"I said I'm sorry!" Riley whined as she squirmed in her chair. Then quickly turning the conversation to a new topic, she asked, "Can I get something to eat? I'm starving!"
"There's food in the fridge out in the warehouse," Leah said. "You can get your bag and have a snack. Just don't bug the guys while they're working. And don't leave the warehouse!"
"Okay, thanks Leah!" she said as she shot out of the chair and ran down the hallway toward her waiting snack.
"Nice kid," I said smiling. "How'd you wind up with her today?"
"She's my sister's daughter," Leah said without smiling back. "Molly disappeared three years ago, so I took over while we looked for her. I guess it's just parenting by default."
"I'm sorry, I had no idea," I said, looking down at the floor and feeling embarrassed that I didn't know more about her.
"It's okay, I don't make it public knowledge usually," she shrugged before giving me a questioning look. "Was there some reason you needed to see me?"
"Norma said you wanted to know where you'd be working during the renovation," I replied as I tried hard to avoid staring at Leah's face. What I wanted more than anything was to feel her hands on my chest and her lips on mine again, but I knew we were a long way from that happening. The problem was that no matter how hard I tried to push it out of my mind, I always found myself right back at the moment when Leah's lips were pressed against mine and everything felt possible.
"So? Are you going to show me?" she asked.
"Oh, yeah, come see what they're going to do today," I said shaking my head to clear the image as best I could.
I led the way to an area that the crew was quickly putting together and showed her all of the amenities they'd be installing. The new office was five times the size of the little closet she now occupied.
"Bathroom,” I said as I showed her the large room where the work crew was installing a stand up shower in addition to the usual elements. "And over here they're going to create a conference area with a big table that will seat all of the workers on your team. Then over on the other side, there will be a seating area with a couch and some chairs so you can have customers here for meetings, if you want. And on the far wall will be your desk."
"You're kidding me?" she said looking around the room with wide eyes and a shocked look on her face. "All of this is mine? Why?"
"Yes, it's all yours," I nodded. "I just figured that you are here working like mad to keep the warehouse running smoothly, and you deserve to work in a space that respects your position rather than being shoved in a closet like at the DMV."
"It hasn't bothered me before," she said defensively. "Your father didn't work in a luxury office, so I didn't feel like I was entitled to anything more than he had."
"Yes, well, my father was a miser," I said, rolling my eyes much like Riley had done earlier, and when I realized it, I laughed out loud.
"It's funny?" Leah asked, eyeing my suspiciously.
"No, just something about your niece," I tried to explain, but decided to let it go. "Look, the business is doing well, and that's thanks, in large part, to the job you do down here. I just wanted you to know that you're appreciated and for you to have a place to work where you feel valued."
"Thank you, Jack," she said as her eyes swept around the room and then settled back on me. "I appreciate that."
"My pleasure," I nodded in an attempt to ward off the urge to pull the clip out of her hair and run my fingers through her curls. "They'll be done with it by Monday, so you can have the guys move your stuff over once the furniture is in."
She nodded as she looked around the room and smiled. As I stood still, taking pleasure in her joy, my phone rang.
"I've got to get back upstairs," I said after hanging up. "Can you come up after lunch so we can talk about a few other things?"
She nodded again, turned, and smiled at me. I'd carry it with me the rest of the afternoon.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Leah
"Why did Jack come all the way downstairs to find you?" Riley asked as we sat at my desk eating the reheated burritos I'd packed for lunch. "Shouldn't he just have his secretary call you and tell you whatever it is he wants you to know? That's how they do it at my school."
"He came down to show me my new office," I said. "He just wanted to be nice and give me tour."
"I think he likes you, Leah," she said before taking a bite of her burrito that was so huge she had to chew with her mouth partly open.
"That's disgusting, Riley," I said handing her a napkin. "Cover your mouth so I don't have to look at your half-masticated food."
"Oooh, masticated is a good word to add to my vocabulary list!" she cried as bits of the half-chewed burrito fell on the napkin.