Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
Blair
“Yes, Cara, for the millionth time, I will be as nice as I can be. Strictly professional.” I groaned while Cara reminded me for the third time about my meeting with Drea. Like I could forget.
Cara had another client to meet, so it was going to be just the two of us. I attended two yoga sessions and even went for a facial and a massage. I needed all the serenity I could get.
I was in my cab headed to the store when she called.
“Great! Call me later, and good luck.” The line went silent, and I groaned before heading into the bookstore.
When I walked in it was pretty quiet. A few people were sitting around reading, and Kaia was at the counter with a redhead I’d seen once or twice.
“Hey, Blair, welcome in,” Kaia greeted from the cash register. I squared my shoulders and smiled. Strictly professional. I could do this.
“Hello, Kaia, it’s nice to see you again.” I turned to the redhead who was on her phone doing something. “Fallon, right?” I asked.
“Yes, hi again, Blair. I’m so sorry, I’m being rude. Wedding brain. Kaia, tell Drea I’ll see her later? Enjoy your meeting, Blair,” she said with a smirk.
“It’s alright, I understand. Congratulations on the engagement.
” There was a softness in her eyes, and it made something in my chest ache.
I longed to have that feeling. Of being with someone who made me look that way when I talked about them.
That made them look that way at someone when they talked about me.
“Thanks. Bye, guys.” And with a blink, she was gone.
I turned back to Kaia, who was looking at something within the bookstore. I tried to follow her gaze, but as soon as I turned my head, her throat cleared. “So, Drea is in her office. You can go on back.”
I whipped my head back in her direction. “Oh, thank you. Can you just let her know I’m here? I think it’s best if I don’t go back there, considering how the last meeting went.”
She frowned. “Nonsense. You need a private setting to discuss business. Go on back. She knows you’re coming. It’ll be fine, Blair.” She motioned to the back toward Drea’s office, and I hesitated. Drea and I had never been alone together before. It seemed risky, but what choice did I have?
Did I want to sit and argue with Kaia, or relent and go back to Drea’s office? Arguing with Kaia would be like kicking a three-legged puppy, and even I wasn’t that cruel.
“Sure.” I decided it wasn’t worth the fight. Besides, I was an adult. Surely I could handle myself around her. I took a deep breath and rounded the counter, heading toward the back.
I was a little nervous, but I couldn’t let Drea see that. Our initial meeting with Cara was a nightmare. I went into it with a clear head, hoping to end on a positive note, but that didn’t happen.
When I walked into that first meeting, I almost dropped my latte.
I hadn’t seen her in so long, but she still looked the same.
Same shaved head, same dark caramel skin, same labret piercing.
What was it about that damn piercing that made me want to circle it with my tongue? Woah, where did that thought come from?
I remember so vividly what she had on that day. She wore the shortest pair of black jean shorts I had ever seen someone wear, exposing her mile-long legs. If she had bent down, I would have seen more of Drea Voss than I needed to.
She paired them with a white button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up, the shirt tucked into her shorts. She looked casual but still somehow professional. The closest she’d ever gotten to professionalism so far.
Before today's meeting was over, I would need to remember to tell Drea to install an air conditioner. I was sweating outside of her office in the middle of spring.
I knocked on the office door and waited.
“Come in.” Drea’s voice came through the door, and I rolled my neck. I could do this.
I took a deep breath and opened the door. She was wearing a low-cut maroon button-up shirt that accentuated the perfect shape of her breasts and hugged her natural curves. I couldn’t look away even if I wanted to.
I blamed the lack of protein from my breakfast for the way I fantasized about what was underneath her shirt and how they would feel in my hands, or in my—
She was looking at her computer screen when she spoke. “What is it, Kaia? Is that—” She stopped when she looked up and saw me, and I quickly looked away. I hoped she didn’t catch me staring.
I crossed my arms. “Don’t stop on my account. Please continue. What were you going to say? Is that bitch here yet? Is that pain in the ass best-selling author still coming in?”
“Your words, not mine,” she mumbled.
“What was that?”
She cleared her throat. “Nothing, apologies. Please, have a seat.” She motioned to the two chairs in front of her desk and went back to her computer, typing away at something.
The room was as silent as a library, only the soft pounding of her fingers on the keyboard filling the space.
I hated myself for wondering what else those thumping fingers could do. Seriously, Blair?
I was anxious to break the silence between us.
“Nice office. It’s very… simple,” I said, looking around.
The walls were bare, and the only furniture besides the desk and chairs, was a small couch in the corner.
Simple wasn’t necessarily bad, but I couldn’t bring myself to give her a proper compliment.
“I prefer simple over complicated.” She looked up from her computer, and I’d never noticed how dark her eyes were before. They were like warm pools of chocolate, and I could get lost in them if I wasn’t careful.
I shook away my thoughts about any part of her and cleared my throat. “And what is that supposed to mean?”
“It means exactly what you think it means.” She exhaled before continuing. “Listen, we’re supposed to be playing nice, so can we just get down to business and get this over with, please?”
“Wow, she has manners. I’m very impressed.” I sighed. “You’re right. Our spy out there is probably listening to every word.” Kaia was a sweet girl, but Cara informed me that she had asked her to make sure we stayed in line.
“Exactly. Cara wants us to come up with some sort of plan for the signing. Did you have anything in mind?”
“Well, I always like to do a small Q&A before the actual signing. Is that going to be a problem this time?”
She rolled her eyes. “No problem at all. Anything else?”
I sighed, irritated by the fact that she should have known by now what I like. This wasn’t my first signing with her, but God, did I hope it was my last. “You know I always have a dessert table set up.”
She wrote something down in her notebook, gripping the pen a little tighter than she needed to.
I frowned, already feeling like I was a burden to her. I was contractually obligated to work with her, but Drea? I wasn’t sure why she’d agreed to work together if she hated me so much. If a simple request was a big deal to her. “If that’s too much to ask for…”
She looked up at me and shook her head. “No. A dessert table is fine.”
“Then why are you gripping the pen like you have a personal vendetta against it?” I was honestly beginning to feel bad for the poor pen. She had quite the grip.
She looked down at her victim and lessened her hold. “It’s nothing. I’m fine.”
“Are you sure?” I wasn’t sure why I was pressing.
“Yes!” she bit out. That was what I got for trying to be civil.
She didn’t look fine, but I didn’t ask anymore questions. I didn’t care, anyway. “Okay… Well, if that’s all, I can get out of here and tell Cara no one got hurt.” I stood up and headed for the door.
She stopped me as my fingers wrapped around the door knob. “Hey, Blair?” When I turned around, she stood up and cut the space between us.
My pulse quickened when she got closer. I didn’t know what to expect. We had never been that close before, and I wasn’t prepared for whatever she was about to say or do.
She was quiet for several moments and the air felt thick. “Thank you… for doing this. I know it’s not what either of us really want to be doing, but I appreciate it.”
I swallowed. “Yeah… sure.” I turned to walk away but paused when I heard her speak again.
“Also… that color looks good on you.”
I looked down at my forest-green sweater dress. I didn’t think about turning around to let her see my heated face. I left the bookstore for the second time that week, feeling the need to cool down.