Page 16 of The Vegas Rerun
I wait for her to laugh but she doesn’t. I chuckle, shaking my head.
“That’s quite the introduction,” I say. “I can’t wait to see him.”
“You should know I have dibs on him though,” Sarah says.
“Noted,” I say with a smile.
“No, it doesn’t work like that. You can’t call dibs on a person,” Frieda says.
“Ah but I did,” Sarah says. “And you have to respect the rules of dibs.”
“I respect the rules of dibs,” Patty says. “But I’m not going to lie. If Mr Redfern asked me out, I would be like Sarah too.”
We all laugh at this, but I feel like Sarah’s laughter is a bit strained. I’m probably imagining it because the others don’t seem to notice anything off and they know her a lot better than I do.
“I respect the rules of dibs,” I say. “But I am intrigued to meet this man. There’s no way he can be this attractive.
“Oh, you’ll see,” Frieda says with a smile. “But for now, let’s get you settled in.”
I switch on my monitor and my computer and as we wait for it to boot up, I feel something I haven’t in a long time - excitement for what’s ahead.
CHAPTER 13
MOLLY
Balancingthe heavy silver tray on one hand, I push the door to the boardroom open with my shoulder. The low hum of conversation fills the vast space with a self-assured murmur of authority and wealth. The scent of freshly brewed coffee mingles with the sharp tang of polished mahogany and expensive colognes and perfumes. I keep my eyes down, my focus trained on the array of fine porcelain cups and gleaming silverware I have meticulously arranged on the tray.
I’m nervous and I’m afraid that my hand will shake, which will cause all the cups and silverware to rattle on the tray. I tell myself that I don’t need to be nervous. Even though this is a big deal for me, for them, it’s nothing. It’s just another meeting, just another day at the office. And for me, it’s just another group of powerful men who won’t remember the secretary who served them coffee.
Or so I think. As I step further into the boardroom, my gaze lifts for just a second to make sure I’m not about to crash into the table or anything. And that’s when my world stops.
I see him. The CEO. The head of the company. The man who holds the fate of this corporation, and, by extension, the fate of my job, in his hands. The infamous Mr Redfern, CEO extraordinaire and office hottie.
Except I know him by a different name. Joshua.
My breath catches in my throat and the tray trembles slightly in my grip. My worst fear comes true - the cups rattling against their delicate saucers – but I’m so shaken that I barely even notice the tinkling sound of them.
Three years might have passed since my one hot night with Joshua, but I know that face as if I had seen it only yesterday. The sharp line of his jaw is unmistakable, as are his gorgeous brown eyes.
I notice the way his mouth presses into a firm line as he listens to the man speaking beside him – this is different to his expressions in Vegas, but I guess that makes sense. He has to be serious, stoic even in here, whereas in Vegas he could just be himself.
Another difference is his hair. It’s shorter now, darker, the sun kissed strands from that night in Vegas long gone. It looks much more corporate, as does his whole persona. He wears power like a second skin, his navy suit tailored to perfection, his tie knotted with precision, and I’m sure if I could see them, his shoes will be shining to within an inch of their life.
And I’m pretty sure he has no idea who I am, or if he does, he doesn’t seem in the least bit surprised to see me here. I must admit I am a little bit disappointed that he doesn’t even remember me, but in another sense, I guess it’s for the best. It will certainly be less awkward.
There is no flicker of recognition in his gaze as he glances in my direction, leaving me certain he has seen me. There is no widening of his eyes, no brief flash of memory. He does nothing to indicate that this man once had his hands on my body, his lipstracing a path over my skin. That he whispered my name in the dim glow of a Las Vegas hotel room. That he unknowingly left a piece of himself with me in the form of a child he never knew existed.
I swallow hard, forcing myself to keep moving. My heartbeat is a hammering pulse in my ears, and my hands tighten around the tray. This is not happening. This cannot be happening. I mean seriously. What are the chances that Joshua is not only based in the same city I grew up in, but that of all the companies in this city, I end up working for his. It’s got to be like one in a million odds. And yet here we are, the punchline in fate’s joke.
From the moment I saw Joshua, it felt like we are the only two people in the room, but I’m very much conscious of the fact that isn’t true, and I force myself to focus on my task at hand and nothing else. I set the tray down carefully on a part of the table where no one is sitting, trying to keep my movements fluid and professional, but my fingers feel clumsy, like they are too stiff to do this job. My face burns with the weight of my secret, and I’m sure I look every bit as hot and flustered as I feel.
Breathe, Molly. Just get through this, I tell myself.
I busy myself pouring out cups of coffee, my hands shaking slightly as I lift the heavy silver pot. I serve the board members one by one, smiling when appropriate, nodding in silent acknowledgment of their murmured thanks. I think I’m acting normal, covering my utter shock, but still, beneath my carefully constructed veneer, my mind is a swirling mess of panic and disbelief.
What do I do? Should I say something? Should I act as if nothing has happened? I don’t have to decide right now, because if I’m going to say something, it certainly isn’t going to be in the board meeting.
I can’t help but keep stealing a glance at him as I move around the table. He is speaking now, his voice rich anddeep, just like I remembered it to be, commanding and strong, although in my memory, his commands are a lot more fun than these ones are.
