Page 14 of Mine to Love

I can see why she’d appeal to the new president on paper. But I had made it one of my initiatives to create a warm and welcoming environment not only for our customers but for our employees as well.

Dressed in a charcoal suit with faint pinstripes, a white shirt, and blue tie, Logan screams sex in a suit. I eye his pants. Not the ones I sat on the other night, but they’re close. I clamp my thighs together as I watch him cross the lobby and go directly to Naomi, greeting her with a smile and a handshake, before going into her office.

My former office.

“Think that’s the new president?” Brandi swoons.

“New president?” My eyes grow wide.

“It’s not like we have too many hotties dressed like that who live around here. Naomi said he’d be coming in today.”

Fuuucck. How have I been so stupid? I mentally palm my face. Warren had mentioned something about the new president coming from Texas. Logan was in town on business this week. From Texas. He’s loaded and can probably afford to buy all of Acadia Falls.

And I rode him like a cowgirl three nights ago. I’d flung myself at him like a floozy. No wonder he demoted me.

“Did I do it right?” Brandi asks, typing a few more numbers into the screen.

I blink away my lust, my confusion, my nerves, and focus on the screen. “It looks good. Did you remember to—” I tap on the screen when Naomi’s door opens again and Logan steps out.

I can’t hear their conversation, but he nods and turns toward the counter where I stand with three other tellers. I study him as he takes in the lobby, decorated with spring flowers, complimentary lollipops, and dog treats, then looks at each employee.

His gaze skims over me and then flashes back. His dark brown eyes hide whatever emotion is going on behind them, but they pierce me nonetheless into the center of my chest.

“Oh my god. He’s looking at me.” Brandi giggles, tucking a strand of red hair behind her ear.

I swallow. Gulp. Try to speak. Try to blink. Frozen in place, unsure of how to handle the situation, I decide to let him take the lead. His chest puffs slightly as if taking a gulp of air, and then he crosses the lobby and steps up to Patrick, the teller to my far left.

I listen as Logan introduces himself to first Patrick, then Luanne, then Amanda, and finally stopping at Brandi’s window where I’m still standing with her.

“It’s nice to meet you...” His gaze darts to the name plate in front of the window. “Brandi. I’m Logan Pierce, the new president of Coastal Credit Union.”

“Oh. Wow. Hi.” Brandi twirls a lock of red hair around her finger, and I’m about to ask her if she needs a tissue to wipe the drool from her mouth.

I would have rolled my eyes at the over-the-top flirting had I not been so frozen in place.

“There’s no name plate out here for you. Is Brandi training you?” Logan’s gaze lifts to mine, and his dark eyes reveal nothing. No whisper of a secret. No teasing sparkle. No genuine friendliness. It’s bland. Boring. Like we never met before and have no reason to ever talk again.

His indifference pisses me off. Since I’m a professional, I won’t call him out on it. Not now in front of the tellers and with Naomi in ear shot.

“My nameplate and position were on that office door a few days ago. I’ve moved across the lobby to behind the counter and am waiting for a new one. Maybe you could put in a rush order so people don’t get confused and think I’m still the loan officer?”

Brandi gasps next to me, as does Amanda.

Logan doesn’t so much as flinch. He gives me a curt nod and says, “I’ll see what I can do.”

“Douche canoe,” I mutter under my breath as soon as he walks away.

Brandi takes a step back. “Are you okay, Reese?”

It isn’t like me to be unprofessional, especially in front of coworkers. It’s exactly the kind of atmosphere I worked hard not to create. However, since Logan stripped my job away, I don’t care anymore.

The computer by the drive thru window beeps. “You’re doing great, Brandi. I’ll take care of the drive thru.” I turn my back on Logan, who is still standing by the lobby door with Naomi, presumably discussing branch manager stuff he should be talking about with me.

The two hours until closing drag on. Logan left not long after pretending he didn’t know me. I count my drawer, check the other tellers’, and silently go through the closing routine.

I used to crank up the music and make closing fun, sometimes breaking out cookies or snacks—because everyone loves food—and have a mini dance party before heading home. I’m the life of the party, with or without alcohol. With or without a dance floor.

Not tonight. My coworkers can sense the change in my mood and leave me alone. Most likely they assume it’s only from my demotion and my dislike of the man who kicked me out of my office.

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