“I appreciate you bringing it down here. Will you be coming to the banquet with Shane this weekend?” He frowns at his buzzing cell phone and silences it.
“He mentioned it to me yesterday. I think I just might if I can find something remotely appropriate to wear.”
He weaves his fingers together and rests them over his stomach, leaning back in his chair a little. “What about you, Callie? You coming?”
I jerk to attention. Crap, he’s talking to me. “Oh, uh . . . I didn’t know anything about it actually, so I guess not.”
“Well, Makenna can fill you in. You should come.” A hint of amusement plays on his lips. “No whiskey for you this time, though.”
Well, I’ll be damned. It really is him. I was beginning to wonder if he was some creepy robot clone or something. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“Good.” He looks down at his phone again. “This is the second time he’s called now, so I’d better take this.” Wes swipes the screen with his finger and lifts the phone to his ear. “Are you worried I’m putting the moves on your woman or what?”
Makenna grins wide. It’s Shane.
“Oh, yeah? That’s cool.” His eyes dart to me. “Well, Callie is here, too. No, no . . . that’s okay. I’ll get her home. See you in a bit.”
“What’s going on?” Makenna asks.
“Looks like Shane is on his way here. He spouted off some mumbo-jumbo about how you’re both in love now, and he wants to see you tonight. I guess right after he got off the phone with you earlier, he jumped in the car.”
Oh, God, she looks like she’s going to cry again. She’s covering her quivering smile with her hand and blinking through the excess moisture pooling in her eyes. “He’s so sweet.”
“Yeah, I guess he sucked all of it from our gene pool. So, Callie, looks like I’m taking you home. I can be ready to leave in less than an hour.”
Makenna’s phone rings in her purse, and she lights up when she reads the screen. “It’s him. Is there somewhere private I can take this?”
“Empty office, right across the hall.” He points as she jogs out the door. “I’m glad to see she’s got it just as bad as he does. Damn, but he gets on my nerves.” He catches me staring at him. “What?”
“Who are you?”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” He scowls at me, quickly defensive.
I stand up and swish my hand through the air. “All this. This office. The suit. You’re like a totally different person. I had no idea.”
“Oh, so she doesn’t like guys with culture or a job, I guess.” He grumbles, loosening his tie. “I’m sorry I don’t live up to your slacker caveman expectations, Callie.”
“Wes.” I fold my arms over my chest. “You know that’s not what I mean. And I’m not trying to be rude. I’m just surprised, that’s all. A few weeks ago, you were this young guy that I was making out with after drinking too much. Today, you’re a stuffy suit in a big ass office. I was hoping you’d fill in the gaps for me.”
“What’s to tell? I interned here in college and made a name for myself. They hired me immediately after graduation and as long as I keep making them money, they give me anything I ask for. I’m good at predicting how financial decisions will impact us, and I have no trouble increasing our profit margins because of it.”
“Cocky much?”
He shrugs. “Maybe so, but it’s true. And I don’t love the whole suit and tie business, but it’s a necessary evil. If I’m being honest, though, I like the quiet reverence I get from playing that part. I like the control. The omnipotence of it. You can call it cocky if you want. I have no problem with it. I work hard enough to earn it.”
With nothing remotely clever to say, I harrumph and shake my head.
After taking his jacket off and tossing it over on the couch arm, he finishes removing his tie and unbuttons the collar of his starched white dress shirt. He slumps into his chair, eyeing me. “I’m sorry for being a little temperamental. This week has been insane. I found out Monday that I had until today to get three of our project budgets finalized and ready for the board. I wasn’t expecting today’s meeting until next week, so needless to say, I haven’t slept much.”
I cross my legs and tap my foot in the air nervously. “It’s okay. You probably would’ve been a little less defensive if I’d just said what I meant.”
“Not likely, but thanks for the vote of confidence.” Wes clicks his mouse a couple of times before picking up his desk phone. “Excuse me for a second.” When I start to stand to leave, he holds his hand up. “No, you can stay. I just need to make a quick call.”