The Hunter(8)

“Yeah, because that’s what I am fretting about,” I replied sarcastically after the doors had closed and then immediately felt a complete bitch. Why were my nerves so on edge? I hope they like my designs. Please let them like my designs.



When I emerged from the meeting almost two hours later, I walked back through Norman & Wilde’s reception trying to maintain my dignity. I pressed the button for the elevator and struggled to hold it together as I waited for it to arrive. When the doors opened, I was dismayed to find a small group of people were in there. I forced myself to enter calmly and was so relieved when the car stopped on the floor below and they all filed out past me. The second the doors closed, my composure left me and I threw my arms up the air and cried “Yeah!! Way to go, me! I can do this … I really can do this!” whilst punching my fist in the air. The management consultancy loved my designs and wanted to go ahead with the project as soon as possible. I was ecstatic and I couldn’t wait to tell Angel. One thing was for sure - we were going to celebrate tonight.



I froze when I heard a subtle cough behind me, feeling my cheeks begin to burn in embarrassment. Oh crap - there’s someone in here with me. Someone just witnessed my cringe worthy jubilation. And then, although I had no way of knowing who was standing behind me - I had only met about five people in the building - I just knew who it was. I waited for the increasingly familiar image of midnight blue eyes to form in my mind. Bingo! There they are!



I steeled myself to turn around but I found that I was frozen to the spot. I could eyes burning into the back of my head, willing me to turn around. I closed my eyes, urging the elevator to hurry up and reach my floor. Just then that indescribable male scent reached my nostrils and inhaled it greedily. Somehow, I got the feeling that he had moved closer to me; that he was standing right behind me. I was almost tempted to push out my behind to see how close he was but whether it was because of my frozen state or because my memory reminded me just how clumsy I had been in his presence yesterday, I didn’t.



The doors opened and I shot forward, almost barreling into Angel. I spun around and thought I caught a glimpse of him, dressed in black, as the doors closed and obscured my view. I felt the color drain out of my face as my brain registered where I thought he was standing. He would have been right behind me, like right behind me. Thank god I didn’t stick out my ass! My hands flew up to cover my gaping mouth as I sagged against Angel, my legs feeling weak.



“What is it, Issy?” she asked quietly, as she steered me back to my office. Concern was etched on her face. “Dare I ask how the meeting went or would you rather not talk about it?”



I sat on my desk and opened my mouth to tell her my good news but no sounds came out. I managed to take a shaky breath and tried again, to no avail.



“Shit Issy, you are scaring me,” she whispered. “You look like you have seen a ghost.”



“I … I think I have,” I managed to stammer.



“Come on,” Angel urged. “We are going to lunch and you are going to tell me exactly what happened up there.”



Angel virtually dragged me to the deli on the next block. She shoved me into a corner seat and then ordered lunch for both of us. She then placed a glass of white wine in my hand and I tipped it back, draining the glass before grabbing hers and doing the same. Angel’s eyebrows shot up but then she calmly went back for more wine. I sat back and closed my eyes. After a moment, I felt my nerves beginning to calm and my mind starting to clear.



When we both had a refilled glass in our hands, I clinked mine against Angel’s and broke out in to a huge grin. “I did it, Angel,” I said triumphantly. “They loved my ideas and have instructed the builders to begin as soon as possible.”



Angel just stared at me - her eyes like saucers. Her nervous expression changing to one of disbelief.



“I know,” I said. “Unbelievable, isn’t it?”



“You idiot,” she breathed, closing her eyes briefly. “You scared me so much. I’ve never seen you so pale. I don’t understand. If it went well, what was all that about?”



I never kept anything from Angel but for some reason I didn’t want to share my Phantom yet. Did I really see him in the lift? Could I have imagined him?



“I guess it was just a reaction to all the nerves and stress,” I smiled at her.



“Well, I dread to think how you would have looked if it had gone badly,” she said, shaking her head.



Halfway through our lunch, I could bear it no longer and I suddenly blurted “Angel, did you see anybody in the elevator when I got out?”