Page 13 of For Your Consideration

Shelly nodded happily then patted me on the shoulder. “I’ll get that for you, dear. Why don’t you ladies head on up? The conference room is all ready.”

I followed Quinn up some stairs to the second level while she explained that they had their largest conference room up here along with all the executive offices. When we walked into a massive boardroom with a view over the city, I was relieved to find it empty. Walking in with all six of them here would have been intimidating.

“So?” Quinn said as I put my laptop down on the table and took the chair beside her.

“This place is stunning.” I opened the computer so I could get the presentation ready to go.

“It looks just like their office in London. I love it here.”

“Did we leave the office too early?” I asked as she relaxed in her chair.

“No, they booked the meeting in my calendar thirty minutes before it’s due to start because they said I don’t come here enough anymore.”

“Because you don’t.” Noah sauntered into the room with a smirk on his face, then dropped a kiss on Quinn’s cheek before pulling out the chair beside mine. “Good to see you again.”

“How are you, Noah?” His charm had some sort of disarming effect that didn’t make me nervous.

“I’d be better if you’d go out with me.”

I let out a snort as Quinn shot him a look. “Noah.”

“What?” He held up his hands. “Was just checking in. Seeing if there’s an opening on her date card.”

Quinn looked up to the ceiling.

“Don’t worry.” I shook my head looking at him. “I’m not in the market for any man.” Which was one hundred percent true. I had to focus on Sophie and that was about all I could handle.

“Are you sure? Any man? I could be your dream man.”

“Even if I was looking, you’re not my type. Blonds aren’t my thing.” At that comment he made a shocked face and I reached over and patted his arm. “Sorry.”

He heaved a sigh. “Way to crush my dreams, Sutton. Plus, a man can dye his hair. I’d consider it for you. Just know, I don’t need to be your man for us to have a good time.” His face lifted, any fake glumness gone as he winked.

As I shook my head at Noah and let out a laugh, Asher walked into the boardroom. He was in a classic black suit, no jacket. His shoulders looked like they were testing the stitching on his shirt and given his build, it was likely custom made. He had his phone in his tattooed hand, looking down at it with a frown, although the other two didn’t seem concerned.

“Hey, Ash,” Quinn called from beside me.

He grunted in reply and briefly glanced up from his phone. His gaze passed over me before he looked back down. Before I could be disappointed, his eyes snapped back to me, the surprise clear on his face.

“Hey,” I said with an awkward wave when I couldn’t handle his intense gaze anymore.

“Didn’t know you were coming.” His gruff tone was still charming with the British accent. I opened my mouth to reply but was cut off by the other men coming into the room. Jaxson was talking to a man with golden-brown skin and hair shaved short. Knight came in next, I recognized him from Quinn’s phone background, and he was joined by another man who had tan skin and perfectly styled hair.

Did they have a rule that you had to be tall to be in their group?

They all settled in, Asher sitting across from me as introductions were made. After ten minutes of casual chitchat, Quinn managed to wrangle their attention and I ran the presentation for her. She walked through the quarterly updates on donations, which hospitals were working with us, and the initiatives we wanted to undertake, which included setting up a volunteer program with the medical school at the university here in Calgary to trial it, and if it went well and the school liked it, we would pitch it to the other provinces with hospitals setting up foundation support.

I was thankfully not put on the spot and only had to speak a few times. Quinn pretty much rocked the thing on her own, proving that I probably didn’t need to be here. We managed to wrap up without much interference from the others.

“We’re done, right?” Noah asked, looking around the room as we got to the last slide of our presentation.

“Noah.” Oli shook his head.

Noah opened his mouth to reply but Quinn stepped in. It was something I’d noticed she did a lot—playing peacekeeper between all the men. And not one of them seemed to mind. Honestly, they all seemed to listen to her over each other. “We’re done.”

“Who’s up for some drinks?” Will clapped his hands as we started to stand up.

I avoided everyone’s eyes because I didn’t want to reject them and tell them that I was busy. Again. Because I would happily get home to Sophie a little early if I could. Even though I might not ever be able to join them, I hated the idea that they would stop asking if I turned them down enough times.