Headlines (Prime Time #3) - Ella Frank Page 0,48
me. A frown crossed his brow and he shook his head, then he excused himself and headed in my direction.
Not wanting to see Bailey’s reaction to that, I turned and leaned against the kitchen island, trying to think of a good reason to duck out on my own birthday party.
When Sean entered the kitchen, I gave him the best smile I could muster. But he wasn’t fooled, not for a second.
“Okay, spill. What happened?”
“Pretty much nothing.”
He arched an eyebrow and looked down at my empty glass. Then he grabbed the bottle off the bench and refilled my drink. “What do you mean, nothing? You two haven’t talked in weeks, and after ten minutes together, you both look like you want to throw yourselves off the balcony.”
That’s how it felt too, and all because I’d destroyed something perfect and pure—our friendship. “He wasn’t really in the mood to talk.”
“At all?”
“About anything that wasn’t my birthday, and what he said with you and Henri was pretty much the extent of that.”
Sean pulled me into his arms and hugged me. “I’m sorry, anchorman.”
I sighed. “Me too.”
“I mean, you should be. I had to make small talk with Boudreaux.”
I chuckled and slipped out of his arms. “You two seemed to be doing better than we were.”
“Eh, I figured it was the best way to keep the guard dog at bay while you two talked.”
“Well, I appreciate the thought.”
Sean winked at me. “You can thank me later. But right now, how about we go and find the food table before all this alcohol goes to your head.”
I glanced over my shoulder to see Bailey looking at the two of us. Knowing I wasn’t going to get anywhere else right now, I turned back to Sean and nodded.
Maybe I could track Bailey down again later after everyone else left for the night.
“ALEXANDER, SEAN.”
WE turned to see my boss, Marcus, standing behind us with a glass of wine in one hand and an envelope in the other. It was about an hour or so into the evening, and despite my misgivings about being back here and the rocky reunion with Bailey, I’d managed to find my smile and good nature, determined not to disappoint my mother and show everyone who was nice enough to be here tonight a good time.
“I apologize for running late. I got held up at work. Happy birthday.” Marcus held out the envelope. I took it, and he clapped me on the shoulder.
“No need to apologize. I’m just happy you made it.”
“I wouldn’t have missed it.” Marcus looked out the open doors that led to the terrace. “I’ve heard stories about this place.”
“Stories?” Sean said, looking between me and my boss.
“Yes. Rumors about a certain room that revolves have floated around the office for a while now.”
Sean chuckled, wrapped an arm around my shoulders, and said by my ear, “You’re so lucky it’s not your bedroom, or I might be really fucking jealous about now.”
I smirked and was reminded of the first time he’d set foot in the great room and freaked out over the spinning floor. I turned my attention back to Marcus. “Let me guess, Ryan?”
“I think it’s safe to say that’s an accurate assumption. But since I got the information a few rows down the grapevine, I can’t be positive.”
“Uh huh.” I chuckled and then started opening the envelope. “Remind me to check my security footage later to see what exactly he got up to when he was coming up here to get my things for me.”
Marcus nodded and took a sip of his wine. I pulled out a birthday card and opened it. Two tickets fell free, and when I picked them up, I saw they were box seats to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
“Have you ever been before?”
“To the symphony? No, I haven’t.”
Marcus looked to Sean. “Have you?”
There was no way Sean had ever been to the symphony. I would’ve bet money on it.
“Do I really strike you as the type who’d go see an orchestra?”
Marcus eyed him over the rim of his wine glass as he took a sip, and the smile that slowly crossed his lips was just this side of devious. “No, you don’t, which is why I’m so delighted to ask you and Alexander to join me next month.”
I bit down on my lower lip, trying to hold back my laugh, because I could tell this was Marcus’s way of paying back Sean for every time they’d butted heads over the past month or so.
“We’d