I walked in the door just as Edna was coming down the stairs holding a dust rag. “Hello, Mr. Radcliffe. Lila stopped by, and I thought it would be okay to let her in.”
“That’s fine.” I lowered my voice and leaned in close so Lila wouldn’t hear what I was about to say. “In the future, tell her to call and I’ll be happy to get back to her, but don’t let her inside.”
“Yes, of course. Sorry about that.”
“It’s okay.” I wiped my forehead with the bottom of my t-shirt and grimaced. What could Lila possibly want now?
I walked into the living room and did my best to smile. “Lila. What can I do for you?”
She was sitting on the couch but stood when she saw me, a nervous smile playing on her lips. “Hey, Easton. I bet you didn’t expect to see me again so soon.”
“No, I guess not.”
She stared at me for a long moment, her hands twisting in front. “I miss you.”
I didn’t know what to say to that, so I didn’t say anything. Truth was, I hadn’t thought of her since the breakup, and maybe that was just another symptom of my cold heart, but I couldn’t force myself to feel something I didn’t.
She cleared her throat and took a step forward. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and...” She glanced down, appearing uncertain.
Uh oh. What was she going to say? I pursed my lips and waited for her to continue.
“I made a huge mistake, Easton. Everything was good until I ruined it by pushing you for a commitment. If I’d been more patient and allowed our relationship to take its natural course, we’d still be together.”
That was probably true, but nothing had changed on my end. I would never be able to give her a lasting commitment, and honestly, now that we’d had some time apart… Well, it was evident to me, at least, that my feelings for her weren’t strong enough for us to continue dating. Maybe Maya’s reappearance in my life had something to do with that, but even if she wasn’t in my life, I still wouldn’t want to get back together with Lila. She was a nice woman, but we just weren’t good for each other.
I let out a sigh and ran a hand through my hair. “You made the right call. Don’t second-guess yourself. I enjoyed your company while it lasted, but I think it’s best if we keep things the way they are.”
She grimaced, and desperation washed over her features. “You know, I spoke with your mom the day after we broke up, and she said to give you space and then try again. Said you might come to your senses when you realized what you’d lost.” She bit down on her bottom lip, a flicker of hope in her eyes. “We can take it slow. I’ll give you all the space you need.”
“I’m sorry, Lila, but I don’t want that. I’m not interested in pursuing a relationship.”
Her brows lowered, and she looked at me as if I were a child, caught with my hands in the cookie jar. “I’m not giving up on you, Easton. You just need someone to love you through the hard times.”
“Lila, no—”
“Don’t say another word. I’ll leave for now, but you’re not getting rid of me that easily. We’ll talk more later.” She walked swiftly to the door.
“Look, I’ve tried to be nice about this but—”
“You need me.” She smiled sweetly and walked out before I could finish my statement.
That didn’t go as planned. I ran a hand along the back of my neck and let out a frustrated groan. I needed to go after her and make it clear there was nothing more between us or she might show up again. I walked out the door, but she was already in her car. She glanced up and blew me a kiss, a bright smile on her face. She drove away, and I had a bad feeling in my stomach, but I was too tired to do anything other than take a shower and watch TV. I would eventually have to deal with this, but it wouldn’t be today.
Chapter 13
Maya
On Monday morning, I drove to work with butterflies stirring in my stomach as I thought about the hike with Easton on Sunday. He’d shown up on my doorstep out of the blue with a sheepish grin, and I hadn’t been able to turn him away.
Apparently, we were friends now, and I wasn’t sure what to think of that considering our history, but I was willing to give it a try. We’d gone on a hike, and he was coming with me to my medical appointment tomorrow. It was almost surreal.
I couldn’t lie to myself anymore. As much as I tried to resist, I was starting to fall for the man. I’d always been attracted to him, but now that I was seeing a kinder side of his personality, I was drawn in a different way. I had to keep reminding myself that he was my boss and if I let myself feel something for him, it wouldn’t end well. Besides, I wasn’t sure where he was at spiritually, and the last thing I wanted was to be in an unequally yoked situation.
Once at work, I breezed through the morning with several tasks George had given me, and by the time noon rolled around, my stomach grumbled. I stood to stretch my arms.
“Ready for lunch?” Bruce asked. “Let’s go out today.”
Normally, we ate in the lunch room, but Deanna had called in sick, and I wasn’t in the mood for the peanut butter and jelly sandwich I’d brought with me. “Sure, why not?”
“Cool.” He bounced out of his chair and put a stack of paperwork in the top drawer of his desk. “Let’s get out of here.”
On our way to the elevator, a tall, slender woman walked down the hallway with a determined stride, her blonde hair pulled back into a chignon. Something about her was very familiar, but I couldn’t put my finger on what it was. She held a plastic bag full of takeout, and it smelled wonderful, whatever it was. Her bright red dress conformed to her curves, and her posture was impeccable. Whoever she was, she was very attractive, but then again, I got the feeling she knew that.
And then it dawned on me. This was Lila…Easton’s ex-girlfriend. I’d met her briefly in passing a while ago, but we hadn’t talked long so she probably wouldn’t remember me.
Bruce’s mouth dropped open, and I wanted to tell him to stop gaping like that. “Lila, good to see you,” he said. “Where have you been hiding?”
Apparently, he’d seen her here before, but that made sense considering she and Easton used to date. Why was she here now? Did they get back together? My chest ached from the thought.
Her enthusiasm didn’t match his, and she appeared rather annoyed that he’d stopped her. “So sorry, but I don’t remember your name.”
“Bruce Hill. I’m in human resources. We met the last time you came to see Easton.”
“Yes, of course.” She snapped her fingers like she remembered, but the hazy look in her eyes made it clear she didn’t.
“And I’m Maya,” I said, doing my best to smile. “I’m a friend of Charlotte’s. We met at one of her parties.”
She did a once over, surprise showing on her face. “Sorry, I don’t recall meeting you. Charlotte introduced me to so many people that it’s hard to remember all of them.”
I nodded. “Right. She does have a lot of friends.”
She glanced around as if looking for someone. “Have you seen Easton? I just stopped at his office, but he wasn’t there.”
Bruce shook his head. “No, did you ask Verity?”
“Yes, but she wasn’t very helpful. She told me he stepped out, and she didn’t know when he would return.”
“Ask her to page him,” he said.
She winced a little and then leaned in confidentially, her hand lightly touching his arm, the flowery scent of her perfume wafting through the air. “You probably aren’t aware, but we broke up.”
Bruce’s eyes widened as if he hadn’t seen that coming. “No, I had no idea.”
“Has he seemed…sad at all?”
Bruce bit down on his bottom lip and appeared to think about the question. “No, but Mr. Radcliffe doesn’t wear his emotions on his sleeve. He’s not that type of guy.”
She laughed softly and shook her head as if amused. “You’re very right about that.” She cleared her throat and leaned in again. “Last night we mended fences, and I doubt
he’s had the chance to relate that to Verity. It’s a little…awkward, if you know what I mean.”
Bruce nodded as if understanding the situation perfectly now. “Got it. Leave it to me. I’ll talk to her.” He motioned for us to follow him. “Come on. Let’s take care of this so you and Easton can enjoy your lunch.”
It appeared they were back together. How had I not seen that coming? It seemed as if it happened rather quickly, and, come to think of it, it was strange that Easton asked me to go on a hike right before reconciling with his former girlfriend. He’d always been a player, but a part of me had hoped he’d grown out of that. Then again, he’d stated that we were friends, and I’d allowed myself to read more into it.
I drew in a breath, my heart aching at the realization that I was a fool to let myself fall for him when he clearly didn’t feel the same way about me. How stupid could I be?
I clenched my fist and let out a breath. If he was back with Lila, I should let him off the hook as far as going to that appointment with me. It would create more awkwardness than was necessary, and if I were in Lila’s place, I’d think it was weird my boyfriend was accompanying another woman to a doctor’s visit.
We walked down the hall and stopped at Verity’s desk first. Bruce smiled and waved as if throwing his weight around. “Would you do me a favor, Verity, and page Mr. Radcliffe?”
Verity frowned and started to say something, but Easton spoke up behind us. “That’s not necessary. I’m back.” His gaze fell to Lila and then he took in Bruce and me.
Lila flashed a bright smile and held up the bag of food. “There you are. I thought I’d surprise you with lunch.”
“Really…” His forehead creased, and he didn’t seem pleased exactly, but then again, his tone was professional. Perhaps he wanted to keep his personal life out of the office.
Bruce puffed out his chest, and he had brownnoser written all over him. I’d never noticed that about him before, but for some reason it didn’t surprise me. He rubbed his hand over his chest as if pleased with himself. “Glad that worked out. I was just assisting Lila, Mr. Radcliffe.”
Easton tipped his head in Bruce’s direction, but he didn’t smile. “Thank you.”
“Well, we should get going,” I said. “We were on our way to get lunch.”
Easton studied me and then glanced at Bruce, something indecipherable flickering in his eyes. It almost seemed like anger, but he often wore a severe expression so it probably wasn’t that. “The two of you?”
“Yes, that’s right,” I said.
He cleared his throat, his eyes never leaving my face. It was uncomfortable, but I refused to let Easton intimidate me.
“Normally, you hit the lunch room around twelve-thirty,” he said, more to himself than to us.
It was noon, and I didn’t see how thirty minutes made much of a difference. “That’s true.”
“I hope it’s not a problem,” Bruce said, sounding concerned.
I glanced at him quickly, annoyed that he was opening the door for Easton to tell us it was a problem when it had never been an issue before. We didn’t have a set time for lunch.
Easton pressed his lips together as if it was indeed a problem, but then he let out a breath and shook off whatever was bothering him at the moment. “No, of course not.” He pulled a crumpled bill out of his pocket and handed it to me. “Have lunch on me.”
I frowned, holding the bill. “You don’t have to—”
Lila stepped between us, blocking my vision of Easton. “Sweetheart, would you like to eat in your office? Or would you prefer somewhere a little more…private?”
That was all the encouragement I needed to get out of there. I spun on my heel and grabbed Bruce by the elbow. “I’m hungry. Let’s go.”
He seemed to sense it was time to leave as well, and he followed my lead. Once we reached Bruce’s car in the parking lot, I opened my hand to look at the bill Easton had given us, and my eyes nearly bulged out their sockets. “You’ve got to be kidding me. I can’t believe he gave us this much.”
“What’s wrong?” Bruce asked, unlocking the car doors with his key fob.
“He gave us a five-hundred-dollar bill.”
He glanced at me with a look of disbelief on his face. “No way.”
“Look.” I held the bill up so he could see. “We have to give this back. It’s too much. He probably thought he was giving us something else.”
He ran a hand along the side of his jaw, his lips turning down. “You’re right. He didn’t look at it before he gave it to you.”
Easton didn’t seem the type to make mistakes like that, but I couldn’t think of another reasonable explanation. Well, there was one. Lila had distracted him. I hated to believe that was it, but I had to get used to the idea that they were together now. My chest squeezed and pain rushed through so fast it was hard to breathe. I couldn’t go back and face him and Lila again. I just couldn’t. “Let’s go to lunch. We’ll return it later.”
Bruce appeared unsure about that decision. “I don’t know. What if you lose it while we’re out? Do you want to take that chance?”
In my mind, the alternative was far worse than losing five hundred dollars. I’d pay it back if I had to, but there was no way I was interrupting their private lunch. “I won’t lose it. It’s fine.” I put the money in my purse and then got in his car and buckled my seatbelt.
He slid in the vehicle, and we sat there for a few minutes while we discussed where we wanted to go. We finally decided on a Mexican restaurant nearby that allowed customers to order at the register and then sit down. It was cheap, but the food was delicious and neither of us wanted to chance using the five-hundred-dollars Easton had given us. We were definitely returning the money.
Once we had our meals, we ate in companionable silence. Bruce cleared his throat. “Was it just me or did Mr. Radcliffe not seem happy to see Lila? That whole situation was weird.”
I took a bite of my burrito and chewed, considering his words. “I’m sure he prefers to keep his personal life private. That’s all that was about.”
Bruce nodded slowly. “Yeah, I guess. I thought he’d be happier, though.” He wiped hot sauce off the side of his mouth with a napkin and then frowned. “But then again, he probably handed over the money to get rid of us so he’d have more time with her.”
I didn’t argue with that because he was most likely right, but it didn’t sit well with me just the same. I didn’t want to get between Easton and Lila, and I would have left on my own, without being offered money to do so. We finished eating and then headed back to the office. Once we parked, I drew the five hundred out of my purse and handed it to Bruce. “Here you go.”
He glanced at the bill in my hand and recoiled as if I were offering him poison. “It was your decision not to use it, so I think you should return it to him.”
“I thought we both decided that.”
“You were the one who said we had to give it back.”
“But you agreed.”
He laughed. “He responds better to you.”
I looked at him incredulously. “Are you scared of him?”
“No, of course not, but he softens up when he’s with you.”
Coward. What was I thinking? We were both cowards. “Fine.” I tightened my fingers around the bill and let out a breath, dreading what I had to do. Maybe I’d wait another hour just in case he and Lila were taking a longer lunch.
But as it turned out, I didn’t have to wait because we exited the elevator at the same time that Lila walked up. She pressed the down button and grimaced when she saw us. “So ungrateful,” she said under her breath.
Was she speaking of us or Easton?
There was a question in Bruce’s eyes as well. “Leaving already?” He lingered at the door.
I wasn’t the type to pry, but I was curious, not that I wanted many details. If Lila and Easton had an argument, it was none of our business.
The corners of Lila’s lips turned down, and she nodded sour
ly. “Easton has a lot of work to do today.” Her shoulders slumped forward in defeat, and I felt a little sorry for her at that moment.
“Everything okay?” Bruce asked.
“Of course.” The elevator doors opened, and she stepped inside. “Have a nice day,” she said in a dismissive tone, not the least bit gracious for the help Bruce had provided earlier.
The doors closed and Bruce let out a low chuckle. “Wow. Okay…”
I offered him a sympathetic smile. “It was kind of you to help. I’m sure Easton appreciated the effort you made.”
Charlotte had said Lila was nice, and everyone had bad days, so I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt. Easton could be a difficult man at times, and maybe he’d said or done something that upset her. I didn’t want to think too much about it or I’d start analyzing the situation, and that was unnecessary. I needed to concentrate on giving the money back and then I would just forget the whole thing. “Guess, I’ll find Easton now.”
“Good luck with that. Hope his mood is better than hers was.”
I chuckled. “Thanks, buddy. So chivalrous.” I winked, so he’d know I was joking.
He laughed and walked in the direction of our office. “You know where I’ll be if you need me.”
I turned and headed the opposite way towards Easton’s office, deciding right then that I wouldn’t let Easton frighten me. Sure, he was the boss, but that didn’t mean I had to let him get to me. He walked around like he was in a bad mood sometimes, but that wasn’t my problem. The door to his office was closed, and Verity had just gotten off the phone. She glanced up and smiled at me. “Hi, Maya.”
Maybe I could give the money to her. So much for bravery. I cleared my throat. “Hey, Verity.”
“Are you looking for Easton?”
I sidestepped her question and handed her the five-hundred-dollar bill. “He gave this to Bruce and me for lunch, but I don’t think he realized how much he was giving us.”
Blind Date with my Billionaire Boss (Blind Date Disasters Book 5) Page 11
