Chapter Nine
EMMETT
“Dude, that’s her?”
Callie had excused herself to the restroom. Wick was leaning across her chair, speaking so loud that half the table turned our way.
“Yes,” I hissed. “Keep your voice down.”
I shot a dismissive smile at the onlookers.
“She’s fucking hot.”
I glared at my best friend and shook my head. He responded with a shit-eating grin.
“She is. Honestly, I didn’t think she would be. I assumed you could only see her through rose-tinted glasses. But, my dude, can confirm. She’s hot.”
“Call her hot one more time, and I’ll make your pretty little face bleed this time.”
“Alright, so what’s the plan? You’ve been pining for this girl for, what? Six years?”
“I was not pining. And it’s more like five and a quarter years.”
“Yeah, definitely not pining. Just counting the days.”
“Shut the fuck up. Need I remind you that I was in a serious relationship for years between then and now? When’s the last time you were in one of those?”
“Hey, now. We’re not talking about me. So, again, what’s the plan?”
“There’s no plan. She’s my intern. Less than three weeks ago, you were telling me to tread carefully.”
“Yeah, sure, tread carefully. But have you seen her?”
I narrowed my eyes at him, and he threw his hands up. “Okay, okay. Just tell me this, then. You agree, right? She’s hot as fuck.”
I gave in with an exaggerated sigh. “Yes, Callie is hot as fuck.”
And that was the moment she returned to the table.
Fuck.
* * *
EMMETT
Hey, Callie. I just wanted to apologize again.
CALLIE
It’s fine, really.
EMMETT
I just don’t want things to be weird.
Wick was pestering me, and I was trying to shut him up.
CALLIE
Ah, I see. So, you don’t think I’m hot as fuck?
Umm, what?
EMMETT
I am really unsure of how to reply to that.
CALLIE
LOL! Just paying you back some discomfort.
It won’t be weird, Mr. Price. Don’t worry.
EMMETT
Ugh, don’t “Mr. Price” me. You’re already making it weird!
CALLIE
Couldn’t help myself.
EMMETT
Unkind, Miss Winters.
Ready to get started on the proposal tomorrow?
CALLIE
Yes! I was thinking we could pull Maggie in to create some designs. I know that usually comes later in the process, but I think it will help everyone visualize what we’re planning.
EMMETT
Yeah, that’s a great idea.
CALLIE
I’ll see you in the morning, Emmett. Promise it won’t be weird.
EMMETT
Night, Callie.
That night, I fell asleep thinking about all the ways I’d describe Callie Winters other than “hot as fuck.”
Smart as fuck. Ambitious as fuck. Funny as fuck. Kind as fuck. Beautiful as fuck…
* * *
Later that week, I pored over Callie’s meticulous plan that Maggie had rendered to life, reviewing our presentation for the third time.
Callie leaned in beside me, her scent intoxicating, pointing to a section of the community housing development.
“Here, we should consider an additional entry point so we don’t create a bottleneck in traffic. ”
Her suggestion was brilliant, as always. I scribbled a note in the margin, hyper-aware of her proximity.
“Perfect,” she said. “This is going to help so many people, Emmett. You should be really proud of the work you’re doing here.”
A thrill shot through me at her praise. “Well, we make a good team.”
“That we do.” Her gaze lingered on mine, a flicker of something indiscernible in her eyes.
“Seriously, Callie. I’m really impressed. Not many people can get up to speed in just a couple weeks and contribute so quickly.”
She glanced away, a blush creeping into her cheeks.
We’d been spending more and more time together while working on this project, and my attraction to her had risen to a fever pitch. It was maddening. And completely inappropriate. She was here to work, not have her boss drool all over like an acne-ridden teenage boy.
“You ready then?” I asked.
She nodded.
“After you.” I stood and opened the door, gesturing for her to lead the way to the conference room.
We were about to present our pitch for the community housing development to the company’s leadership team.
We had arrived early, so we used the time to set up the presentation on the conference room screen and lay binders with the project details at each seat.
At exactly half past two, Gene Smith strode into the room, followed by Wick and a timid-looking woman behind him.
“Where’s Dad?” I asked, frowning.
“Called away,” Gene said tightly. I nodded and took my seat opposite Callie.
Throughout the presentation, I couldn’t stop staring at her mouth, barely hearing the brilliant words coming out of it.
I snapped out of my fantasy when I registered the deep rumble of the president of the company.
Gene was second in command after Dad. They were best friends, but they couldn’t have been more different.
Where Dad was kind but pragmatic, Gene was often rude and unreasonable.
I’d never liked him. If he knew what was good for him, he would step down before I took over as CEO.
He was asking questions about the pitch Callie had just presented, but he was addressing them to me. I stared at him. Callie shifted in her seat. The awkward silence continued until she chimed in with an answer. He nodded and asked another question, still looking at me.
Is this old fuck for real?
I wasn’t sure whether he was refusing to acknowledge Callie because she was an intern or because she was a woman. Either way, I was having none of it.
A couple options lay before me: I could answer Gene’s questions and get this meeting over with, or I could continue staring while Callie uncomfortably answered questions he refused to direct at her.
Then there was the third option.
I pulled out my phone and frowned at the blank screen. “Sorry, I need to take this.”
“We’re in the middle of a meeting,” Gene protested.
“I know, I know.” I stood and waved a lackadaisical hand in the air. “This should only take a few minutes. Miss Winters is more than capable of presenting her own plans. Callie, please carry on.”
“Of course, Mr. Price.” Her voice was quiet but self-assured.
“Emmett, this is important business,” Gene said.
“So is this. It’s my proctologist. I need to discuss this issue I’m having with a pain in my ass.”
Wick choked on a sip of his coffee. Next to him, Callie’s eyes were wide as saucers.
I sauntered out of the conference room and down the hall to the small kitchen area.
After grabbing a bag of Skittles, I plopped down in an uncomfortable cafeteria-style chair.
The next thirty-five minutes were spent scrolling TikTok—because yes, that’s possible when you get sucked down a rabbit hole—until I heard quiet footsteps enter the kitchen.
Pointy black shoes appeared in my line of vision. I peeked up through my eyelashes and found Callie standing in front of me with a bemused smile on her face. “You’re something else, you know that?”
I lowered my phone and grinned at her. “How did the rest of the meeting go?”
“It was fine. How’s your ass?”
“Turns out it’s a benign condition. Something caused by prolonged exposure to old, white men.”
“Mm. I see.” She beamed a megawatt smile at me.
We grinned at each other for a few long moments before her smile fell and her expression became serious. “Thank you, Emmett,” she said quietly.
Then she turned and walked away.
I sat in the kitchen for a while afterward, wondering if there was anything I wouldn’t do to see her smile like that again.
* * *
Later in my office, my mind was consumed with visions of Callie. Her smile, the sway of her hips as she walked away from me. She filled my head, erasing the tension and frustration from dealing with Gene. I didn’t even notice when my dad entered the room.
“Hey, son. Sorry I missed the meeting. How did it go?”
“Heard it went well. I missed most of it myself.”
Dad raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”
“Mhm. Gene was being a misogynistic twat.”
“Emmett,” Dad scolded, his tone stern but gentle. “What happened?”
I sighed. “Callie was presenting the proposal, and he wouldn’t even look her in the eye. He directed every question to me, so I faked a call from my doctor and excused myself.”
“I see. Did you speak with Callie after the fact?”
“Yeah, she said it seemed to go well.”
“I meant about Gene.”
“Not directly, but she’s smart. She read the room.” I leaned back in my chair, running a hand through my tousled hair.
“I’ll have a talk with him.”
Frustration bubbled up inside me. “I don’t get how you can stand him—how you can run this company with him.”
“He’s been my best friend since I was a boy, Emmett. What would you do if Wick got old and turned into a—What was that colorful word you used? Twat? Would you just cut him off?”
I grumbled under my breath. “Maybe.”
Dad chuckled, shaking his head. “So, Callie’s doing well then?”
The knot in my stomach loosened as I thought about her poise and professionalism during the meeting. “Yeah. Fuck, she’s amazing.”
“Uh oh. I know that look.” Dad’s eyes twinkled with amusement.
“What look?”
He pointed an accusatory finger. “That one, right there. That wistful, boy-in-love look.”
Heat crept up the back of my neck. “Dad, I am not in love with Callie.”
“Sure thing, kid. Keep telling yourself that.”
“I’m not just telling myself that. I’m telling you that.”
Dad’s expression softened. “Be careful, Em. Callie seems like a great girl, but I don’t want you to get hurt again.”
“You don’t want me to get hurt, or you don’t want the business to get hurt?”
Dad’s brow creased. “I think you forget who you’re talking to, son. You—and your sister—are my first concern. Always. I hope you know that.”
Feeling a sharp pang of remorse, I sighed and ran a hand over my face. “I do, Dad. I’m sorry. It’s just been...”
“Stressful day, I know. I’ll talk to Gene.” Dad stood and pulled me into a firm hug. “You’re doing a great job, kid. I love ya.”
“Love you, too.”
As Dad left the office, I turned to gaze out the window at the city skyline. Once again, my mind wandered back to Callie. I wasn’t even trying to fight it anymore. She’d become my happy place.
I told myself not to get my hopes up, but, deep down, I knew it was too late.