Chapter 8 #2
Jason nodded, and she turned to me with an approving smile. “Mrs. Everett, that was excellent. Exactly what this room needed. Let me show you to Mr. Everett’s office while we wrap things up here.” Then to Sophia, she said, “Dear, could you gather the presentation materials?”
I blinked at her authoritative tone, wondering again who she was. She moved with the confidence of someone who regularly herded billionaires, but the book had never mentioned… The thought slipped away as Jason caught my eye, his expression making my knees consider a career change.
“I’ll join you shortly,” he said, his voice carrying a promise that made my pulse skip.
As I followed the mystery woman out, I could hear the excited murmurs behind me.
“Did you see?—”
“I’ve never seen Mrs. Everett so?—”
I groaned internally. “I’ve completely destroyed Victoria’s carefully crafted image, haven’t I?” I whispered to Sam, who was still clutching her tablet like a shield.
“On the contrary,” she whispered back, “I think you just created a new one.”
Jason’s office was exactly what you’d expect from a billionaire CEO—floor-to-ceiling windows offering a stunning view of Manhattan, sleek modern furniture and an imposing desk that looked like it had witnessed countless business empires rise and fall.
“Please, make yourself comfortable, Mrs. Everett,” the efficient woman gestured to one of the plush visitor chairs. “Can I get you anything?”
“Besides a time machine to go back and not traumatize the board with my renewable energy talk?” I sank into the chair, which was unfairly comfortable for something so obviously expensive.
She chuckled, surprising me. “Are you kidding? That was brilliant. Those dinosaurs needed someone to light a fire under their fossil-fuel-loving behinds. I haven’t seen them that rattled since Mr. Everett announced the digital transformation initiative.
Though I doubt anyone dared to use the phrase outdated pearls of wisdom then. ”
I winced. “Was that too much?”
“It was perfect,” she assured me. “I’m Barbara Henderson, by the way. Though most people just call me Barb.”
I nodded like this meant something to me, though my brain was frantically flipping through the pages of The CEO’s Bargain in my head. Barbara? There was no Barbara in the book. Sophia was supposed to be Jason’s PA, his right hand, the one who…
“The look on Walker’s face when you mentioned Saudi Arabia,” Barb continued, her eyes twinkling. “I thought his monocle was going to pop off. Though I’m pretty sure he doesn’t actually wear one—it just feels like he should.”
I snorted, already warming to her. “I half expected him to pull out a telegram to send an urgent message about this newfangled electricity business.”
“More like a stone tablet and chisel. Though I have to say, Mrs. Everett, this is a pleasant surprise. I didn’t know you were so passionate about renewable energy.”
Neither did I, until about an hour ago. “Oh, you know me.” I waved vaguely. “Full of surprises.”
“Indeed.” She gave me a considering look. “The way you handled that presentation… I haven’t seen Mr. Everett look that impressed since?—”
The door opened, and Jason strode in with Sophia following, clutching a stack of presentation materials like a shield. My inner fangirl sat up straight, popcorn metaphorically ready. This was it—the famous office scenes where their love story really began.
According to the book, this was where Sophia would display her “unique business insight” while Jason watched her with growing admiration.
She’d tuck that perfect auburn curl behind her ear—okay, she did do that, but more like a nervous tic than a romantic gesture—and he’d find himself struck by her natural grace and intelligence.
Instead, Sophia was practically hiding behind her presentation materials, looking about as graceful as a newborn giraffe on roller skates.
And Jason… well, Jason wasn’t even looking in her direction.
His eyes kept finding mine with an intensity that made me want to check if my skin was actually sizzling.
“Barb,” he said, and I noticed how Sophia deflated slightly at his focus on his PA, “could you set up a follow-up meeting with the board for tomorrow? And we’ll need the environmental impact reports ready.”
“Of course,” Barb replied with smooth efficiency. “Sophia, dear, would you mind getting some coffee for Mr. Everett and Mrs. Everett first?”
Wait. What? But in the book, Sophia was supposed to be the one efficiently organizing everything while Jason slowly realized her competence and… oh. Oh. Sophia wasn’t Jason’s trusted PA at all. She was the assistant PA?
The entire plot of The CEO’s Bargain tilted sideways in my head.
Sophia scurried out for coffee while my brain tried to reboot.
This was all wrong. Where were the lingering glances?
The subtle touches? The growing professional respect that would bloom into love?
Instead, Jason was leaning against his desk, sleeves rolled up—which was very distracting and not helping my cognitive functions—looking at me like I was a puzzle he very much wanted to solve.
“That was quite a performance in the boardroom,” he said, his voice carrying that same dangerous mix of amusement and something else that made my insides flutter.
“Well, you know what they say,” I quipped. “If you can’t dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with renewable energy statistics.”
His laugh—deep and genuine—startled us both.
Sophia returned with two coffee cups, her hands trembling slightly. My inner romance reader perked up, practically vibrating with excitement. This was it! The famous coffee scene! Sure, it was happening a bit early, but who was I to question the timing of true love?
I watched with bated breath as she approached Jason’s desk, coffee cups held like they contained liquid gold. Come on, I silently urged, just a little trip, a small stumble, anything to recreate that perfect meet-cute moment…
But Jason barely glanced up from his papers. “Just set it on the desk, thank you.”
What? No! That wasn’t how it was supposed to go! Where was the accidental brush of hands? The startled connection of eyes? The spark of destiny wrapped in the aroma of premium arabica beans?
“Victoria,” Jason’s voice cut through my internal screaming. “Would you like to review the implementation timeline? After that impressive presentation, I’d value your input.”
“Yes!” I jumped up, perhaps too eagerly, my inner fangirl momentarily forgetting about the failed coffee scene. This was fine. Maybe the romantic moment would happen another way. Maybe?—
It happened in slow motion, like a romance novel car crash.
I rushed toward Jason’s desk just as Sophia turned around with my coffee cup.
There was a collision, a gasp, and suddenly there was coffee everywhere.
On my designer outfit. On Sophia’s sensible blouse.
Some had even made it onto Jason’s desk.
“Oh my God,” Sophia squeaked, looking like she might pass out from sheer horror. “Mrs. Everett, I’m so sorry!”
This was all wrong. The coffee was supposed to spill on Jason, leading to a moment of romantic tension. Instead, I was standing here in my coffee-soaked designer outfit while Sophia looked ready to book the next flight to anywhere-but-here.
I caught my reflection in the window—Victoria Everett, Manhattan’s ice queen, dripping coffee like a defrosting mocha popsicle. And then I did something that would probably give Victoria’s socialite friends collective heart palpitations.
I started laughing.
Not a polite society titter. Not even a controlled chuckle. No, this was a full-blown, bent-over, possibly slightly hysterical laugh that probably had Victoria’s spirit trying to dial an exorcist.
“Perfect,” I wheezed between giggles. “Absolutely perfect. Because nothing says take me seriously as a green energy advocate like wearing your coffee instead of drinking it.”
Sophia stared at me like I’d grown a second head. Barb’s eyebrows had achieved liftoff. And Jason… Jason was looking at me with an expression that was part amazement, part confusion, and part something else that made my already racing heart skip several beats.
“I’ll get some towels,” Barb said, but I could hear the amusement in her voice.
“Don’t bother,” I said, still giggling. “I’m pretty sure this outfit needed more brown in it anyway. Very earth-friendly. On-brand for our green initiative, don’t you think?”
I turned to Jason. “Rain check on those implementation papers? I should probably go change before I start attracting flies with my new coffee cologne.”
“Of course.” His lips twitched. “Mind if I steal you for lunch after? We should discuss your… unique perspective on renewable energy.”
My heart did so many flips and turns I thought it might need a safety net. “I… yes. Lunch. That’s… yes. And,” I added quickly, desperate to cover my eloquent response, “would you mind if I borrowed Sophia? We both need new clothes, and I know just the place.”
Sophia looked like she might faint at the suggestion. “Mrs. Everett, I couldn’t possibly…”
“Nonsense,” I said firmly, already steering her toward the door. “Consider it team building. Besides, what’s a little coffee between friends?”
The word friends seemed to shock everyone in the room, including me. Victoria Everett, apparently, did not have friends. She had connections, allies, and social obligations—but not friends.
“Take all the time you need,” Jason said, and was that amusement in his voice? “Just make sure you’re back by one. I have plans for our lunch meeting.”
The way he said plans made my stomach do a backflip with a triple twist. This was not how the story was supposed to go. The hero wasn’t supposed to look at the villain like that. He wasn’t supposed to make lunch sound like a promise that had nothing to do with renewable energy.