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The change in him is immediate. The teasing man who agreed to dinner with me a few minutes ago is gone, replaced by the employee standing in his CEO’s office.
“Nash.”
“My break’s over anyway.” He sets the muscle cream on the coffee table and reaches for his cart. “Have a good afternoon, Mr. Murphy.”
Before I can say anything else, he turns and walks out, closing the door behind him.
“I know a wonderful massage therapist I could recommend.” Daniela sniffs the ointment and wrinkles her nose. “Then you wouldn’t have to let people like—”
I stand so abruptly that the coffee table scrapes across the hardwood floor. “People like what?”
Daniela hesitates. “I only meant—”
“I know exactly what you meant.”
I reach for my shirt and shrug it on, fasten the buttons, then slide my tie around my neck and knot it. “Why are you here?”
She blinks. “I thought we could have lunch.”
“You thought incorrectly.”
Her expression hardens. “I was in the neighborhood.”
“No.” I adjust my cuffs. “You came to my office with a purpose.”
She straightens. “I’ve left several messages with your PA, and you haven’t returned them. The Children’s Hospital fundraiser is this weekend. Murphy Enterprises is one of the largest donors. I wanted to know what time I should expect you to pick me up.”
“I won’t be picking you up.”
Her expression falters. “But we’ve already attended two events together. I assumed—”
“They served their purpose, Daniela. Whatever arrangement existed between us was never personal, and I have no interest in continuing it.”
“I’ll have my PA send over the tickets so you can still go.”
Daniela gathers her purse, but at the door, she turns back and flips her hair over one shoulder. “What is this about, Duncan?” Her gaze drops to the tube of muscle cream before returning to me. “We could have had something good together. A true power couple. And you’re going to throw that away for… what?”
“We were never building anything. There’s nothing to throw away.”
Genuine hurt flashes across her face before disappearing behind a curt nod. “I hope he’s worth it.”
“He is,” I answer without hesitation.
Daniela leaves, and I reach for my suit jacket. I need to find Nash. I’m halfway to the elevator before I question what the fuck I plan to say when I find him. Daniela means nothing to me? Our arrangement was one of convenience? Whatever Nash thought when she walked into my office, I want to correct it. The elevator doors open, and I step inside.
By the time I reach the cafeteria, I’ve stopped trying to convince myself to turn around. I make my way through the back offices, scanning the employees moving between prep stations, but Nash isn’t among them. Caroline’s office door is open, so I step inside without knocking. The sight of me renders her speechless for a full second. I don’t make unannounced visits to middle management.
“Good afternoon, Caroline.”
She startles to her feet, nearly upsetting a stack of invoices. “Mr. Murphy! What a pleasant surprise.” Her expression suggests she’d rather be facing an IRS audit.
“I suspect you’re lying.”
Her eyes widen before she gives a nervous laugh. “Only a little. What can I do for you, sir?”
“I’m looking for Nash Campbell.”
Caroline’s eyebrows climb. “He took his lunch break a few minutes ago.” Of course he did. “Is… there a problem?”
