Page 14 of Devotion: Isn't What It Seems (Love Isn't What It Seems 1)

How was I to prepare for someone that reminded me of Hunter?

I was unwilling to give up on the last two months of progress, just on the account of the man in front of me who looked like my late husband.

The silence stretched as we both studied each other.

It was Colin that finally broke it.

“Eve, this is my nephew, Lachlan McLaren. He owns McLaren company. I think I mentioned him to you before.”

He reached out his hand for a handshake, and for a moment, I stared at that hand unsure if I should take it, as if it could burn me. Hesitantly, I placed my hand into his. As our skin touched, it was as if ice and fire clashed. His hand enveloped mine and his warmth spread through my hand to my arm and rest of my body. I absentmindedly noted how small it looked enveloped in his.

“Nice to meet you, Eve,” his voice vibrated through me. My body awoke to his touch, something I thought was forever dead in me.

I pulled my hand out of his and stared at him in shock. If he noticed how abruptly I removed my hand, he didn’t let it show.

“You too,” I mumbled.

“So tell me,” he started, his voice causing pain and flutter in me. “Why would increasing revenue be possible with the latter scenario and how?”

For a second, confusion hit me and then I remembered. I took a deep breath as I looked away from Lachlan and to Colin and I forced my brain to focus in order to answer.

“The latter investment allows for increased capacity, double of the first one,” I told him in a slightly shaky voice and glanced back to Lachlan's grey gaze. “The assumptions in the second scenario are that even at fifty percent capacity, it will reach the breakeven point prior to the first scenario.”

My tone was husky and shaky. I couldn’t wait to get away from here. I caught his gaze lingering over my face and then over my body before returning to my eyes.

“Eve?” Colin’s voice shook me out of my trance.

“Excuse me?” I looked at both of them in confusion. I missed part of their conversation. Colin's eyes on me held concern while Lachlan's were intense. I couldn’t read him.

“If Lachlan selects the latter project,” Colin started while I glanced between the two, “...are you willing to lead it and report to him daily with the status?”

“Sure,” I mumbled. “I’ll track it daily and give you the status, Colin.”

“Not to Colin,” Lachlan interjected in a tone that screamed he always got his way. “To me.”

I glanced between the two, not understanding. “What does it matter?”

“I want the information directly from the source,” replied Lachlan.

“I’m used to working with Colin,” I answered miserably. My routine would be ruined. I had become used to it. I needed it.

“You’ll get used to working with me,” Lachlan retorted matter-of-factly.

I shook my head, more to myself. I didn’t think I’d ever get used to working with this man.

“No?” he asked with a raised eyebrow and challenge in his eyes.

“I didn’t say anything,” I almost whimpered.

“You shook your head,” he claimed. “You have objections to working with me?”

“Lachlan,” his uncle started in a warning voice.

Lachlan asked in a softer voice but still as relentlessly. “What is your objection to working with me?”

I looked away from him, not wanting a reminder of my pain. I stared out the window, silence stretching between us. The dead silence in the room reflected my soul at this moment. It reminded me of a calm before the storm. I just didn’t know when the storm would hit. I felt it brewing since that night when I came back home early to find Hunter in our bedroom with someone else.

I glanced back at Lachlan and we locked eyes.

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