CHAPTER 50DENISE
CHAPTER 50
DENISE
“You wanted to see me?” Bree asked, popping her head in the door and I gave her a bright smile.
“Ah, yes! Please, sit,” I said, motioning to the chair in front of me.
Nerves made me feel like I was going to throw up, but I thought back to the way I’d mapped this conversation out and all the possible questions she’d have and pushed through it. When she sat down, her hands fiddled in her lap, and I could tell she was just as nervous as I was, so I cut right to the chase.
“You’ve been doing phenomenal work. We love having you here and would love to extend your internship six more months.”
“Really? Thank you! I’m so… wow,” she said, smiling wide as she clapped her hands.
“The difference now would be moving under my supervision,” I said, hoping she didn’t hear the hesitation in my voice. I slid the letter across the desk to her. Now she had to decide if switching mentors made sense to her goals. Before I could even explain the plan for the next six months, she jumped up out of the chair.
“Absolutely!” she screeched.
“Really?” I asked, “You’re sure, you don’t want to—”
“Are you kidding? You’re kind of a legend. I would love to be your mentee! Oh my god, I need to call my dad and tell him. Oh oh, thank you so much. I can’t believe it!” She ran out of the room so fast I didn’t even have time to process that she’d said yes.
I watched the door she’d walked out of in befuddlement. That wasn’t at all what I’d expected but in a good way. The first person that I wanted to share the news with was Hugh.
Opening my messages, I opened our chat.
So, I have a thing that I need to tell you.
He started typing immediately.
Oh? Come here.
I stood, giddy and excited to share the news with him. His door was shut, and I knocked for a second before walking in. Lucian was lounging across his couch, phone in hand—scrolling.
“Hi, sorry, I didn’t realize you were here. I can come back,” I said.
Lucian waved me off. “Nah, pretend like I’m not here. I mean, unless you want to do some weird shit. And then it would depend on the weird shit,” he smiled, the laughter was dancing in his eyes, and I cackled. Hugh… didn’t.
“What’s your thing?” he asked, ignoring Lucian.
“I guess it’s a both of you thing,” I said, “Bree has provisionally accepted the offer to extend her internship and switch mentors.”
“Glad you finally joined the mentorship roster, Denise,” Lucian gave me a wink.
“Oh?” he asked, giving me a look before standing up and walking toward me.
The eye contact was intense, and I fought hard not to back away as he stalked toward me. His fingers wove with mine and he brushed my nose with his. “You’re going to do an amazing job, I’m so proud of you.” His arms came around me and I melted into him, breathing in the scent of his cologne as he held me.
“Thank you,” I said against his chest.
“I just held up the mirror,” he replied low.
When I pulled away, he was smiling wide. I smiled up at him just as big.
“Hmm, I guess you do love me, huh?” I whispered.
He leaned down and kissed my cheek before moving toward my ear, “I could show you. On the pad.”
I cleared my throat, “That breaks the rules, Mr. Calder. Not with the boss right here.”
A snort left his mouth as Lucian slowly brought his phone to his lap and looked over at us before getting up and walking out without saying a word.
Laughing, I saw that expression in his eyes that said he wanted me to close the door. Taking a few steps, I grabbed the door and shut it between us. Walking to my office, I spotted Lucian at Cleo’s desk talking. She caught my eye and gave me a sly, knowing smile and a finger wave. It was hard not to give her the finger.
When I reached my desk, my phone vibrated, and I grabbed it from my pocket.
Running now only makes it worse later.
I didn’t reply.