Page 36 of Ruined Promises

The ride to the office takes longer than planned.Stupid holiday traffic.’Tis the season for traffic. One of the things that attracted Paul Jennings to this building is the open space at the opposite end of the seventh floor. It makes hosting smaller events easier. In the past, we have hosted cocktail hours, art galleries hosting local artists, and even once sponsored a matchmaking event. That was different, to say the least.

I spent the morning here helping direct the vendors before heading back home to get ready. There are two bars on opposite ends of the room. An assortment of hors d’oeuvres are being passed out all evening, including the most delicious beef tenderloin crostini with whipped goat cheese and pesto, crab-stuffed mushrooms and Italian sausage, and caramelized leek flatbread bites drizzled in a truffle cream sauce.

As soon as I exit the elevator, the most fantastic aroma hits my senses, and my mouth instantly waters. I can’t wait actually to taste the food after selecting the menu. That was another thing—in previous years, I worked closely with Paul finalizing the details, whereas this year, Ben gave me almost full control of my decisions minus needing to remain within budget.

I drop my coat off at the coat check, and a smile forms on my lips as I hear the cheerful sounds of Pentatonix and Whitney Houston’s “Do You Hear What I Hear?” playing from the speakers. So I may have flirted a little with him during our consult meeting so that he would play songs by my favorite band.

I glance around the room, taking in all the smiling faces and fabulous decor. I sigh, content with my work.

I can sense him before I see him. My back straightens, along with the little hairs on the back of my neck.

“It looks great in here,” I say softly, more to myself than him.

“Yes, it’s beautiful.” With my peripheral vision, it’s not the room that I notice Ben looking at, but it’s me.

Ben currently has his hands in his pockets, looking incredibly handsome in his suit—black pants and jacket, a crisp white dress shirt, and a red tie that just so happens to match my dress.Don’t look anything into, Lex. Red is a standard color worn during the holidays.

I turn and give him a bright smile. I swallow thickly as his eyes rake up and down my body.

“Cal is a lucky man,” I hear him say under his breath.

“Excuse me?”

Ben clears his throat. “I just said that Cal is a lucky man to have such a beautiful woman on his arm tonight. Is he joining you?”

Cal? Oh, fuck!

“I have something to tell you.” I glance down at my heels and pretend to push a piece of dirt around. Is this why he’s been so weird? Cal. I’m going to kill Hadley and Brynn for their stupid fucking plan.

“What is it?” Ben gently touches my elbow, pulling me off to the side, away from the center of the room.

Here goes nothing.

“Cal isn’t my boyfriend. My two best friends tried to prove a point that all you needed was a push over the edge.”

Ben’s brows bunch together, and he runs a hand over his dusting of facial hair. “A push.”

“Yes, a push. They thought it would make you jealous, and we would stop playing this game of cat and mouse. But I guess the joke’s on me since I tried to explain that I wasn’t dating Cal twice, and we were interrupted both times. I think it just wasn’t meant to be. We’re better off as only colleagues.”

I can feel the tears threatening to spill over as I say the words I don’t really mean. “Have a good night, Ben.” I brush past him and head straight to the bar.

---