Page 14 of His Long-Lost Baby
I let out a deep sigh. “I don’t know. I’ll have to figure something else out.”
We sit in silence for a few moments and then it hits me. “What about going through his trash? Maybe I could find a statement from his doctor. If it’s itemized, I might have something.”
She snaps her fingers. “That’s perfect!”
I nod, feeling satisfied — and nervous. If I get caught going through James’s office, no doubt I’ll be fired. Maybe even have the police called on me.
It’s the least immoral of all our ideas, though, so it’s the one I’m going with.
Here’s keeping my fingers crossed that it actually works.
* * *
The next day, I’m sitting at my desk working on the week’s project when Audrey bustles up. “Last-minute meeting,” she says. “James’s office. The whole design team is needed.”
I swallow nervously, feeling a knot form in my stomach. This is it. This is my chance to get into his office and search for anything that might help me in my quest to win his heart.
I quickly gather my things and make my way down the hall, my heart pounding in my chest. When I arrive at James’s door, I pause for a moment to take a deep breath before knocking lightly.
“Come in,” a voice that sounds like it belongs to James’s assistant Terri calls out from the other side of the door.
I push the door open and step inside, doing my best to keep my nerves in check. James is sitting behind his desk, his gaze focused on the papers in front of him. The rest of the design team — nearly a dozen people total — are sitting and standing around the room.
A minute passes without James saying anything. He just keeps reading his papers.
I glance around the room. Is this normal?
“When is the meeting starting?” I whisper to David, who’s standing next to me.
He just shrugs, looking as confused as I feel.
“Good morning, everyone,” James finally says, looking up from his work. “I’ve called this meeting to discuss plans for the Green Digit project.”
He outlines the project goals and the preliminary work that’s been done. Despite my nerves, I find myself impressed by his knowledge and attention to detail.
As he speaks, I can’t help but steal glances at him. He’s dressed in a sharp suit, his dark hair perfectly styled. I wonder if he’s noticed my new outfit, my hair styled in loose waves. Probably not.
But then, as if sensing my thoughts, he looks up and catches my eye. For a moment, I freeze, my heart pounding in my chest. But then he looks away and continues with his presentation.
As the meeting goes on, I find myself getting lost in thoughts of him. I imagine what it would be like to be with him, to feel his strong arms around me, to kiss his soft lips.
I shake my head, trying to clear my thoughts. What the hell is wrong with me?
The man is a jerk! Even if he hadn’t abandoned his pregnant ex, I would still think very little of him.
I try to focus on the discussion, but my mind is racing with plans of searching his office for any information I can find.
“So with all of that in mind,” James is saying, “let’s take a look at the rough design template.”
His assistant clicks on the screen on the wall, where the design template appears in a large size.
It’s for some new app about plant care, but the design is boring. Flat.
I speak up before I even realize I’ve opened my mouth.
“I have to say, the graphics aren’t great,” I say, my eyes locked on James. “It needs more color and some interesting designs to really make it pop.”
James turns to look at me, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. “Do you have any suggestions on how to improve it, Billie?”