Chapter 7
SEVEN
The past two weeks were a blur. Ever since the other agents started filling the empty desks, there was a life in the office that wasn’t there before. While I was beginning to love the constant sound of ringing phones, the bustle that echoed through the halls, I had mixed feelings about their arrival. Many of the senior agents were intimidating, and the younger ones who filled the bullpen by my desk were looking to make a name for themselves. As the gatekeeper to the boss, they went out of their way to make a good impression on me, but with them constantly stopping by to “check in,” it was hard to focus on my own work.
When I imagined my ideal career, being someone’s assistant never crossed my mind, however, being here and watching how much went into starting this office from the ground up was a unique experience. I’d quickly gotten used to being by Theo’s side, observing as he built his dream team. And although he never voiced it out loud, it seemed like Theo was beginning to trust me as well.
Last week, he hired a professional to finish what I started, but he pulled me into every meeting, checking if I approved before he signed off on any of her choices. It was nice to feel important, like someone valued my opinion. Slowly, the office stopped feeling like a dentist's waiting room and more like an actual, functional workplace.
I grabbed my files from the copier, stopping to greet Eloise, the new receptionist. I wasn’t sure, but Eloise and I had to be around the same age. She was a recent transplant from the Midwest, following her boyfriend as he started a new career. Theo was against hiring her at first, thinking she’d be too soft to handle angry clients, but somehow, I’d managed to convince him to give her a chance.
Usually, we were very friendly with each other. However, today, the way she was looking at me made my stomach flip. Eloise grimaced as I reached her desk, and passed me a stack of pink messages.
“All Natalie?” I scanned the first one, matching her sour expression when I saw Theo’s ex-wife’s name on almost every single slip. “How many times did she call?”
“Twelve,” Eloise answered. “And let me tell you, that woman has a mouth on her. I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone use the f-word so many times in one breath.”
“Remind me to introduce you to my best friend,” I chuckled. “Thanks for handling her. If she calls again, direct it to my line. I’ll make something up.”
I waved goodbye as I took the stack, oddly curious about why Natalie was so desperate to talk to Theo. From what I could tell, he never called her back, barely ever bothering to read her messages. As much as it was none of my business, I was dying to know what had happened between them.
But as I rounded the corner toward Theo’s office, the sight on the other side of the room pulled all the thoughts from my head. Theo was standing in the middle of his office, stripping off his jacket. He then tossed it on the back of his chair before rolling up the sleeves of his button-up. If you looked up forearm porn in the dictionary, this scene would be a perfect example. My mouth ran dry as I scanned his body, wishing I could feel his arms around me.
I cursed the person who decided to make the walls of his office out of glass.
When it was just the two of us, I had free range to work wherever I felt like. But now that most of the other desks were taken, I was confined to the one right in front of Theo’s office, which meant that, all day, I could see him as he worked.
Which was a major distraction.
No, Calla. Lusting after your boss is the worst thing you could do right now. You are just finding your footing in this city. I was also getting accustomed to having a paycheck and using it for luxuries like food and clothing.
This ridiculous crush needed to stop. Not only was the man my boss, but he was also a workaholic and cold—not my type at all. Maybe it sounded conceited, but I never went for guys who were hard to get. I liked my men to be obsessed with me, never making me wonder what they were feeling. Too bad no one had come close to meeting my ridiculously high standard.
The only one who had come close was my high school boyfriend, Gray. He treated me like a queen until the day he graduated, moving to Seattle to follow his baseball dreams. And while I could look back now and know that what we had was nothing more than puppy love, he’d set the bar pretty high.
Maybe that was why I hadn’t had a real relationship in the past eight years. Sure, there had been plenty of short-term ones and a few situationships I wasn’t exactly proud of, but there hadn’t been anyone I’d let myself fall for .
It wasn’t that I was opposed to falling in love, but also I wasn’t willing to settle. With the little I knew about Theo, he’d never be able to give me what I wanted. He was too jaded, too set in his ways. Sure, he looked like he was carved out of my deepest fantasies, but having a fling with my boss would be a terrible life choice.
Trying to erase that thought from my head, I knocked on his door, clearing my throat to break him from his stare down with his cell phone. Was Natalie blowing up that phone as well? I shook my head. It’s none of your business, Calla. Professional. Be professional.
Theo’s lips curved into a half smile as I stepped closer, but as soon as I passed him the stack of messages, it fell. His jaw clenched tighter as he read each one. When he reached the end of the pile, he tossed them all on the coffee table. “This is fucking ridiculous.”
I chewed on my lower lip, trapped between comforting him and backing quickly out of the office. I settled on the former. “Is everything okay? I know she’s usually…persistent, but this seems excessive, even for her.”
Theo sat up in his armchair, resting his elbows on his knees. For a moment, I thought he wasn’t going to answer me or would toss me out of his office for prying into his private life. Instead, he exhaled slowly. “I have no idea. She’s probably got it in her head that I’m not paying her enough alimony. Last time we spoke, she threatened to take me to court.”
“Can she do that?”
“Probably not,” Theo answered. “But she’ll make my life hell until she gets her way. It’s easier just to ignore her until she calms down.”
I nodded, unsure what to say. “If you ever need a lawyer, my sister’s a pretty fantastic one. She doesn’t usually do divorce cases, but I’m sure she’d be able to help you out.”
“Thanks, Calla.” Leaning back in his seat, he ran his hand over his face. “This is why marriage is bullshit. Remind me never to do it again.”
I smiled at him, but for some reason, his words stirred something in my stomach. I hated that Theo had given up on love after one bad experience. There were times I was tempted as well, especially after watching my mother’s marriage ruin everything it touched, but I refused to let their toxicity ruin my view of love. Maybe I hadn’t found the kind that existed in my books, but I refused to be cynical.
As I went back to my desk, I started thinking about my social life since I moved to the city. I’d only been out a couple of times with my sister, and both times had been cut short by a work call. I’d been too busy trying to figure out how to make money to even consider dating. But now that things felt more stable, maybe I should put myself out there.
I glanced down at my phone, wondering if it was time to reinstall my dating apps. While they worked, I hated swiping through photos to try and find my soulmate. Call me old-fashioned, but I wanted that movie moment, the one where the couple looks across the room, meeting each other’s eyes, and they just know .
I pulled out my phone, creating a new group chat.
CALLA
Which do you think sounds worse: speed dating, or one of those single-and-mingle events?
ALEX
This feels like the start of a cry for help
DEVYN
I’d rather get a root canal than go to either of those
CALLA
Who said I was inviting you?
DEVYN
Please. I can feel the puppy dog eyes from here.
ALEX
You really shouldn’t go to stuff like that alone
CALLA
…Fine
Any better ideas?
ALEX
For fuck’s sake, go to a bar
DEVYN
I second that
And before you ask: yes, I will go with you. Case wrapped up today, so I’ll be out at a normal time.
CALLA
Holy shit, this does call for a celebration!
DEVYN
Ha. ha. Ha. Just meet me after work
Once the clock struck five, I gathered my things and adjusted my lipstick in my compact mirror. I could feel Theo watching me through the walls of his office, but I didn’t bother to turn around. He’d been brooding for hours, declaring that the whole day was shit. Between Natalie’s relentless phone calls and the low-ball offer his client received, Theo was in a foul mood. It was tempting to try to break him out of it, but nothing seemed to help. I was quickly learning that on days like this, it was better to let him sulk and work out his problems on his own. Interfering only resulted in him snapping at me. Not because he was annoyed with me, but because sometimes, he acted like an overgrown toddler who had trouble handling his emotions.
As soon as I slung my purse over my shoulder, Theo called out for me. Shit . Maybe I wasn’t in the clear like I thought.
“Yes, Theo?” I walked inside his office, propping a hip against the open door. His eyes scanned my face, snagging on my lips a little longer than usual.
His dark eyes narrowed on me. “Did you get those copies of the Peterson contract sent over?”
“Of course…” I drawled. He’d already asked me twice about this. “I sent a copy of the fax receipt to your inbox.”
Theo nodded but didn’t take his eyes off me, stuck on my lips. His darkened eyes made me want to squirm, but I stood still, refusing to admit he had any effect on me.
“Anything else you need?” I asked.
Theo just continued staring at me, as if waiting for something to happen. When he didn’t speak for a few more seconds, I rolled my eyes and started to walk out of the office, but I didn’t get far. A large hand gripped my elbow—tight enough to make me stop, but not enough to leave a mark.
I glanced down where Theo held me then back up to meet his eyes. They were alight with a new fire, one that made my thighs clench together. It was heady seeing this man stare at me like he wanted to consume me. It was terrifying, exhilarating . I never wanted this moment to end. But as quickly as it had started, it did. Theo dropped his arm and took a significant step back. He cleared his throat and crossed his arms over his chest. “I wanted to say…thank you.”
I arched my brow at him. He had never said those words before. Usually, when I made changes, he’d mutter something about needing to fire me, but he never followed through on his threat. I was beginning to think threats were his love language.
“You’ve done a lot around here in a short time, and I… appreciate it.” Theo steeled his gaze, staring at me with an intensity I’d never seen from him before. “I appreciate you , Calla.”
I just gawked at him, unsure how to respond. His sincerity knocked me off guard. It took a moment for me to realize we were staring at each other across this small space.
“You’re welcome.” I cleared my throat and took a step away from him as I hitched my thumb over my shoulder. “But I’m going to be late for dinner. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Theo only nodded, not saying another word as I headed down the hall.