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He offered Jeremy’s sincerest apologies before he spent the next two hours telling me how impressed he was by my trial run of the launch party.
I didn’t do it for him.
I did it to show West that our relationship is strictly business.
It’s exhausting pretending I’m not the woman he slept with in Vegas. I don’t know how much longer I can do it, but when I do finally confess, I want there to be an immediate understanding between us.
He needs to be on the same page as me and that’s one where we don’t fuck again.
I can’t risk my future over great sex.
I watch as the last guest boards the elevator that will take them back down to the lobby.
“I wish Jeremy could have seen this.” Trent waves his arm in the air. “The bright lights of the city, the cool breeze, our vodka flowing freely. The launch party is going to be one for the record books.”
I skim my palm over the front of the black lace dress I’m wearing. I took more time than I should have getting ready for tonight. Logically, I know that West and I can’t pick up where we left off in Vegas, but I don’t mind the way he looks at me.
“I took some pictures. I’ll forward them to you so you can show them to Jeremy when you see him.”
“I’m on my way to see him now.” Trent takes one last sip from his glass, swallowing the vodka that was left. “He’s going to love this, Linny. Seriously, you did a great job.”
I want to ask if the situation West was dealing with is resolved, but I bite my tongue. I don’t want to admit to myself that I’m disappointed that he didn’t show up. It stings even more than it should because West was under the impression that he was meeting me for a quiet dinner.
This is exactly what I wanted, so why is it bothering me?
“Thank you,” I reply with a smile. “I’m glad you could make it tonight.”
“Me too.” He places the glass down on a table. “I’m going to head out, but I’ll reach out to you early next week to hammer down the details for the launch. I want everything in place before we round the homestretch.”
I nod in silence.
Tonight was a big win for my career, so why do I feel like I’ve lost something?
***
“This was just delivered for you, Linny.”
My head pops up at the sound of Hal’s voice. He’s standing in the open doorway of my office with a broad grin on his face and a square white box in his hands.
“Loretta wasn’t at her desk.” He glances over his shoulder at my assistant’s empty chair. “I signed for it.”
I push back from my desk and stand. “Thanks for doing that, Hal. How’s your day going?”
I only ask because the poor man is on a tight leash held by Mitchell. Hal is brilliant in his own right, but Mitchell has kept him tied to the position of his executive assistant for years.
Hal would never admit it, but I’m convinced that many of the commendable ideas that Mitchell has come up with were born in Hal’s imagination.
“You know,” he says with an exaggerated laugh. “It’s Friday, so there’s that.”
I straighten the skirt of my navy blue dress. “Do you have big weekend plans?”
“Mitchell’s never asked me that,” he says quietly, pushing the box at me. “I’m going to a film festival in Brooklyn.”
“Sounds fun.” I glance at the box. There’s nothing on the outside that identifies who sent it. “Did this arrive in an envelope?”
“No.” He shakes his head. “The delivery guy said he needed a signature from you or your assistant. That’s all I know.”
Anxiety pricks at me. I’d classify this as a surprise, and as usual, I’m not thrilled by the prospect of that. “Thanks again, Hal.”
