Luckily, today I didn't have to debate the morals of what I was doing.
* * *
Backlog today. Nothing useful.
* * *
I texted back. I couldn't help the smug smile that crossed my face. Hopefully, I could just do backlog forever. I didn't want to give my stepmother a single thing if I didn't have to.
* * *
You can't do backlog forever. I expect results.
* * *
I stuck my tongue out at her message and put my phone away. It wasn't my fault that she wasn't getting what she wanted. She was the one who put me here.
I sighed and opened up another box. I knew that the backlog wouldn't last forever. I would eventually get to the Paradisa files and I would have to give her something. It was that or lose my career and my father's reputation. I didn't want to think about it. Maybe I could avoid it forever if I really tried.
A knock on my door got my attention. I looked up to see Jaqui in my doorway. I glanced at my watch. It was exactly noon.
"You have a visitor downstairs," she informed me, her voice sing-song and light. Her eyes sparkled as she grinned at me. "I think he has lunch for you."
This day just got even better.
I stood up so fast my knees knocked the table and I nearly tipped the scanner onto the floor. Jaqui giggled as I made sure everything was safe on the table before moving out from under it.
"I have to say, you didn't tell me just how cute he was," Jaqui said as I grabbed my purse and headed out of the office. "Plus the accent? Hot. Super hot. Where is he from?"
"I'm not actually sure," I admitted as we went to the stairs. "I only met him for a few minutes."
"I think it sounds Paradisian," Jaqui said thoughtfully as we clattered down the stairwell. "It's not quite English sounding, but it's not Irish or Scottish either. And definitely not Australian."
"Just how much did you talk to him before coming to get me?" I asked, giving her a side glance.
She grinned. "Just enough to make sure he was good enough for you."
"Uh huh." I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing to have Jaqui talking to him.
"He seems pretty smitten with you," Jaqui said. "Do you think he has a brother? Or a friend."
I thought of Andre. He seemed like Jaqui's type. "I can ask."
"Please do," she said, holding the bottom door of the stairwell open for me. "And have fun. I want details when you come back."
I grinned at her. I had missed working with her. It wasn't work with Jaqui. It was hanging out with a friend when she was around. She followed behind me, wanting to catch another glimpse of my handsome suitor before going back to her office.
I smoothed my shirt before heading around the corner and into the lobby where he would be waiting. My heart fluttered in my chest and my palms went sweaty, but in a good way. I was excited to see him again.
He stood in the middle of the entrance area before security, looking calm and comfortable despite the evil eye Gus was giving him. I nearly forgot how to breathe. He was even more handsome than I remembered, and I'd been sure I'd been exaggerating his good looks in my memory.
He wore fitted jeans that accentuated his lean figure and a dark suit jacket that broadened his shoulders. The dark color accented the reddish blonde of his hair and the blue of his eyes. He stood with one hand in his pocket, looking like some sort of magazine model.
He smiled as soon as he saw me and my heart sped up to insane cardio level. That smile would make anyone's knees weak. It certainly was making mine turn to Jell-O. How in the world had I talked this guy into buying me lunch? I had to be dreaming.
"Hi," I said, coming closer. I was unsure of what to do. Where we supposed to hug? Shake hands?
He held out his hand and greeted me warmly. I was grateful he knew what to do, because my brain suddenly didn't have any blood. All I could think about was his smile, not what I was supposed to be doing.
"Are you available for lunch now?" he asked, releasing my hand. I wished for a moment that he would just keep holding it. That we could walk out on the street hand in hand, which was a silly thing to want from someone I'd known less than fifteen minutes.
"I am," I told him. "What did you have in mind?"
I noticed then that he didn't have any food with him. He had said he would bring me lunch, but unless he was hiding the noodles in his coat-sleeves, there wasn't any food here.
"I know that I said I would bring you lunch, but I was hoping I might convince you to come with me to lunch," he said, a slight blush crossing his cheeks. I wondered for a moment if he was as nervous as I was, which would be silly. He had nothing to be nervous about, looking the way he did.
"I have an hour," I said, smiling shyly.
"She actually has two," Jaqui called out from the corner. "It's a new hire thing."
I looked over at her and she winked. Knowing Jaqui, if I got her Andre's number, she'd let me have the rest of the day off. There were some perks to working at a job that didn't need to be done immediately. I never could have done this in my other job.
"I guess I have two hours," I said.
He grinned and it lit up the room. My stomach fluttered and I could feel a blush heat my cheeks. How in the world was I going to make it through an entire meal feeling this flustered? It felt like a first date.
I was suddenly really glad I had worn my favorite work outfit. It was close enough to first date clothing that I didn't feel under-dressed. I at least knew that I looked good today.
He offered me his arm and I felt like a true lady as he escorted me out of the building.
"Have her back in two hours, young man!" Gus called out after us, his arms crossed and expression grumpy. I loved him for it.
A lovely spring day awaited us outside. I'd been cooped up in my office scanning documents and hadn't realized how beautiful it was out. The sun was warm, contrasting the cool breeze that threatened rain later.
Henry pulled out a ball-cap with a large blue R embroidered on it and pulled it down over his hair. He looked almost like a different person with it on, but he at least had the sun out of his eyes.
An older woman with her grand-kids in a stroller walked past us and smiled. "Ah, young love," she murmured as she passed and I blushed.
I liked that she thought we were a couple.
"What were you thinking for lunch?" I asked, holding onto his arm as we walked along the sidewalk. I didn't want to let go. I liked the way he felt next to me and under my fingers.
"According to my phone, there is a highly rated Greek restaurant, an American diner, and a place that sells grilled cheese," he replied. "I'm not sure how there is a restaurant based solely on grilled cheese, but it's close."
"Do you like grilled cheese?" I asked, knowing what restaurant he was talking about. It was a cute little restaurant that did a creative spin on the American classic sandwich. It was one of my favorite lunch spots.
He lowered his head closer to mine. "To be honest, I've never had one."
"What? How have you never had a grilled cheese?" I asked, astonished. "How did you survive as a child?"
He chuckled. "It was never served. I did love macaroni and cheese, though. And pickles."
I giggled. "Then we are going to go pop your grilled cheese cherry," I told him. "And they have a great mac and cheese if you hate the sandwich."
"Do you like this place?" he asked, looking down at me with those blue eyes. Today they were the color of the sky just before nightfall. Dark and blue and beautiful.
"I do," I told him. My favorite is called ‘The Young American.' It's cheese, tomato, and bacon on sourdough bread. Sometimes I have them add avocado and roasted red peppers, too. It's delicious."
"That sounds amazing," he agreed. "I thought grilled cheese was supposed to be boring. That's why it's a kid food."
"Traditionally, it's just toasted white bread with melted cheese inside. Which is delicious, if a bit simple," I agreed. "I actually really like all the extra ingredients. It feels decadent, but comforting at the same time. Like being home and still traveling."
Henry grinned. "I like the combination. Let's try it."
He let me guide us down the street. The restaurant was only a few blocks away and I could practically get there blindfolded, I'd made the walk so many times.
I smiled back at him as we walked side by side down the street. My hand still rested on his arm and I could feel the flex of the muscles underneath as he moved.
"So where are you from that you didn't have grilled cheese as a kid?" I asked, mostly to distract myself from his closeness.
"You don't know?" he asked, sounding genuinely surprised. "I thought you might have guessed by now."
"Jaqui thinks that you're from Paradisa," I told him. "I've never met anyone from there, so I don't know what the accent sounds like exactly."