Page 14 of Surprise Me Tonight
And that is very much not what I need.
Still, I have to hire someone. Now. And I need them to be local, competent, and available. And she is all three.
I scrub a hand over my face.
“Fine,” I mutter.
Jess makes a pleased sound. “I’ll call her.”
I hang up before she can say anything smug.
I should feel relieved.
Instead, I picture her standing in my hallway again, pink-cheeked and holding that bloody purple handbag, looking like she was ready to bolt.
I’m going to see her every day.
This is going to be a nightmare.
The run didn’t help.
Five miles across open fields, through mud and biting wind, and I still can’t shake the image of her. The flush in her cheeks, the tone in her voice when she told me off, and the fact that the only thing I could think about afterwards was how her mouth would feel doing other things. Things a boss should never ask his PA to do if he doesn't want to get into trouble with HR.
By the time I cut through the village, my thoughts are still a mess. I should have said no to hiring her.
Steam & Bloomis still open, lights glowing warm through the windows. I figure a coffee might settle me. Or at least give me something to do with my hands.
I push the door open. A few heads turn.Welcome to village life.There’s no anonymity like in London. Here, you’re the gossip of the day the minute you step foot into the bakery. Jasper warned me about it, but to be honest, I don't give a flying fuck what these people think about me. Let them whisper. I’ve got nothing to hide.
I step up to the counter.
“Settling in all right, I see,” says a voice next to me.
I glance sideways.
“Is that what I can prepare myself for? That you’ll pop up at a moment’s notice wherever I go?” I grin.
“Small village,” Jasper says, sipping his coffee. “There are only so many places we can hang out. I’ll take you to the pub on Friday.”
“I think I ran past it… the Hare & Hound?”
“Nah, mate, that’s for all the London wankers who moved to Little Hadlow. The born-and-breds go to the Royal Boar behind the church.”
“I’m a London wanker who moved here… and so are you.” I point at him as I step up to the counter.
“We hang with the locals,” he replies with a chuckle.
The barista interrupts us. “Flat white?”
I nod. Quite impressive that she remembers my order. I’ve only been here once.
She turns to the machine. Doesn’t say anything else.
Jasper watches her for a beat, then looks at me again. “So?”
“So what?”
“How are you settling in? Found a PA?”
