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9 Miranda
“NOT MARRIED?” I really was an idiot. How could I think such awful things about William? I was deplorable. I had no proof, just a botched-up phone call with a secretary I never should’ve called in the first place. In my flustered state, Mrs. St. James’s subtle clues had blown right over my head.
For God’s sake, I could have Googled to find out if he was married.
Was it fair to hope for a second chance? A do-over?
Lily would probably get down on her knees in the elevator to make it up to him in this situation. The thought intrigued me, but I wasn’t as audacious as her. Maybe an apology and an offer to take him out would suffice.
Be confident, Miranda. Go after what you want.
But what about no distractions? I couldn’t think about that now.
Go after William.
I left the bathroom, determined to regain control of the gala meeting. Afterward, I’d ask to speak to William in private. Talking in front of his mother would be bad form and embarrassing.
The moment I entered the room, I felt William’s eyes on me. “Sorry for the delay. Let’s continue.”
“Perfect.” Claire smiled amicably.
I didn’t look at William for a reaction. His intense eyes would have been my undoing.
“Now back to the color palette. If I may be so bold? Blue and purple are lovely colors, but they’re also quite popular selections because they are considered regal. That’s perfectly fine, but SJI is not typical nor should it follow trends. It should be a leader in creating trends.”
“I couldn’t agree more!” Claire’s face lit up. “Please continue... and don’t hold back.”
I took a breath, heart racing, pits sweating. I could feel William’s eyes drilling into me fiercely. I needed to keep calm. “If it were me, I’d select…”
The time breezed by while I was in my element. Seamlessly, I led the meeting from the color palette to flowers and invitations. I didn’t stumble over my words or lose my train of thought, and I didn’t look at William once.
Coward, right?
A half hour later, iPad and files put away, the meeting was over.
“Simply splendid, Miranda. I can’t tell you what a relief it is to have this meeting completed before Thanksgiving. Again, thank you for taking the time.” Claire beamed, putting me at ease.
As it turned out, I changed the accent color entirely to the two I had initially liked, burgundy and a blushy mauve. I’d owned the meeting, and Claire had praised me more than any other client had done before.
And through it all, my skin had tingled as William ogled me. My heart thrummed hearing him clear his throat. If he moved even slightly, I smelled his musky cologne and it made my mouth water.
He’s not marrieddanced at the forefront of my mind.
God help me, I wanted him desperately.
“Thank you so much, Claire. I’ll get out of your way now. Have a wonderful holiday.” I collected my bag and looked at William pointedly. “We need to talk.”
He rose from his chair promptly, went to the door, and held it open for me.
I issued a small wave to Claire and the assistants as I walked out. Faintly, I thought I heard her whisper,Be careful. Or perhaps my imagination was playing tricks on me because I was nervous with William beside me.
“This way to my office,” he directed and placed his hand on my back. I liked his eagerness.
Glances shot our way, but they didn’t bother me like the last time I had been in the building… and walking with William.
This place was quite large and luxurious. We walked down two long hallways until we finally arrived at his office. With every step I took, the tension between us grew. I fought the urge to reach for my earring. Instead, I slowed my breathing and rubbed my thumb and index finger against each other like a cricket’s wings. Thankfully, my need to fidget didn’t make noise.
If he yelled at me for thinking horribly of him, it would likely make me cry.
