out. Oh, and by the way, Shanice extended her vacation. Looks like you’ll be trapped working under me for the foreseeable future. Wait. That came out way creepier than I meant it. Forget I said it. Delete! Delete!”
I’m grinning like a doofus, I realize. I force the smile off my face and erase the email.
I am a hundred feet away from him, but I might as well be on the moon.
The truth is, he chooses to live his life like this. He could delegate more. Blake is a ruthlessly efficient man, he could find a way to fit his tasks into a normal human schedule. The way he lives is a choice. And I don’t envy him. I may be mired in credit card debt and watering down soup to make it last longer, but I’m still freer than he’ll ever let himself be.
I wish he hadn’t let me see glimpses of the real him, the man that he could be. Charming and funny and protective. A man capable of genuine love, for his sister and niece at least. A man with a brilliant, dazzling imagination, who uses his business to draw people out of their online shells and bring them together in a real-world wonderland.
I wish I didn’t, on some level, take it personally that he won’t try harder to carve out time for the two of us. Underneath that ferocious drive to succeed, I think he’s punishing himself for some imaginary sin. Does he think he could have saved his parents somehow? Whatever it is, if he can’t love himself, he certainly can’t love anyone else.
My stomach feels leaden and heavy, and I push the tray away from me.
My phone pings with the sound I’ve assigned to the Kitchen Krew group text. I snatch it up and look at it. It’s Jemma. And my smile comes back. I might have a shot at getting a word in edgewise with Marshall, the owner of the Sunni Sunni toy company.
This morning, I treated myself to a cup of Jemma’s coffee. Or rather, her lucky latte. And now she’s got amazing news for me. She recently bought a second cart, and it’s located near the Sunni Sunni headquarters. She’s had her spies on the lookout for me, trying to find a Sunni Sunni Singer doll. They’ve found the next best thing. Apparently, Marshall stops by there for a lunchtime latte on a daily basis, and he’s due there in twenty minutes.
I run out of the office fast enough to leave scorch marks. His headquarters is ten blocks away; thank the footwear gods that today I’m wearing comfortable shoes.
Marshall is standing with his back to me, paying for his latte, as I come barreling up to him, huffing and puffing. Clutching his cup, he starts heading into the building.
Oh no he doesn’t! I make a mad dash to intercept him. Then, of course, with victory so close, I Winona it. I stumble and slam into him. The latte tips over and splatters his crotch.
“Ow!” he yells, dropping his cup.
“Sorry! Very, very sorry!” I pull a wad of tissues from my purse and start dabbing at the giant wet splotch, then realize what I’m doing and drop my tissues. I am indecently assaulting the owner of the Sunni Sunni toy company.
Horrified, I stumble back.
Marshall looks at me in bewilderment, then recognition lights up his eyes. “You’re the girl who said hi to me at the gala. Blake’s girlfriend.”
“Blake’s personal assistant,” I correct him. “Definitely not his girlfriend.” I’m only a little bitter.
“So. You’re here. This can’t be a coincidence. I assume you want something. Girls only say hi to me when they need something.” He’s so matter of fact when he says that. I suck in a breath, stricken. It’s unfair. He’s not unattractive. Also, he’s right that I did semi-flirt with him at the gala to lay the groundwork for asking him for the doll, and that makes me feel bad.
I bend down and pick up my tissues and the coffee cup he dropped. “I’m so sorry.”
But he shrugs and smiles, sticking his hands in his pockets. “It’s not so bad. Lots of pretty girls say hi to me. So, what do you need?”
“I hate that I have to do this. I’m not normally this kind of person. I’m not going to lie to you, though. I’m desperate. I really need a Sunni Sunni Singer doll. My job literally depends on it. I made a promise that I’d get one without realizing