Chapter 21
ALEX
Laughter echoes through the door.
What the…
It’s not the first time today, and the sound is distracting. I sigh heavily, my shoulders tensing.
This is a place of work, not a fucking social club.
Enough. This has got to stop. I never had this problem with Callie. She was popular and friendly, but her laughter didn’t rattle around my head, destroying my concentration. Brooke needs to rein it in and be more professional.
I open the office door. “Brooke,” I snap before stopping short when I see Dante standing next to her desk.
What the hell?
They turn to face me, neither having the good grace to look guilty.
“Hey,” Dante says. “I was in the area and thought I’d pop in and see if you’re free for lunch?” He turns to Brooke. “However, Brooke here said you were busy and could not be disturbed,” he says, and there’s no missing the lopsided smile curling one corner of his mouth.
No fucking way! He’s flirting with her!
I cross my arms and stare at one of my longest-standing friends.
“So, you decided to distract her from her work instead,” I say, wincing at the bite in my tone.
Dante grins. “Just getting to know Callie’s replacement,” he says, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “Need to know who to get onside. I was just telling her how we met.”
Oh no, he wasn’t…
I tense as he turns and grins at Brooke. She answers with a genuine smile, and I suck in a breath as my hands clench.
“Well, you can stop distracting her now and distract me instead,” I say, stepping back and motioning for him to enter my office. I turn and shoot Brooke a look that wipes the smile from her face. “Have you finished those reports?” I ask.
“I sent them through half an hour ago,” she replies, her tone quiet, as if she’s trying to pacify a feral animal.
“Good. Can you arrange for Monty to send up some lunch for us both?”
“I’ll get right on it,” she says with all the efficiency I would expect from a PA.
No arguments, no calling me out on my shit. But it’s impossible not to miss the fire burning in her eyes. I start to turn away and pause.
“There seems to have been a lot of noise out here this morning,” I say, without mentioning her laughter.
She rises, and brings over a sheet of paper.
“You’ve had quite a few visitors,” she says, holding out a list.
I scan it. Sue from HR and Mickey from Public Relations, both people she was right to give her time to. The last name on the list, however, makes me tense. Teresa, our Artistic Director. She should have been put through.
“Teresa came to see me? Why didn’t you let me know?”
Brooke’s head jerks at my tone.
“Well…um, you told me you didn’t want to be disturbed,” she says, biting her bottom lip and swallowing.
I harrumph, knowing I’m being unreasonable, but seeing her flirt with Dante has me grinding my teeth.
“When another director comes to see me, they trump everything. Do I make myself clear?”
Brooke drops her chin. “Crystal. I’m sorry, it won’t happen again. Would you like me to get her on the telephone and reschedule? She said it wasn’t urgent, but…”
“I’ll call her when I’m finished with Dante,” I snap. “Order our lunch and try not to get distracted any further.”
I turn away, only to find my friend scowling at me from my office. I walk towards him, without a backward glance. I close the door with a loud click.
“That was a bit harsh,” he says, raising an eyebrow. “I’m not sure she deserved that.”
“You know nothing,” I snap.
“Ouch, someone clearly got out of bed on the wrong side this morning,” he says, not letting my sour mood tarnish his own. “Want to talk about it?”
I drop into my chair, the backrest springing me forward. I run a hand through my hair, watching a smirk form on my friend’s face.
“She’s getting to you?”
I scowl at him. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“Brooke. That incredibly beautiful young woman who is sitting outside your office. The one who’s taken over from Callie. Who is lovely by the way and has a very professional manner.”
“I know who Brooke is,” I snap.
I ignore the fact that he called her beautiful. It’s not like I can deny it. I have eyes in my head. But she’s more than that, she’s also highly intelligent and super-efficient.
I close my eyes, inhaling deeply, knowing the more I deny it, the worse he’ll get. He’s been my friend for over twenty years. I met him at university in London, and we have been friends ever since. He was my best man at my wedding to Loretta and supported me in the aftermath of my divorce.
When I look up, Dante is sitting back in the chair opposite, relaxed and watching me.
“What?” I say.
He chuckles. “Oh, man. How long has this been going on?”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“You’re attracted to her.”
“Keep your voice down for Christ’s sake,” I hiss.
“Are you going to deny it?” he asks with a shrug.
“She’s closer in age to my niece,” I say.
Dante shakes his head. “That doesn’t answer my question.”
“That’s all the answer you’re going to get. I’m not playing this game with you.”
“Okay, how’s Aubrey? When are you going to finally introduce us? How long’s it been now? A year?”
I quirk an eyebrow as a knock sounds at the door.
“Come in,” I say.
I’m surprised when Molly, one of the kitchen staff, enters. I’ve only learned her name recently after hearing Brooke talk to her. I stifle my groan.
Bloody Brooke.
“Come in, Molly,” I say to the young woman hovering in the doorway.
“Er, I have your lunch, sir. Where would you like me to put it?”
Her eyes shift nervously between Dante and me.
Oh hell, I’m terrifying the staff now. And why isn’t Brooke bringing in our lunch?
I motion to the large circular table in the corner of the room, concerned that her hand is shaking so badly she’ll upend the tray if I ask her to come any closer.
She bobs in a near curtsey, and I notice my friend bite his lip to stop himself from laughing out loud.
What the fuck!
Molly lays the table as though she’s serving in a five-star restaurant before walking backwards towards the door.
“Molly, can you send Brooke in please?” I say.
She nods again before scurrying to the exit, closing the door behind her.
Dante looks at me, his lips twisting as he tries to contain his laughter.
“Don’t,” I say, shooting him a look that he ignores. His laughter bursting free.
A knock sounds.
“Come in,” I say, glaring at my friend.
“You wanted me?” Brooke appears at the doorway without a trace of an apology, her eyes almost goading me.
My cock hardens, and I grit my teeth.
“Dante wanted to thank you for arranging our lunch.”
Brooke turns and gives him the warmest of smiles.
“You’re welcome,” she says. “I hope you enjoy it. I had them send up their steak specials.”
Dante smiles back, and my spine stiffens.
“Fantastic, I love steak,” he says smoothly, his eyes locked on hers.
I cough, determined to break the spell.
“That will be all.”
Her gaze returns to mine, her eyes hardening. “Enjoy your lunch,” she says before turning and leaving. The door shuts firmly behind her.
Dante chuckles as he swivels in his chair.
“Where were we? Oh yes, the lovely Aubrey?”
“Shut up and eat,” I say, getting up and moving to the table where Molly has laid out our food.
To his credit, he doesn’t push me on the topic of Brooke, apparently satisfied he’s made his point, although I’m not sure what he was aiming for.
I’d have to be blind not to notice how attractive she is, but there’s also the whole boss-subordinate line.
One I’ll never cross. I also don’t want Dante doing what David did with Callie.
I’m not here to provide my friends with a dating pool!
Shit.
Since when did I become possessive of my staff? Maybe because I know he’s not looking to settle down and is one of New York’s most prolific playboys. He would eat someone as young and inexperienced as Brooke alive, probably breaking her heart and leaving me to pick up the pieces.
At nearly forty, Dante, like me, is at a different stage in his life.
He has a master’s in business and runs his own successful investment firm.
He spends his days rubbing shoulders with politicians and world leaders.
He doesn’t need someone rudderless, someone who hasn’t completed her education and has chosen to travel the world rather than settle down and find her path in life.
After lunch, I escort Dante to the elevator, ignoring the way Brooke looks up from her desk and smiles as he says goodbye and wishes her a pleasant day.
Bastard.
I know he’s trying to get a rise out of me, and I hate to think of the ribbing I’m going to get from the others when he fills them in.
He clasps my shoulder as the elevator doors open.
“Don’t be too hard on her, or yourself,” he says cryptically, stepping inside before I can respond.
I walk back towards my office. Brooke steps around her desk.
“The report Mickey brought up. I’ve gone through it and annotated the areas I think you may want to look over, and Sue wanted your approval on some new hires?”
It doesn’t surprise me she queries the latter.
“If we’re hiring anyone for our creative teams, they have to go through additional checks,” I explain. “Espionage is a real thing in this industry and more common than you can imagine.”
Her eyes widen. “Right,” she says. “She said she’s placed the CVs in the relevant directory. Do you need me to do anything with them?”
Her question surprises me. She’s stepping into Callie’s role as though she’s worked for me far longer than she has. “No, that’s fine. I’ll look over them later. Let Sue know you’ve told me they’re there.”
I move off towards my office, needing to put some space between us.
I should apologise for being short with her, but I need our power balance to remain in place.
She’s shaping up well and will, I’m in no doubt, become a top-class PA, but she’s only here for the short term and has a lot to learn about life.
“If any more directors come calling, make sure I know about it,” I say.
“Of course,” she replies, and I swear she says, under her breath, “Jackass.”
“Did you say something?” I ask, turning.
“Not at all. Now I know, I won’t make that mistake again.”
“Good,” I say, smothering my smile as I enter my office.