. Currently he was standing on a ladder in the shop putting fancy light bulbs in the chandelier Octavia had him hang.
He hadn’t said much after telling me to call her. Well, actually, Nate hadn’t spoken at all. He’d stayed up front while I worked in the back. We had a moment this morning laughing at my dancing, when I saw that gleam in his eyes. I thought for a second he remembered me. Us. But then he said nothing at all.
I tried not to let that defeat me. I also tried not allowing resurfacing memories to make me sad, spiteful and angry. There’d been a connection, that connection was gone, I would never experience it again. My experience with men was limited. I thought that was mostly the problem.
“You ready for lunch?” Nate asked. His voice startled me, I flinched, jerking up my head from the bikinis I was displaying.
“What?” I stammered. “Huh?”
He smirked and it was ridiculously attractive. “Do you eat?”
I nodded. What kind of question was that?
“Then are you ready to eat some lunch?”
Oh. He was asking about my lunch break. I rarely took one unless Eli stopped by and Eli wasn’t here. “I guess. I usually don’t stop unless Eli comes and stops me.”
Nate pulled his keys from his pocket. “That’s not healthy. You should eat. Let’s go. I know a place.”
I stood up and stared at him. The keys jingled in his hand. He wanted to take me to lunch? Would Octavia be okay with that?
“Oh, um.” I didn’t know what to say. Although the idea of eating lunch with him and riding in his truck were tempting.
“Stop over thinking it Bliss. Let’s go eat. We’ve earned a lunch.”
I managed a nod and walked over to my purse. This was normal. We worked together. In a way he was my boss. He wanted to take me to lunch.
“Okay.”
“I see you’ve not unpacked the boxes. She must’ve said to send them back.”
“Yeah. She wasn’t happy.”
He chuckled. “I bet she wasn’t.”
There it was. The way he chuckled like he knew her and she amused him. Its warmth, the way he delivered it, the jealousy bit me hard. I hadn’t ever dealt with that before, but now it was here and it was hard. It sucked. What a horrible feeling. The top of my head went numb.
“How long have y’all been together?” I tried to act like it didn’t bother me.
Nate locked up the back and we headed to his truck.
