Page 49 of All the Ugly Things
Wrinkles pierced his skin as he narrowed his eyes. He lifted his hand as if he wanted to brush away my scrapes and scabs before he shoved his hand to his hip. “Will you please tell me what happened?”
“No.” For the first time since I met him, the two letters left a tang of disappointment on my tongue.
It made no sense, but fortunately, I wasn’t given time to consider why I’d care about disappointing someone I didn’t know. A beautiful woman with thick dark brown hair almost to her waist glided out of a room behind him.
“David. I have everything set up for you in the conference room you requested.”
He peeled his gaze off my cheek and temple and turned, holding out an arm. “Thank you, Stephanie. Stephanie, this is Lilly Huntington. Lilly, this is my assistant, Stephanie. She’s a lifesaver and I wouldn’t be half the success I am without her.”
Stephanie rolled her eyes and stepped forward, a polite but friendly smile kicking up the corners of her mouth. “It’s nice to meet you, Lilly.”
She held out her hand and I shook it. How strange to shake hands and be looked at like that. Like I was someone important, someone worth knowing. A soft warmth filtered from her silky smooth palm to my hand, up my arm, landing in my chest.
It was probably because she didn’t know who I was, where I came from, that allowed her this ease.
“And David is full of it. I just get him coffee and maintain his calendar.”
“A man cannot live disorganized and uncaffeinated,” David joked.
Stephanie was close to David’s age, if the small laugh lines were any indication. My guess was she dyed her hair to keep it hiding the grays, but even most likely twenty years older than me, she was gorgeous. And she had hair to die for.
Her fingers were expertly painted, heels shiny and high quality but she was still casually dressed in a lightweight skirt and simple cream blouse with a thick bow, tied off at the center of her throat.
She moved effortlessly on her heels, guiding us toward the conference room and it was then I realized I was grinning at their friendly banter.
“You’ll find, Lilly, David prepared for your visit, or had me do it, if I’m being honest. But there’s a notepad and pens on the table for you along with files requested. Would you care for anything to drink? I can get some tea or pop?”
“Water. Please.” My throat was parched and scratchy.
“For me as well, please, Stephanie. And let me know if anyone stops by?”
“Will do. Is Hudson coming?”
“I’m not sure.” David checked his watch as my heart thrummed an alien rhythm.
The silly muscle and organ seemed to have a mind of its own these days. So I had a burgeoning schoolgirl crush on a handsome man. Big deal.
“Very well.” Stephanie smiled in my direction again. “I’ll be just a few moments.”
She left, leaving me alone with David. He brushed his hand over his chin. “I’d very much like to know how you were injured since Hudson told me this morning he saw you last night and didn’t mention this.”
I stayed still, hands curling into fists. I could still smell Manny’s breath on my cheeks andfeelhim in other places. The three showers I took to scrub the remnants of him off me did nothing to my memory.
When I didn’t say anything, David sighed. “You sure you won’t tell me?”
“No.”
What good would it do? I wasn’t pressing charges. It’d be my word against Manny’s and while I had no doubt he’d had his run-ins with the law, my history wouldn’t make me a reliable witness.
“If you change your mind—”
“I won’t.”
Another pause, his well-aged features tightened around his eyes and mouth before he pushed his lips out and gave a quick shake of his head.
“Very well. Would you like to see what I had Stephanie prepare for you?”
“Sure.” I took my seat where Stephanie suggested earlier and like I did every time I sat down for class, scribbled the date in the upper right-hand corner of the first page of the notepad.
