Page 33 of Crush

During the last part of the week, I’d had meetings coming out of my ears and so had only seen Amber a couple of times; both of which she’d ignored me. That snooty little nose of hers high in the air.

After showering and dressing in my usual work clothes minus a checked shirt (for obvious reasons) I took the lift to the basement and got into one of my cars. I was a petrolhead and owned two sports cars, a four-by-four which I used for off-roading and a Ford Ranger pickup which I used for work.

As I pulled out of the basement car park, I grimaced, looking up at the sky. More rain had been forecast. That meant the guys may not get the footings for the bar done in time and I couldn’t afford any more delays.

When I got to the site, everyone was busy beavering away which pleased me. There was nothing that pissed me off more than the fuckers I paid well to be sat around. As I made my way to the office, with a head nod here and there to greetmy staff, I saw Amber through the window into the office she was using beneath mine. She was sitting at her desk on her phone as fucking usual.

I decided to leave the fight for another time, I had shit to deal with and wasn’t in the mood to chew her arse out again. We also hadn’t spoken about the kiss. Maybe it was that unforgettable to her, that she’d not thought about it. As I took the steps up to my office, I decided that was crap due to how she’d responded. Amber had lit up like a firework.

My dick twitched at the memory.

“Good morning, Max,” Annie greeted. She was efficient and unfazed by me, even when I was in a pissy mood. The pushing seventy-year-old could roast a man within an inch of his life if she wanted to. I’d never met a ballsier woman her age.

“Morning. Anything urgent I should know about?”

“Not really. Well, apart from Rory Hopton was sniffing around downstairs again. You said to let you know if he started hounding Lady Swift,” she declared, her intelligent eyes narrowing as she settled back into her seat.

Casting her a wry smile, I nodded in acknowledgement of the update and walked into the office I was using.

Pulling out my phone I thumbed in a text to Amber.If Hopton starts bothering you, let me know. M.

My desk was cluttered with files and rolled-up blueprints. As I lowered myself into the leather chair behind my desk, Annie appeared at the doorway. “Do you want to see him?” she questioned, her eyes lookinghugebehind her glasses. Her prescription must have been strong forthatlevel of magnification.

Anne lookedexactlylike you’d expect an elderly Secretary to look. Grey hair, the bun and horn-rimmed glasses, the lot.

“No, I’ll deal with him later,” I replied with a slight smirk. He had more balls than I thought, going against my wishes when I’d warned him twice; once in the restaurant and the other in the locker room.

My phone vibrated on the desk.

“Fair enough. Do you want anything from the canteen?” Annie said with a chuckle.

“No thanks, I’m good.”

“You should have something. A coffee maybe, calm your nerves.” The on-site canteen made the shittest coffee I had ever tasted but then I liked it strong. My coffee usually resembled jet fuel.

“My nerves are fine,” I replied with a dark look before glancing down at my phone.

“You should tell your face that.”

I raised my chin to glare across at her. “Another barney with her ladyship by any chance?” Annie said with a smarmy look. Ihatedthat the woman wasalwaysright. I refrained from answering, too worried that my voice would give me away.

“I could get you an espresso?”

I rolled my eyes before stating, “I’ll survive.”

On her way out I heard Annie say, “But will the rest of us,” under her breath. The woman was a battleaxe and God help anyone who attempted to cross her.

Plucking my phone from the desk I swiped to open the message.No. It’s fine.Fuck me, a woman of not so many words, Amber broke the mould. Most of the females I knew lived for text messaging. Their phones beeping every two seconds.

Taking a deep breath, I messagedGood.If he gives you any shit. I will deal with him.

OK, boss.

Her use of the word boss made me smile but I didn’t respond. At least she’d replied.

I spent the rest of the morning answering emails and taking calls. I spoke briefly to Gabriel about two parking tickets he was getting me out of, then made myself a black coffee and slid back behind my desk.

After signing off yesterday’s progress report, I checked the weather for the rest of the week. Fingers crossed it didn’t hinder the project’s timeline as we were already behind. Gabriel was still working on the liquor licences with the affronted Roger, which was takingages. And he called himself a pro who got things done, fucking amateur.

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