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“Let’s not do this, Landon. I’m pretty sure we already know that you know me better than most of your employees. And that’s all I am—an employee.”
Landon stared at me across the scant feet of space between us. Both of us were mired in this moment and the impenetrable distance. It might as well have been an ocean because I couldn’t cross it. What had happened a month ago hung in the air like a thick fog obscuring our view.
“Don’t you want to know why I’m here?” he asked finally.
I held my hand up. “It doesn’t matter.”
He shot me an incredulous look. “Heidi—”
“It really doesn’t. This is my career. I’ve worked hard to get to where I am. I wasn’t born into this.”
Landon’s face was a mask. I was sure that I had hit a nerve with him, but he didn’t show it. I wasn’t used to that from him. He usually wore his emotions on his sleeve. But I guessed he couldn’t do that here.
“Not that you don’t deserve your position or anything,” I added. “But I think we should keep our relationship professional. Having conversations with the door closed…is probably not a good idea. There’s no reason to muddy the waters. You know…what’s done is done.”
“Right. Good. Yeah. Professional.” His voice was clipped.
“Good. I’m glad,” I said with no enthusiasm.
This wasn’t how I’d expected our next encounter to happen. I’d oscillated between yelling at him for standing me up and crushing my lips to his. I hadn’t anticipated indifference. Or for him to agree.
“I believe that is all then, Miss Martin,” Landon said formally. His jaw twitched.
I inhaled sharply at his comment as my fingers curled into fists at my sides.
Miss Martin? Fine. Fucking professional then. Whatever. It didn’t even matter.
“I’ll just get back to work then…boss.”
I turned on my black platform high heels and ripped the door back open. I exited his office like a thunderstorm.
God, I felt like an idiot. I knew I had done this to myself. I could have gone into that room sympathetic and full of questions. I could have told him that, yes, in fact, I did want to know what he was doing here. I wanted to know a lot of things. But I couldn’t allow myself that modicum of curiosity. If I gave an inch, I’d give him a mile and more. And I couldn’t.
I wish it hadn’t felt so good to see him. God, that suit. That face. And it wasn’t purely physical. Seeing him had felt…right. Like a piece of the puzzle had been missing, and he fit in perfectly.
“Fuck,” I grumbled when I sank into the seat at my desk.
This was never going to work.
Chapter Ten
Landon
“This is never going to work,” I groaned.
I crashed into my office chair and rested my head back. I was totally fucked. This was a disaster. Of all the things to happen when I started working for Wright Construction, I had to end up as Heidi’s boss. Could the universe be any crueler?
The way she had looked at me just about put me over the edge. So cold and emotionless. Like seeing me was a minor irritant. But I knew she was upset. After how things had ended with us, how could I blame her?
Now, we were in unfamiliar territory. And any chance I’d thought I had at reconciling with her went out the window when she blew me off. But I wouldn’t let her go that easily. Not after the hell I’d endured to get here.
If being her boss were the issue, then I’d do what I could to change that.
I darted out of my chair and ignored the questioning look from the manager who worked directly below me. I knew he wasn’t pleased that he was now answering to me. He, like Heidi had insinuated, believed I had gotten this job because I was a Wright. And the fact that it was true only made me hate the position more.
My feet carried me to the elevator, which brought me up to the second highest floor in Wright Construction. The top floor was a fancy restaurant that the company used for business meetings, catering, and big events. But I wasn’t looking for the restaurant. I needed to talk to Morgan.
She was on the phone when I sidestepped her secretary, a tall and trim white dude, and entered her office. Her eyebrows rose when she glanced up at me. She held up a neatly manicured finger in my direction.
