Page 15 of Dante
She quickly backtracked and swallowed the panic and hatred for the classically beautiful woman seated around the desk in the other room. It had stopped her in her tracks to see a stranger seated there and such a beautiful one at that.
"I was having lunch with my agent at Kelly's and decided to drop by." She reached out a hand to touch his cheek. "To remind you of the upcoming function."
Clamping a hand on her wrist, he removed it and managed to hide his annoyance. "I remember. My assistant is very good at her job as I said. I'll be there." He glanced at his watch and rose. "Now you'll have to excuse me--" He turned as the intercom sounded.
"Yes?"
"You have Mr. Chen on the line."
"Give me a minute." He depressed the button and slid Magda a dismissive look. "I need to take this."
"Will I see you tonight?"
"I'll let you know."
Seeing the impatient look on his face, she slid off the desk. Leaning forward, she kissed him on the cheek. Gathering her dignity and her wrap, she made her way out, stopping at the desk where Courtney was transferring the call.
"He's mine."
The last thing she expected was the hateful look directed at her and the furious statement.
"Excuse me?"
Magda smiled grimly. "Whatever you did to get this job, know that I'm going to do everything in my power to see to it that you're replaced."
Sitting back, she aimed a mildly interested look at the seething woman. "Give it a shot. In the meantime, let me assure you that I have no designs on my boss. I'm a professional and so is he. If you're really in a relationship with him, you would know that. Please excuse me, I must take this." Picking up the phone, she turned and ignored the woman standing there. And not once did she reveal by her expression that she was shaking inside.
Accepting the beer, Caleb popped the cap and stared at his sister in blanket shock. "You told her that?"
Shrugging one shoulder, Courtney went back to stirring the stew she had decided on for supper. She had gotten through her first week and was not fired. Every day after the incident with Magda, she kept expecting to hear the words: 'Pack your things and leave', but that had not happened. And he had given her no indication that he was going to.
She had caught him staring at her with a quizzical expression on his face several times, but he had not said a word to her.
"It just popped out of my mouth." She admitted. It was Friday night, and she was exhausted, but in a very pleasant way. Apart from the fact that her stomach was acting up, she felt good, relieved, with a feeling of accomplishment.
"Things always do." Caleb grinned at her. "Have I told you, you're my hero?"
Rolling her eyes at him, she turned the flame down and sat at the counter. "What I did was rude and unprofessional. I intended to call and alert him that the woman was here to see him, but the look she gave me ticked me off. She had a bitchy attitude, and it got my back up. So, I struck out."
"How does she look in person?"
She snorted and picked up her cup to take a sip of the horrible tea. "You're such a guy."
"Yes, yes. So? Is she as beautiful as she is on screen?"
"More." Courtney admitted bitterly. "She's freaking perfect. Who wears a cashmere wrap in the middle of the day?"
"People who can afford it." His smile widened. "You're hating on her."
"Can you blame me? She looked perfect. Not a hair out of place and makeup so subtle, it's like she was not wearing any. And those shoes--" She sighed then. "Those alone made me want to punch her. She did not stay in his office long." She added thoughtfully. "And I get the feeling that she's more into the relationship than he is."
"Oh?"
"Just an observation. Which is none of my business. On the bright side, I have an admirer."
He cocked a brow at her. "I'm not surprised. Who's he?"
"He's in charge of acquisitions. He brought me flowers and is very sweet."
