AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Lou reaches out and smacks my hand that’s on the counter. “No, but he knows where I live, so he better not be a stalker. Then again, if he wants to visit me and talk dirty in that controlling voice from last night, I’ll happily open the front door at one in the morning again.”
“No, you goddamn won’t. We dodged a bullet with the weirdo. Do not even entertain that idea. He could be some kind of sex pervert or something. Or one of those, you know, doms, who frequent clubs and pick up women to take back to his dirty dungeon.” Lou is back cooking again, and all I can think is that all the words that came out of my mouth were crap. My gut tells me Nic is a good guy, but my head gives me all the preconceptions of what society believes all men are capable of. No one trusts anyone these days.
“Well, your drama queen exaggeration is dialed up to a ten this morning, isn’t it. Maybe he was just being a gentleman and looking after a damsel in distress,” she says, turning and looking at me, and we both burst out laughing.
“Nah, he’s definitely a bad boy between the sheets. He just has that look about him. One I probably would have agreed to seeing for myself if it was offered. Thank God I didn’t waste the chance, though, and then not remembered it in the morning. What a waste of a good roll in the sack that would have been.” I daydream of his big hands roaming over my body. My hands running through his hair and his lips on my skin. “Ughh, a missed opportunity there,” I grumble, taking a sip of the strong cup of tea that Lou places in front of me.
The plate of food that follows the cup of tea taunts my stomach. I’m hungry but not sure I can eat anything and keep it down.
“So, I’m guessing today is a TV binge day on the couch. Do you want some comfy clothes to change into?” Lou is now showing the sympathy that a true friend will give you in a hungover state.
“A hot shower and change of clothes sound perfect. Thanks for this.” I look down at my plate that I haven’t managed to touch yet.
“You can thank me once you have eaten it. Now get started, I’ll find you those clothes.” Watching her walk away, my mind drifts back, trying to remember more of last night’s interaction with Nic. Why does a man who rubs me the wrong way keep taking up space in my mind? I need to move on and forget about the whole weird-ass day that was Friday. Wait, it wasn’t the thirteenth, was it? That would explain so much if it was.
Glancing down at my watch tells me it’s not even close. Instead, it was just one fucked-up Friday.
Arriving in the office each morning this week, I’ve been trying to avoid Theo, getting in earlier than him so I can get work done. I’m not sure what he actually does here except talk and distract everyone. How he keeps his job is a mystery. But that’s not my problem to worry about. Even though I’m more experienced and have higher qualifications than him, he isn’t reporting to me yet, so I’m just concentrating on my workload this week.
My nerves are racing about the presentation I have this afternoon. Gwenda said she would be in contact, and I have emailed her my thoughts, but she’s been radio silent since she left. Nothing like being thrown in the deep end and hoping like hell you can swim. This is the chance I need to show the hierarchy what I can do and put my name to it without someone else making a claim over my ideas. It just would have been nice to get some guidance from her since she did the initial meeting. Plus, it’s a new client, and from what I can get from the meeting notes, they are potentially going to be a big one going forward. Rebranding a whole hotel chain is not easy. When it’s a very well-established business that has been around for over sixty years and nothing has changed, the pressure is intense.
But I feel the timing is right for a new way forward. I’m ready to help bring Darby Hotels into the modern era.
“You sure you don’t want help for your meeting? I could come with you if you need me to,” Theo asks again, popping his head over the cubicle wall, making me jump a little. My mind was buried in triple-checking my notes and making sure that I have everything printed for my portfolio.
“Thanks, but I’m okay.” I hope he takes the hint that I’m busy freaking out and I don’t need his nose in my face at the moment.
“It’s a bit much, expecting someone so new to run such a big campaign. I could have taken it on with you and shared the workload. I’ll tell Suzi that I’m heading with you to help out this afternoon. I’m sure it will look better with a united front. Plus, if they are old-school men, then they will expect a man in the meeting.”
The hair on the back of my neck immediately stands up. My hands on my desk, I push myself to my feet. “You did not just say that as a woman I can’t handle this on my own, right? What the actual fuck is wrong with you, Theodore! What century are you living in?” Everyone in the office is now looking at us, and I couldn’t care less.
“That’s not what I meant. Of course you can handle this project, but you know what these toffee-nose businessmen can be like. Calm yourself, Tori, otherwise you will explode before you make your meeting.”
Breathe, Tori, big deep breaths before you take his head off. Try not to get fired in the first week for punching a fellow employee for being an absolute twat.
I need to talk to Gwenda when she returns about moving desks to another spot on my own as far from Theo as possible. Otherwise, I’ll kill him before the month is out.
“You can tell Suzi that I have left formymeeting with Mr. Darby, and I won’t be back this afternoon.” Shoving my laptop into my bag, rougher than I probably should and collecting my portfolio folder off my desk, I stalk toward the elevator.
“You took it all wrong!” he yells from behind me, but I couldn’t care what he is saying. I just need to find a café and get a cup of tea to calm myself before I arrive at the Darby Hotels head office. I don’t have a lot of time, but I don’t want to arrive there all wound up, looking unprofessional.
* * *
In hindsight, the cup of tea was a stupid idea, because now I’m rushing to be there on time. Why do I always do this to myself? It wasn’t until I was in the bathroom fixing my lipstick that I looked at the time. I’m such a mess. Seriously, how do I even function to get through a day?
Coming through the entrance to the building, I’ve got two minutes to be upstairs so I’m not late. But I wasn’t counting on having to explain to security the whole change in who was having the meeting with Mr. Darby. Luckily, I had my work ID, so they could see I was from York and Webb and let me through anyway. The security is necessary, I’m sure, but the guy behind the counter was in no hurry. So now I’m late, and it’s not the best first impression I wanted to make. Thankfully it’s only two minutes, which is nothing. Fingers crossed he is still held up in another meeting.
Standing in the foyer, I learn that he is ready and waiting for me, and it has my nerves on high alert. It’s okay, Tori, you’ve got this. Trust in your instincts and ability. He is going to love your proposals.
Being introduced and stepping into the room, there is this moment where my heart feels like it stops dead.
Holy mother of Hell, it’s him.
He looks as perfect as that first morning I saw him. Completely put together with not a hair out of place and a suit that fits him perfectly to accentuate all his greatest assets. Broad shoulders, with firm arms that fill out his jacket nicely. That jawline that shows all power and strength and a mouth that looks like it would be a nice kind of rough on my skin.
Christ, Tori, stop thinking of him like a piece of meat in the butcher shop window. Business meeting, remember?
With his friend standing beside him laughing at the two of us sizing each other up, I step forward with all the confidence I can muster and continue as if we haven’t met before. Which, technically, we haven’t met in this sort of environment, so I need to continue along those lines. All businesslike and without a hint of weakness the whole time I’m here.
