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Chapter 1
Quinn sighed heavily as he stared down at the invitation in front of him. He hoped Sebastian forgot about their little conversation a few months ago, but no, of course he didn’t. He even put her damn name on the invitation. Fucker. Quinn read the envelope again.
Mr. Quinn Beck & Ms. Margot Leclair
Dammit! He was so freaking screwed. Quinn took a deep breath and got up from his drafting table. Margot was sitting at her desk designing a hotel room on her computer. He walked over and stopped in front of her. She had her chin resting in her palm as she clicked away on her mouse. He tapped the invitation against his leg nervously. He really didn’t want to do this.
“Margot?” Quinn murmured quietly.
Margot clicked a few more times before looking up at him, a small smile on her pretty face.
“Oui?” she replied. ‘Oui’ was one of the few French words that Quinn actually knew.
Quinn cleared his throat. “I...uh...my brother’s wedding is coming up and...uh...well...” he stammered, like a fool. Quinn sighed heavily and held out the envelope with the invitation in it toward her.
Margot gave him a quizzical look and took the envelope. She looked at it in confusion at first, before smiling wide. She covered her mouth with her hand as she started giggling. Quinn scowled down at her, as her amused gaze lifted to meet his.
“Your brother is...how do you say? Messing with you, non?” Margot grinned.
Quinn nodded. “He told me the night that he met you that I better bring you or I wasn’t invited.”
Margot laughed and bit her bottom lip, trying to stop herself. “I am sorry. I do not mean to laugh. It is very comical, though,” she said.
Quinn rolled his eyes. He was going to kill Sebastian for this.
She looked at the invitation then back up at him, her smile fading. “You do not want to take me,” she said, sounding more like a statement rather than a question.
Quinn watched her for a moment. He couldn’t tell what she was thinking. She had closed off her face, impassive even. It was so unlike her, that he knew it was an act. Could she possibly be upset? Did she seriously want to go with him?
“Do not worry, Quinn. I will decline to attend,” Margot said quietly. She handed back the invitation and went back to her work.
Great! Now he felt like a dickhead. “I don’t have anyone else to go with,” he found himself blurting out. He was so going to regret this.
Margot’s hazel eyes lifted again to meet his. He caught the flash of hurt in her eyes before she covered it up. “It is okay, Quinn. I am sure you would much rather go by yourself, rather than bring me with you. I understand,” she said neutrally.
Dammit! She was really going to make him say it, wasn’t she? Quinn had just opened his mouth to say that he did want her to go, but Peter’s voice interrupted him.
“Oh good! You’re both here!” Peter said cheerfully as he walked into the office.
Quinn spun to look at Peter. His boss and good friend strolled in with his hands in his gray pants pockets. His shirt was white, and he was wearing his signature bow tie and black framed glasses. He was super skinny and was a good five or so inches shorter than Quinn, who was six feet three inches. Peter was an okay-looking guy, very nondescript. If it wasn’t for his bow tie and glasses, he’d be practically invisible.
“Bonjour, Peter,” Margot said. The pep was back in her voice.
Quinn glanced back at her, but she avoided looking at him. He sighed in irritation and turned back toward Peter. “Hey, Peter. What’s up?” Quinn grumbled.
“Well, I just registered you two to attend the World Architectural Seminar in London.” Peter smiled proudly.
Quinn gaped at him. “You did what?” he asked dryly.
“The two of you are going to London on Monday so that you can attend the World Architectural Seminar,” Peter repeated himself.
“How long will we be gone for?” Margot asked.
“Five days. It’s a three day seminar - you’ll fly in on Monday, the seminar is Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and you’ll come home on Friday,” Peter explained, “All expenses are paid for. The only problem is that the hotel was book up tight, so you will have to share a room.”
Quinn closed his eyes. He needed to block out Peter’s face before he punched him in it. What the fuck was going on here? Why the hell did it seem like everyone was trying to force Margot on him? First, Sebastian, and now, Peter. It was most likely all in his head, but he still felt that way.
“You guys will have the weekend to pack. Stop by my office before leaving and I should have your plane tickets printed out and ready to go, along with your itineraries,” Peter said before walking out of the office.
