Zeke thankfully steps in, saving the day. “Seems he has the same night owl tendencies I have. I’ve been introducing him to my movies.”
“Oh, that’s nice, sweetie.” She pushes a stray hair out of her face before returning to sweeping.
“I’m going to bed,” I blurt out in a hurry, making my escape. Running up the stairs, I swear I don’t let out a breath until I’m safe inside my room with the door closed.
That could’ve been really fucking bad. Neither of us would’ve known she was down there if it weren’t for the glass breaking. While I was in the other room making out with her husband, she was a few feet away, completely unsuspecting.
I climb into bed, plugging my phone back in when it lights up with a new text. I’m not surprised in the least to see it’s from Zeke.
Zeke: Meet me at my office tomorrow for lunch. 12 p.m. Don’t even think of arguing with me on this.
Fuck.It’s a miracle I’m able to get any sleep tonight.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Elias Carnell
The entire morning was spent going back and forth about this.
I can’t meet Zeke for lunch. That’s weird.
No, of course, I can. It’s just lunch.
Nothing alone with him is a good idea.
It’s at an office. Surely, he wouldn’t try anything there.
I did this literally. All. Morning. Spent my entire yoga class weighing the pros and cons, even considering that this afternoon may also be a good time to tell him about me moving out. I mean, it’s at his office, and he wouldn’t cause too much of a scene there… right? But it’s Zeke and, of course, he’d cause a scene. So, telling him the news is out of the question.
At one point, about thirty minutes before I was set to leave the house, I had decided to fully back out. There’s no fucking way I could have lunch with him. But that little sneaky fucker must’ve called my mom and told her about it because she knocks on my bedroom door, peeking her head inside, letting me know she heard about mybusiness meetingat Alvarez Oil—because that’s still a lie up in the air, along with all the other lies—and asked if I could give Daphne, Zeke’s assistant, some fucking book she wanted to read.
I was stuck. I couldn’t get out of it. So, that’s how I found myself here, in the parking lot of his office. I don’t want to be here, but may as well get it over with. It also wasn’t until I parked my car that I remembered a certain someone also worked here, whom I haven’t spoken to since the morning after the party either.
My life is a fucking disaster right now. A walking shitshow. I went from being a celibate little nun tothis. Let me pray to the karma gods that I don’t see Jordan while I’m here. I’ve never been to this office, so I don’t know the layout. For all I know, he could be seated right beside Zeke’s office.
Just my luck.
The air inside the building is cool when I step inside. There’s a large, empty lobby in front of a tall desk, where I’m assuming I check in. A woman who looks to be about my age glances up from her computer when I walk up.
“Can I help you?” She looks and sounds about as thrilled to be here as I am.
“Hi. Yup, I’m here to see Zeke.”
“Your name?”
“Elias.”
“Do you have an appointment?” Her nasally voice annoys me.
“I have no idea,” I reply honestly with a laugh. “He asked me to meet him here at this time, so that’s what I’m doing.”
Little Miss Snooty rolls her eyes before bringing the phone to her ear, pressing a button. No less than three seconds later, she says, “Hi, Mr. Alvarez. I have an Elias here to see you, but I do not see him on your calendar.” She’s quiet for a moment before muttering, “Yes, sir.”
She hangs the phone up much harder than necessary.Seriously, who pissed in her Cheerios this morning?“If you can have a seat, Zeke’s assistant will come get you shortly.”
“Thank you.”
My ass barely has a chance to sit down before a door opens and a cheerful brunette walks through, gaze finding mine. “Elias?”
