Page 24 of Knocked-up Bratva Bride
I looked down at my plate, mostly picked over now, and took a quiet breath before lifting the fork again. Something to busy my hands with while I pondered.
It wasn’t that I doubted my abilities—I’d worked hard, stayed late, said yes when others hesitated. But there was a difference between being capable, being ready, and being certain. I wasn’t sure which one I was yet.
“I really appreciate this, Robert,” I said. “I just…I want to make sure I’ll be the right fit. For the team. For the expectations—”
I paused when my eyes caught something—rather,someone familiar—across the other end, sitting with that overly confident posture on one of the long tables near the glass window.
My lungs hitched, and my breath faltered when I recognized him.
What are the odds?
Damien looked sharp, his suit jacket just barely shifting as he leaned in to speak with the older man beside him. There were four of them, maybe five, all with that clipped, tight air of a business dinner.
I froze for just a second, fork in mid-air. Not that I was expecting him to notice me, of course not. But a small, traitorous part of me wondered if he might. A glance, maybe. Just enough to show I plagued his mind as frequently as he did mine.
Just enough to show that five nights ago had burned in his memory.
But his gaze never lifted from his table. If anything, he looked completely immersed in the conversation, nodding slightly as someone across from him gestured with a wine glass.
It shouldn’t have bothered me. I wasn’t even sure why it did. Still, a sharp pang bloomed somewhere behind my ribs. I shook it off with a small smile, the kind I gave myself when I was being silly.
He probably didn’t even see me, I thought. And maybe he hadn’t. I mean, why would he? There was no reason he’d notice someone like me in the crowd.
“Earth to Elena? Hello?”
I blinked, feeling flustered that Damien’s presence was enough to make me forget the man seated across from me.
“I apologize, I blanked out there for a second.”
“This offer got to you that hard, didn’t it?” Robert nodded thoughtfully. “I respect that you want to think about it. Take your time. But don’t sell yourself short, okay? I believe in you.”
I gave a small smile, touched by the sincerity in his voice. “Thank y—”
“I’ve believed in you from the moment you got this job,” he continued, and I noticed the red on his cheeks brighten. “Your dedication and devotion to your responsibilities are one of the many things I admire about you, Elena.”
I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and nodded along as Robert spoke, trying not to let my nerves show. I observed that his voice had gotten softer, and he looked at me,reallylooked at me, with a knowing in his brown eyes.
I wasn’t a child; I understood subtle signs when I saw them.
“Robert, I—”
Reaching across the table, he covered one of my hands with his, smiling. “I meant what I said about you deserving this opportunity, but don’t get it mixed up; my interest in you has no ties to the offer I presented. You know me; I’m a professional to the very core. If I didn’t think you should get the position, I wouldn’t talk about it.”
I gulped down the water left in my glass, feeling a sweat break out on my face. There it was in the open:his interest in me.
I chuckled nervously, fanning my cheeks. My bosslikedme. Could my life be any more complicated?
“Robert, I….” I needed an immediate escape, some time to breathe and clear my head, and, once again, no other option seemed more convenient than the restroom. “I—please, excuse me for a moment. I’ll be back.”
“Sure.”
Adjusting the hem of my skirt and snatching my purse, I hightailed out of there to the bathroom, shutting the door behind me and trying to catch my breath.
My court heels clicked on the tiles as I walked over to the sink and turned on the faucet, feeling calmer as cool water rushed through my fingers. I splashed a handful on my face and stared at my reflection while the water dripped down my chin.
Thank goodness I wore light makeup; the water didn’t have any effect on my waterproof eyeliner and mascara. I straightened up, rearranged my hair over my shoulders, and pulled out the red lipstick from my purse to retouch my lips.
As silly as it was, I tried to picture a world with Robert and me in it, as a couple.
