CHAPTER SIXTEEN
ISAAC
“Don, as always, I appreciate doing business with you.” I hang up the phone, satisfied with the way our conversation went. Fucking James thought he would get one over on me, but he’s young and dumb, doesn’t understand how this world works. Money talks and I have a shit ton of it, which means my voice, without saying a word, is louder than his. One call and I was able to have those wetlands overlooked. I have the green light to move forward with my industrial park and there’s not a damn thing James or his father can do.
The phone rings and I groan. Elouise is sick, so I insisted she take the week off, but the fact is, with her age and the way her health is declining, it’s time for her to retire. I just need to figure out how to find someone who can fill her shoes. The woman handles everything around here, and has since I was a kid.
When the phone stops and then starts again, I answer it. “Petrosian Enterprises.”
“Good morning, I’m expecting a piece of equipment this week and Elouise told me she’d call to confirm, but I haven’t heard from her.”
Cursing under my breath, I apologize and quickly write down his information, since the phone is already ringing again.
“Damn it.” I slam the phone down and am about to pick it up again, when there’s a knock on my office door.
“Am I interrupting?” Camilla asks timidly. She’s dressed in a bright yellow flowy top and skinny jeans, with a pair of sandals on her feet. Her hair is straight and her skin is bronzed from our time on the boat yesterday. She looks gorgeous and I wish I could say fuck it and take her home so I can get lost in her. Sure as hell beats dealing with all this shit.
“No, please come in.”
She smiles softly and walks inside. “I brought you lunch.” She holds up a plate that’s covered in foil. When she sets it down, I get a whiff of the delicious smell. I pull the foil off and there’s a hot ham and cheese sandwich. I told her yesterday it was my favorite.
The phone rings and I groan. “Thank you so much. It’s kind of crazy right now. Mondays are busy anyway, but I’m without my secretary and the phones are ringing off the hook. I considered pulling someone from another department to help out, but—”
“I can help you,” she says, smiling brightly.
“You can?”
“Of course I can. It’s the least I can do after everything you’ve done for me. What else am I doing anyway? I don’t have to start dinner until later. I don’t know anything about what you do, but I’ve answered phones for my dad plenty of times.”
I sigh in relief. “That would be amazing.” I pick up my sandwich and take a large bite, starved. The cheese is gooey and the bread is perfectly toasted.
“Good?” she asks with a smirk when I moan in pleasure.
“So damn good.”
The phone rings and Camilla stands. “You eat and I’ll answer the phones. I’ll have to run each one by you, but at least I can be a barrier, so you aren’t bothered over everything.”
“Thank you. I really appreciate it.”
She saunters over and kisses my cheek before heading out. “Let me know if you need anything.”
I’m not sure how many hours pass, but with the quiet from being able to turn off my office phone, I’m able to get a shit ton of work done. Camilla doesn’t once interrupt me, so I’m assuming either the phone stopped ringing or she hasn’t needed to let me know. When I glance at the clock and see it’s already almost three o’clock, I’m about to walk out and check on her when I hear yelling from out front.
I’m out of my seat and through my door in seconds. When I get to where Elouise’s desk is, I find James and Camilla in a heated match.
“That’s really fucking cute.” James snickers. “Not good enough in bed so he put you to work?”
“Fuck you!” she yells, slapping him across the face. My chest fills with pride and fire—pride, that she can handle her own, and fire because I’m going to kill this fucker.
“You ever speak to my girlfriend like that again, and I’m going to make you regret it.” I get in his face, creating a wall between him and Camilla. “You’re not welcome here, ever.”
“You think you were slick reporting me to the city because this dumb bitch was kicked out? I have—” I don’t let him finish his sentence before I slug him straight in the jaw.
He stumbles back and I get in his face. “I warned you not to speak to Camilla that way, and that included speaking about her. Don’t speak to her, about her, hell, don’t even think about her.”