The drive to work was easy with lighter than normal traffic. I parked the car, and dread swept through me when I saw about five reporters hanging around the front of the lobby. “Let’s get this day started.”
I had no idea how Kurt put up with this all the time. I’d been a nervous wreck, fearing a reporter would get through the gate and end up on my doorstep.
They will not control my life.
With my shoulders squared, I walked toward the door to the lobby.
“Knoah, how long have you and Kurt dated?”
“Are you upset Kurt was out clubbing last night?”
“Did you see the other women?”
I stopped and addressed the group with the lines Kurt and I had discussed. “Kurt and I are not seeing each other. We’re simply friends. Have a good day.”
They continued to shout questions at me as I opened the door. Apparently, the reporters were deaf as well.
“Morning, Ms. Knox. Seems like you’re the person they’re looking for.”
“I’m sorry, Pete. Big misunderstanding. They’re trying to make a story out of nothing.”
The morning security detail gave me a toothy grin. Pete was a nice guy with a wife and two kids. Some mornings when I stopped for coffee at The Bean, I got him a cup, too. It was our favorite coffee shop.
He waved me on. “Makes my job interesting for a change.”
“Well, I’m glad it’s working out for someone.”
With a hearty chuckle, he smiled. “It will for you, too. I’m certain of it. I’ll make sure they stay outside.”
“Thank you.”
Maybe the paparazzi would move on, or I’d be eating lunch inside. Through the sea of people waiting for the elevators, I made my way across the lobby to the As You Wish office doors. Having an office on the first floor had its perks.
After fishing out my keys, I unlocked the door. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up. I stopped and surveyed the reception area with fear rising. At one point over the weekend, I’d closed the door to the balcony off my room after having had a similar feeling. Given the situation, my imagination had run wild with possibilities.
In the office, nothing seemed out of place.
I’m becoming paranoid. Hopefully.
Maybe a reporter had made it past security. With that thought in mind, I locked the door behind me and decided to text Kurt.
Me: Only a few reporters at work. Nothing major.
Kurt: Good. Let me know if you have any problems.
Me: I will. Talk to you later.
Kurt: Later.
I probably should have told Kurt how nervous the situation made me, but I wanted to be strong.
“Knoah!”
“Oh my gosh!” I nearly screamed and jumped when Sawyer appeared out of nowhere. “What the hell, Sawyer? I thought you were meeting with the monkey trainer.”
I held my hand over my heart and bent over to catch my breath.
She shrugged. “He cancelled. Asshole. He didn’t feel good about subjecting his monkey to an Elvis costume. He considered the wig inhumane.”
“Are you serious?”
Flicking her wrist, she exhaled in a huff. “As a heart attack. I’ll be in my office seeing what else these dipshits have cooked up for me and hoping the other monkey trainer calls me back.”
“Good luck!” I paused. “Hey, why was the door locked?”
Sawyer leaned back out into the hall. “When they followed me this morning, thinking I was you, it freaked me out a little. How are you dealing with this?”
“About the same. I hope they move on soon.”
“Me, too.”
The phone rang, and Sawyer darted back into her office. Needing caffeine, I headed to the break room. Two leather couches faced each other with a small glass table between them. At times, when brides needed a moment, we brought them in here. Emotions ran high when planning weddings. Eloping was the way to go. I wished I’d eloped.
Planning my wedding had been a nightmare. Vivian had accused me of being pregnant and trapping Dylan. It had been terrible, and I’d almost cancelled the wedding. I pushed the heaviness away and watched highlights from the morning news on the TV while my coffee brewed.
I shook my head as the story about GS Industries jobs moving out of the country cycled on the screen. All weekend long, it had flooded the news. The PR team was doing a horrendous job at mitigating the situation, and I imagined the scenario had been blown way out of proportion.
I took a sip of my coffee and went back to my office to tackle some work.
~ ~ ~
Mickey knocked on the door, pulling my attention from the table arrangements for a function in three weeks. “Hey, Knoah, what’s your schedule look like right now?”
I glanced at the clock. It was a little before three. “Overall, I’m caught up. I was working on the seating arrangements for the Greggor Thanksgiving fundraiser. What do you need?”
“Shaw International called. They asked if you could meet with them in about fifteen minutes.”
Wow, that was fast. I pulled out my calendar, ensuring I hadn’t forgotten a meeting. “The company from the fourth floor?”
“Yes. They have some sort of fundraiser they want us to do. This could be a great opportunity for As You Wish. I’ve tried multiple times to land the account with no luck.”
She did? I didn’t remember her mentioning it. But Mickey kept a lot to herself.
“That’s good.”
She nodded. “It is. Do you think you can pull some things together by then?”
“Yes, give me a few, and I’ll meet you at the door in ten minutes.”
Without looking up, I began to gather my planner and portfolio of previous work I’d done. I had boards I kept on hand, as well, in case of last-minute meetings. At times, I had more time on my hands than I knew what do with, so I tried to be prepared for every situation that arrived.
For this presentation, I’d have to shoot from the hip and follow Mickey’s lead, having no information.
At the front door, I met Mickey, who was the picture of professionalism in her tailored navy dress. “I have all the boards. Is there anything else you can give me, information wise?”
“No, the man I spoke with was short and to the point. He saw some of your work and asked you accompany me.”
At least I’d dressed up in my flower-print wrap dress. “Sounds good. I brought a few different scenarios with me.”
Men who were short and to the point were typically Grade A assholes, and I groaned internally. In my years here, I’d experienced a few. Usually a warm smile—and killing the client with kindness—led to a pleased customer. People came to Mickey because she pulled off the impossible and made events something to behold.
As we walked to the elevator, Mickey continued, “I’ll lead the discussion when it comes to contract. I’ll leave the creative piece up to you.”
“Understood.”
“I need your A game.”
“I’ll bring it.”
Mickey was always intense, living and breathing her company.
I nodded, adjusting my bag before following my boss out the door. The weird sense that someone was watching me came back full force. It wasn’t the warm fuzzy kind, either, but something cold and creepy. I swear, I was going insane with these reporters lurking about. The lobby was nearly empty except for a few people at the table in front of the coffee shop we ate at occasionally. One man casually read the paper while a couple talked animatedly.
Why are these feelings following me?
Chapter Seven
An older woman scrutinized my work on the boards displayed in front of her. It was nearly five o’clock, and we had yet to secure their business. Beside me, Mickey remained engaged and bullet-pointed additional reasons why As You Wish would be the perfect choice.
The event was for Mr. Shaw, personally. He would be hosting this year’s event to honor local police officers. It was last minute—the original sponsor dropped out due to
financial reasons. The event was next week. Invitations had already gone out from the previous sponsor. As luck would have it, they were black and white, which was the same as the Shaw International brand.
“Knoah, can you handle the amount of time this event will take? From the boards I’ve seen, I believe you will be perfect for the job. But this Sunday doesn’t give you much notice.”
It was six days away, which left little preparation time.
Mickey nodded. “Knoah’s schedule will be completely cleared. She’s handled events of this size before.”
Not of this magnitude under this type of deadline, I added silently. But I would get it done. With confidence and an easygoing smile, I looked at Brenda, who waited for my confirmation. “Yes, as long as I receive feedback promptly. If something is not achievable, I’ll let you know. I don’t want to promise something I know can’t be delivered. That never bodes well for either party. But I have always delivered.”
Mickey nodded her approval at what I said. Good. Sometimes she was a ballbuster.
Brenda’s phone pinged. The room grew silent, and her brows drew together as she read a message. “Would you accompany me to my office, Mickey? I believe your organization best fits our needs. We’ll need to go over the contract.”
“Most definitely. I think you’ll see As You Wish truly lives up to its name,” Mickey responded as she gathered her things.
Brenda stood. “This way. It was nice meeting you, Knoah. I look forward to working with you.”
“Yes, I look forward to working with you, as well.” I stuck my hand out to shake Brenda’s. Her firm grip gave her an authoritarian vibe. I turned to Mickey. “I’ll wait in the office for you to return.”
She glanced at her watch. “I’ll call you when I’m leaving here. No need to stay.”
“Thanks.”
They walked out of the room, and I gathered my things. A clash of lightning caught my attention. The storm brewing seemed a little more intense than the everyday shower we got.
I shivered.
“Ms. Knox?”
I turned to see a petite woman in a pencil skirt. “Yes?”
“I’m Annie, Mr. Shaw’s PA. Mr. Shaw would like to have a word with you about the event.”
Fortifying a confident smile, I asked, “Do I need to call him?”
“He’s waiting for you in his office. Follow me and I’ll show you.”
“Sure. Let me grab a few boards in case he has questions.”
She gestured for me to do so. “I’ll let Ms. Rapier know where you are when she comes out of Brenda’s office.”
“Thank you. I appreciate it.”
“Of course.”
There were still several people working in the offices lining the walls, but the vast sea of cubicles looked nearly empty. Mr. Shaw had to have several hundred people working for him alone on this floor. The responsibility had to be overwhelming at times. As we passed one office with the title Chief Financial Officer, the occupant peered up from a stack of papers and nodded before returning to his work.
When we arrived at the end of the corridor, Annie opened one of the large double doors. An onyx sign with white lettering read Garrick Shaw.
I walked through the door. Behind the black stone-looking desk, a man sat with his back to me. The timbre of his voice was strong—powerful, even. Wait… where have I heard it before? I listened harder, trying to place the voice.
“The time for excuses is done. The situation has spun out of control. Handle it, Hastings. Now.”
He slammed the receiver down, and my nerves ratcheted up a few notches. I plastered on a pleasant expression and willed it to stay in place.
Ever so slowly, the chair turned. My mouth grew dry. It was him. The man I’d dreamed about every night this weekend. The man who wouldn’t stay out of my head. The man from Cameron’s office.
Garrick Shaw.
No. No. No. This cannot be happening.
My mind was going all mushy before he even said a word.
Strong jaw offset with scruff from a day at the office.
Green eyes like emeralds.
Dark hair cut close on the sides and longer up top.
Hell, he was better looking than I remembered.
His lips turned up in a pleasant smile. Does he know I’m affected by him? Wait… maybe affected. Okay, no maybe. I was.
Internal deep breath.
I took a step forward.
He stood.
It was like a choreographed dance.
I cleared my throat. “I’m Knoah Knox with As You Wish Event Planning. My boss, Mickey Rapier, is currently going over the contract for the police officer gala you’re sponsoring with Ms. Rothchild.”
Of course he knew who I was—he’d called me in here. Crap. I kept the smile on my face.
For a second he looked perplexed. Then he shook his head, and the confusion on his face was gone. He stuck a hand in his pocket, which gave him a more casual feel. Geez, he was gorgeous. “Knoah with a K is what I think you said. It’s nice to meet you, officially. Please call me Garrick.”
My body felt hot, my palms sweaty. I was having a literal physical reaction to him. I wanted to be closer, yet run at the same time. Can he hear my heart beating? The thump, thump, thump echoed in my ears.
Hearing my name from his lips shouldn’t have affected me the way it did. But I was a deer in headlights. I stuck my hand out and noticed a slight shake.
Get it together.
With a few strides, he stood in front of me and took my hand. His was warm and the contact sent little electric sparks up my arm. Quickly, I withdrew and walked to the other side of the conference table to put some distance between us. The instant attraction scared the living daylights out of me. I fumbled a bit with my boards as the tingles I’d experienced the last few days whenever I thought about him raced across my skin. “Would you like to see examples of my experience?”
Garrick checked the time. “Tomorrow. At lunch. I can clear some time for us to discuss. Annie will arrange it.” Taking a few steps toward the conference table, he glanced at the boards before making eye contact again. “I saw your events online when I researched the company.”
Of course. He’d asked for me specifically. I was messing this up every which way. Tomorrow, Mickey could accompany me to keep my thoughts on the straight and narrow. Shaw International was our customer. Garrick Shaw was a customer. I needed to stay on my A game.
I made a note in my planner. “Where would you like to meet?”
“Here. Do you have any special requests?” He took another step forward, and I forced my legs to remain in place. They wanted to bring me closer to him.
Stop.
I felt the intensity of his stare on me, and I nervously tucked a few loose strands of hair behind my ear. “I’m fine with anything. I’ll let Mickey know about the appointment.”
“Perfect.”
This all seemed more intimate than I was prepared for. It’s only a business lunch. My mind was using my attraction to him to make more out of it than there was.
I’d tried unsuccessfully to date over the years, but something inside kept me from pursuing it. Now the barrier was gone, and that scared me to death. He is a customer. Stop.
I gathered my boards to indicate I was leaving. “That sounds good. Is there anything you want me to prepare?”
He looked at me for a minute. “Why don’t you leave your boards here? I’ll review them. Tomorrow, bring me your ideas. I want to see what you envision for this, given the information you have and the time limit.”
“Of course. That won’t be an issue.”
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
“Garrick, we need to talk.”
Another nicely dressed man with dark blond hair stepped into the room. He stopped short when he saw me and looked a little startled. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were meeting with anyone. Annie wasn’t at her desk.”
The stranger introduced him
self. “I’m Hastings. Hastings Monroe.”
This was who Garrick had told to “handle it” in a not-so-nice tone. He prickled my nerves.
“Knoah. Knoah Knox. I work for As You Wish Event Planning.” Why am I explaining what I do? Garrick had me all sorts of flustered.
“I’ll meet you in the lobby, Hastings.” Garrick’s tone was one of obvious dismissal.
Hastings gave a quick wave. “Nice meeting you, Knoah. Can’t wait to see what you do at the gala.”
“Thanks. Nice to meet you, too.” The man must have worked closely with Garrick if he knew about the gala.
At my parting words, he turned to leave the office. Garrick adjusted his tie. “Do you have a business card with your contact information?”
I snapped back into business mode and pulled one out of my purse. “Here’s my card. It has all my contact information.”
Garrick grabbed the card and studied it for a moment before handing me his. The heat of his hand seeped into mine, sending sparks across my skin for the second time. The man smelled delicious with his spicy masculine cologne. I wanted to rub my face in his shirt. My eyes widened at the thought, and I looked away.
“I put my personal cell phone number on it in case you need anything, Knoah.”
“I… uh… okay.” This was uncharted territory for me—more than business but not inappropriate. Personal cell phone? Okay, hold on. I had my other clients’ personal cell phone numbers. Stop overreacting. “Thanks, Mr. Shaw. I’ll see myself out.”
As I reached his office door, I felt the heat of his body behind me. The damn cologne engulfed me, making my knees weak. Hot breath tickled my ear. “You forgot to take my card.”
An audible gasp left me. “I… uh… thank you.” I took the business card.
He moved ever so slightly closer but didn’t touch me. The distance was a blessing and a distraction. I wanted to feel his touch again.
He continued, “Have a good evening, Ms. Knox.”
Taking a deep breath, I willed myself to focus and remain on task. “I’ll see you at lunch. To work. A working lunch. Good evening, Mr. Shaw.”
Untouched Perfection Page 5
