16. Brett
Brett
The meeting room at Maven & Moss had the kind of sleek, modern aesthetic that only Olivia Shaw could create—clean lines, high-end furniture, and lighting designed to flatter. Not that she needed it. Olivia could make a paper bag look like high fashion.
I leaned back in my chair, stretching my legs out under the table, fully aware that my foot brushed hers.
A subtle jolt, barely there, but enough to feel her tense.
It was satisfying that I could make her jump like that, so I smirked.
Olivia pretended I didn’t exist, flipping through her tablet, her lips pursed in that way that made me want to ravish her on the boardroom table.
“Let’s get to it,” she said briskly, finally looking up, but she focused her gaze on Vahn and Jerritt instead of me. Her blue-green eyes were sharp, all business. That was alright. I could play her little game. “Brett, you want to focus on the suite rooms next. What’s your vision?”
“Our vision?” I exchanged a glance with Jerritt, who immediately adopted his usual I’m just here for the show expression. Vahn, the more serious of the three of us, simply nodded for me to answer.
I turned back to Olivia. “Bold and innovative. Something that says luxury without screaming it. We don’t do basic.” I teased a gaze out of her by silence. “Without getting rid of the old charm,” I said pointedly.
Her eyes flicked to my suit, then back to my face. “That’s doable.”
I chuckled. “Doable? It’s more than doable.”
She exhaled, impatient. “The end result?”
“We want something unforgettable.” I let my gaze drop, slow and deliberate, before meeting hers again. “Something… seductive.”
She didn’t blink. But her throat moved in a quick swallow. Got her.
“Seductive,” she echoed, voice flat. “For a commercial building?”
“Don’t pretend you can’t do it. I remember your work in college. You designed a bar interior that made people want to stay all night.”
A flicker of something crossed her face before she shut it down. “Of course. I know what you’re asking.” She looked to her boss. “Nora? Your thoughts.”
“I like it. We need to bring something new to this to entice more upscale clientele. That ought to do it. Brett, you’re a genius.”
“I get a lot of inspiration from your colleague.” I stared Olivia down until she raised her eyes. I saw her cheeks redden before she looked down again.
Nora coughed, and I couldn’t tell if she was entertained or unimpressed.
As soon as Olivia caught Nora’s eyes, she refocused on the project quickly. “I’ll put together some concepts. But I need specifics. Materials, color palettes?—”
“Emerald green,” I said before she could finish.
She froze. Just for a second. But I saw it. I saw the exact moment she realized I remembered her favorite color. And she hated that I did.
“That’s an option,” she said coolly. “Anything else?”
I shrugged. “I trust your judgment.”
Her lips parted slightly, surprise flickering in her expression. Then she narrowed her eyes. “You’re not getting away with vague comments, Collins. If I’m designing this, I need full creative control.”
Jerritt leaned forward, grinning. “Brett doesn’t like giving up control.”
Vahn nodded. “Ever.”
Olivia smirked now, crossing her arms. “Of course he doesn’t.”
I tapped my fingers against the table, ignoring my so-called friends. “Creative control. Fine. Just keep in mind?—”
“Oh, I will,” she interrupted. “Trust me, Brett. I know exactly what I’m doing.”
I had no doubt. Olivia in work mode was something to behold—sharp, relentless, terrifyingly good at what she did. But I couldn’t stop pushing, not when it was this much fun.
“I look forward to being impressed.”
Her gaze stayed locked on mine, the air between us tight with so much electricity I half expected sparks to ignite. Then, with one last glance at her tablet, she snapped it shut and stood. “Meeting adjourned.”
Jerritt leaned back, muttering to Vahn, “That was fun.”
I stood too, taking my time, just to see if she’d glance back. She didn’t. But Nora did, and there was no amusement in her expression. I hoped I didn’t get Olivia in trouble.
When Olivia swept out of the room, I followed, catching up to her just before she turned to exit the building. “Olivia.”
She sighed, rubbing her temple. “Brett. What?”
I stepped in closer, lowering my voice. “Are you going to keep pretending there’s nothing between us?”
She looked up at me, her eyes flashing. “There is nothing here.”
“Right.” I let my gaze drop to her lips. “Keep telling yourself that.”
She exhaled, slow and controlled. “You don’t intimidate me, Brett.”
“I’d be disappointed if I did.”
Her jaw tightened. “I have work to do.”
I leaned in just a fraction. “Looking forward to seeing what you come up with.”
She didn’t move. I could hear her breathing, and I could practically feel the heat rolling off her. Then, at the last second, she stepped back, her voice clipped. “You’ll get your designs. Now let me leave.”
I grinned. “Gladly.”
As I turned, I stood facing Nora. “I trust Olivia is satisfying your needs?”
I stared at her. Was this a joke? I wondered if she knew about our past. “Oh, she most certainly is.” She could read whatever she wanted into my words. Now I just had to make them true again.
“Can you please tell Olivia to come to my office before she leaves?”
Nora eyed me. “I can, yes. Certainly.”
She left and I entered my office.
I shut the office door behind Olivia, letting it click into place. Rochelle was already waiting, flipping through her notes, completely at ease.
“All right,” I said, shrugging off my jacket and rolling up my sleeves. “We’re locked in for the next few hours. Let’s make it count.”
Olivia didn’t sit. She smoothed her already pristine blouse and nodded, eyes sharp. That woman could cut glass with a look. She was tense—more than usual. And I knew exactly why.
The pressure of this project weighed heavy on her, and damn if she wasn’t the kind of person who carried it like a badge of honor. One mistake, and she’d be out. She knew it. I knew it. Hell, even Rochelle knew it. But I wasn’t going to let that happen.
For the first hour, we worked in sync. Olivia’s ideas were solid—impressive, actually—but Rochelle had a way of countering them effortlessly like they’d been playing on the same team for years.
I watched their dynamic shift, the way Olivia’s lips pressed into a thin line every time Rochelle finished one of my sentences.
She hated it.
I should have stepped in and reassured her that nothing was happening here. But where was the fun in that? Instead, I leaned back in my chair, arms crossed, and let her simmer.
The fire in her eyes was intoxicating.
“So,” Rochelle said finally, stretching her arms over her head. “I think that’s a wrap for now. Anything else?”
I opened my mouth, but before I could speak, she turned to me, eyes shining. “Actually, Brett, I need a quick private word.”
Olivia stiffened. Subtle, but I caught it.
My amusement faded as I saw the way she gripped the edge of the table, her shoulders locking up like she was bracing for impact. She still thought Rochelle and I?—
I fought a smirk.
Before Olivia could make her escape, Rochelle let out a squeal that nearly shattered my eardrums. “Oh, Brett, all your advice worked! Lance finally asked me to marry him—I’m so excited!”
She thrust her hand forward, and I barely had time to register the diamond before I heard a sharp inhale from Olivia.
I turned just in time to catch the flicker of embarrassment in her expression before she schooled it into indifference. Too late. I saw it. She’d assumed the worst, thinking Rochelle and I had something going on.
It certainly was satisfying to know how jealous Olivia had been.
“About time,” I said, grinning at Rochelle before throwing a look at Olivia. “You should’ve seen her, Liv. Months of agonizing over when he’d finally pull the trigger.”
Olivia cleared her throat, her lips parting like she wanted to say something, then thought better of it. Instead, she glanced at her watch, feigning impatience. “If we’re done here, I need to?—”
“Come to dinner,” I interrupted.
Her head snapped up. “What?”
I leaned against the desk, crossing my ankles. “Come over to my place for dinner tonight. We need to talk.”
“I don’t?—”
“Please.”
A long sigh. “Fine.”
By the time she knocked on my door, the temperature had dropped, and she was wrapped in a sleek black coat that only made her look more untouchable. But I knew better.
Phoenix barked once, tail wagging, and Olivia crouched to scratch behind her ears, her fingers moving absently through the thick fur.
“She likes me,” Olivia said happily. I remembered how she was more of a cat person.
“She’s got questionable taste.”
She shot me a look, standing to her full height. “That supposed to be funny?”
I stepped aside, letting her in. “Wasn’t it?”
She huffed but walked past me, her perfume leaving a trail I wanted to drown in.
Dinner was already on the table—simple, nothing fancy. Chloe was at a friend’s house, so it was just us. She hesitated, then slid into the chair opposite mine. We ate in silence for a few minutes, but I felt her watching me.
“Say it,” I muttered.
She chewed, swallowed, and set her fork down. “Say what?”
“Whatever’s been burning a hole in that brain of yours since the meeting.”
She exhaled sharply. “It’s nothing.”
I lifted a brow. “Liar.”
“Fine.” She leaned forward, her eyes locking onto mine. “You and Rochelle—you’re close.”
“Is that a question or an accusation?”
She rolled her eyes. “It’s an observation.”
I smirked. “You jealous, Liv?”
She scoffed. “Please.”
“You sure?” I leaned in, voice dropping just enough. “Because for a second there, in my office, you looked ready to claw her eyes out. She’s just a colleague and you saw how excited she was about getting engaged. She loves Lance and worked hard to get her ring.”
Her jaw tightened, and I swore I saw her pulse jump at her throat.
I had her again.
“This was a mistake.” She pushed her chair back.
I stood, blocking her path before she could leave. Her breath slowed, and I let the silence stretch between us, the heat crackling like a live wire.
“Why do you always run from me?” I asked, voice low.
She swallowed, the defiance still there but wavering. “Why do you always chase?”
I tilted my head, considering. “Because, Olivia, that’s how I get what I want.”
Her lips parted, and for a second, I thought she might close the distance herself. Then she blinked, stepped back, and the moment shattered.
Just then, my phone rang. It was Chloe.
“Hey, Dad. Evie isn’t feeling well, so her dad is going to drive me home.”
Well, that was something I hadn’t planned on. My heart thumped for a few moments while I thought about what I was going to do. I couldn’t just kick Olivia out since I had asked her to come over.
“I’m sorry she’s not feeling well. I want to let you know that I have a visitor.”
“A visitor?”
I wished I could talk to Chloe alone, but I thought walking away might seem rude to Olivia. “Yes, her name is Olivia. She is a good friend and colleague of mine.”
“Oh.”
I could tell Chloe wasn’t thrilled. “See you in a bit.”
“Yup.”
Click.
I wondered why she seemed so upset about the prospect of Olivia being there.
Chloe stepped into the condo, shaking snow from her hair. Her eyes landed on Olivia, and her whole body tensed.
I forced a smile. “Chloe, this is Olivia.”
Olivia, cool and composed, smiled warmly. “Hi, Chloe. It’s nice to finally meet you.”
Chloe stared at her like she was a piece of furniture that had appeared out of nowhere. Then, after an unbearable pause, she shrugged. “Hi.”
I exhaled. “Olivia and I work together. She?—”
“I know,” Chloe interrupted, dropping her backpack by the stairs. “You told me that on the phone.”
Olivia didn’t miss a beat. “Your dad talks about you a lot. He says you’re really smart.”
Chloe’s brows lifted just a fraction. “Yeah?”
“He also says you want to be a cop.”
Chloe blinked, then crossed her arms. “I suppose you think that’s stupid.”
Olivia hesitated, clearly searching for safe ground. “Not at all. I think it’s brave.”
Chloe snorted. “Right.”
I clenched my jaw. “Chloe.”
She ignored me. “So, why are you here?”
I started to answer, but Olivia beat me to it. “You’re dad invited me for dinner so we could talk some things over.”
Chloe’s eyes cut to me. “And you didn’t think to tell me?”
I sighed. “It’s not a big deal, kiddo.”
She turned back to Olivia. “Are you dating my dad?”
Olivia’s eyes widened slightly, but she recovered fast. “No, I?—”
“Because he doesn’t date,” Chloe added, like she was explaining something obvious. “Not seriously, anyway.”
“Chloe.” My voice had an edge now.
She glanced at me, expression unreadable. “I’m tired.”
“Then say goodnight,” I said, trying to salvage something from this train wreck of an introduction.
Chloe looked at Olivia, then back at me. “Goodnight, Dad.” And just like that, she turned and walked away.
Silence.
Olivia inhaled sharply. “Well.”
I rubbed my jaw. “That could’ve gone worse.”
She huffed out a laugh. “How?”
I had no good answer.
She reached for her coat. “I should go.”
I ran a hand through my hair. “Stay for a drink.”
Her lips parted like she was about to refuse, but then she sighed and let me lead her to the couch.
The fire crackled, softening the edges of the disaster that had just unfolded.
“She’s protective,” Olivia said after a sip of wine.
“Yeah. But that was… aggressive.”
Olivia tilted her head. “She’s afraid of something.”
Before I could ask what, Chloe reappeared, hovering near the hallway. “I don’t feel good.”
I bit back a groan. “What’s wrong?”
“My stomach hurts.”
I glanced at Olivia. She just gave me a knowing look before standing. “I’ll get out of your way.”
I reached for her, but she stepped back. A sharp pang hit my chest.
When I entered Chloe’s room, she was in bed waiting for me.
“What’s up, kiddo?”
“What do you mean?” She was trying to look innocent.
“What’s bothering you?”
“I’m sick.”
“Maybe you have what Evie has?”
“Maybe.”
“What else is it?”
“Nothing.”
“Do not lie to me, Chloe.”
“I don’t like her.”
“Why not? You don’t even know anything about her.”
“I know enough. Why would you bring a woman here without talking to me about it first?”
“Honestly, you were supposed to be gone all night, so I didn’t think it would be an issue.”
“Do you always bring women here when I’m not home?”
“Not at all. Olivia is the first woman I have brought here.”
She seemed to think about that before saying, “I still don’t like her.”
“You’re going to have to give me more than that.”
Chloe shrugged. “I’m tired. Can I go to sleep now?”
“I thought you had a sore tummy.”
“It’s okay now. Good night.”
“Good night.”
Later, lying in bed, scratching Phoenix’s belly, I stared at the ceiling.
Chloe was hiding something. Olivia was slipping away. And I was stuck in the middle with no way out.