Chapter 42
CHAPTER 42
I nod vaguely as Adoria reviews the Havens’ entire two-week itinerary, attempting to make a note every time she mentions a like or dislike. I fully expect to be quizzed on these later, so it’s best to memorize her preferences now.
Across the room, Taylor’s head is bent over his laptop as he entertains a similar play-by-play from Victor. The lack of clicking keys tells me Victor’s notes are a hell of a lot less comprehensive than his wife’s.
“And how is the house?” Adoria asks, pitching her voice so it reaches across the room. Victor closes his mouth mid-sentence, sitting to attention so his wife can take center stage. “Nothing worrisome happened while we were away?”
Taylor’s eyes slide to mine before he looks away. His expression is bland when he shakes his head. “Nothing outside of the recap we sent you on Friday. There was a small issue with your plumbers, but they were able to fix your water pressure issue out back without too much of a hassle. Victor, let me know if their job was satisfactory.”
His boss nods vaguely while Adoria purses her lips. Our recap did not mention the leak in the downstairs bathroom, nor the four-day ordeal that was resolved far too close to the Havens’ return for comfort. But they wouldn’t want to know those specifics anyway. It would do nothing but raise Adoria’s blood pressure and force us to plead for our jobs, and no one wants to listen to that.
“Well.” She claps her hands twice, calling her husband to her side. “Were the two of you able to work as a team? I know you have…clashed in the past.”
I tuck my hair behind an ear, surprised she’s noticed. Adoria has never mentioned our little feud, so I assumed we did a good enough job hiding it in front of our employers. That, or she enjoyed seeing us squabble, knowing it pushed us both to work even harder.
Taylor looks my way, assessing me with a cold look. “We had no issues.”
I nod haltingly. “It was our pleasure watching over your house.”
Adoria smirks at us. “Very well. I’ll let you get back to work.”
I watch her leave with Victor, feeling frozen in place until their footsteps disappear down the hall.
Warm hands pull me against a hard chest. I sigh as Taylor leans down, kissing the side of my cheek. “Have I ever told you you’re a terrible actor?”
I turn, wrapping my arms around his neck. “Hush. Not everyone can morph into a robot at the touch of a button.”
Taylor grins. “I know a couple other buttons I’d like to push…”
I place a finger against his lips, preventing him from getting any closer. “We have to be quiet,” I whisper. “You know they’ll hate it if they figure out we’re together.”
He nips the tip of my finger. “I’m not the one who has a hard time staying quiet.”
He laughs as I throw up a middle finger, retreating back to my desk. I’ve been feeling giddy all day. I don’t know how I was ever able to get anything done with Taylor sitting mere feet away. His presence is addictive, it’s overpowering… Which only makes me think of the many other ways I’d like to feel him against me.
I lean down, retrieving something from my bag. With a shy little smile, I place it on Taylor’s desk. He looks up, brows raised as I gesture for him to unwrap my gift.
His lips twitch when he reaches for it. So very carefully, he unfolds the brown paper, revealing a perfect blondie sitting square in his palm.
“Thought I owed you one,” I murmur.
His lips part, smile stretching across his face. “You really, really did.”
I hold my breath as he breaks off a piece, teasing me by inspecting it before bringing it to his lips. When he sighs, I let out a breath of relief. “Good?”
His eyes roll up to mine. “So worth the wait.”
I try and fail to smother my grin. “There’s more where that came from. I figure I owe you a decade’s worth of makeup treats.”
“Well, I’m not going to argue with that.”
I rip off a piece of the blondie before he can stop me. My eyes widen in horror when it hits my tongue. “Oh, my god.” I spit it out into a napkin, looking at Taylor in disbelief.
He presses his lips together, trying his very best not to laugh.
“I used salt instead of sugar!” I whisper-scream. “I must’ve mixed them up! Why didn’t you say anything?”
Taylor places his hands on either side of my cheeks. “I wasn’t about to tell you you’re a shitty baker, babe. It’s okay. You can’t be good at everything …” He beams as he throws my words back at me and I resist the urge to wrap my hands around his throat.
“I’m out of practice,” I whine. “I’ll make it up to you, okay? You’re going to be amazed. Really.”
“Sure, sure,” he soothes, pressing my cheeks together until I’m sure I resemble a fish. “It’s okay, sweetheart. At least you’re really pretty.”
I groan as he presses a kiss against my puckered lips. We break away just as Adoria’s heels come clicking down the hall. We’re standing a respectable distance apart when she flounces back into the room.
“It’s official,” she announces, like we’re supposed to have any idea what she means.
Victor appears out of nowhere, taking his place beside his wife. “Did you tell them the good news?”
“I’m getting to it, darling.”
Taylor and I exchange a brief look. History tells me the Havens have a very different definition of “good news”.
“We have been greenlit. The studio is expecting a finished first draft by August.” She stops for dramatic effect. “That means we’ll be leaving for Italy the third week of June. Will the two of you be able to make all the appropriate reservations this week?” I nod at the same time as Taylor. “Good. And of course, that means we’ll need to choose who will be accompanying us.”
Victor clears his throat. “Turn in your best work by the end of the week. We’ll make our decision over the weekend.”
News that once filled me with so much hope now carves a pit inside my stomach. I glance at Taylor and find his eyes are already trained on me. On his face is the same feeling I’m desperately trying to ignore:
Dread.