I slid my notepad back into my bag and slipped my shoes on, making a mental note to make sure I had my assistant present for other meetings. I reached to open the closet, pulled my coat off the hanger and as I shut the door, Logan’s reflection appeared in the mirror. Our eyes met, and I knew instantly that whether he liked it or not, he felt the same way about me as I did him. We said nothing, we just stood and stared for a couple of minutes, eyes locked on one another.
I bent to pick up my bag, and that was when he stepped up behind me, reaching down and grasping the handle at the same time I did, our hands colliding. I let the bag go, and he held the door for me and walked me out to my car. He placed the bag in the trunk and slammed it shut as I walked around to the driver’s side. He opened the door for me and when I went to climb in, but his hand gripped my upper arm. “Seven, Friday night. I’ll see you here.”
“Yep.” That was all I was going to get out of my mouth.
He went to say something, but I cut him off. “Goodnight, oh and about the dessert plan for tomorrow, let’s pass.” I got into my car, pulled the door closed, started the engine and threw the car into reverse. I drove down the long circular driveway, everything blurring in front of me as my hands shook. I stopped just before I had to turn onto the road and placed my head on the steering wheel. I didn’t know what the hell I was even doing here, I couldn’t work with him.
My phone rang, causing me to jump. I reached in my bag and pulled it out seeing Jenna’s name on the screen. I wiped the tears from my cheek and answered the call. “Hello, darling,” I sang in a fake voice.
“Oh, no.”
“What?”
“I was too late. I meant to call before you had your meeting or during, but I lost track of time. I was planning to be your decorating emergency.” She let out a laugh while I held back my tears. “How did it go?”
“All right,” I lied, “I will meet him again this Friday at seven to go over my plans.”
“I see, at your office?”
“No, at his place.”
TWENTY-THREE
Leah
After my breakdown with Jenna, I went home and soaked in a hot bath with lavender essential oils and Epsom salts. I also downed two bottles of merlot and called in sick the next day.
I spent the rest of the week working tirelessly on his design. Not only because it was for him, but it was also because they would feature this project in a magazine that could essentially make or break my career.
It was Friday, and I had just returned to my desk with a fresh cup of coffee and a warm chocolate chip cookie and sat back down to complete my reports for Logan. I pulled the blinds to stop the sunlight from beating on my computer screen, my head pounding. An email notification popped up on my screen. I opened the email and read.
Miss Tate,
We need to reschedule our meeting tonight to eight pm.
Mr. Lehmbeck
I let out a laugh. Maybe I had been a little too serious over the whole “we need to be formal” nonsense as I read his email. I hit reply.
Logan,
My day started at four am, the earlier the better.
Leah
I went back to the screen I was working on and suddenly another notification popped up. I quickly switched screens and read.
Miss Tate,
How dare you address me as anything other than Mr. Lehmbeck. This job is important to us both. I will see you at eight.
Mr. Lehmbeck.
I texted my assistant to let her know to meet me at Logan’s address, but she responded back almost immediately telling me that she had a prior engagement and couldn’t make it. I let out the breath I had been holding as my stomach sank. I would have to do this meeting alone.
I shut my email down, there was no way I would win an argument of any size with him, he was too stubborn, besides this was my idea. I continued to work away and by six I was just finishing up. I had enough time to go home and quickly change before I had to drive out to his place. I printed the designs and packed them up for tonight.
I stopped just around the corner from Logan’s and picked up two coffees. It was exactly what I would have done for any other client I was working with, he shouldn’t be any different. I slowly drove up the winding driveway and pulled my car up beside his truck.