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I forced my attention back to the room around me as Derrick keyed a lengthy password into his laptop and pulled up the Home Screen for my work computer. He motioned me over to the laptop with a death glare. Yeah, well. I had to step up sometime, or I would never be more than his coffee-fetching sweetheart. I put too much work in for that to be the end of the line for me and design. Nothing made me come alive like bringing a project to life, and this was a golden opportunity to do just that.
“Don’t you dare mess this up,” Derrick mumbled through gritted teeth, quiet enough for the words to stay between us.
I smiled at Derrick and turned away. “Mr. Teresse. As you can see, this is your floor plan here.” I motioned to the image I pulled up on the projected screen. The lack of flair had nerves dancing in my belly.
Mr. Teresse smiled and that megawatt grin had me moments from a blackout.
“Please, call me Raphael. Raph. We’re friends, here, right? Do you have specifics for the individual spaces? The layout is excellent and would work well with the existing plumbing. I’m looking into the specifics. It needs to encompass the right mood and depth.” Raph looked up, leaned forward, and tented long fingers idly on the tabletop.
Was he interested? He gave me his undivided attention, and I felt as if I could burst into flames.
His eyes hypnotized.
I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Raph, then. I’m Amelia. You can call me Lia. We’ll work from the customer lounge and seating area into the acts. Then, the staff and personnel spaces, and, finally, the kitchen.” I clicked around, opening a few more files.
I went through my plan room by room, explaining the choices for color, location placements, and the space’s overall function. Raph pulled his phone from his pocket while I still spoke, and my heart sank to the floor. He stopped paying attention to my pitch, and it didn’t bode well for the future of my employ. Mentally, I packed up my desk.
“Uh, Mr…. Raph? Is everything all right? Have you seen enough?”
If this didn’t go my way, my ass was as good as fired. Derrick’s anger was palpable, radiating off of him. I’d been unsure, but took the chance anyway. I couldn’t continue to roll over and let the opportunity pass by. And if that meant dealing with Derrick’s wrath, then so be it.
Raph glanced up and smiled. “I think I found what I was looking for, Lia.”
My eyes went wide, then I realized he meant my work, and they went wide again. He likes my presentation!
Right?
The suspense was agonizing. I bit my lip, anxiety winning out over professionalism.
“I know if you hire us, you won’t be disappointed,” I said, speaking more confidently than I felt.
Raphael shook his head and chuckled. A deep, delicious sound that sent shivers up and down my spine. This man couldn’t be any more appealing. It didn’t hurt that he was the embodiment of my Mystery Guy, the man I’d been fantasizing about for more than a decade. It seemed impossible.
“I’m certain if I hired Design Everything, I would find myself disappointed. The designs I saw were generic, bland… useless to me. I am not a boring or generic man, Lia,” Raph said with a quick twitch of his brows.
I quirked a smile. Was I imagining the flirtation? The look in his eye, the shadow of a smile? Was he saying he liked my design, or me? The latter had to be wishful thinking. I needed to screw my professional head on straight once and for all.
“What are you saying, then?” I asked, careful not to reveal the heat I felt.
“I’m saying that you, Lia, would head this project. I want your designs and expertise for Experience. If you’re interested in accepting, you’ll be with me the next several weeks. Starting immediately. Tonight. We’ll have dinner downtown to discuss my timeline and the finer details. You can reach me here. I’ll need an answer within the hour, though.”
Mr. Teresse slid a card across the conference room table, smiled cordially at Derrick, and let himself out, the door clicking shut behind him.
Both Derrick and I were speechless. Raphael Teresse obviously went after what he wanted. And by the looks of it, he got it. Though his words were professional, the look in his eyes left me with more questions than answers. Did he want my designs, or me along with them?
What’s with me today?
“You’d be a fool, an unemployed one, not to accept this contract. Raphael Teresse is offering this firm a lot of money. A lot. But don’t think I won’t need constant progress updated, and a copy of the contract sent directly to me. I am still Head of Design. Just because it’s you at the helm doesn’t change a damn thing.”
Derrick spat the words with disdain as I collected the tray with the coffee, cream, and sugar.
“Of course, Mr. Kane. Anything you need.”
Derrick motioned me away from him with a flick of his meaty wrist. I slipped from the room and scurried to my desk. He was right about one thing; I would be a fool not to accept at least the meeting with Mr. Teresse. I typed up a quick email letting him know I accepted the offer for dinner, and looked forward to hearing from him. After I hit ‘send’, I didn’t know what to do with myself. Letting out an excited, hysterical squeak released only a fraction of my pent-up adrenaline.
This kind of thing didn’t happen to me. Ever.
I decided to take the cups, cream, and sugar back to the break room. I tugged on my coat, swung my purse over my shoulder, and headed down the hall. I pulled my phone from my bag and typed out a quick text to Shell.
