Love In Secrets (Love Distilled #3) - Scarlett Cole Page 0,84
making sure their plan was up to date.
“As I said, I think you’ve forgotten who is in charge here.”
Cassie began to pack up her things. She rarely left the building site before six, but she’d had enough of Brandon and was likely to say something she’d regret, something that might even be permanent.
“No, I think you have. It’s the senior manager’s job to compile and report the project plan for management review. It’s the very first task under administration on your contract of employment roles and responsibilities. Secondly, I don’t actually work for you. See, your uncle is smart enough to know he got a fucking good deal, switching our places, so I specifically said I would accept the deal as long as he never instituted a hierarchy where I reported to you on a project. Call him and check, and you can tell him why you’re asking me to do your work, because, yet again, you aren’t prepared for your weekly update and want me to bail you out.”
Brandon’s mouth opened, but words didn’t come out.
“Have a good weekend, Brandon.”
She signed out of the construction area and headed toward the subway. The late afternoon sunshine was warm on her face and she breathed deeply, trying to shake off the icky feeling after her conversation with Brandon.
Focus on the positives.
Bruce was going to help her out with a contact at ConTerra, it was Friday, she was off the site early, and it was sunny. It didn’t even matter that she’d not bothered to switch her steel toe boats for her sneakers.
Once on the subway, she changed her shoes. Perhaps she’d stop in at the deli on the way home, make herself a charcuterie platter for dinner. Oh, and she could grab some of those stuffed olives they had.
Memories of Jake tossing olives into the air and catching them in his mouth bubbled through her mind. He did it with peanuts, popcorn, sour patch kids. Anything. And never missed.
Not once.
Urgh . . . why couldn’t she stop thinking about him?
Charcuterie.
That’s what she’d been thinking about. Dinner. Fun. Something quick and simple. She’d go home and shower, put on a pretty dress, one she hadn’t taken to Denver and wouldn’t remind her of . . . him. Then she’d go shopping.
She exited the subway at her stop and walked the ten minutes to her apartment.
“Hello, love.”
Jake sat on her stoop. Wait, Jake with a suitcase and a smile. She stepped forward to hug him but took a step back. Uncertainty filtered through her. “Hey.” Her voice was rough.
Jake stood, unfolding those long legs of his, and reached for her hand. “I know. We didn’t talk about this. But I missed you, and I needed to find out if you missed me.”
Her heart raced while her brain exploded. Jake was here, close enough to kiss, close enough to step into his arms, into his familiar scent and warmth.
“I missed you,” she managed.
He cupped her cheeks and kissed her, every move of his lips and tongue against hers so intimately familiar her insides melted. When he let her go, she wasn’t quite sure she could remain standing.
His eyes were on hers, and the way he looked at her reminded her of every single time he’d asked her to open her eyes when they made love.
“Are you okay?” He reached for her hand, and she nodded. “Want to show me where you live? I mean, I can get a hotel or something if it’s weird.”
“It’s not weird. I was thinking about you. On the way home. How you throw food in the air and catch it in your mouth and never miss.”
Jake laughed. “That’s my memorable talent as far as you’re concerned?”
“No. I mean. It’s one of them, right?”
“Take me inside, Cass. And let me show you some of my others.”
Cassie fumbled to unlock the door to the building. “I’m sorry, the elevator is being serviced today so it’s out of order. It’s not normally like this, but the building landlord is a good guy and he gave us notice. But I’m on the third floor.”
Jake hitched his backpack in her direction. “Don’t worry, I travelled light. And, Cassie, relax.”
She shook as she inserted the key to her apartment. What would he think? Would he criticize her for living someplace so small? Would he kiss her again? Would he do more?
The door clicked closed behind them both, and she hadn’t even processed the fact she’d stepped inside.