Page 69 of Roman & Olivia
No, it wasn’t the same. But this was close enough to give her a hit of what she’d been missing.
Olivia watchedMason return from his lunch. He offered her a smile, though he didn’t come over to her. His phone was to his ear as he carried on a conversation she could only hear bits and pieces of.
She smiled right back.
Then she stilled as she listened to his office door click shut. The sun was already starting to warm his office. It would only take a few seconds…
Loud cursing erupted from Mason’s office, and in an instant the door was yanked open.
Olivia stared with surprise at Mason’s beet-red face. She might have laughed at the glitter that clung to his suit and his hair if he didn’t look like he was prepared to strangle her.
“Did you do that?”
A few people in the office space who had glanced up when they heard him lose his temper ducked back to their work.
Smiling hesitantly, she said, “Surprise?”
“Ms. Whitten, will you please come to my office.” He didn’t wait for a response. This was also the first time he’d said her name so formally since they’d started dating.
She frowned. So much for a harmless prank. The weight that had settled in the pit of her stomach sunk lower as she got to her feet and headed for his office.
“Shut the door,” he snapped.
Quietly, she pushed herself against it and it clicked closed.
“Well?” he practically yelled. “What do you have to say for yourself?”
Olivia glanced around the office. Her prank had gone off perfectly. There was glitter and confetti all over his office after the fan had been turned on. One side of her mouth twitched up. “It was all in good fun, Mason.”
“All in good fun?” he hollered. “I have a meeting with some important people in an hour. How do you think they’ll react when they come into my office?”
Her eyes grew wide. “That wasn’t on your schedule.”
“I had to push my lunch meeting.”
Then where had he gone for lunch and with whom?
Eyes narrowing and lips pressing thinly, she folded her arms. “I’m sorry,” she said tightly. “Had I known, I wouldn’t have picked today to surprise you.”
He scoffed. “Surprise? This isn’t a surprise. It’s childish. This is my work, Liv—mycareer. It’s not like I’m some replaceable assistant.”
His words stung. “I beg your pardon?”
The sharpness of her words caught him up short and he glanced toward her. This time she could see the shift in real time. He’d realized that he’d taken it too far. “Liv?—”
She held up a hand. “My job might not be as prestigious as some, but I assure you, it’s important. There’s a reason your father hired me and hasn’t gone looking for someone else. Unlike some people, I don’t have the sort of connections to get me a job I’m not qualified for.” She knew it was a dig at his own job, but she didn’t care. Olivia saw the second her words struck a chord, and she half-expected Mason to yell at her again.
Or at least make excuses for why he deserved the job he had.
But he didn’t.
It was almost imperceptible, but she noted the way his hands tightened, then flexed out to relax. The coloring in his face evened out and he ran his fingers through his hair, dislodging the glitter that still clung to it.
“I’m sorry, Liv. I overreacted.”
“Yes, you did.” Then, for good measure, she softened her own voice. “And I can see that I shouldn’t have pranked you at work. I’m better than that.” She wasn’t, but she wouldn’t admit to it. Roman had taught her that she had to find joy where she could. The glitter hadn’t hurt anyone. And they had time to clean it up.
She sighed when he didn’t respond. “I’ll get the vacuum and the broom.” Olivia left his office, noting the several eyes that immediately darted away when she caught them staring.
