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Janice pretends to look at her screen again before shaking her head in mock disappointment.
“I’m sorry, Miss Lane, but no one is available. I’ll have to ask you to leave a message.”
I stare at Janice, and then at my father. Clearly, I’m getting the brush-off from this woman. Randy and I don’t look important to her, so she doesn’t want to waste her time, or anyone’s time, on us.
“If you don’t mind, Janice, my father and I will wait right here until someone’s available,” I say.
The woman looks puzzled.
“In the lobby?”
“In the lobby,” I affirm. “We’ll just sit here until someone’s ready to see us.”
With that, I gesture to Randy, who shuffles along behind me to a luxuriously appointed seating area. There’s a bouquet of flowers on a side table, and my dad leans over to smell the white calla lilies, sniffing appreciatively. Of course, at that moment, his gaping plumber’s crack also becomes visible, and I see Janice grimace at the sight.
“You know what?” she asks, typing once more at her keyboard. “I see here that there’s a note on your file. How did I miss that before? Interesting.” Then she looks up from her computer with a fake polite smile. “In fact, Mr. Purcell himself is available. He’ll be assisting you today. Let me call him to let him know you’re here.”
My eyes narrow slightly as I recognize the name Purcell. We’re meeting with the owner of Sunrise?
Janice picks up her office phone and a manicured hand presses a few buttons.
“Mr. Purcell, you have a visitor… I’m sorry, sir, I just thought it was best… yes, of course.” Janice’s voice when talking to Mr. Purcell is a thousand times more pleasant than the tone she uses with us. She hangs up the phone delicately and flashes me one of her rehearsed smiles. “Let me take you to his office.”
We trail behind the receptionist as she leads us down the hall to Mr. Purcell’s office. When she stops in front of his office door, my eyes scan the plaque on display to the left of the door that reads, “Cameron Purcell, CEO.” My heart rate accelerates and my nerves intensify. Oh shit. I look to Daddy to see if he’s realized who we’re dealing with but Randy has a blank expression on his face. Of course. Randy probably has no idea what the letters “CEO” stand for.
Janice twists the knob to open Mr. Purcell’s door and steps inside.
“Mr. Purcell, I apologize for the intrusion. Jessalyn and Randy Lane are here. They’d like to discuss their rent payments at the Sunrise Residence Park,” she says smoothly.
I step into the office, which is luxuriously appointed with a cream-colored carpet, a huge mahogany desk, and tasteful solid-oak cabinets. But it’s the man behind the desk who makes my heart pound and pulse accelerate. After all, Cameron Purcell is gorgeous. I’m met by a pair of crystal blue eyes, clear as ice, which seem to absorb my curvy form. Mr. Purcell has hair as dark as charcoal, a cleft chin, and even from behind the desk, I can tell that he’s tall and athletic judging from the breadth of his shoulders and solid chest. My legs feel frozen in place and suddenly, it’s as if all of the words inside of me have vanished.
Mr. Purcell looks completely calm as he rises to his full height.
“Mr. and Mrs. Lane, have a seat,” he says with a voice as smooth as silk. He extends an arm out to the two leather chairs sitting in front of his desk in a motion telling us to sit.
I immediately stammer.
“Oh no, we’re not married. This is my dad, not my husband,” I say, elbowing Randy beside me. My dad grunts something incoherent.
“Of course,” says Cameron Purcell, one black eyebrow raised with amusement. “I’m sorry. I just presumed.”
I stare at him with disbelief. Oh my god, he thought I was married to my dad? How can that be? Randy looks like he’s sixty, whereas I know I don’t look a day over twenty-two. Randy looks unkempt and disreputable, while I tried to look my most presentable this morning with a skirt and blouse. I even did my make-up and brushed out my curls, hoping to make a good impression. So how could Cameron Purcell think that I’m married to Randy?
But the CEO merely smiles at me again, and this time, I detect a bit of a smirk on that handsome face. Rage rushes through my chest as I realize he’s laughing at me. Oh my god, I wish I could punch him right now.
“Thanks,” I say tightly while sitting down in a chair. “I appreciate your time.”
Cameron smirks a bit again, and once more, I dream about punching him in that oddly-attractive cleft chin.
“So, what is this about?” he drawls, leaning back into his chair. I notice the perfect fit of his suit, and how the white of his dress shirt emphasizes the dark bronze of his skin.
