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“I, uh…” I swallowed a knot in my throat. I felt backed into a corner. “Of course I do. You’re the person in the 2 o’clock slot for today.”
Awkwardness throbbed through me as I braced myself for her response.Why are you doing this?Everyone in Damian’s contacts had a brief summary attached for information at-a-glance. Even if Ihadn’tspotted Harper giving Damian a blowjob the day of my interview, I would have been able to play along given the fact that her summary clearly included “VIP with Privileges.”If only I’d played the subservient customer service role from the start, but no, I had to let my jealousy figure in.
“Ms. Bennett,” she said sharply. “You may call me Ms. Bennett.”
“Ms. Bennett,” I said slowly, “I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news. But Damian cancelled your appointment, and I have no further information at this time. I’d be happy to take a message, as I said. What’s the nature of your business? Are you a supplier for the firm?”
My heart thumped like a bass drum as I awaited her response.Jessa you are going to be in so much trouble.Though I was being professional, secretly I hoped this conversation would push them toward breaking up, which made me feel like a villain. I wrung my hands under the desk as her nostrils flared.
“No message at this time. I’ll handle this.” She sent me a plasticized smile and turned on her heels. Once she was out of sight, I slumped back into my chair, letting the horror of what I’d just done wash over me.
Not only had I white lied to Damian’s probably-very-powerful girlfriend, I’d also let jealousy get the best of me.
And for what?I groaned inwardly. Of course she’d say something to him, especially if they were dating. So maybe I just needed to avoid Damian until it all blew over. I could ask to work from home for the next week. While I considered the logistics of such a request, Damian sent me a text that made my insides freeze up.
DAMIAN: There’s a dinner tonight I want you to attend. Can you make it?
There went my plans to avoid Damian for the next week. There was nothing I wanted more than to attend anything, at any time, with Damian. But that warred with my very real need to catch up on my homework, and my newer, more urgent need to not look Damian in the eye until I could assess the damage from lying to his girlfriend.
I swallowed hard and typed out my response.
JESSA: You know it. I’m there.
CHAPTER TWELVE
DAMIAN
I checked my watch for the billionth time that evening. It was still 7:01 p.m., like it had been for the last hour. My knee bounced wildly beneath the table as I resigned myself to more waiting and scanning the crowd.
Doing what I did best. Searching the place for any sign of Jessa.
“You need another wine?” Axel leaned closer to me, jerking his chin toward my drained glass. “Carménère, right?”
“Sure. Actually, let’s just get a bottle. Jessa will probably have some too.” She would be here any minute; I could feel it. I’d told her to meet us at 7:00 at the Monaco Lounge, which didn’t explain why I’d been searching for any glimpse of her for over twenty minutes. When she got here, I’d be able to relax. And hopefully, with some wine, she could relax too.
And then maybe we could both relax together. Back at the penthouse.
Francis checked his watch from across the round, white-linen–covered table. “She’s laaaate,” he said in a sing-song voice.
“Give her a minute.” I didn’t love the rivalry that had cropped up between Francis and Jessa. I wasn’t sure if I felt like the father they didn’t want to share or the boyfriend they both laid claim to. At work, I had no favorites.
But off the clock, I only thought, saw, and wanted Jessa.
I hated how true this was becoming, how thoroughly she infiltrated my thoughts. I’d ignored Harper’s texts that afternoon because I didn’t want to think about her yet, even though occasionally a new one arrived. My phone buzzed again, signaling yet another message. I peered at my phone, which I kept below the table.
HARPER: I thought we had something here? Was I wrong?
OK, that last text signaled something at the brink of explosion. I opened the thread, catching myself up on what I had been avoiding all day.
HARPER: Just stopped by your office for our afternoon delight, but you cancelled on me? Or was your new secretary lying?
HARPER: She asked what the nature of my business was, which tells me you haven’t even briefed her on what we have going on.
HARPER: Don’t waste my time if you’d rather not see me. I don’t have time for that shit. Neither do you. So what gives?
HARPER: I thought we had something here. Was I wrong?
I groaned out loud, pocketing my phone once more. I didnotwant to handle that right now.
