“Right. I’ll see you around.”
“Yeah.” I nodded and hurried to the conference room with my insides twisted up in knots, pretending it didn’t mean anything that Donovan had sounded as confused as I felt.
Chapter 16
“This is the first emergency Friday morning meeting I’ve called at the executive level, that I can recall,” Nate said, looking to Weston for confirmation, “but I’m happy to say it’s for a celebratory cause. We have landed the Phoenix account!”
Cheers erupted throughout the conference room. Roxie had already told me the minute I’d walked in the office, but my team and all of Nate’s team had yet to hear the news. Whoops and hollers and hugs were shared, even a few tears.
Nate waited for the room to settle before continuing with his speech. “Word came in late last night. You all put in your best work. I’m very proud of what you brought to the table. Party on us tonight at Red Farm. Upper West Side location.”
I zoned out as Nate went through the details of the project timelines. Accidentally, I caught Donovan’s eye across the table. I’d been avoiding him since Tuesday, or he’d been avoiding me. I wasn’t quite sure, but every time we came in contact with each other, we both immediately ducked away in the opposite direction.
Now, I lowered my eyes quickly. My gaze landed on Weston who was typing furiously on his cell next to me.
It’s going to seem weird if my fiancée isn’t at the celebration, don’t you think?
He held his screen so it was visible when Elizabeth’s reply came through.
At this short notice, I don’t give a fuck. I’m not at your beck and call.
With an audible huff, he stuffed his phone in his suit pocket and sat back in his chair.
Trouble in fake paradise, it seemed. Not that Weston’s pairing with Elizabeth had ever been paradise. I sort of felt sorry for him. Though, really, what did he expect when he let Donovan arrange a marriage for him?
I’d been back to wondering about that over the past few days. Why had Donovan suggested they marry after finding out that I’d be coming to work at Reach? And why did he continue to push me into a relationship with Weston while, at the same time, he acted like he was attracted to me? Was that all in my head?
On top of everything else, there was a very real chance there was now a rumor about Donovan and me after having been caught in such an intimate situation. Thoughts of the potential gossip made me groan inwardly. Here I was, finally making strides with my career. I wasn’t ready to have it tainted by talk that I’d slept my way to my position.
Not to mention what Weston would say if he found out. If I were going to start a relationship with someone else in the office, then fine, but I needed to be the one to tell Weston. Especially if the relationship were with Donovan.
Which it wasn’t because there was no relationship. There was no relationship, nothing had happened, and I’d been tormented about it ever since. I couldn’t stop thinking about him. Couldn’t stop thinking about what had almost happened, what I’d wanted to happen, what he had wanted to happen.
What was he trying to do to me?
I dared another glance in his direction. He was staring right at me this time. He didn’t even pretend to look away when I caught him, and then, somehow, I couldn’t look away either.
Whatever he was trying to do to me, I was afraid it might already be done.
When the meeting ended, I gathered my things in a hurry, intending to make a quick escape to my office.
“Sabrina,” Weston called, detaining me.
So much for my getaway plan.
“Yeah?” I tugged on my hair, noting that Donovan had lingered to talk to someone as well.
Oblivious to my distraction, Weston smiled proudly. “I wanted to let you know that Phoenix was particularly impressed with our marketing objectives. It was one of the main reasons we landed the account.”
“I inherited a very qualified and talented team.” Just get through this. Just get through.
“You did. I know you did.” He shifted his weight to his hip. “Tom Burns also let me know a few things.”
My attention immediately tuned in on the name Weston had mentioned. Tom Burns had been the guy who’d seen me almost kiss Donovan. “Like what?”
Weston started to say something but then glanced around the room and seemed to realize we weren’t alone. “We should talk about it privately. Meet you upstairs in my office in fifteen?”
“Sure.” My heart was beating so hard I was surprised it wasn’t boring a hole through my chest. “I’ll be there in fifteen.”
As soon as Weston left the conference room, I dropped my notebooks and my phone on the table and placed my palms down on the wood to brace myself. I took a deep breath. Then another.
Then another.
This wasn’t even really that big of a deal because there wasn’t anything going on with Donovan. The problem was in all the details—would I tell Weston the rest? That I’d slept with Donovan in college? That I’d been fixated on him then?
That I was fixated on him now?
Sensing I was already struggling, Donovan of course had to come bother me more. Leaning against the table, he said smoothly, “If you’re that worried about what a staff member might be saying about you, you’re probably engaging in behavior that you shouldn’t be engaging in.”
I shot him a glare that I hoped held the weight of the angst I was feeling. “This is fun for you, isn’t it?”
He shrugged. “It’s not the worst day I’ve had at the office.”
His cavalier attitude only added to my misery. I’d been tense and nervous and wanting him for three days and when he finally approached me, it was just to make me feel worse?
I couldn’t take it. Not right now, anyway.
“Was that your goal all along?” I snapped. “Get employees talking about you and me so that I’d have a harder time with Weston?”
“Are you feeling guilty about you and me?”
“Jesus, you’re incredible.” I didn’t know how I continued to be dumbfounded by the things he said to me, but I did. “You think this is a game. Push me toward Weston, pull me away. Push but then put an obstacle in the way. Push but flirt with me at the same time so I don’t know what it is you really want.”
“Don’t be silly. I want you and Weston to work out more than anyone.” He really was a good liar. Better than I was, I realized.
But I wasn’t challenging him about this, not in the conference room, not when there were already rumors flying about the two of us, especially not when there wasn’t any reason to believe he’d ever be truly honest.
I gathered my things off the table. “I’m sure you do want me with Weston. Because that will be another fun game when you tear us apart.”
I spun on my heels, and without looking back, left Donovan behind.
After a brief trip to the restroom to freshen up and calm down, I went back up to the executive floor. I dropped my things off in my office and headed to Weston’s.
“He wanted to see me,” I said to Roxie as I walked up. Weston’s door was open and the glass was clear. I could see he was at his desk, typing something into his phone.