AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter Eight
Megan
The next morning, Iwas on pins and needles, waiting for Luke to pick me up. He arrived at eight o'clock on the dot. I was smiling, holding two cups of coffee, and I had a feeling that I looked a bit manic. He climbed out of the car, laughing when he saw my coffee. He was wearing a gray tie. I’d never seen him wear a tie before. It looked great on him.
"What?" I asked.
Then he opened the door for me, and I saw exactly what. He’d bought coffee as well. That made me chuckle.
"I guess you can never have too much coffee," I said cheerfully.
“I’m only going to have one. You can have the rest. It’s with lactose-free milk,” he said.
Oh wow. I’d told him that right before we jumped into bed, and he still remembered it? Carson had never remembered. His standard reply when I said I couldn’t drink it was “Oh, right. You’re still intolerant.”
Like I was making it up.
"Thank you" was all I said in return, still a bit shocked.
The second we were both in the car, I stiffened, smelling a hint of his aftershave. It felt like an intimate detail—one I shouldn’t know. I crossed and uncrossed my legs, suddenly feeling restless.
“How was your aunt?” he asked unexpectedly.
“Great. She’s already got a few students. Things are looking up.”
He revved the car’s engine. I grabbed a cup of coffee, focusing on it. Last night, he’d slipped into flirty territory. Would he do so again?
He didn’t. I ended up drinking three coffees and Luke only one. He spoke most of the time.
We arrived at the client’s thirty minutes later. Right away, I could see why the client wanted a statement office, as they called it. This one was the complete opposite. It looked like a converted warehouse, which it probably was. It didn't fit at all with the buildings surrounding it. The entrance was bland, almost entirely white, with a cushiony sofa and two armchairs. A nice assistant welcomed us, offering us water and coffee. I declined both, already chastising myself for having drunk too much coffee. I needed to pee badly.
I excused myself, making a beeline for the restroom. Thank God the client was late.
When I came out of the bathroom, Luke was still alone with the assistant, who walked us both to the nearby meeting room. It was simple, with an old table and black leather chairs. It had no windows, and to me, that felt downright claustrophobic.
Luke took out his laptop and a portable projector that would let him put the presentation directly on one of the walls. The lack of windows and paintings worked in our favor.
"That's smart, bringing one with you," I said. "And it's so small."
"I always have it with me at appointments with clients. Almost all offices have one, but some aren’t that great. I learned that lesson the hard way when I had to pitch to a couple clients who had a very rudimentary projector. You could barely see the details. Didn't do me any favors."
I made a mental note about that.
"Good morning," the client, Mr. Downey, said.
Luke stood up taller, rolling his shoulders, instantly commanding the room. I had a distinct impression that he would run this meeting, not the client.
"Rick, good to see you again. This is Megan. She's our newest intern."
"Hi," I said as we shook hands.
"She's here with me mostly to watch and learn, but she's got a brilliant mind, so I'm sure you’ll find her input valuable."
I was surprised that he openly told the client I was a newbie. And I was equally surprised that Rick didn’t protest. I would have expected a client only to want the pros to make the most of his time. Then again, Luke had pitched my skills well.
Luke started the projector and turned off the light. He clicked the remote, and the 3D image of the client's future office came up on the wall. Honestly, it was breathtaking. It was cube shaped, designed mostly out of glass and metal.
It didn't have too many details because there was no point doing a whole concept unless the client signed on, but it was enough to give Rick an idea. By the looks of it, the guy was impressed. I smiled at Luke, who wasn't smiling at all. I made another mental note about the demeanor to use with clients.
