“I don’t think that’s your business seeing as how you just fired me.”
The moment her voice dropped on the call, Eli had strained to listen to what she was murmuring about. He’d heard a name, Tracy—could be a guy or a girl—but the following comment about Nathan being married tipped him off. Nathan was definitely a guy’s name. He’d debated bringing it up, but if she was going to continue to stay here and be a thorn in his side, she needed to respect his time.
“You’re looking for a date on my time, Sable. That is my business.”
Her eyes rounded guiltily. Damn. He’d hoped he’d been wrong about that. He didn’t know much about her, but he never heard her talk of anyone else or dating anyone else. He assumed she was single.
“I…It’s not what you think.” Her eyes flitted to the side. “I’m attending a function requiring a plus-one, that’s all. You know what?” She affected a perfectly poised smile. “It won’t happen again.”
“Good.” He didn’t particularly enjoy serving as a dating service hub for his PA. That was just what he needed: one more happily, annoyingly in-love person in his orbit.
Isa rose from her chair and snatched his coffee mug. “If we’re done here, I’m calling it a day. You’ll be glad to know my disruptive shoes and I can see ourselves out.”
“Very funny.”
She winked, one glittering eye closing and reopening as that distracting smile remained. He had the sudden longing for Melanie and her blatant lack of sex appeal. Isabella Sawyer was a lot to deal with for a man who didn’t want to deal with anyone.
Fist wrapped tightly around his pen, he listened as her shoes swept the most gorgeous woman he’d ever laid eyes on out of his warehouse.
“Stubborn,” he grumbled, unsure if he was talking about himself or her. It hadn’t taken long for her to ensconce herself into his work life.
A few minutes later, his cell phone rang.
“Zach,” Eli answered. Zachary Ferguson was a few years younger than him and a talented builder. He’d worked with Crane Hotels in the past and Eli was hoping he could help him out with a project.
“I’m outside. Can’t get in.” Zach’s Southern accent sounded foreign in this city.
Right. The gate.
Eli followed the path Isabella took, her faint spicy scent leading him like a bloodhound. “Hang on. I’ll be down in a second.”
When he reached the elevator, Zach interrupted him.
“Wait. We’re good. Some woman in a white car just…damn.”
The expletive left on an appreciative breath, and Eli could guess why. He ground his molars together and envisioned Isa flashing Zach a warm smile, her hooded, black-lashed eyes blinking as she pulled past.
“Thanks, love,” Zach called, and it wasn’t hard to figure he wasn’t addressing Eli. “Day-um.”
She’d been looking for an eligible bachelor this afternoon and had come up empty-handed. Eli didn’t want her to consider Zach, for God’s sake. Just picturing her with another guy brought out a territorial side of him he hadn’t exercised in too long.
“Come on up,” Eli said, his voice full of gravel.
He punched the END button on his phone and waited by the elevator, arms crossed. When the doors opened and Zach appeared, he looked as dazed as if Cupid had shot him in the forehead.
“Who was that?” Zach asked with a crooked smile.
“My assistant. She’s taken,” Eli tacked on, annoyed at the interest in Zach’s expression.
“Mercy. I guess.” Zach’s accent was thicker than before.
It might be shocking to learn that Isa was single if Eli didn’t know her. Few men enjoyed being handed their own balls by a woman.
Sure, keep telling yourself that as you cordon her off from available men.
“Good to see you again.” With a quick raise of his eyebrows, Zach let the topic drop. He extended a hand and Eli accepted it.
Zach and Eli had worked together on a new build during one of Eli’s stints home from the military. They knew each other. He’d worked with Crane Hotels in other facets as well, so it came as no surprise when Zach didn’t react to the sight of Eli’s bare legs poking out of from beneath a long pair of cargo shorts. No doubt Zach had heard about the injury.