I had a feeling it was Lily. Tate wouldn’t message me nor would Viv, and the only other people who had my new phone number was my mom and Nina.
Lily: How’s your first day going?
Anna: Great. Nina is lovely and so is the staff. Radiance is beautiful.
Lily: I’m so glad. I’ll call you tonight!
Anna: Looking forward to it!!
I put my phone down to resume eating when Brea entered the kitchen. “Hi, Anna, how are you liking it here?” She smiled, taking a seat next to me.
“It’s been terrific. A lot slower than I expected.”
“It’ll pick up on Wednesday. We’ll be running around here without any breaks for the rest of the week.” She laughed, appearing a bit nervous. “I mean, it’s not that bad, really. We have a solid routine with the customers.”
“I’m not worried,” I said to assure her. “At my previous job, I was always swamped. In fact, living in California can be crazy.”
Brea’s eyes twinkled. “You’re from California? I didn’t know that. Why did you move here of all places?”
Shoot, I need to be more careful!
“Just looking to slow down.” I paused, planning my next response, and Alastair entered.
Brea’s face lit up like the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center. He didn’t seem to notice.
“Well hello, Miss Gordon. How many does that make it so far today?” He jerked his chin toward the muffin in my hand, a playful glint in his eye.
“Only two. That’s my limit.”
Alastair joined us at the table with an earnest expression. I found it odd he didn’t acknowledge Brea as if she were invisible.
“There’s still six hours until quitting time. I’m sure you’ll get in a few more.”
Brea’s mouth fell open. Again, Alastair didn’t seem to notice.
He issued me a teasing wink, but it came across as forced. It wasn’t like “I’m just joshing with you” but more like “Hey, wanna hook up later tonight?”
I put my hand on my stomach. This guy had no idea who I was or that I was pregnant. And why would he? I was new around here, but jeez, for all he knew, I could be married.
Great, do I need to prepare to be hit on too?
“Nope, two’s my limit,” I simply replied. I didn’t want to give this guy any encouragement. “Brea, can you show me the customer files now?”
Alastair finally noticed her but only for a few beats before turning his attention back to me.
“Sure,” Brea said in a low voice, her eyes downcast.
I felt sorry for her. I had a feeling she liked Alastair. Either he was oblivious or he didn’t return the sentiment. And I didn’t understand why not. Brea was lovely. Strawberry-blonde hair cut in an edgy bob, flawless ivory skin, ice-blue eyes, small lips, and a curvy body. What more could a guy want? Granted, I’d only spoken to Brea for a few minutes and hadn’t observed much about her, but she seemed to be a sweetheart.
“Then let’s get to it.” I clapped my hands as I often did with my staff at LA Premier. Gosh, I missed them. “You know, I’d love a burger for lunch. Would you like to join me?”
The sparkle returned to Brea’s eyes following my invitation. “I’d love to!”
“Enjoy your muffin,” I told Alastair as Brea and I left the kitchen.
After observing the weird dynamic between Brea and Alastair, I was curious. I relished the chance to get lost in someone else’s problems. Perhaps I could play matchmaker with Brea and Alastair. It’d give me something to occupy my mind.
I trailed a few steps behind Brea, taking in the opulent showroom. Crystal chandeliers, black-and-white tile floors, cherrywood trim on the windows and baseboards. And then white… lots of white.