didn’t take his eyes off of me, unnerving me with the full force of his gaze. He looked like a GQ model in his black suit, the jacket fitting snugly over his broad shoulders.
He was looking at me as if I were the only person in the room, and it was doing funny things to my stomach. The air grew thick and my head felt a little fuzzy. I had to remind myself that he wasn’t someone I could ever be with. That could not happen.
He was waiting for me to answer his question, so I smiled. “It’s going well so far. Everyone has been welcoming and Bruce has been quite accommodating. I’m thankful he’s willing to share his office.”
“Oh, I don’t mind,” Bruce said, cheerfully, but he’d gone slightly pale, and I had to wonder if he found Easton intimidating. “I have a feeling Maya will turn out to be an outstanding office mate.”
Easton turned his attention to Bruce, his eyes shrewd and a little cold. “Yes, I’m sure she will be.” His voice held a protective note, and he studied Bruce suspiciously as if he were my older brother and had taken on the role of shooing away potential suitors. He’d gotten the wrong idea about Bruce, though. He wasn’t interested in me at all, but Easton’s brows lowered in concern, anyway.
The two men stared each other down, and I wasn’t sure what silent communication passed between them, but it was strange to be in the middle of it. Bruce ran a hand along the back of his neck, clearly uncomfortable with Easton’s close examination. He laughed uneasily and touched his jaw, looking down.
Easton smiled slowly as if giving a quiet warning. He had an opinion about us being office mates—I could see it in his eyes—but he was holding back. He turned his attention back to me, his gaze softening this time. “If you need anything at all, stop by my office. My door’s always open.” He paused at the doorway, his gaze lingering. “Nice earrings, by the way. They look good on you.” And then he left.
I fingered one of my aquamarine gemstone earrings, feeling self-conscious all of a sudden. Bruce turned to me, his eyes wide like saucers. “I’ve been here five years, and he’s never stopped by to say hello.”
“Never?” I wasn’t shocked by that information, but it seemed rather revealing to learn that Easton holed himself up in his office and rarely interacted with his employees.
“Maybe once. He was looking for George.”
“So, he’s not very friendly then,” I said, turning back to the employee manual.
Bruce contemplated that statement. “He’s not unfriendly exactly…most of the time. Just keeps to himself. One might say he’s intense.”
I laughed. “He is that.”
“I don’t mean to make it seem like he’s not a good boss. He’s fair, and from what I’ve seen, he runs things pretty smoothly around here. Morale is good for the most part. Most of us find him intimidating, though.”
“I agree. He does come across that way.”
Bruce cocked his head to the side. “Do you two…know each other?”
“Not well, but we’ve met before.” I didn’t want to share too much about our history since talking about it would put Easton in a negative light. Plus, I didn’t want to talk about Easton at all. The less he crossed my mind, the better.
Bruce nodded and turned back to his computer. “Based on what I just observed, you’re soon to be teacher’s pet.” He laughed as if the statement amused him.
I suddenly had a headache and didn’t want to think about Easton anymore. “I’m not anyone’s pet. What you saw was nothing more than a man doing his duty.”
“Maybe.” He cleared his throat and mumbled something under his breath that sounded like “maybe not.”
About eleven-thirty, Deanna peeked her head in our office. “George asked me to show you where all the supplies are. Come with me.” She regarded me with a friendly smile and motioned for me to follow her.
I got out of my seat, and we walked towards a large cabinet in the hallway that held everything I could possibly need, including pens, notepads, and other office equipment. She glanced around and then lowered her voice. “So, how do you know Easton?”
“What makes you think we know each other?” I kept my voice quiet so the others wouldn’t hear. We were in the hallway, and everyone’s doors were open. “Did someone tell you that?”
She shook her head. “No, but I’m good at picking up cues, and