Page 12 of (Un)Planned

But he kept staring at me, those dark brown eyes breaking through all my defenses. Theo's stare worked right through to your soul, making you feel exposed and vulnerable. It took everything in me to keep up my calm façade.

I waited, assuming he would have a come-back, something to break the unnerving tension between us. But before he could, Jack poked his head out of the office. “Boss? We need you.”

That snapped Theo out of his trance. He muttered a quick “get it done” before returning to his own office.

I turned over my shoulder, meeting his stern expression through the glass wall. While the rest of the room was watching him, his eyes never left mine, almost as if he wished he was sitting out here instead of stuck in there.

I shook my head. I was clearly going insane. Theo barely tolerated me most days. I’d lost track of the number of times he’d already threatened to fire me, butsomehow, when I showed up the following day, he almost seemed relieved to see me.

Maybe I was seeing what I wanted, making up emotions that Theo lacked. He wasn’t the type of boss who would ever give out pity praise or commend someone for doing basic tasks. The most I’d gotten so far was a brief head nod, confirming that I’d done the job accurately.

I was determined to impress him, to prove that I was more than my résumé. After years of failing to rise to others’ expectations, working for Theo gave me a new purpose and a sense of ambition. This job would never solve world hunger, but I still wanted to do it well.

With that mindset, I turned back to my phone, scrolling through my contacts until I reached my sister’s number. I doubted she’d answer, but it was worth a try. Devyn had been in New York much longer than me and had more connections than I could even imagine.

ME:

Any chance you can hook me up with a dinner reservation for tonight? Six people? Some place that will impress my new boss.

I chewed on my lower lip as the three dots appeared, keeping my fingers crossed until her response appeared.

DEVYN:

Done.

SIX

The cool spring air hit my lungs as I stepped out of the restaurant. A passing rainstorm had left the city covered in a shiny sheen, and the lights reflected off the water pooling on the streets. The other agents followed closely behind me, an excited chatter filling the air. Hands clapped my back as we hailed cabs, a good sign that tonight had been a success.

The entire evening felt like a test, the first opportunity I had to prove to the other agents that I was capable of leading our office. While internally, I knew I was ready for this challenge, looking out at six employees I respected made the doubts sink in. Hopefully, they didn’t catch the shake of my hands or the crack in my voice.

The restaurant was a good choice. All my guests seemed enamored with the level of talent dining with us. Actors, athletes, and musicians filled the tables, most a respectable distance from the windows to avoid the flashing cameras. While the paparazzi might be a nuisance outside-inside, we were the sharks in the water, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.

At least, the rest of the group was acting that way, carefully assessing every person in the room.

Me? I was too distracted with thoughts of my assistant.

I had no idea how Calla managed to get us a reservation with such little notice. It was a dick move to ask her to try to fit us in somewhere, especially on a Friday night. Most high-end restaurants in Manhattan were booked out for months, only willing to fit in celebrities who promised clout and media coverage.

But Calla not only managed to get us in to one of the hottest restaurants in the city—she also got us a table in the center of the room. For a meeting with clients, this would have been disastrous, drawing too much attention. But for our group, it was perfect, making us seem like the most influential people in the restaurant.

After all, that was the goal.

If this task was a test, Calla aced it with flying colors.

She was different than I expected, so much more than the stories led me to believe. Her first day on the job, I stayed extra late at the office, trying to close a negotiation for one of my actors. It was practically morning by the time I wrapped up for the night. I’d assumed she’d gone home hours earlier, but instead, I found her at her desk, sleeping softly on the surface, her hands curled under her face.

I stared at her for a few minutes, taking the opportunity to study her. If she saw me watching her, she’d probably call me a creep, but I couldn’t help it. Her auburn hair was falling all over itself, escaping the bun she’d twisted it into hours earlier. Her heels were tucked next to her desk, the soles facing up at me. She always had a youthful glow to her, but when she was sleeping, it was even more entrancing. It was tempting to touch her cheek, to feel if her subtle skin was as I imagined.

It took me a minute to snap out of my stupor and remember who Calla was to me.Who I was. She was young, vibrant, and full of life, and I was darkness, a shadow passing through the world without engaging with it. We were nothing to each other, just a necessary stop along the way.

I needed to remember that.

As a cab blared in the background, I snapped out of the thought in time to wave off several of the department heads. As they left, Jack stood at my side, tucking his hands into his pockets. “That seemed like a success.”

“Yes, it was,” I muttered, finally letting my guard drop. Out of all the people I’d dined with tonight, Jack was the only one I’d consider a friend, our bond forged by working side by side for years. “I’m waiting for Chuck to make a move to take me out.”

Jack laughed, rubbing a hand over his perfectly trimmed goatee, “As you should. He’s going to be watching you for any mistake.” He smirked back at me, “Speaking of…what the fuck were you thinking, hiring that girl?”

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