Page 67 of Honor

He steps closer to me, but before he can say a word, the door to his office flies open, and his former executive assistant rushes in.

Great timing, as usual, Norbeta.

In her hands is a plate of cookies. From where I’m standing, they look like chocolate chip. They smell like they spent too much time in the oven.

I’ve sampled enough of Norbeta Pittman’s cookies to know that I shouldn’t do that ever again.

“Evie!” she greets me happily. “I brought you both a treat.”

“Great,” I say with as much exuberance as I can muster for over baked cookies. “I’ll take one to go.”

I don’t have to say another word because Norbeta picks up the biggest one on the plate and offers it to me.

I accept with a nod of gratitude. “Thank you.”

“Enjoy every last bite,” she suggests. “I need to speak to the handsome grouch alone if that’s okay.”

Every time she comes to the office, she has a choice word to describe Reid. It’s always prefaced with a compliment like it was today.

Handsome grouch.

Smart grump.

Business-savvy crab.

I’ve always assumed she gets away with it because Reid has a soft spot for her. It’s hard to imagine her sprinting around the city trying to complete any of the ridiculous task lists he’s handed me. That’s not to say that I don’t think Norbeta could get it done in record time. I know she could. I just don’t think Reid was ever as hard on her as he is on me.

“I’ll call Mrs. Tabbert and reschedule your meeting,” I tell my boss. “Then, I’ll get started on responding to emails and any voicemails waiting for me.”

“Thank you, Evie,” he says in a soft tone that makes my toes curl.

“Those flowers on your desk are breathtaking,” Norbeta remarks. “If your friend sends a bouquet like that to thank youfor being her maid of honor, I can’t imagine what the flowers at her wedding will look like.”

I can’t say I’m surprised that Norbeta read the card that came with the flowers. She still thinks anything in or around my desk is fair game to her. That’s likely because I’ve never told her to mind her own business.

“Charlotte sent the flowers?” Reid asks.

I catch his eye briefly. “She did.”

A smile ghosts his lips. “Good to know.”

Why? Why is it good to know that?

I glance at the cookie I’m holding. “Thank you again, Norbeta.”

“Not a problem.” She grins before she slides another cookie from the plate. “Our boss can have this one. Why don’t you take the rest to the break room after you call Mrs. Tabbert?”

My co-workers will never forgive me for the subpar baked goods, so I’ll leave a note next to the plate explaining they are courtesy of Norbeta. “I’ll do that.”

I don’t glance at my boss again before I turn and march out of his office with the words I thought I heard him say still haunting me. As soon as I shut his office door behind me, I lean my back against it and shake my head.

Reid Hunt would never ask me if I’d kiss him, but that doesn’t mean I can’t answer the question. Since my boss always seems to overhear every single thing I say, I close my eyes and nod.

I’d kiss a man like him.

In fact, I’d kiss him in a heartbeat if given the chance.

“This is awful.”Baden spits the small piece of cookie in his mouth into a paper napkin before discarding it in a wastebasket near the coffee machine. The rest of the cookie follows it.

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