Scott didn’t bother sitting, he crossed to the opposite end of the room, and stood facing the windows. I’d witnessed him do the same in his apartmentafter a disagreement with a business owner.
I took a deep silent breath.
“Close the door,” he ordered, his tone as sharp as ever.
Fixating my jaw tightly, I swallowed some words and closed the door lightly. “Scott, I don’t think—”
He spun around but didn’t face me; instead he strode past me curiously observing the staff through the aggravatingly spotless glass walls.
“Tell me,” he began, in a formal, authoritative tone, “which of these loyal and tenured employees—my employees—is your assistant?”
“None of them,” I answered flatly.
With his eyes still wandering around the crowded floor, he nodded, then placed his hands in his pockets and turned to finally face me. His eyes were cold, not hurt as I would have expected. He didn’t even look disappointed. He looked as if HR had just caught me laundering money from his company, or as if I’d been caught to be a mole that he trusted. Either way, it was a look I’d imagined he’d give to business associates. Not someone he claimed he belonged with less than twelve hours ago.
If his attempt was to make me feel as inferior to him as possible, he was regrettably succeeding.
I avoided calling out his name again, since he was making it clear, it wasn’t like that. “I was planning on telling you when we met today.”
Scott glanced at his watch.“Well it looks like your morning just freed up,” he glared at me, “You’re onmytime now.”
“No I’m not,” I shot back, lifting my head and raising my voice to make that clear.
“What exactlywereyou planning on telling me?” He leaned against one of the window columns.
“Everything.”
He huffed at me. A moment went by before he spoke again. “You saw me at the event with Claudia,” he stated matter-of-factly.
“I did.”
His eyes shot to me. “Why couldn’t you just tell me that last night?” he breathed.
I took two steps closer. “That’s not why I ended things, Scott; I don’t break up with someone over jealousy. You know me better than that.”
“That was really the wrong thing to say right now,Elle,” he practically shouted.
I glanced back at the glass walls toward the onlooking staff, then looked down. “Why did you call me in here if you’re not going to let me explain?” I asked quietly, hoping he’d take the hint to lower his voice.
“Because I can’t believe a single word you say,” he answered gruffly.
My heart sank and words became hard to form. I swallowed the ball in my throat. “Can we go somewhere and talk?”
“Why then?”
I took that as a no. “You already know that I was not a guest at Donovan’s party.”
“People will start to get curious. Get to the point.” His voice grew.
“We’re...from two different worlds.”
“What world are you from, Elle?”
“Stop it, Scott, you know what I mean.” I took another step toward him. “Let’s say I told you last night; I’m not the successful entrepreneur, socialite, high dollar event goer you assumed I was.”
“Assumed?” He shook his head and turned away, but not before I caught the glimpse of hurt I’d expected before.
I stood frozen, unable to move, because all I wanted was to reach for him. Make him look at me and let him know everything else was real. Why couldn’t I just screw everyone watching and just do it?
