Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 105850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
She blinked at me, slightly taken aback. “Oh. No, I don’t think that’s for me.”
“Then please move so I can take him his tea before he comes looking for me and kicks up a fuss about it being cold.” I offered her the same customer service smile she’d sent my way when she’d greeted me. “It wouldn’t do to upset the boss on the first day, would it?”
Anne-Marie stepped to the side, leaving me space to exit the staff room, and I swept past her without looking at her.
What a nightmare.
Who knew a cup of tea was so exciting?
I knocked on the office door before letting myself in. “I have your tea, sir.”
Theodore looked up from behind the desk. “Just in time. I can’t get this bloody thing to log me in.”
With a sigh, I put the tea on the desk and set my bag down on the floor. “Scoot over, and I’ll sort it out.”
He wheeled himself away from the desk, and I bent down to take control. It took a few minutes, but I eventually fixed the post-update setup the computer was trying to run and logged him in to the company account.
“You’re a genius, Miss St. James,” he said, taking his place back.
“If you say so, sir.” I took off my coat and hung it up by the door. “Also, I agree with your sentiment about not making this our office. I, too, do not want that.”
His lips curved to one side. “She followed you to the staff room, didn’t she?”
“She was far too interested in how you take your tea. I told her she’s welcome to apply for my job once my resignation goes in if she wants to know that badly.”
“Why would you do a thing like that?”
“Don’t panic. She declined.” I took my laptop from my bag and set it on the coffee table. “But I don’t think I’m patient enough to deal with her persistence, especially not this early in the morning.”
“Mm. I tried to warn you.” He picked up his tea and sipped, then winced. “Chloe.”
“Yes, sir?”
“You forgot the sweetener.”
I dropped my head, sighed, and reached into my bag. I pulled out the small plastic sweetener dispenser I kept on hand and looked up with a, “Catch!” before I tossed it across the room at him.
His arm shot out and he caught it in one hand. “Did you just pull this out of your bag?”
“Yep.”
“Should I ask why you carry my preferred sweetener brand around in your bag?”
I logged into my laptop then peered over at him. “It’s your preferred sweetener brand, sir. That’s the exact reason I keep some with me.”
“Huh.” He stared at me for an uncomfortably long moment. “You’re full of surprises, aren’t you?”
I smiled warmly. “Like a lucky dip at a school fair, sir.”
CHAPTER TWENTY – CHLOE
The Truth Will Out
“Keys.”
I blinked at Theodore’s outstretched hand. “Pardon?”
“Give me the keys. I’ll drive us back.” He reached forwards and plucked them from my grip. “You’re exhausted.”
“You’re tired, too, and this is part of my—”
“Don’t finish that sentence.” He pressed the button on the key fob to unlock the car, then opened the passenger side door. “You’ve been running around like a blue arse fly all afternoon. Get in.”
All right.
Fine.
I was a bit tired.
I got in, and he closed the door behind me before joining me by getting behind the wheel. He started the car and pulled out of the parking spot, leaving me to fiddle with the radio.
“Plus, it’s past seven,” he pointed out, tapping the screen on the dash. “So, your work hours are over now.”
“Well observed,” I said, rolling my head to the side. “I can’t believe how busy it was in there today.”
“We should have left ninety minutes ago, but it was worth staying for those extra bookings. We already have a lot of interest in the lakeside cottages.”
“Do you think any really will be completed by the time we leave?”
“Yes. Two or three of them are in relatively good condition, and you know we’re prioritising cottage one as a show home since they all have similar layouts.” He tapped his fingers against the wheel as we pulled up to a red light. “Let’s leave that conversation for tomorrow.”
“Mm. What are we doing for dinner since we turned the staff down?”
They’d asked us to go for an office dinner and a couple of drinks to celebrate such a successful opening day, but Theodore had seen how tired I was from running endless errands and had politely rejected their offer.
This considerate version of him was enough to make even the coldest heart flutter.
“Don’t worry, I have it handled,” he said.
“Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the effort, but I’m not sure your famous cheese on toast is going to be a sufficient meal for tonight.”
That was the one thing he could manage without burning, after all.