Chapter 56
Chapter Fifty-Six
A few days later, I waltzed into the office with a spring in my step. Humming an upbeat tune under my breath, I deposited my purse under my desk with a flick of my wrist. As the bag left my grip, the click-clack of computer keys reached my ears. I swivelled towards the sound. A familiar face glanced up over the monitor of the spare desk on the opposite side of the room. Her light brown hair was plaited in a thin, limp braid.
“Petra!” I blinked, taking in her beige cardigan and sensible black slacks. “What are you doing here?”
She offered a weak smile. “Oh, hi, Milly. Mr. Kingston asked me to fill in again for a bit. I hope you don’t mind sharing your space with me.”
I shook my head, moving towards her desk with slow steps, buying time to school my expression. “Of course not. You just caught me by surprise. That’s all.” I held back a frown. When had Neil organised this, and why hadn’t he mentioned it to me? “I didn’t know you would be here.”
Petra nodded, her braid bobbing. “It all happened quite suddenly. Mr. Kingston called me first thing this morning and asked if I could come in straight away.”
“I didn’t even realise we needed extra admin support right now.”
“I think he wants me here for the next few weeks or so.”
Weeks? What’s this all about?
“It will be nice to have you here,” I said with forced brightness.
“I’m thankful for the opportunity. It makes a change from my usual work.”
I turned on my heel. “Well, I’ll just go and make Neil’s coffee.”
“Oh! There’s no need. I’ve already made him one.”
“You have? Great. Thank you.”
I grabbed my diary off my desk and strode towards Neil’s office before I could dwell on the tickle of irritation from being left out of the loop.
Neil was thumbing through a sheaf of papers when I entered.
“Morning.” I waved my diary. “I just wanted to touch base about our schedule for the week.”
Neil’s mouth edged up at one corner. “Straight to business, then?”
I shut the door behind me with a snap. “What’s going on? Why did you bring in Petra all of a sudden?”
Neil laid his pen down, linking his fingers atop the stack of paperwork. “No need for alarm. Petra will provide some temporary assistance. I have a trip to Singapore coming up. While I’m away, it will lessen your workload to have someone helping with admin tasks.”
“What trip? It’s not in the calendar.”
“It’s personal, not business-related.”
“We haven’t talked about it.”
His eyes bored into mine. “We can talk about it later.”
I crossed my arms, tension winding through my muscles. After everything we had been through, he was still keeping me at a distance. “You could have mentioned you were bringing Petra back.”
Neil arched an eyebrow. “I wasn’t aware I needed to clear every business decision past my secretary.”
Ouch.
He might’ve been my superior at work, but I thought we were a team now we were dating. Dating? Whatever our arrangement was supposed to be.
Neil’s demeanour relaxed slightly. “It was a spur-of-the-moment decision. I didn’t think it would bother you.”
I knew I was being petty, questioning his executive decisions. But I couldn’t shake the niggling sense he was keeping something from me about Petra’s role. I shuffled on my feet. “I guess I just don’t see why you think I need help. I’m perfectly capable of holding down the fort solo for a few days.”
“I know you are.” Neil rounded his desk with slow strides until he stood before me. His dark floral cologne flooded my senses, reminding me of time spent wrapped in his arms. “But there’s another reason I thought it prudent to have Petra here.” He inclined his head closer, dropping his voice. “I considered what you said before. If others grow suspicious of the time we spend alone, it will invite more speculation and accusations. I thought bringing in a third party could help dispel some of the rumours. Think of her as a buffer for propriety’s sake.”
“A buffer?” I exhaled a long breath as his meaning crystallised. He intended Petra as some kind of chaperone figure. Not ideal, but compared to the alternative he originally had in mind, I had no complaints. “Well, okay. When you put it like that, I guess I don’t mind having her around. It will be nice to have some company.”
Neil stepped back, clearing his throat and adjusting his cufflinks. He returned to his chair.
I noticed the untouched cup of coffee on his desk. “Petra’s coffee not up to your standards?”
Neil regarded the mug with a flicker of distaste. “Hmm, yes.” He met my gaze. “I suppose you’ll have to show her how to make it.”
“I will.”
Petra perked up as I emerged from Neil’s office. Her wide eyes tracked me all the way to my desk. I gestured her over with a sweep of my arm. “Come sit next to me, and I’ll show you the ropes for the day-to-day.”
She rolled her chair over to me, then sat hands folded in her lap like an attentive student as I walked her through my typical routines
At half past ten, Neil came out, straightening his already perfect tie. “Are you ready?”
I had almost forgotten about the meeting with Polonia Electronics. No matter. I closed out of what I was doing and readied myself.
Petra popped up from her chair, clutching her notebook to her chest. “Oh, should I come along?”
I blinked at her. Surely she didn’t expect Neil to ferry her along to corporate meetings?
“Yes, you may join us,” Neil said.
I shook off my surprise and swallowed back the bitter tang of accommodating a third wheel. Like Neil said, having Petra in tow would bolster the guise of normalcy.
We went down to the lobby and exited through the double doors. Parked at the curb, Winston straightened from buffing a smear off the gleaming vehicle and trotted around to open Neil’s door. His liver-spotted face creased into its usual genial smile beneath his cap. “Morning, Mr. Kingston, Miss Cross.” His gaze shifted to Petra hovering behind me. “Oh, hello there.”
“This is Petra Browne,” I said.
“A pleasure, Ms. Browne.” Winston swept off his hat. “Winston Ramsey, at your service.”
“Nice to meet you,” Petra said.
Neil seated himself in the backseat of the car. As I meandered towards the opposite door, Petra slipped past and got to it first, securing the spot next to Neil.
Recoiling, I stalled for a second, then yanked open the front passenger door and plopped myself down, smoothing my skirt over my thighs.
Winston clambered behind the wheel, catching my eyes with a knowing look. I crossed my arms, biting the inside of my cheek. Neil seemed unfazed by the seating switch-up, engrossed in something on his phone screen.
Is this going to be how things are from now on?