Billionaire Blaze, page 19
“Honestly, she seemed like she was worth it. Did she stand you up last night, though, or something to make you look so worried?”
“Not at all. She was…nothing but perfection.”
Henry got up, came over to the desk, and sat down closer to me. “Then you do have it bad. Do I need to reschedule for next week, or next month?”
I chuckled as I shook my head. “No. I will cope. While Kit is a wonderful person, I still have respect enough for my clients and myself that I will get my work done. I’m sure that as soon as we’ve had the chance to sit down and talk to each other a little more, I can stop being distracted by what might be and focus on what needs doing to keep my company going.”
“And in the meantime, I’ll hold the fort. I think I’ve learned enough now that I can keep things on track.”
For a moment, I studied Henry. He appeared pleased with himself, but he had a point. He had been doing well and learning fast. There was a good chance he could handle everything for at least a few days without me.
“This is usually the point where my PAs decide they can further their careers somewhere else, and I have to train someone new. You planning on going and working somewhere else? Do I pay you well enough for what you do?”
It was Henry’s turn to laugh, but he didn’t give me any cause for alarm. “You pay me well enough, boss. And I don’t plan on going anywhere. I think you’re relentless sometimes when you get super-focused on what you’re doing, but you know your job, and you teach it well. You’re also not a prick about having people around you who are learning.”
I wasn’t sure how to take the praise, but I was grateful for it anyway. If he was right, maybe I could pull off this job and get the girl, too. But it still felt a little fast. Maybe I needed to slow it down. However, every time I thought of that, I considered Daniel and Henry’s advice. I just needed to enjoy the moment and stop worrying.
“All right,” I said eventually. “Let’s get some work done, and then I won’t feel like I’ve wasted today.”
“It’s never a waste to think about a pretty girl. But I get the message. I’ve got a lot for us to get through. Lucy has almost entirely sewn up her clients and got that on a roll. We just need to get your signature on a bunch of documents so she can proceed.” Henry handed over the documents in question, and I got to work.
Although I still wasn’t as focused as I wanted to be, it helped pass the rest of the afternoon, and it stopped me from dropping the ball entirely. I knew it was the role a PA was supposed to play, but it still made me feel as if I had let myself get too distracted. No matter what happened, my company needed me.
By the time we were done, it was dark and late, and I knew that I had begun to get impatient with Henry. I wanted to get to dinner. Kit and I didn’t have any official plans of our own, but Sarai had said something about meeting somewhere for dinner again, and I knew she would make sure Kit was there.
“Want to drive to dinner again?” I asked Henry, knowing I owed the guy after he had kept things straight for the day.
“Not tonight. I said I’d go watch my kid sister in a play. Not that she’s really a kid anymore. She’s showing promise, and I want to support her. Said I’d take her out to celebrate after, too.”
I nodded and considered the car options I had before pulling out the keys to one that I knew he liked. “Here, take the Porsche. You can take her out in style and spoil her.”
As I spoke, I chucked the keys at him, and he caught them with a grin. “See, now this is why I’m not about to stop being your PA. No matter how much a girl has your head spinning.”
“She doesn’t have my head spinning,” I replied, already looking at the keys again to figure out which car I wanted. It had to be one I thought Kit would like.
Henry chuckled, drawing my attention back to him. “Take the Aston again. She didn’t really get to see it last time—I left with it—and she’s British. She’ll appreciate it.”
I lifted an eyebrow but went with his suggestion.
“And she doesn’t have your head in a spin, but you just spent five times longer than you ever have before choosing a car for tonight. It’s okay, though, boss. If it matters at all, I like her, and she clearly likes you. You really need to stop worrying.”
Although I wasn’t about to promise anything, I nodded. I did need to stop worrying, but first, I wanted to quickly run home and change. I could find out where Sarai was guiding us for dinner on the way.
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
Kit
As I picked out paint and wallpaper for several more huts, the afternoon flew by, and I found myself standing in the site office with carpet swatches and almost no time to get the order in with the supplier.
“Let me help,” Sarai said as she came over to me. “You’ve been hard at work all day, and I know how exhausting all these decisions can be. I’ve already taken care of dinner, and there’s nothing more I can do today, so let’s get this task knocked out together.”
I had never been more grateful for someone’s assistance as she grabbed the paint and wallpaper samples we had for the same huts, and we went through the options together.
Although each hut had a separate design, we wanted to minimize the different paints, wallpapers, and carpets as much as possible, and that was proving difficult. I had never taken on an interior design project this complicated before. I was starting to understand why this wasn’t considered easy, and Sarai had wanted someone she trusted.
Each design had a lot of elements, and it would be easy to screw this up. I had been feeling the pressure all afternoon, and I wasn’t sure if I was going about it the right way. Sarai seemed to be happy enough still, but I was conscious that I didn’t do what I was supposed to that morning. Screwing up this afternoon would be another strike against me.
“I’m struggling to find two or three good carpets that have that nice thick feel that lasts, which will also go with most hut designs. They don’t work well with some of the more Asian and African areas.”
Sarai frowned for a moment and looked at what I was showing her. “It’s not a good option for some of them, is it? I think we need something with a pattern. I’m sure we can make an exception for these huts. Or maybe try something different entirely. It doesn’t have to be carpet.”
“What do you have in mind?” I put the carpet down and looked over at her. It would certainly make things easier to go for a different flooring material, but it was technically against the brief I had been given, and I didn’t doubt that it would add to the budget. So far, I had left all these moments to her, and I was grateful she had decided on it, but she seemed to switch off again and look less interested.
“I’m sure you can think of something. Wood, if it’s the only good solution. I trust you to sort the designs. Order the carpet for the huts it works for, and work on the rest tomorrow if you have time. They’re the last few to finish anyway.”
My insides knotted at the thought of having to make such an important decision. She didn’t appear to care about the money, but I knew that I wouldn’t rest easy unless I ran anything I wanted to buy past Sarai first.
She walked back over to her desk and glanced at her watch. “It’s time to get going. I want to change for dinner. Do you as well?”
“Possibly,” I replied, hedging my bets and not sure what she had planned.
“We’re going to Lorenzo’s.” She looked up at me as if this explained it, but I wasn’t sure who or what that was. I got the distinct impression that I should know.
“It’s been a long day, and it would be good to freshen up. How long would I have?”
“About another ten minutes, and then we’d need to go if I’m going to drop you off. I could send another car to pick you up again, though. Might buy you another fifteen. I don’t take very long to get ready. We should probably hurry so you’ve got the time you’ll need.” Sarai started shutting down her computer and tidying her desk.
I looked down at the carpet order I’d already put together and tried to hide the growing feeling of sickness rising up my stomach. It wasn’t easy to concentrate on numbers and costs when I was trying to figure out what to wear to an unknown location later. I knew Lukas would be joining us again, and not only that but there were always lots of important people on the project.
Taking several deep breaths and concentrating on the rhythm helped me calm just enough that I could finish my task, but Sarai was standing around waiting for me by the time I was done. She was jingling her car keys in her hand, and I knew she didn’t appreciate having to let me finish.
“Sorry. Math always takes me longer than I want it to. And I don’t want to get it wrong.” I smiled as if this explained everything and was entirely forgivable. If Sarai felt anything in response, she didn’t express it, only hurried me out to the car. We weren’t the last off-site, so we didn’t have to lock up, something I was very grateful for.
While she drove me to the apartment, Sarai didn’t say a lot, seemingly off in her own head and thinking about other things. I couldn’t tell if she was still irritated with me or not, so I kept the conversation to a minimum, merely checking what time the car would arrive to pick me up again and how late we were likely to be out.
“You tell me, dear,” she replied to the last part, regaining a little of her enthusiasm and good nature suddenly. “Lukas will be there again, and I’m sure he’ll want to sit beside you.”
I flushed, not sure how to respond.
“Don’t be embarrassed. We all need a good vacation romance if we can get it. Makes life interesting. And don’t worry. No one minds or is particularly gossipy in this group. Everyone has noticed, but no one is saying anything about it.”
Although I wanted to point out that fallacy in the idea that they had noticed but not said anything, I kept quiet. You couldn’t be sure everyone had noticed if no one was talking about it. Someone had to say something. I wasn’t about to point that out to Sarai, however.
For now, she was back to her usual animated self, even if she was talking about my love life and her thoughts on Lukas.
“All in all, he’s the bachelor everyone wants,” Sarai finished after describing his wealth, achievements, and possible business connections.
The sentiment was strange to hear, given I had no intention of dating him for any of the reasons Sarai had listed. I liked him for who he was. He was caring and sweet, and the sex had been so hot it felt like I was unraveling before him. It made me nervous to think of exactly how dominant he might be, but I was also aroused by it. It was exciting, and I liked the idea of having someone I trusted completely.
Still, it was nice to know that she encouraged my relationship with Lukas. If nothing else, it beat the catty jealousy that the women around a man like Lukas sometimes showed. I didn’t want to ruffle feathers. Conflict was something I avoided if I could, and this was no different.
“All right, here we are. The car will be here to pick you up in about half an hour. See you at Lorenzo’s. You’re totally going to love it. It’s where all the amazing people go to eat. We should probably be saving going here until we’re done as a celebration, but tonight is a big night.”
I frowned, not sure I liked the sound of that any better. I was already anxious, and everything that Sarai told me was only making it worse. Getting out of the car was a relief, and I hurried inside to hide for a few minutes and gather myself.
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
All the calm I had managed to cultivate vanished when I saw where we were going. Lorenzo’s was one of the most upmarket restaurants in Chicago. People couldn’t just turn up and get a table. Or necessarily reserve one. You had to know someone or be invited into a club or some group or something.
And even then, unless you were well-liked, you couldn’t just turn up. To have decided that we were all going to the restaurant as last minute as Sarai had was a very clear indication that they were well-liked in the Chicago social circles and had some power with the restaurant.
All that was cool. But it left me with one problem. What on earth did I wear?
When I had packed for this trip, I had been in a hurry while at the end of a project. I didn’t have a lot of clothing, and almost none of it was good enough for the day-to-day situation, not after seeing how well Sarai dressed on a regular basis. I couldn’t wear jeans and a T-shirt or a hooded sweatshirt every day like I did in the UK.
I hadn’t had time to go shopping either. I’d wanted to buy more clothes, and I’d known I needed nicer items, but there hadn’t been a good moment. Not in the end.
Now, I was practically hyperventilating as I stared at the meager amount of clothing I had with me in the massive walk-in closet. It was clear I would struggle to look good. I did the only thing that made sense and pulled out my best summer dress. It wasn’t that warm, but I knew I didn’t have much choice.
Of everything I had brought with me, it was the only dress that would come close to the level of sophistication that I was expecting from everyone else. I slipped into it, grateful to find it was a little looser on me than the last time I had put it on. At least I had that going for me. Nothing would have been worse than finding I had gained too much weight for it to fit.
Once I was wearing it, I looked through the few accessories I’d thought to bring to see if I could at least make things less plain. I had a similarly colored silk scarf that I draped over my shoulders, and then I added a little jewelry. None of it was fancy, and I knew from a single glance in the mirror that I barely looked passable.
I didn’t allow myself to look for longer than that. Not only did I not have much time if I wanted to do my makeup better, but I also knew it would do me no good. There were no other options. All scrutinizing my appearance would achieve was making me feel even more poor and out of the others’ leagues.
My hands shook as I pulled out my makeup kit and looked through the lipstick and eye shadow options. If nothing else, being an interior designer had at least taught me that it was easy to make an overall appearance look a lot better by tweaking small elements. Of course, it could look a whole lot worse as well.
I focused on my breathing again in an attempt to calm down, but I could only do so much to help my hands stop shaking, and my reactions go back to normal. Still, I did my best with my makeup and allowed myself a couple more glances in the mirror to check I hadn’t completely screwed it up.
When I was trying to decide if I should change a bunch of the accessories for some more plain options and try to look even less like I’d made an effort deliberately, there was a knock at the door. I was out of time.
With no choice but to go with what I had on, I hurried to go to my driver and the waiting car. It was the same older man who had picked me up whenever Sarai had been busy, and he smiled as I opened the door to him.
His gaze flicked up and down my body very briefly before a forced smile appeared on his face. “Ready?” he asked.
I nodded, not sure what to make of his reaction. He had been lovely to me so far and more than friendly. Did I really look wrong?
There was nothing I could do about it now, but I felt even more anxious as he opened the car door for me, and I slid onto the back seat. Already, I could feel the chill in the air, and I knew I would be freezing before the night was through. I just had to hope I could hide it for a while.
My driver took me to the restaurant in silence, and I only grew more anxious. It was obvious we were driving to a more upmarket area of town, the nightlife picking up, but also the stores becoming big brands that I had never been able to afford to shop in. I was surprised to see that many of them were still open.
In the UK, most stores were closed by the end of the working day, and it was way past that now.
By the time the car pulled up outside Lorenzo’s, I thought I might be sick. I didn’t want to go inside, but I knew I had to. Lukas was likely to already be in there, and even if I wasn’t sure I wanted to be there for anyone else, I wanted to see him again.
I also knew it would disappoint Sarai if I didn’t show up, but I still hesitated. The driver coughed and held out his hand as if he was trying to draw my attention subtly to me needing to get out and cover for me all at the same time. It gave me the momentum I needed. No doubt he couldn’t park here for long. I was going to have to go inside.
“I’ll be back again to pick you up, ma’am, if you just let me know when you need it.”
“Thank you,” I replied as I tried to summon the willpower to let go of his hand. He slowly pulled back, giving me no choice, and then the man on the restaurant door was looking at me expectantly.
“I’m supposed to be meeting a group with Sarai and Richard—”
“Ah, yes. They said there would be a young lady coming alone who might not know where to go. May I have your name?”
“Kit…Kit Moore.” For a second, I hesitated to give even that, but he smiled as if this was the exact right answer. I was grateful that Sarai had mentioned me to the doorman, especially since I was already fighting not to shiver.
He opened the door for me and beckoned a staff member over. He said something to the young woman in a low voice, but I didn’t hear what it was. She smiled at me as soon as he’d finished talking, but her eyes also looked me up and down, and I thought I saw her smile falter very briefly.
I was about to ask if she knew where to go, but she was already walking off to one side and motioning for me to follow her.
“The group has already gone toward their area for the night. Let me show you where it is.” The woman spoke with an accent that made it hard for me to understand her, but I got the general gist. She was going to take me where I needed to go, so I hurried after her.
Around me, there were lots of large tables, most of them in various states of occupation. However, few people were sitting at them, most milling around and talking in groups around the entire restaurant. I didn’t know who any of them were, but here and there, I spotted someone I thought I recognized.
