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I roll my eyes and grab the half-empty water on from my desk and take off the cap. “His deal is that he wants to know everything about everything. One of the team members sneezes, George wants a seven-page report on his desk about it, appendices included.”
Jenna frowns. “He didn’t seem that crazy when we met him last week.”
Chugging down the water, I know she is right.
Hands restless, I undo my ponytail and shake out my hair. “I don’t know. But he is the biggest account we have, and I’m willing to bend over backward to keep him with us.”
Jenn glances over at where Nick waits for her by the elevator. Then, she puts down her bag. “I’ll help.”
I shake my head, saying firmly, “Absolutely not. I know you two have a date planned.”
Jenna glares at me. “Don’t be ridiculous. I know you’ve spent the past few days holed up here. You need a break. Nick and I can do this.”
Frustration raises in me like a wave, and I try to push it down. “Please, Jenna. Just go. I’ll be fine. The second I’m tired, I’ll go to sleep. I promise.” I cross around the desk and give her a hug. “Thank you, though. I appreciate the gesture.”
Getting Jenna to leave is a task in itself and I breathe a sigh of relief when she finally leaves.
I know Jenna means well and she is worried, but she doesn’t understand how badly I need to throw myself into my work.
Ian rejected me.
All my plans to convince him to give us a try… none of them mean anything now. The wetness on my cheeks makes me blink, and I slap them, fiercely ordering myself, “So what? So what if he doesn’t feel the same way? You want him. You don’t need him.”
But a part of me sits in stunned hurt.
However, as I glance around my office, I know I have bigger things to worry about. It is starting to smell like a garden in here.
I don’t know where these daily deliveries are coming from, but whoever is sending me these bouquets is starting to get on my nerves. Sometimes small gifts will arrive. What bothers me is that these gifts will contain things that I like, like my favorite brand of chocolate, or a bottle of wine that I have lately been in the mood for.
Gritting my teeth, I hope whoever it is either gives up this stupid idea of anonymity or just stops. Jenna thinks it is oddly romantic, but then Jenna thinks everything is romantic.
Unable to stand the stench of the flowers, I go into the office kitchen and dump the contents of the vase. From tomorrow onwards, I am going to make it Nick’s responsibility to discard all these gifts.
I have had enough of cowards in my life.
Getting back to work, I push away all thoughts of men from my mind and start going through the documents. Hours must have passed because when my phone rings, I notice its battery is dying.
“Zayn.” It annoys me that my voice sounds so weary.
“Where are you? I’m outside your apartment.”
Setting the phone on speaker, I rub my face. “Were we supposed to have dinner tonight?”
Although Zayn and I fight like rabid dogs, there is a sweet element to our relationship that we don’t share with the rest of the group. After all, we have our reputations to maintain. Often, we will have dinner together or watch the game or just hang out.
Zayn is closest to me in age, and while he has that whole dark and dangerous vibe going for him, I can sense the loneliness inside him. When it is just him and me, it is a comfortable atmosphere.
“No, but I was in the neighborhood and you haven’t exactly been hanging out with us. Fergus says you haven’t dropped by the bar since you got back, and Charlotte and Sarah haven’t heard from you.”
I stand up and walk over to the window, fiddling with the blinds. My office is on the third floor, and I have a very clear view of the street outside, which is empty at the moment, except for a man who seems to be waiting for someone.
“I have been busy. I have a client to deal with these days. Getting away is starting to become kind of hard.”
“Where are you then?” Zayn sounds a little annoyed.
“At the office,” I say, idly, my eyes on the figure outside.
Why is he just standing there?
