Chapter 21
ELODIE
Behind my desk, I listen as Blair complains. “Please, Elodie.” She brings her hands together in prayer as she sits across from me. “I’m going to lose my mind.”
I smile, and while I understand her frustration, there is no way around it. “Sorry, every intern needs someone to shadow. You have Katie shadowing you, and I’m not going to switch around. She’s only here for a few weeks as part of her college course.”
Blair stares at me blankly. “She told everyone in the breakroom that Hayes is really hot until someone pointed out your connection, then she mentioned ‘hashtag cute couple’ as part of an actual sentence. Even I don’t do that.”
Having to hide a chuckle wouldn’t have been me six weeks ago. I would’ve been mortified by this situation, but I’m not concerned by a 20-year-old intern or what people think.
“You must be desperate if you just brought that up.” Because, as much as I’m sure people gossip, nobody actually says anything to my face.
She slumps in her chair, then leans forward as she pleads. “I’m sorry. I’m just dying here.” She looks genuinely desperate.
I pick up a pen with no intent to use it. “Besides, ‘hashtag cute couple’ is all speculative in her head. But please do get her back on focus.”
Her eyes widen slightly. “Sure,” she replies dryly, then pushes herself up from the chair, her shoulders drooping as she turns to go.
I watch her walk away, only for Sutton to appear at my door, and my smile turns big. “Hey! What are you doing here? I thought you weren’t coming until tomorrow?”
Sutton is neatly dressed in a fitted knee-length dress with a matching charcoal-gray blazer. “HR asked if I could change days to go over their job offer and sign, but it works out better because of the long weekend we just had and visiting Everhope.”
She enters the room and takes the vacant seat. Savannah and I have spent the past week trying to persuade Sutton to accept the job offer. HR even contacted me to ask for suggestions on how to convince Sutton to join the legal department, since they are eager to have her do so.
I drop my pen onto the desk. “So, did you sign?” I wonder about her final decision.
She has a warm, honest smile. “I did.”
I beam. “Yay!”
“I came borderline and calm, partly because I have two offers from other companies. I don’t need the job, you know. But I had the tour, and everyone said the right things.”
I wiggle my brows at her. “It was also, of course, ‘I’ll join my bestie, Elodie, at her place of work.’ Although we will rarely cross paths unless it’s for coffee. I don’t work with legal much. Foster deals with that stuff.”
“Having you here is still a bonus. Anyhow, give me the gossip on Thanksgiving and your family?”
“Fine. Everyone has met, and we can just focus on moving forward. Hayes’s mom went back last night. Hayes has to leave later tonight for a business trip. But that’s not unusual, we puzzle the schedule to ensure Lola stays with him some evenings.”
“But not you?” She smirks as she glances at her heeled shoe hanging half off her foot as she sits with one leg crossed over her knee.
I swivel on my chair. “Sometimes, maybe. It’s hard, to be honest. At first, I thought we should be very cautious around Lola, and her parents spending the night together might put ideas in her head.
Now, I just think that she’s two and has no idea what any of it means, especially as I believe we would be doing things all three of us together even if Hayes and I were not involved. ”
“That’s true. Not to put pressure on you, but as a friend,” Sutton brings her hand to her chest, indicating herself, “I need to ask the trigger question of at what point do you believe you both will work out and begin to take the step to something else? I mean, living together, marriage, I don’t know.
You guys still kind of sneak around, no? ”
“Not enough if I have an intern deciding I’m gossip material. But anyhow, we’re private people, which means it isn’t sneaking around.”
My phone goes off, and I see that it’s my apartment building management. They had called earlier to ask if they could check inside my apartment because the apartment upstairs had a water pipe issue.
I hold my finger up to ask Sutton to hold on a second.
“Hi, it’s Elodie.” I listen to him explain the situation, and dread fills me to the brim.
Nothing about the story is reassuring. “Thanks. Yeah, I will probably think of… I will stop by in an hour or so to check.” Cringing as I hang up, I guess this isn’t going to be a great day.
“What’s up? You look like you just sank to the bottom of the sea.”
Growling, I rub my forehead and temples as I mentally adjust. “Well, my apartment just might. The apartment upstairs had a burst pipe while they were away for the weekend. Guess who apparently has water seeping through her ceiling?” I raise my hand. “Yep, yours truly.”
“Oh no, what does that mean?”
“Well, they have to get drywallers in to fix my ceiling, but it has to dry first before they can come. I can’t have Lola in the apartment while they do this. It’s going to take at least a week or two, maybe more. The building takes care of this stuff.”
Sutton pretends to check her nails. “Oh my, look what fate just threw at you. Hmm, I wonder where you could stay?”
Sighing, it’s a mix of my apartment issue and knowing where my day is going. “Sure. I’m going to ask Hayes, but it’s because of Lola, and she has a room there. As for Hayes and me living together, that’s a different situation, I’m positive he will point out. This is temporary.”
“Sure. Whatever you say.” She doesn’t sound convinced. “Anyhow, I would say let’s grab lunch, but I think you have bigger fish to fry right now. Hopefully, they are not swimming in the ocean in your apartment.” She stands.
“Wait.” I grab my phone as I rise. “I’ll join you, as I need to…”
She looks at me wide-eyed, aware of what I’m doing. “See Hayes?” she finishes the sentence.
“Yep.”
“I’m happy there are company perks here, and that is that I’ll get to have a front-row seat to the Elodie and Hayes show.”
“At least I’ll have another friend around.”
We leave together, and once in the elevator, the door is about to close but slides back when a hand stops it. Foster appears and joins us.
“Morning, Elodie,” he greets me, and his finger stabs the number for the floor where the logistics department is. His eyes drift, and I follow his line of sight which lands on Sutton, who gives him a courteous, feeble smile.
They both linger a second more than they should.
For fuck’s sake.
“Sutton. Her name is Sutton,” I announce blandly. “Friend,” I stress to Foster, and he returns his attention to me.
"How convenient.” He doesn’t sound thrilled.
Sutton struggles to grasp the message between Foster and me. It’s our own communication style, developed over the years of working together.
“So he gets to know my name, but I have no clue who he is?” She teasingly complains to me.
“Foster. Friend of Julian. Executive team member at the company you are going to work at, and my manager.” I’m lacking pep in my tone.
Something clicks in Sutton’s head. “Ah, yeah. I’ve heard about you before. You’ll also be at the big wedding.”
“Big wedding?” He’s a little confused.
“Savannah and Julian,” she clarifies.
It registers for him. “Of course, that extravaganza.”
“I mean, we could probably add Hayes and Elodie to the season, complete with a wedding gift registry for a new toaster.” She glances sideways at me with a smirk.
Foster chuffs a laugh and looks at the arrow above the door, indicating his floor is next. “You are going to fit in around here.” As the door opens, he adds, “Have a good day, ladies.” He definitely gave Sutton one last once-over.
When the doors close, I turn to Sutton with my best unimpressed look, even if there is a tiny laugh wanting to escape me.
She shrugs at me. “What? He is part of the inner circle out of the office.”
I can't argue. My mind's already somewhere else.
Cautiously, I glance around to make sure no one is watching as I quickly exit the elevator and head to Hayes’s office. Once inside, I close the door securely behind me with a definitive click and lean against it, as if bracing myself.
Hayes’s eyes drift up from his laptop screen, and he notices me. Lines form on his forehead in confusion before a smirk slowly draws on his face.
“Well, well, well.” He stands and buttons his blazer as he rounds his desk. “What a surprise. You never come in here. Avoid this place like the plague.” He perches on the front of his desk. “What brings you here, Elodie?”
I’ll never get tired of the way my name rolls off his lips.
I step away from the door, and I slowly approach him to close the distance. “I kind of need to talk to you about something.”
His brows knit together. “Oh? Sounds kind of serious. Here I was thinking I could finally have my way with you on my desk.” I roll my eyes, as I should have known that cliché was coming.
He holds out his hands because he also understands that humor might not be needed.
“What is it? We survived the weekend, right? Is it Lola?”
I accept his hands with my palms landing on his. “She’s fine, but this is kind of about her. My building attendant phoned, and the apartment upstairs has a burst pipe.”
He winces. “Yikes. I have a feeling I know where this is going. Your apartment has some damage?”
“Yeah. They’re going to need to fix it with drywall and everything. It falls under their liability insurance, thankfully. I hate to ask, but I need a favor.”
“Huh,” he scoffs. “You hate to ask.” His wry smile tells him he is a tiny bit amused.
Ignoring his comment, I move on. “Since Lola has a room at your place and you are away this week anyway, would it be possible for us to—”
“Sweetheart, this doesn't require a question, as this is just perfection. You and Lola will be living exactly where you are supposed to.” His eyes bolt me in.