Page 24 of Enthrall
“I must warn you.” Cameron paused outside Richard’s office. “He doesn’t know about this.”
“At tennis yesterday, you didn’t mention it?”
“He wasn’t really in the mood. And you know what I thought? Hell, why not just surprise him.”
“What if he’s angry I’m back?” I covered my face with my hands.
“Something tells me he’ll be happy to see you.” Cameron reached for the handle.
I grabbed his wrist and stopped him.
He glanced at my hands. “Where’s your letter? Leave it on his desk afterwards.”
“I saw Tara last night,” I said. “She was Enthrall’s secretary before me.”
“I know Tara.”
“She told me the letter wouldn’t be enough.”
“It’s worth a try.” He faced the door. “Speak from your heart.”
The door flew open andRichard’s stern demeanor met us.
“Hey Richard.” Cameron took my hand and guided me past him.
Richard turned to face us. “What’s going on?”
“Please, sit down,” said Cameron.
Richard didn’t look happy and ignored his friend’s invitation to sit.
You can do this,I told myself, rallying my courage.
What was the worst that could happen? It’s not like he could fire me. He’d already done that.Tara seemed pretty convinced this would work and she was the one to get me the job in the first place.
“Mia has something she wants to say to you,” said Cameron.
Richard strolled back to his desk and spun around to face us, leaning against it, his expression taut. He folded his arms across his chest.
Cameron frowned at him and tilted his head toward me. Richard gave Cameron awhat the hellkind of look.
Back in Bailey’s apartment, going over the plan with her and Tara, this had felt doable. Madness, yes, but possible. Yet here, now, standing opposite Richard and his fierceness made me question my ability to pull this off. This had to be how it felt when a tanker truck hit your car in one of those freak accidents you see replaying on the news. The kind you think will never happen to you. Very comparable.
Cameron moved closer. “Mia, whenever you’re ready.” He gave an assured gesture to Richard. “Give her a second.”
Bailey’s words found me again.“Jump in, like you’re at a cold swimming pool and you know that once you’re swimming you’ll love it.”
“Or drown,” I think I’d answered her; how apt that was.
My mind wandered further, as though trying to locate the courage I’d left back in their apartment.
“These guys get up to all kinds of things, trust me,” Tara had told me. “Nothing shocks them. Think of this as speaking their language.”
“Mia,” said Cameron, shaking me from my daydream.
I rummaged inside my handbag and brought out an iPod. “Put this on, please.” I handed it over Cameron and dropped my bag onto the chair.
“Sure thing.” Cameron beamed at Richard and headed over to the sound system at the back of the room.
