Page 7 of Cole's Command
There was the line she was hoping Joe wouldn’t cross.
“I don’t think that’s an appropriate comment for the workplace, Joe.” She kept her tone even, trying to guide rather than chastise, but she wanted her point to be clear—and understood. “Perhaps it would be better if I paid you for the croissant.” She looked to her open doorway, knowing that’s where her purse was waiting.
“Of course not.” His palms rose in a conciliatory manner. “There was no offense intended, and I’m sorry if I caused any, but I bought the croissant as a gift. No payment required.” The twinkle in his eyes conveyed there was little truth to his words, but at least he had apologized. If this was the last of the matter, she could live with it.
“Okay.” She paused, assessing his reactions carefully. “I appreciate the thought.” Her hand tightened on the paper bag. “But let’s focus on work. Who’s my first appointment this morning?”
It wasn’t really a fair question. Joe didn’t technically start work yet and he hadn’t even logged on to his computer, but she was pleased to see there was no hesitation in his response.
“A Mr. Cole Vaughn at ten o’clock.”
“Oh, yes.” She sighed, recalling the brief overview Vaughn had offered when he’d booked the appointment. “Mr. Vaughn.”
“I’ll let you know when he arrives,” Joe offered, shoving his hands into his pockets as if he didn’t know what else to do with them. “Charlie will buzz me from the main lobby.”
“Excellent.”
She glanced down at her coffee, although the thought of it was suddenly less alluring than it had once been. Perhaps it was Joe’s unexpected advance, or maybe it was just that it had cooled while they’d been talking, but she didn’t think that she would finish it after all.
“I’m off to prepare for the day,” she told him, intentionally wandering around him to reach her office. She wouldn’t give Joe any reason to think she was interested in him sexually. If he wanted to keep his job, and she hoped that he did, then their relationship would always be business only. “I’ll call if I need you.”
***
LOST IN HER UPCOMING notes for the day, Eden didn’t notice the clock racing by. She had back-to-back appointments, and needed to be on top of her client’s needs before they walked through her door. It was that attention to detail and her tenacious desire to persevere that had seen her professionally excel. She scarcely even looked up from her screen until her phone buzzed on the desk beside her.
Reaching for the receiver, she cleared her throat, aware abruptly of how parched she was. Eden liked to stay well hydrated, and not finishing her usual coffee meant she was due another drink.
“Yes?” she answered, checking the display first to see it was Joe on the other end of the line.
“Apologies for the interruption,” he started. “Charlie called. She has just sent your ten o’clock to the elevator.”
Shit! Is it that time already?
Her gaze flitted to the time on her screen, her belly twisting at its unyielding acknowledgement. At ten minutes to ten it was indeed time that she readied herself for the first client of the day.
“Okay, thanks,” she replied. “Make sure he’s comfortable. I’ll be out at ten.”
She placed down the receiver before he could reply, anxious to maintain her ice-cool demeanor, though her gaze traveled to the baked goods he’d gifted, still shoved inside their paper prison. Clutching at the bag, she opened her desk drawer and shoved the bag inside. Eden had no intention of eating the croissant, but she didn’t favor leaving it around her office. It hardly gave the right impression to a new client.
Closing her notes, she rose from her recliner and gazed out at the skyline. Sagging gray clouds loomed on the horizon, threatening rain in the next few hours. Not that it mattered to Eden. She’d be in the office until six, before rushing home for an early night. She’d learned a long time ago that she couldn’t work and play hard, so she’d made her choice. Her career was her life, and nothing got in the way of that.
The distant chime of the elevator doors echoed from beyond her office, indicating that her client had arrived. Her mind flitted back to what she knew about Vaughn. His notes had been frustratingly brief, stating that he wanted to discuss family issues, but she’d been able to garner his age and relative inexperience in the world of work, noting that he’d studied physics, but didn’t appear to have done much with his qualification.
Intelligent, then, but lazy?
She pushed the judgment away, knowing it was both unfair and ridiculous. Her fleeting Google search of his name had revealed little more, except that he was part of a well-known and wealthy family.
Not lazy, but overindulged?
Eden knew better than to use the internet as the basis for an opinion. Money didn’t buy happiness any more than poverty did, and the best thing she could do was to meet Vaughn and see for herself what he wanted to discuss.
The thought resonated as she checked her watch and realized it was fast approaching the hour. Turning from the window, she walked to the door and pulled it open. She noticed Vaughn at once, his height capturing her attention.
“Mr. Vaughn.” She called him, watching with interest as he glanced at her.
Well-dressed and distinguished looking, his gaze met hers, and she was struck by the intensity in his green eyes, certain his expression belonged to man with more years under his belt than Cole Vaughn. Maybe she’d misjudged him by concluding he was nothing but a spoiled rich boy? That would teach her to judge with minimal information.
“Yes, Dr. Lewis,” Joe interrupted her analysis. “This is your ten o’clock appointment.”