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Objectively speaking.
Belatedly she remembered to pull her hair out of its usual prim knot before approaching the receptionist desk. Julie had insisted that a subtle sex-kitten look was crucial for this mission, and Grace discreetly undid one of the buttons of her green blouse. Just enough to keep things interesting.
The receptionist had an adorable pixie cut and a megawatt smile. “May I help you?”
“Grace Brighton here to see Jake.”
She intentionally didn’t say his last name. Not because she figured there was only one Jake in the Oxford office, but because she wanted it to be very clear that this was a personal visit. Very personal.
The receptionist’s eyes fell on the frozen coffees Grace had in both hands. Whipped cream, chocolate sprinkles, caramel sauce … the works.
There could be no doubt what Grace was up to. She was bringing Jake a frou-frou coffee on a sunny afternoon. This wasn’t we-have-work-to-do coffee. It was date coffee.
The receptionist wavered for a few seconds, clearly debating going against protocol by not announcing Grace versus not offending Jake Malone’s new girlfriend.
Then again, if Jake was right and the damn website had gone viral, the receptionist probably already knew who Grace was and felt a little sorry for her.
That was fine. Grace would take the pity pass. Anything to get her through the door.
“I think I saw him in his office,” the receptionist said with a little thumb jerk over her right shoulder.
“Thanks so much,” Grace said with her best girly smile. She had no idea where Jake’s office was, but she hoped that walking in the general direction of where the peppy receptionist had indicated would get her somewhere close.
Although the overall shape of the floor was obviously identical to Stiletto’s, the layout was completely different. If Stiletto was all bright energy and collaborative spaces, this was orderly cubicles and neutral colors.
No free makeup samples on this floor, Grace thought. Other than the receptionist, she didn’t see a single other female.
“Ms. Brighton.”
A distractingly good-looking blond guy appeared by her side. His eyes were the color of whisky, and his chiseled features weren’t unlike those on the male models who smirked from the ad posters on a few of the walls.
“Hi,” she said cautiously.
“Cole Sharpe,” he said under his breath.
“Oh! Hi!”
“He’s in the second door on your left,” he said quietly as a pair of laughing guys scooted past them.
“He has one of the exec offices?”
She’d expected to find him in one of the cubicles, or perhaps in one of the shared offices on the far side of the office. But along the left window, there was a line of the big important-people offices. Editors in chief, senior managers, VPs …
And apparently Jake.
“It was part of the deal for him agreeing to do your little group project.”
Grace’s footsteps faltered. “Wait, your boss had to bribe him to go on a date with me? And what do you mean, part of the deal? He had more than one condition?”
Cole’s hand found her elbow as he moved her to the side and out of the way of traffic. A meeting must have just gotten out, because there was a rush of people emerging from the conference room talking about whether or not two articles in one issue about attaining a six-pack was too much.
Grace bit her tongue to stop from suggesting that they might want a female opinion on that, because the answer was definitely no. Two articles about six-packs was not too much. The more men who strove to achieve a six-pack, the better.
“Don’t judge the guy too harshly,” Cole said quietly. “Besides, you don’t exactly seem the type of woman who would have volunteered for this circus without something riding on it.”
Oh, she had something riding on it, all right. Her pride. Her dignity. Her career. And sure, she supposed she could see how maybe a hotshot like Jake had been less than thrilled to have to work with a partner. Journalists didn’t tend to be team players. But asking for a bigwig’s office wasn’t a little conciliatory free lunch. He must have been really resistant.
“Thanks again for agreeing to help us with this,” she said after the crowd of Oxford staff had passed.
