Page 2 of Their Stolen Kisses
Quick-thinking and intelligent as always. “I don’t,” I confessed. “And you know how I prefer recommendations.”
“I’ll see what I can do about an attorney. When’s the first court date?”
I gave her a few details and handed her the official document to skim through. Well, I pointed it out to her and told her she could take a look if she wanted. I still couldn’t entertain the idea of touching the thing myself.
“I’ll see what I can do,” she said again after she finished reading. “As for a nanny, I can’t think of anyone off the top of my head, but I’ll think about it. Don’t bother looking for anyone just yet; I know you’ll be busy.”
“Thank you.” I meant it more than she guessed. What would I do without Chloe?
Or maybe she did realize how much both I and the company needed her. She didn’t look smug, not exactly - just a little pleased. “You’re welcome. Cameron?” She had waited until she walked to the door to say my name.
“Yes?” I responded eagerly. Had she thought of a nanny?
“It’s cold outside. Don’t forget your coat again.” Her businesslike stride took her out of the office before I had a chance to respond.
Of course it’s cold. It’s the middle of January in Chicago.And I’d only forgotten my coat at the office once. Sometimes, the things that Chloe chose to turn into little inside jokes bemused me.
Nothing had been decided, no problems had been solved, but the crushing weight of worry left on my shoulders had lessened just the slightest bit. Chloe might not show her sympathy openly, but I knew she would do everything she could to help. She always had my back.
4:39. The clock on my desk was two minutes slow. The time was actually 4:41. Since Noah had preschool on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and class was from 12-3, Amy had picked him up and taken him home nearly two hours ago. As usual, I’d only seen him for a moment early this morning when I planted a kiss on his sleeping forehead.
I needed to spend more time with Noah in the evening. Maybe I could do more work from home - or maybe I could get to the office earlier? Or both?
Now, I had a few more things to handle here at the office before I could head home. Just a little longer... twenty minutes at most. Maybe, if I made it home early, I would be met by one of Noah’s bright ear-to-ear grins.
I threw myself into my final responsibilities with a will. Time seemed to go by faster now that Chloe had promised to help. And I had my bag packed and my coat snugly wrapped around me in no time.
Eagerness quickened my steps and took me swiftly to the elevators, but something stopped me before I could tap the call button.
The elevators were in a hallway of sorts, and there were six of them, three on each side. At the end was an alcove with floor-to-ceiling windows. A few benches were arranged so one could sit and enjoy the breathtaking vistas of Lake Michigan and the cityscape.
The beautiful woman sitting in the left bench definitely wasn’t admiring the view. Her eyes were red and her cheeks were flushed. As I watched, she gave a loud sniff, her chest heaving.
I knew her... Not by name, but I knew who she was. Chloe had told me how diligent and quick-learning her new secretary was a few months ago soon after she was employed. Impressing Chloe wasn’t easy, so needless to say, this woman had caught my eye...
And then she had held my gaze. Her long brown hair tapered into full, luscious curls. If I could just touch them, I bet they would be so soft woven around my fingers... And her eyes! Even struck with sadness, they were still just so… blue. She must have liked blue because she nearly always wore something to make her eyes pop with color.
But really, the thing I admired most about her was actually a combination of several things. Whenever I spotted her talking to Chloe, greeting someone in the lobby - even just walking anywhere in the building - she always seemed so confident, like she was meant to be here and knew it.
She was a bit curvy, and to a man like me who just hadn’t been hitting the gym as much as he should, her curves and her confidence about her figure had been a breath of fresh air amongst all the thin businesswomen who seemed to believe that if they didn’t have the body of a runway model, they’d be fired immediately.
Somehow, seeing someone so beautiful and cheerful in tears made me feel worse than the letter from San Francisco had. I hesitated, a finger on the button. I hadn’t pushed it yet.I could go over and ask if she was okay, if I could do something to help...
But then I might not be able to resist reaching out and brushing my fingers through those soft locks. She might sense I was attracted to her, and how would that end?
I tapped the button, still unseen by the beautiful, tearful woman in the alcove as she gazed out over the sprawling vastness of Chicago. Boss-employee relationships never worked. Jo had proved that, and I would be a fool to follow my heart over my head a second time.
