Page 35 of Naughty Heart

“Wouldn’t that be considered inappropriate?” she asked.

“Did you see my parents balking at it?” I countered, and she shook her head. “You’re my assistant, Evelyn. It’s not like you’re competing with someone else for a job within the company.”

“So, that would indicate to me that you’re viewing this as a date of some sort.” Her tone was hesitant, and I didn’t want to make her any more unsure.

I shrugged, wanting to appear indifferent. “Well, yeah. I mean, I need a date for the party, and you just told me that you don’t have a boyfriend. Since you just started working here, I thought you might like to go with me. If you would rather come alone or with someone else, that’s fine, too.”

Evelyn considered my offer, and I wasn’t too proud to admit I was growing nervous. Eventually, she shook her head. “No. No, I’d rather attend the party with you, I think.”

“Good, because I’d rather attend with you, too.”

She sent a shy smile my way.

“You look like you still have some questions lingering,” I noted.

In a move I hadn’t been prepared for, Evelyn tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear as she licked her lip. “What’s the dress code for this party? If it’s a formal event, I’m not sure I’ll have a dress that’s nice enough to wear.”

“It is the kind of event you’d want to get dressed up for, but I’ll make a deal with you,” I started. “Since you weren’t expecting this, and I invited you, I’d like to cover the cost of your gown.”

“Oh, Malcolm, that’s not—”

“Please, Evelyn. Let me do this. In fact, if you want, I’ll call my sister, and she can take you out to find something that’ll be perfect for the occasion,” I explained.

“She won’t mind?”

“Not at all, especially if I’m handing over my credit card.”

Evelyn pressed her lips together, but she couldn’t seem to control herself. Despite her best efforts, she started laughing, and I found myself watching with rapt attention. I noticed the way her eyes lit up, her face brightened, and her slender throat moved. When she settled herself down, she grinned. “It sounds like this will be fun for her and me while being torturous for you.”

I smiled back and shook my head. “I don’t think so. But I guess I won’t know for sure until I see you in your gown in two weeks.”

Her face flushed.

I decided to let things go there.

So, I stood from the chair, walked to the door, and pulled it open. Then I looked back, winked at her, and made my way across the hall.

Before she left for the day thirty minutes later, she came over with the wreath she’d finished and affixed it to my door.

Then she shot me a dazzling smile and walked away.

I sat there, unable to get the sight out of my mind and wondering if I’d made the best decision of my life to hire her.

10

EVELYN

It waspossible I’d lost my mind.

Or, well, at the very least, I no longer felt the overwhelming sense of foreboding I’d been feeling for so long.

Obviously, I wasn’t completely out of the woods yet when it came to my financial situation, but things were looking up. I had a great job that I loved.

There was no question if my best friends walked into this office right now, they’d be smiling from ear to ear.

Because it was a Tuesday afternoon, and I’d decided to use part of my lunch break to continue working. But I wasn’t exactly sure I could call this work.

Malcolm had left a little while ago for his break, so I ate quickly at my desk before I shuffled across the hall to his office. That’s when I plugged in the radio I’d brought from home, turned it to a station that only played Christmas music, and continued decorating.