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It seems I’ve gotten her attention.
She winces at something Kendall says and Lana comes over, a curious look on her face, “Elise, you’re looking awful. What did you do last night?”
Before Elise can say anything, I interject, “She got drunk.”
Elise looks mortified at my words and glowers at me before scrunching her face up in pain, saying faintly, “I need some aspirin.
”
“If you were trying to outdrink Lucas, no wonder you’re hungover.” Caleb walks over and hands Elise a bottle of aspirin.
She doesn’t even bother with water, just dry swallows two pills.
Sophie is now chewing on my shirt collar and I pat her back affectionately, telling her, “When you grow up, you’re going to owe me a new shirt, kid.”
She babbles happily and when I make a farting noise from my mouth, she leans back and claps, excitedly. Her attempt to mimic me ends up blowing spit bubbles on my shirt. Laughing, I pick up a tissue and clean it off.
“Here, I can…” Elise holds out her arms to take Sophie from me
I shake my head. “It’s okay. Sophie and I are good. Aren’t we, Sophie?”
Sophie grabs my hair in her tiny fists and pulls, babbling in response to my questions. She looks very comfortable in my arms and seems to have no desire to go to her mother.
Elise doesn’t protest but she looks a little unnerved.
I know what’s bothering her and I can’t help but want to tease her. When her face gets all red and she stammers, I adore her.
“Why were you getting drunk with Lucas last night?”
It’s Kendall who asks the question.
Elise shoots me a look of betrayal before saying, “I wasn’t drinking with him. He showed up and I might have had a few glasses.” When Lana opens her mouth, she immediately adds, “It was Friday. I just wanted to relax a bit.”
Kendall and Lana exchange glances before Lana says, “But weren’t you and Lucas going out for dinner?”
Having it spoken out loud has the tips of Elise’s ears burning but she manages to keep her cool. “I was too tired. Sorry, I forgot to cancel with you.”
Kendall shrugs. “It’s all right. Lucas called me from the car.” She glances at Caleb, “Where’s Jace?”
Her fiancé doesn’t look very concerned. “He’s running an errand for me.” Caleb nudges his head towards me in understanding.
I accompany him to a corner of the room. Oliver trails after us, casually, as if he, too, had been invited.
Once we’re out of earshot, Caleb finally asks, “Kendall told me about what’s going on with Elise. Has she said anything?”
Usually, a CEO getting involved with insignificant issues revolving around employees wouldn’t happen, but Elise is a close friend of both Kendall and Lana, and Caleb also likes her. He’s been an eyewitness to what she’s had to go through and it’s only natural that he would be concerned.
Oliver crosses his arms over his chest and watches me.
I’m reluctant to expose Elise’s private affairs, especially the document that I uncovered. But I recount the things I overheard in the lobby and I bring up the matter of Darren Hall.
Oliver frowns. “The name’s familiar but I can’t put a face to it.”
“That’s because he doesn’t mingle with the senior ups. He’s a low level data analyst,” I tell him, my tone harsh. “I saw him a few days ago. He was getting pretty handsy with one of the employees outside.” A face that I actually recall quite well now that I think about it. The woman who’d made the comments to Elise. “Melissa.”
“How is his work—?”
Before Caleb can finish the question, I tell him, coldly, “He’s a steady employee but not irreplaceable.”
