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He’d even gotten all indignant that she’d never said she was seeing someone.
It was her big old oops forgetting to take the ring off and him noticing it that day. She supposed that was her penance for lying to everyone and now she had to continue with it.
“I heard Stella was on a rampage,” Evan said.
“I didn’t notice anything different,” she said. Then realized that didn’t come out right. “I didn’t mean?—”
“Don’t worry,” Evan said, walking in. He picked up two cups on the other side for her and threw them out. “I know you didn’t. She’s just jealous of all women that are younger and prettier than her.”
Stella was in her late thirties, she was guessing. Very fashionable and never a hair out of place. She supposed her boss might be attractive if she didn’t always have a sour puss on her face.
“Some people are like that,” she said without making eye contact. She felt Evan’s eyes on her and hated it. It’s not like he was hitting on her now, but she just always got that uncomfortable feeling that he was looking at her more than he should be.
It was her problem that she had to get over.
“They are,” Evan said. “Don’t let her get to you. Just keep doing your job. I’ve heard she is stealing your ideas. Maybe you should speak up more in the meetings.”
And get in trouble or risk her job? No, thank you.
“It’s fine,” she said. “I believe in karma. Or I hope so.”
Evan laughed. “Don’t be naive. Things like that don’t happen around here.”
She wanted to grind her teeth over that statement. The way she grew up, she’d be the last to say she was naive. But no one here knew her background. They only knew she moved from Lake Placid and maybe that was her mistake.
They saw some young girl from a small town rather than someone who grew up on the streets of Chicago.
She’d shed that girl and wanted to keep her hidden, but it seemed as if it was working against her too.
The only person who had been nice to her in the months she’d been here was Braylon. A guy who just helped her out when she never wanted anyone to do that before.
If she thought she could figure out what company he worked for, she’d see if she could buy him lunch.
No, it would be impossible to find him.
And probably silly and...naive on her part to think he’d be interested.
More so since he thought she was taken.
What a mess.
4
WHERE HE CAME FROM
“It must be our day,” Braylon said when he rushed to meet up with Lilian. He’d seen the light yellow silk shirt that he remembered his knuckles brushing against earlier this morning.
Her brown hair was moving across her back as she walked toward the door of the lobby, but he grabbed it and held it open for her.
“Hi,” she said. “It seems it.”
“Do you normally get out this late?” he asked. It was six and she must start around seven since she was picking up coffee and bringing it over so early.
“I’m not supposed to,” she said, “but got held up by my boss.”
It was the frown on her face. He assumed she was some kind of assistant and probably got bossed around a lot.
He didn’t want to say he understood that, but part of him did.
