Page 205 of Ewan

It opens slowly.

Maria’s talking to someone outside my office before finishing her conversation and walking in.

“You have visitors.”

My first instinct is to glance at the time on my phone.

“Who is it?” I ask, pushing my chair back and automatically running my hand over my navy skirt.

“Colley and his mother.”

“Oh.”

I freeze.

“Do you know why they’re here?”

She gives me a soft shrug while I grow nervous by the second.

“He said he had something for you.”

“Okay. Do you know what it is?”

“Not a clue. Maybe you need to talk to them?”

There’s a little sneer in her voice, her smile unable to hide it.

“Yeah. I’ll do that. Where are they?”

The soft tipping of her head in the direction of the hallway gives me enough clues.

“All right,” I say in a different voice, afraid they might be within earshot.

I walk around the desk and put a smile on my face as I walk past Maria who studies me with curious eyes.

I’m weird as fuck.

“Oh, Elisa,” I say cheerfully when she and Colley enter my line of sight. “What are you doing here at this hour?” I ask, my cadence slow, my eyes dipping.

He holds a card from what I can tell, his other hand locked with his mother’s.

“He insisted on giving it to you personally,” Elisa says, wearing a smile.

She rocks a fitted pink skirt suit and a gray coat.

“What is this?” I ask.

Colley is a bit shy but finds enough strength in him to hand me the card.

“It’s an invitation to his birthday party,” his mother says.

“Oh. That’s so sweet. And when would that be?” I ask, checking the card.

“This Friday,” he says.

I move my eyes from him to his mother.

“That’s tomorrow,” I murmur.

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