Page 18 of Devotion: Isn't What It Seems (Love Isn't What It Seems 1)

Chapter Six

Iwas busy the entire day helping Colin and statusing the production for the end of the day update I owed Lachlan. My mind worked furiously to think of some excuse why I wouldn’t have to see him. I didn’t want to be anywhere near him at all. I dreaded seeing him again, and even more, I dreaded my reaction to him. I kept analyzing everything about him from the moment I saw him and kept going back to the same conclusion; it was his resemblance to Hunter that woke me up.

Before I knew it, it was half past three in the afternoon, and Colin came into my office before leaving for the day.

“You have everything you need?” he asked, referring to statistics I owed Lachlan. I nodded, almost tempted to beg him to do it in my stead. But I kept my mouth shut.

“Eve,” he started softly, “...do you want me to go with you?”

I shook my head. I was an adult, although a broken one. “I’m fine.”

He nodded and was out the door with one last backward glance. I took a deep breath, trying to mentally prepare myself for seeing a face with familiar features I used to love.

Before everything.

I shook my head, chasing the thoughts away.

I found myself in front of Lachlan's door and knocked just once.

“Come in,” he called out.

I opened his office door and peeked my head in. I hoped I could drop my status papers and just leave. He didn’t need help reading them, I hoped.

He motioned for me to come in and sit down so I walked over to his desk. I laid the paper on his desk and sat down with my fingers twisted together on my lap.

“How did it go with production today?” he asked.

“Fine,” I answered. “The ramp up is starting strong.”

“Good,” he answered as he went to loosen up his tie.

Of its own will, my eyes followed the movement, noticing his tan skin. That neck… I never found a man’s neck to be attractive. On Lachlan McLaren, it was very attractive. And why was he tan? Scotland wasn’t exactly beach territory.

Hunter wasn’t tan,the fleeting thought hit me.

I furrowed my eyebrows, trying to recall whether my late husband’s skin was even slightly tan. Pictures in my memory were hazy and I had no photos left. Even my cell phone was left behind that night and it burned down to ashes with the house.

I looked up and found Lachlan's grey eyes watching me, his gaze piercing me.

“Why the frown, Miss Bailey?” he asked, his voice almost taunting. “Don’t like what you see?”

I felt my body heat up. Although I had to question my sanity with the conclusion that my body seemed to like Lachlan McLaren.

I stared at his face, noting his full lips and strong jaw that dominated his face alongside those grey eyes. I wondered if his eyes changed shade in the heat of passion. I blinked in shock at the thought. At myself.

“Is this all?” There was no point in answering his question.

The silence stretched between us, our eyes locked, and I felt like time stood still.

“How long has it been since your husband passed away?”

His direct question caused me to stiffen up.

If I was honest with myself, it wasn’t an abnormal question, but everyone avoided asking it. And I played along. They pretended and I did the same. The only one that ever tried to talk to me about it was Elise, and I firmly shut her down. I didn’t want her to know what I saw on that last night, it was a final straw that pushed me over the edge. Even now, it hurt to think about it; I didn’t want her to hurt too.

“Ten months,” I answered. Unaware of my hand motion, my fingers reached out for the rings hanging off my necklace and his eyes followed the movement. The necklace was a reminder to myself, never to forget.

“It is hard losing your spouse,” he commented softly and I frowned wondering where this was going. I had no intention of discussing any of it with him, he was a complete stranger. I remained tight-lipped with my eyes locked on him and laid both hands in my lap.

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