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It’s one thing getting Elise to agree to go on a date with me.
It’s an entirely different matter to decide the date of the date.
This week is filled with meetings and it’s Friday when I drag myself through the lobby only to perk up on seeing Elise sitting there.
She looks surprised to see me.
I pause to wonder if I’ve imagined the flash of irritation in her eyes. The sight of it delights me, however, and it does make me think whether I’ll turn into a masochist just for this woman.
“Elise.” I make my way over to her.
She frowns at me, demanding, “Are you trying to fatten me up for the slaughter?”
Glimpsing the empty pastry box that I conveniently drop on her desk every morning before she shows up to work, I can’t hide my growing grin. “How was the peach cake?” I laugh.
She glowers at me. “It was absolutely delicious and you know it!”
Her bewildered anger is the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen and I try not to look too pleased.
Then her annoyance fades to concern. “Are you all right? You don’t look well.
I glance at Sophie sleeping in her little pram and say, idly, “It’s been a long week. I haven’t had time to unwind.” Even as I’m speaking, the idea brews in my mind as I meet Elise’s light brown eyes. “How would you like to go on our date tonight?”
When she flushes and tries to stammer out an excuse, I immediately say, “It’s been such a tiring week and I think this would really help me relax.”
She falters at this statement.
I hide my smirk, making sure my face looks just as earnest as my tone.
“W-Well, I have to prepare Sophie’s things and then I have to ask Kendall and—”
“It’s settled then.” I beam, as if she had been offering solutions instead of excuses. “Sounds like a good plan to me.” I start walking away, throwing casually over my shoulder at the gaping woman behind me, “I’ll pick you up at eight.”
As I move to the elevator, two women also enter it with me and I sense hostility from them when their eyes move towards Elise and then dart towards me.
My own eyes narrow as I study them from behind, recalling what Oliver had told me about one of the employees picking a fight with Elise. Is it one of them?
I get off at the top floor and make my way to Kendall’s office.
With her hazel eyes blazing, Kendall is in the midst of an argument with Jace Hunter, her stepbrother. “I know you ate it,” Kendall accuses.
It is clear to me that whatever she thinks he’s eaten, he has, considering the guilty look on his face which he tries to bury under indignation, not aware of the smudge of sauce on his mouth.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he says, sulkily, turning his head to the side, as if not meeting her gaze will help him hold on to his lie.
Kendall is weighing the stapler in her hand, as if she’s seconds away from taking aim. “Tracy gave the leftover lasagna for me, you – you little pig!”
“Hey!” Jace looks offended and for someone who’s going to get married to one of the richest men in the country, Kendall shrugs off her dignity and lifts the bridge of her nose, taunting, “Oink, oink!”
Looking at them, you’d never think they’ve just found each other recently, their relationship seeming to be so solid as Jace growls under his breath and then says, nastily, “It didn’t even taste that good.”
It’s Kendall’s turn to look outraged as if he’s said something sacrilegious and she splutters, “You wait until I tell Tracy what you said!”
Horror grows on Jace’s face. “You wouldn’t!”
Kendall just scoffs, aware that she now has the upper hand and knowing how much Jace worships Tracy, it now looks entirely possible that the boy might burst into tears.
This has me stepping into the room. “Kendall, I need a favor.”
