Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 65489 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 327(@200wpm)___ 262(@250wpm)___ 218(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65489 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 327(@200wpm)___ 262(@250wpm)___ 218(@300wpm)
Mrs. Weeks’s eyes grew wide, and Miles said, “I specifically asked Mrs. Weeks to sit beside me so we could converse about the future of the foundation.”
“Oh, but you wouldn’t mind, would you?” She turned her pleading eyes on Mrs. Weeks who was staring at her like she was an annoying insect.
“Actually, I do.” Mrs. Weeks winked at me, and I had to lift my napkin to my mouth to hide my smile.
April made a sad little moue. “I suppose I understand that. You do have business.”
“Yes,” Mrs. Weeks said. “We do.”
If I was April, I would get up and slink away after their dismissal, but she stayed put, smiling widely at Miles.
Probably to keep Mrs. Weeks from continuing to be on the spot, Miles gestured toward me. “April, I’d like to introduce you to Benjamin.”
She observed me skeptically, and from the corner of my eye, I couldn’t miss Mrs. Weeks making a face at her.
“Oh, he’s your new assistant, isn’t he?” April asked.
Miles scowled. “Benjamin has been invaluable to Montgomery Enterprises since he joined us.”
Warmth rushed from my toes all the way to my face. I knew Miles was likely exaggerating because he was clearly annoyed with April but hearing him complement me like that made me feel so damn good. I didn’t dare look his way. He would see all over my face exactly how I felt about him.
“I’m sure that’s true,” April said. “Perhaps he has some work to do now, and I could have his seat, then we could chat more easily.”
Robert and Mrs. Carson were staring at April in horror.
I could see Miles stiffen. “Benjamin is here as my guest.” He glanced around the table. “I understood that Marjorie Derringer would be joining us at this table.” He gave April a pointed look. “Are you in her seat?”
April glanced down at the place card in front of her. “Oh, silly me, I got my table number confused.”
“And I see Marjorie by the entrance,” Mrs. Weeks said. “She must’ve been running late.”
With a sigh, April rose from her seat. “It’s been lovely to see you again, Miles. We’ll have to catch up soon.”
“Goodbye, April.” He made the words sound quite final.
“Got yourself a handful with that one,” Robert said.
Miles nodded. “Nothing I can’t handle, though.”
I wanted to think Robert was just referring to Miles having to deal with April’s rudeness, but I couldn’t help but wonder if her assumption that he’d want to reconnect with her indicated they had a past relationship. I knew Miles was bisexual, but I hadn’t heard anything about April in the weeks I’d been at Montgomery Enterprises.
Dinner was served before any other controversies could arise at our table.
The food was delicious, though I’d expected nothing less. The conversation flowed easily at the table. I mostly listened since I didn’t feel like I had much to contribute to discussions of donations and the intricacies of charitable foundations, but when we begin to talk about what Mrs. Weeks hoped to do with the facility in the next few years, I grew braver.
Mrs. Weeks encouraged me to share my ideas. I gave a suggestion about programs in elementary schools that everyone at the table seem to like, and Miles smiled at me warmly. “I meant what I said about Ben being invaluable.”
He laid his hand on my leg under the table. It was warm and soothing, and I missed his touch when he moved it away.
As the caterers brought dessert, Miles pushed his chair back. “Time for our presentation.”
As he held out his hand to Mrs. Weeks, she glanced longingly at the luscious chocolate confection on her plate.
“Don’t worry, Mrs. Weeks,” I told her. “I won’t let anyone take it away.”
She beamed. “Thank you and do call me Eudora.”
Miles gave me a smile that was different from any he’d previously bestowed on me. It held warmth and a sense of something shared. Somehow, it felt almost painfully intimate.
Or was I just imagining it? The idea that he felt more for me than appreciation of the job I was doing was ridiculous. I glanced around the ballroom. This was not a world I belonged in. Miles wasn’t a man I could have. I appreciated that he wanted me to participate in dinner and conversation, but April was right. I was just his assistant. I didn’t belong here.
I barely heard any of Miles’s speech. My stomach suddenly seemed displeased with dinner and my skin grew clammy. I needed to get out of there. The longer I stayed, pretending to be Miles’s date, the further I was going to fall into the fantasy that he saw me as more than a valuable employee.
After their speeches, Miles and Eudora were caught up in a crowd of people vying for their attention. When waiters came to clear the table, Mrs. Weeks hadn’t even made it halfway back from the podium.