Page 23 of Cocky Counsel

Twelve

Eva

Ethan had been tied up the majority of the morning in a meeting with Regina and Garrett, so I hadn’t had a chance to check in with him to see what he needed me to help with. I hadn’t been here more than two days last week, so it wasn’t like I had any cases to work on or any projects that needed to be finished. I sat at my desk and checked my emails which consisted of a few office updates from Regina that had been sent to everyone, an offer for a beauty product that would make me look ten years younger, and a pill that could increase the size of my penis. I deleted the spam emails and allowed my mouse to hover over the email that promised to make me look younger. It couldn’t hurt…

By noon, I had expected Ethan to make it back to his office, but he hadn’t. I debated on whether I should take my lunch, so I wasn’t just sitting around on the clock, twiddling my fingers. But what if he needed something from me when he got back, and I wasn’t here? I opened a new browser on my computer and began looking at food delivery options when I saw a woman walk down the hallway toward his office.

I pushed away from my desk and straightened my skirt before walking out to greet. I had no idea if he was expecting a client today, but Kate wasn’t at her desk, so I didn’t want to get in trouble for letting someone randomly walk around in his office while he wasn’t there.

“Hi, can I help you?” I asked, pulling her attention to me as she turned around. She was downright stunning with olive-toned skin and long, silky black hair that flowed down her back. She tilted her head to the side for a moment, studying me before she spoke.

“You’re not Cora,” she said matter-of-factly.

“No, ma’am, I’m Eva.” I extended my hand to her and waited for her to shift the box in her hand to her hip before she reached over and shook it.

“Mr. Roberts is in a meeting, was there something that I could help you with?” I asked, watching as she made her way inside Ethan’s office and set the box on his desk. It was wrapped in red wrapping paper with a black bow fixed to the top of it. She pulled back and looked at it before reaching over and straightening it, so it was lined up perfectly in front of his computer.

“I want to make sure he sees it,” she laughed and nodded at the box.

I felt myself chuckle at her statement, knowing that there was a good chance he would miss it otherwise. From the little time I’d spent working with him so far, it was easy to see that he was oblivious to the world around him when he was focused on something.

“I’ll make sure he sees it,” I assured her, folding my arms over my chest and leaned against the doorframe while I struggled with what to say to her. It was obvious that she knew him and that she was comfortable making herself at home in his office as she sat down at his desk and straightened the stack of papers on the side of it. I didn’t know what to do at that point.

“Hello, mom,” Ethan’s voice said behind me as he gently touched the small of my back as he slid in beside me. He walked over and extended his hand to her, helping her up—not that she needed it given that she was walking effortlessly in six-inch heels.

“Happy birthday, son,” she said cheerfully, cupping his cheeks with her hands.

I smiled and lowered my head, giving them privacy as I turned and went back to my office. I sat behind my desk, scrolling through the list of food options that I had started looking at before she came in, while occasionally letting my eyes wander to his office. I couldn’t hear what they were talking about, but I felt butterflies in my stomach when I saw how much his eyes light up as he laughed at whatever she had said. Her hand held onto his arm for a few minutes as she continued with her story, followed by more laughter that flowed out of his office and softly flittered through mine.

I felt guilty for watching them, even though I was trying not to, so I got up and walked down the hall to Kate’s desk, hoping she was back from wherever she had been. I felt a stab of disappointment when her desk was still empty and realized she must have gone to lunch, which was something I should have done as well. I still had the option of ordering food for delivery, but that would require me to go back to my office which I was now trying to avoid. I could leave and go grab something but I had left my purse and wallet in my desk so that wasn’t an option either. I walked around aimlessly for a few minutes, wandering the halls before I heard Ethan’s voice coming toward me.

I looked up and saw him walking with his mom down the hallway to the lobby where the elevators were located. Her eyes locked onto mine as she listened to him, a slightly cold glare directed my way. I felt myself shudder and turned away. I waited until they had rounded the corner and were waiting for the elevator before I slipped past them and rushed back to my office.

A few minutes later, I heard Ethan coming, so I forced myself to look busy while I scrolled through the different Chinese food delivery options. My stomach was still a little queasy and I had since developed a strong addiction to chicken noodle soup, although I could easily be persuaded to devour a bowl of egg drop soup if that meant that I got food in me faster. There were only two restaurants close by that served chicken noodle soup and their estimated wait time for delivery was forty-five minutes, whereas there were fifteen Chinese food vendors that could deliver to me within ten minutes.

“Hey, how are you feeling?” Ethan asked as he leaned against my door and crossed one ankle over the other. He looked devilishly handsome in his fitted suit that showcased what I assumed was the perfect body underneath.

“I’m feeling better, but not one hundred percent yet,” I answered, turning to look at him. “I was actually just getting ready to order some take-out, do you want anything?”

“That depends.” He furrowed his brow. “Where are you getting food from?”

I turned back to my computer and leaned forward a little to read the name at the top of the list.

“Happy Noodles?”

“Um. No.” He shook his head and chuckled softly. “I’m not eating there, and neither are you. Grab your purse, I’m taking you to lunch.” He pushed off from the door and walked into his office. I opened my bottom desk drawer and pulled out my purse, sliding it up my arm as I grabbed my cell phone from my desk. I walked into his office and waited for him.

He was bending over his desk, looking at something on his computer, completely oblivious to the box underneath him. Surely his mom had told him about it. While I got the immediate feeling that she didn’t like me, it didn’t make me feel any less guilty about not telling him about the box when I told her that I would make sure he saw it.

“Your mom brought you something,” I said, nodding to the box.

He glanced down at it and smiled, briefly turning his attention back to the computer before pushing his mouse to the side and picking up the box. He held it in his hands, staring at it with a small smile.

“Happy birthday,” I added, remembering that his mom had wished him one. “I overheard your mom,” I explained, suddenly feeling self-conscious about eavesdropping.

“Thank you.” He sighed and held the box between two hands before looking at me. “It’s a gift from my grandma.”

“That’s really sweet,” I said softly.

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