Chapter 18
Four twenty-five in the afternoon was quickly becoming Rohit’s favorite part of the day because it meant he would see Cynthia soon.
It was a little routine they’d wordlessly fallen into in the last few weeks, checking in with each other at the end of the day, sometimes to discuss how their special project was progressing, sometimes just to talk.
Once, after an arduous day of leading team-building activities, he’d run out and grabbed them ice cream sundaes and they’d spent the hour not talking at all.
Instead, they’d sat side by side spooning their desserts—caramel for him, chocolate fudge for her—and watching cat videos on her computer.
When the clock showed he had one minute until golden hour, Rohit didn’t even pretend to play it cool; he bolted from his seat, his inner compass guiding him to where her office was located at the end of the hall.
He slowed to a stop, however, when he realized that Gayle from HR was parked outside Cynthia’s office, leaning against the doorframe as if she’d been there for a while.
“I know you and Rohit have things covered but I couldn’t help myself,” Gayle was saying. “I drafted a list of where we might host a company social for employees and their families.”
The comment brought a small smile to Rohit’s face.
Since they’d conducted their staff survey and held focus groups, there had been a notable increase in staff engagement at Kumar Construction.
Cynthia and Rohit might have driven the introduction of regular team-building meetings and policies to protect employee work-life balance, but more and more staff were trying their hand behind the wheel.
Rohit’s lips pulled into a puzzled frown, however, when he heard Cynthia’s voice.
“Oh…” she said faintly. “That’s great. Really…great.”
It wasn’t a lack of enthusiasm Rohit detected but an uncertainty in Cynthia’s voice, or perhaps it was apprehension. Whatever it was, it was a far cry from the cool, unshakable confidence he was used to.
Luckily, Gayle didn’t seem to notice. “I think so, too!” she agreed, clapping her hands and stepping back into the hallway. It was then that she noticed Rohit lingering a few feet away and beckoned him forward. “Oh, Rohit! I was just telling Cynthia about my research for the staff picnic.”
“I heard,” Rohit said, smiling back and ambling forward as if he hadn’t just been caught lurking outside Cynthia’s office. “We welcome the ideas. Maybe we could assemble a group of interested staff to help plan the event.”
Gayle nodded. “That would be wonderful! I know several people who would be interested in sitting on a planning committee for these kinds of activities.”
Rohit peeked into Cynthia’s office, waiting for her to chime in, but when she simply stared back in silence, he turned his attention to the older lady.
“Why don’t we run it up the flagpole? Cynthia and I can propose the idea at the next leadership meeting.
” He couldn’t help but inch his way past Gayle to shuffle into Cynthia’s office—four thirty was his time, after all.
She nodded back. “That’s perfect.” She threw a wary-looking Cynthia a little wave. “I’m heading off. You two have a nice evening.”
Rohit barely noticed her departure, his gaze locked on Cynthia as he closed her office door and took the seat across from her desk.
Regardless of the day he’d had—whether a disgruntled client complaining about labor costs or a disorganized site visit or a bad falafel—at four thirty p.m. , everything felt right in Rohit’s world.
But not for Cynthia today, apparently. She was staring at the spot where Gayle had just been, her eyebrows drawn together, forehead adorably crinkled.
“That’s happening more and more,” she murmured, almost as if she was talking to herself.
In the past, he might’ve read her low, trancelike voice as a cue to back off or change the subject.
But if there was any sliver of this formidable woman opening up to him, there was no way in hell Rohit wouldn’t try to wedge his foot in the door.
At this point, he’d happily surrender his heart as a doorstop if it meant gleaning just a little more of what lay beneath Cynthia’s flawless, ice-smooth surface.
“What is?” he asked.
“People dropping by my office randomly to share their ideas or offer feedback on some of the initiatives we’ve launched.” Her eyes met his. “It’s…”
“Overwhelming?”
The tension on her beautiful face eased and a light blush seeped onto her cheeks. “Yeah. I’m not used to…” Cynthia cleared her throat. “I’m usually doing my own thing around here.”
Rohit cocked his head, considering. He was receiving similar visits but since starting at Kumar Construction, he was used to staff at all levels of the organization dropping by to say hello or ask for his help on a proposal or offer him the first sample of whatever they’d baked to bring in to work that day.
But it was no secret that Cynthia’s reality at Kumar Construction hadn’t been that way and as her cheeks steadily darkened, Rohit’s insides filled with the warmth of soft, aching tenderness.
She looked so unsure about something that most people took for granted that part of him wanted to kneel before her feet and assure her that time spent with her was a damn privilege .
It would be a cheesy and ridiculous move on his part, and she’d probably hate it.
Before he could think of something adequate to say, Cynthia spoke first. “Rohit?” she asked quietly.
“Yeah?” he rasped. Dear God, he sounded breathless . But how else could a man sound when Cynthia Kumar hit him with wide, trusting, liquid-amber eyes?
“Can we…I mean…Can you…” Cynthia took a deep breath. “Can you take on dealing with…” She lowered her eyes, heat rising to her cheeks again.
“The people?” he finished gently.
Her head snapped up, relief and embarrassment vying for ground on her pink face. “It’s stupid, I know. I should be able to handle this. It’s just, after everything, I’m not…” Cynthia shook her head and smiled bitterly. “I guess I’m not cut out to win the popularity contest around here.”
It would’ve been easy to force a chuckle and move on from what was clearly an awkward confession on Cynthia’s part, but Rohit knew her well enough by now to understand the slight hunch in her shoulders, the self-deprecation twisting her lips, and it made his heart swell for her.
“Change is hard,” he said. “And right now, people are excited. It’ll die down. But,” he hurried to add when Cynthia opened her mouth to speak, “I’m more than happy to be the go-to guy for their feedback and suggestions.” He didn’t add that it would be an honor to help her in any way he could.
He had some pride, after all.
And maybe she already knew because her lips lifted in a small smile—the first real smile he’d seen since stepping into her office this afternoon. “Thanks, Rohit.” She pushed her chair back. “I’m ready to get out of here. Want to walk out together?”
Rohit nodded. “Let me grab my stuff.”
They were waiting for the elevator when a familiar voice caught their attention.
“Cynthia, Rohit! I was hoping to catch you two before you left for the day,” Rich said, coming up behind them.
Rohit’s heart sank as he glanced at the stack of unsealed envelopes in Rich’s hands, but when the sound of the elevator doors sliding open reverberated behind them, neither he nor Cynthia dared to turn around.
“What’s up?” Cynthia asked, her voice uncharacteristically cautious, and Rohit couldn’t help but shoot her a surprised glance. She was usually the first to welcome additional tasks in her already jam-packed days, without ever uttering a word of complaint about the long hours.
“I’ve been meaning to ask you…” Rich glanced down at the papers in his hand, momentarily distracted, and Rohit resisted the urge to shuffle his feet impatiently. “Sorry,” Rich continued, looking up again. “I’ve been meaning to tell the two of you, great work.”
“Great work,” Cynthia repeated.
“Yes. We may have had a bumpy start”—Rich paused to cock an amused brow in Rohit’s direction—“but I think you’ve both done an excellent job with the task I assigned you and I’m very proud of you.”
When Cynthia seemed at a loss for words, Rohit smiled while reaching behind to press the button that would summon the elevator again. “Thank you, sir.”
Rich nodded. “Have a great evening,” he said, swiftly turning on his heel and heading in the direction of his office.
The elevator opened right away this time and Rohit eagerly stepped inside beside a shell-shocked Cynthia. He shot her a teasing glance. “Guess it’s not so bad being Mrs.Rogers after all, right?”
She turned to him, confusion clouding her beautiful eyes. “What?”
Rohit’s grin faltered. “That day on the ramp outside the building? You called me Mr.Rogers?” He grimaced. “Did I not use it right?”
Cynthia burst out laughing, and before Rohit’s brain could register more than the rush of sandalwood hitting his nostrils, her arms were around him.
Cynthia Kumar was hugging him in the elevator, her body still shaking with mirth, her hair silky against the underside of his jaw.
Beneath the glare of a too-bright overhead light, even with so many layers between them—blazers and buttons and laptop bag straps—it was the most perfect hug Rohit could remember ever receiving.
There was nothing to do, he realized as his arms belatedly returned the embrace, but hold on and feel like the luckiest man on earth.
It was over all too soon. “No, that wasn’t right,” Cynthia said, pulling away as the elevator reached the lobby.
“But I needed that.” She fell silent as they walked toward the exit of the Desmond Business Center and Rohit gave in to the sheer pleasure of stealing glances at the side of her face.
Her eyes were still bright, the remnants of a good laugh lifting the corners of her lips in the most captivating way.
And just as they reached the doors, she shocked the hell out of him again.
“Do you want to hang out tonight?” she asked.