Page 28 of Diverge

Chapter Nine

Billie

After Nate left thismorning, I felt oddly happy and satisfied. It was a strange feeling considering I usually curse everyone and everything if I wake up earlier than midday on a weekend. I spent my entire morning smiling like I slept with a hanger in my mouth as I got up, threw on some clothes, and made my way to Finn’s law firm. I hadn’t slept with someone in quite a while. I mean, I just never had the time.

Sure, B, let’s use that excuse.

I arrive and park my car in the visitor’s spot out front of the firm. The building looks like it has a billion floors, which makes my head spin as I look up. Making my way inside, I step into the elevator, clutching my laptop in one hand and my bag in the other. My pulse quickens when I realise the last time I was here was when I was eighteen.

Shit.

Maybe this was a bad idea. I don’t have time to think as the elevator doors ding open into the large, modern reception area. I’m greeted by an older woman who gives me a genuine smile.

“Hi dear, how can I help you?” she asks as she looks at me through her glasses.

“Uh, hi, I’m here to see Finn Mackenzie, please.” I briefly look around the reception area, noticing how little has changed since I’ve been here. They still have the same Monstera plant, although it has grown comfortably into its space near the floor-to-ceiling windows. The paintings are still the same, and the wall behind reception still houses the large ‘Mackenzie Law’ sign.

“May I have your name?” The nice lady smiles expectantly.

I fumble my words from how nervous I am.

“Oh yes, sure, sorry. Billie. Billie Quinn.”

She ushers me into a meeting room and tells me it won’t be long before the team will join me. I begin unpacking my bag and plugging in my laptop when my phone rings. Fumbling through my bag, I finally find it.

Fuck. It’s Fiona.Taking a steadying breath, I answer the call.

“Hi, Fiona, is everything okay?” Since shenevercalls me on the weekends, I know there must be something I didn’t do or something I did incorrectly.

“Billie, we need you to come in this afternoon. Our automotive client needs some changes to be done urgently to their website.” I stifle my groan.

“I’m currently busy, unfortunately. Is Laura available?” I hear her sigh over the phone.

“Can you please put half an hour in my diary on Monday? We should have a chat.” With that, she hangs up and leaves the pit of anxiety burning a hole in my chest.

Placing my phone down on the large boardroom table, I hear the door open. The breath is squeezed out of me as Finn walks in, clean shaven, Calvin Klein suit hugging his perfect masculine figure. Keeping his distance, he smiles that heart-melting, panty-dropping smile I remember from years ago, although now it’s a lot less boyish.

“Thanks for coming,” he says in his husky voice.

“You know, I’m usually very busy over the weekends. So, you should feel especially lucky that I’ve allocated time to help you with this.” My mouth twitches as I try to keep my smile from creeping in.

He smirks.

“Again, thank you. Your time means everything to me.” He walks over to the seat next to me and takes a seat. I do the same. “I thought I could run you through what we’re looking for first, before I introduce you to the team, so you’re not going in blind.” Nodding, I open my laptop and begin a new page on my note-taking app.

“We’ve got the marketing team and general manager brainstorming on what the new brand refresh will look like, but I want your input on those, too. We’re expanding to include pro bono clients in our clientele, so we want the rebrand to reflect that type of work, too,” he explains.

“That’s amazing, Finn.” I look up at him. Have his eyes been on me this entire time? It’s too easy to get lost in his stormy blue eyes so I look away and focus on my notes.

He pauses, which makes me look at him again, and when I do, boy, do I regret it.

The obvious longing in his eyes is unmistakable. He licks his lips and continues.

“I want your input as much as you’re happy to give, and I want you to take the lead on the designs for all marketing collateral.” Nodding, I begin to make notes.

After a few minutes of explaining in detail what Mackenzie Law is looking for in their brand refresh, he leans back in his chair and fiddles with his pen which looks super expensive. “I know I promised you a professional relationship, but I need you to know that I never forgot about you, B. I thought about you every single day. I don’t think I could ever forget about you.”

What comes out of my mouth surprises me.

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