Page 29 of Don't Game Me
“I’m Becca, Noah Harrison’s sister. If you want, I’ll take the food to Jake. He’s… Well, he’s in a mood today after we just ran a wedding errand. Apparently, there’s some sort of marketing crisis he’s dealing with.”
“That’d be super of you.” She handed over the bags. “I wasn’t expecting him to be in today. I’m just filling in for Emma, you know.” She smoothed a hand down her Yale T-shirt. “Emma is so put together all the time and today I… My boyfriend was in town last night and…”
“Got it.” She flashed a girl-support smile, not really interested in what promised to be details of this girl and her boyfriend, details she’d probably never get out of her head.
“Hey, can you tell him his marketing manager wants a few minutes today, if he’s got time?”
“Sure. We’ve got the wedding rehearsal soon and dinner afterward. I doubt there’s time for a marketing meeting.” The food was heavy and tough to juggle with the four drinks.
“Food,” she announced as she entered Jake’s office. She mouthed a silentoopsandsorrywhen she realized he was still speaking into the phone.
She arranged food on the coffee table and watched Jake as he switched speaking between German and English on the phone while scrolling screens on his computer.
She could pull out Pascal’s phone and pretend to web surf, key in the sequence, and allow it to sync to his computer, which he had open. So simple. Yet, complex as hell.
A reach into her small purse to grip the phone… She dropped it back into the purse.
Jake said good-bye and hung up.
He fanned one hand through his hair and glanced up. “Sorry about that. Call took longer than I expected.”
“Food?” she choked out. Fear of the consequences of disregarding Pascal’s order buzzed through her.
She tried to look hopeful about eating even though the concept of eating increased her stomach pain.
“Fix me a plate. I’m going to wash my hands. Back in a minute.” He strode out.
Now. This was her golden moment. Him out of the room.
She gripped the phone tight again as she opened its home screen and clicked on the appropriate app. Four more button pushes. Click-click on the right and then the left. One final click on the right.
No. Can’t do this.The phone fell back to the bottom of her purse, its home screen going dark.
She removed the paper goods and plastic containers of food. Smelled great, but her appetite had disappeared. The quantity of food could feed six or seven people. Maybe they should invite Kylie to join them, and anyone else in the building.
When he returned, she’d barely gotten out the containers. She opened a few to assess their contents. “How was your phone call?”
“Done.” He didn’t sound pleased. He took over arranging the food, filling a plate. He handed it to her.
She glanced down at the selections. All the right choices of items she loved when she wasn’t on the brink of committing corporate espionage. He’d even ordered the Pompano fish dish without mushrooms. “How’d you know I would’ve chosen these?”
“Good guess. We’ve eaten at Restaurant Laos before together. Thanksgiving two years ago, remember?” He shrugged.
She rolled her eyes heavenward. “Ugh. I will never volunteer to cook the turkey again. Never. Ever. Ever.”
“The turkey was…” His eyes sparkled with suppressed laughter.
“Raw.” The bird had been in the oven for at least eight hours before they realized the temperature was too low.
“Remember when your mom freaked out after finding Michael’s dog in the kitchen, licking some of her side dishes? That was the same Thanksgiving.”
Becca smiled. She’d declared all the food saliva contaminated and chucked it.
Jake released a dramatic sigh. “All of her deviled eggs in the trash.”
A snort laughed escaped her. “You hate eggs.”
He nodded.
