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“Not one word,” she warned, closing the door at her back.
Melanie sipped on her green smoothie and Jade sank onto a barstool with her own glass of greens. Both were in their running gear, so Olivia had apparently missed out on their morning routine. Seemed to be a habit as of late. This entire town was messing with her life.
“You do the walk of shame, barefoot no less, and not expect us to say something?” Jade asked with a laugh. “It’s like you don’t know us at all.”
Olivia sat her purse on the counter and collapsed onto the barstool next to Jade.
“That must’ve been some kid party,” Melanie stated, a snarky smile on her face.
“I don’t even remember the party,” Olivia moaned. Had that only been yesterday afternoon? “So much happened since then.”
“We can be supportive and nosy at the same time.” Jade swirled the contents of her glass before tipping it back for a drink. “So, you went to the party, then we all went shopping and had a girl day. Fill in from after that until just now and where the hell are your shoes?”
“Probably under Jax’s couch,” she mumbled. “I’m going to need something stronger than a smoothie to get through this. Can someone get me a mimosa?”
Jade threw a glance to Melanie. “Heavy on the champagne.”
“What has happened to me?” Olivia muttered as she dropped her head into the pillow of her crossed arms. “I don’t do one-night stands.”
“Was this a one-time thing?” Melanie asked.
Jax’s parting words led her to believe this was just the beginning. But how could they continue? Wasn’t that just asking for a disaster neither of them had time for? What good would come out of an affair?
Her body still tingled, though. Spending the night in Jax’s bed had been . . . well, glorious. He wasn’t the cocky, egotistical man she’d first thought. He’d been attentive, giving, and oh so thorough.
The clink of the glass by her head had Olivia lifting herself up and reaching for the breakfast drink—because orange juice with anything was considered breakfast.
Olivia took a hefty drink, welcoming the cool, refreshing liquid. She gripped the glass with two hands as she sat it on the counter and stared at her manicured fingers.
“We ended up watching a movie and having popcorn with Piper.”
Melanie’s gasp echoed in the tiny kitchen. “That’s very . . . family-like.”
Olivia nodded in agreement. The whole family atmosphere had awakened something inside her, something she didn’t even know had been lurking.
There was something so therapeutic about watching a kid movie with a bowl of buttery popcorn and not worrying about e-mails or conference calls—
“Oh, damn it.” Olivia jumped to her feet. “I have a conference call this morning.” Panic settled in as she glanced to the clock above the sink and groaned. “I’m so screwed.”
She’d missed the conference call by thirty minutes. Thirty minutes ago she was still trying to figure out how to slink out of Jax’s house without Piper seeing when she should’ve been more concerned with her career and the promotion she’d hoped to receive.
Her boss had handed her an even bigger client, or one they hoped to sign. She’d been entrusted with this potential new client, something far better than the load that had shifted from her to Steve. Damn it.
Now she’d have to do some major ass kissing. Not to mention damage control, because there wasn’t a doubt in her mind that Steve was in on that call and had gotten his subtle jab in as to his thoughts on her not participating.
She wasn’t keen on lying, was adamantly against it actually, but she couldn’t be totally honest with her boss. She didn’t figure “I’m sorry I was sleeping off the morning after” was a valid reason.
“We’ll think of a good excuse,” Jade told her, patting her shoulder. “First, we need to get everything else straightened out and then you can call your boss. He’s on the other call anyway right now so just calm down.”
“Easy for you to say. Your ass isn’t on the line.”
Melanie pulled the juice and champagne back out and topped off Olivia’s glass. “This is an easy fix. All you have to do is explain you were in the middle of an emergency regarding your father’s estate. That’s all. They don’t need any more than that. They already know why you’re not at work, so I’m sure they’ll understand.”
Olivia listened to Melanie’s simple fix. It sounded easy enough, but this wasn’t how Olivia worked. Ever. She was always punctual, always efficient, and always prepared for every meeting whether it be in a boardroom or on a telephone.
“You’ve never missed before, have you?” Jade asked.
Swiping the cool glass with her thumb, Olivia shook her head. “Never.”
