Page 89 of Stuck On Them

“Have they already been assholes to you? I’ll kill them.” Ethan squatted down in front of me. “Sweetie… talk to me so I can help.”

“It’s him.” At Ethan’s confusion, I shook my head in utter disbelief. “Daniel. My ex.”

“I know it’s going to be a hard weekend for you. Just try to keep your mind occupied, okay?” He patted my knee and stood. “Taking notes for that boring ass meeting is a good way to start.”

I opened my mouth to tell him I meant Daniel was in the meeting but then closed it. The last thing I wanted was for Ethan to be involved. I could handle being in the same room with Daniel, couldn’t I?

“Paige?” Ethan took my things from me. “Come on, I’ll walk you there.”

Numbly, I nodded and stood, smoothing a hand down the front of my blouse and adjusting my pants. I could just ask Ethan to go take meeting minutes for me. I could grab my phone from my desk and text the guys that you-know-who was right there. But then what?

If they knew he wastheDaniel, they would ruin the meeting by beating the shit out of him.

I followed Ethan to the cracked-open conference room door where masculine voices were chatting animatedly. He handed me my things and put his hand on my arm. “Message me if you need a break, okay?”

I nodded. I could do this. I could walk into that meeting with my head held high, a smile on my face. I didn’t in the slightest believe in manifestation, but just this once I willed the confidence I’d suddenly lost to come back and walked in.

“There she is!” Luca beamed at me and pulled out the seat next to him. “Gentlemen, this is our assistant, Paige Harper. She’ll be here for whatever we need and will be taking minutes.”

I plastered a smile on my face and walked around the table to my seat, horrified it was next to Daniel. I might have been okay had he been sitting anywhere else, but right next to me?

As I sat down, I could practically feel the tension radiating from him.

Ignore him. Do your job.

The meeting started with introductions, so I could put those in the notes, but then Daniel moved his foot right next to mine, nudging it.

I stiffened, my fingers pausing momentarily as I turned my chair slightly to adjust my legs.

Luca glanced over at me and then leaned into my ear. “You okay?”

I nodded and relaxed as his hand slid onto my thigh. It wasn’t sexual in any way, at least to me, but it was comforting. I prayed no one would notice, but everyone was focused on Ryker.

Thirty minutes passed, then an hour, then two. I somehow managed to take notes while Daniel was speaking, and even laughed at one of Luca’s cheeky comments.

Ethan knocked on the door around noon and poked his head in. “Lunch is here. Do you want me to bring it in or set it up in conference room B?”

“Conference room B would be good. Thanks, Ethan.” Ryker shut his laptop. “Shall we break for lunch?”

“Thank fuck, I’m starving.” Noah Badden was the first to get to his feet and his brother, Gabriel shot him a glare. “What? A man’s gotta eat.”

“I did appreciate the candy. Usually, during meetings, people put out nuts and seeds like we’re birds.”

Luca leaned in close, lowering his voice. “You want to have lunch in my office?”

I knew he didn’t mean actual lunch, but the alternative was being social in a room with Daniel in it. “Sure. I’m going to run to the bathroom really quick. Grab mine for me?”

Before anyone else could stop me to talk, I was out the door and heading down the hall. The bathrooms were around the corner, and as soon as I was inside, my body relaxed.

I went into a stall, took care of my business, and when I came out of the stall, I wasn’t alone. “Daniel! What are you doing in here?” My voice was shaky, and I hoped he didn’t notice.

He was standing right in the entryway, blocking my exit, his hands shoved in his pockets. “Why were they looking at you like that?”

“Who? You shouldn’t be in here.” I went to the sink and turned on the water to give myself something to do.

“Ryker, Garrett, and Luca.” He said their names like they were beneath him, but that couldn’t have been more inaccurate. “Luca had his hand on your thigh, Paige.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I washed my hands like I was about to perform a surgery.

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