Page 10 of Falling for Mr. Wright

Chapter Three

“NPH Designs, where may I direct your call?” Sarah rolled her eyes, eyeing the empty desk out in the front lobby. She loved Nancy Finnegan, the company’s longtime receptionist, but if the old woman stepped away from her desk—and she did often—the calls were forwarded to Sarah. She took a sip of her iced mocha latte. “No. Neil Patrick Harris does not own this firm, nor did he ever. You have a great holiday, too.”

She set down the receiver and chuckled. Add that to the random inquiries as to whether the NPH in NPH Designs stood for the famous actor.

The inquiries weren’t completely farfetched. Rumor had it that Logan and Neil had been neighbors around the time of the firm’s name change. The way the story went was Logan lost a bet to him five years ago and had to change the name of his family-owned company from Scott and Associates to NPH Designs literally overnight. Because Logan was so private, no one really knew if that gossip was true.

She glanced over at his closed door. He’d been in there for over an hour with Mary Beth—alone. Logan had been all smiles when he greeted the accountant earlier and promptly told Sarah to hold his calls.

She tapped her fingers on her desk. It was supposed to be a meeting to review the year-end budget, but what if something more was going on?

She hopped out of her chair and tiptoed over to Logan’s office, glancing behind her shoulder to make sure the coast was clear. She then put her ear up to the door.

Oh, God, is that laughter?

She pressed her ear harder.

“Ahem.”

Sarah jumped back and spun around.

Ryan stood in front of her with an enormous shit-eating grin on his face.

“Don’t scare me like that,” she said in a low voice. “Are you trying to give me a heart attack?”

He nodded to Logan’s office. “What gives?”

“Mary Beth is in there.” She frowned and walked back to her desk. “They’ve been talking forever.”

“I’m sure it’s just business.”

Doubtful.She took a seat, but immediately bolted up. “Did you want to see him, because I can totally interrupt the meeting if it’s urgent.”

“Actually, I came to see you.”

“Oh.” She sat back down and scooted her chair close to her desk, more than a bit disappointed that she didn’t have an excuse to get Mary Beth out of the office. “Please tell me you’re not bailing on lunch.” Paul had been circling her desk earlier this morning, ready to share the news of his recent toe fungus as soon as she’d said hello. She didn’t need to hear any more about it while eating her leftover fettuccini.

“I’m still on for lunch. My sister even made you cupcakes.”

And yet, he didn’t seem in a hurry to leave. “So, what brings you by?”

“I’d like to help with your situation.” He nodded to Logan’s door. “I have a proposition that I think you’re really going to like.”

Sarah propped her chin on her fist. “Ooh. I’m intrigued.”

“I need you to go to this with me,” he said and handed her a card.

She scanned the contents. “You want me to go to a gala in Connecticut?”

“Yeah. It’s this weekend, and my ex-fiancée is planning it. It might be…better if I didn’t show up alone.”

Sarah knew all about his ex. Ryan had shared with her how it all went down during the company’s retreat last spring, which was a total surprise because he rarely talked about his love life—past or present.

She studied her friend, realizing how awkward this was for him. “Would I be your date?” That would be a little strange. Not that Ryan wasn’t dating material—anti-commitment or not, hewasone of the hottest guys in the office—but she was trying to win over Logan.

So why did her heart trip a little over the image of walking in on Ryan’s arm?

“Nah. I just thought it’d be fun to show up with a friend. Let people make their own conclusions. Not that I’d be opposed to you acting as a buffer.” He gave her a crooked grin and nodded to the door. “Besides, Logan will be there, so if we pretended to be any more than friends, he’d bust our cover.”

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