Page 64 of VOGUEish

“I am.” His voice came out gravelly and delicious and not at all slurred.

She searched his eyes to see if she was reading way more into his words than was there. She wasn’t. “Nice to know.” She pivoted and walked toward his office, not stopping until she reached his desk and could take a seat. Chandler was firmly off limits…for now. There was too much on the line. Her first priority was to make friends with her colleagues and earn their trust. Then, if it seemed viable to keep the friendships and have a fling with Chandler, she’d mention it to him. Until then, he could think what he wanted to think about her and Ryder. “Was Ms. Birdie agreeable to the changes I requested?”

He took a seat across the desk from her. “As long as you utilize the driver that will be provided for you, she is. If you do not utilize the driver, you will lose your clothing allowance.”

Well, that just wouldn’t happen. “Deal. And the marriage thing?”

Chandler grinned and shrugged. “She took that out and didn’t replace it with another.”

Isabella took the contract and quickly scanned it to see if anything had been added. Finding nothing, she held out a hand to Chandler. “If you have a pen, I’m ready to sign.”

She signed and dated in all the places with sticky notes and then handed it back to him. “Can we talk about something, and it be just between us?”

He leaned back in his chair and laced his fingers behind his head. “Feeling the need to complain about Ryder already? I don’t know what I was thinking suggesting him as a candidate for your future husband. He’s obviously not the right man for you.”

“Ryder is perfectly wonderful.”

He dropped his hands to the desk. “He is?”

She nodded. “What I wanted to talk about is Annie. I saw her and Tyce in the workroom, and she was crying, and I heard him tell her she should tell someone what happened because she could sue?”

He stiffened. “Did she mention what happened?”

“No. Do you already know?”

“You know I can’t discuss personnel issues.” He took the contract and slid it back in its envelope. “Just how compatible did you feel with Ryder?”

Had he already seen the picture they’d posted? “I don’t know. He’s sexy. He’s funny. He’s kind. He’s rich. Oh wait, I do know…very compatible.”

This caused creases in Chandler’s forehead. “Do you have another date set?”

“He’s leaving for an assignment and doesn’t know when he’ll be back.”

“Then you are not in a relationship? You didn’t promise each other exclusivity?”

“I’m not going to date around on your friend if that’s what you’re worried about. I’m grateful to you and Nonna for helping me to find a man that doesn’t suck. Someone I could see myself introducing to Mom and Dad.”

“You’re already thinking about introducing him to your parents?” He stuck her contract in a drawer and slammed it shut.

“Not right away. I’m not crazy. But eventually I could see that happening.” As her friend. Her parents often fretted she didn’t have more friends.

“Isabella…?”

“Yes?”

“I—”

The sound of a voice hiccupping behind them caused them both to turn. Annie stood in the doorway. “Sir, may I speak to you in private?”

Isabella welcomed the interruption. She knew her priorities, but when she was around Chandler, she found herself wishing things were different. Not to mention his reason for not wanting to date her in the true sense of the word. Gah. The guy viewed her as easily breakable.

He was so wrong about that. Sure, she’d once been broken, but Ms. Birdie had made her good as new and so much tougher than she had been at eighteen.

She needed more time to ponder Ryder’s revelation that Chandler liked her like her even if he hadn’t admitted it to himself yet. Which made her wonder if it was the same for her. Did she like him like him? Was she putting workplace friendships in front of what could possibly be true love?

“I was just leaving. Mr. Roman, good luck with your next assignment.” Isabella walked out of the office, still pondering the question. Not that she had any hope of coming up with a workable solution.

For now, she’d allow Chandler to believe she was dating Ryder. She’d give herself until the Florida trip to come up with a plan. In the meanwhile, she’d would dig deep and revisit her priorities. Make sure they were in the correct order.

---