Page 16 of His Long-Lost Baby

“Perhaps your favorite salad?” she prompts.

“Yes, that sounds good,” I say, my mind still preoccupied. “Thank you, Terri.”

She nods and begins typing on her tablet. I take a deep breath, trying to clear my head. The meeting earlier went well, and Billie’s suggestions impressed me. But it wasn’t just her ideas that caught my attention. It was her, her confidence, her poise under pressure. There’s something about her that draws me in and makes me want to know more.

“I need a water,” I say.

“Of course.” Terri starts to leave my office, but I shake my head.

“I got it.”

She hesitates at the door. “Mr. Garris, are you feeling well?”

“I’m fine, Terri,” I say, waving her off as I stand up from my desk. “Just need some fresh air.”

I make my way to the kitchen across from my office, taking deep breaths and trying to get my mind off of Billie. It’s not appropriate to be thinking about an employee like this. But there’s something about her that makes me feel alive again, something I haven’t felt in a long time.

I fill a cup with water and chug it. There’s a mini fridge in my office, of course, but sometimes I need to stretch my legs and look at something different for a few minutes. See things from a fresh perspective.

Running my fingers through my hair, I straighten my tie and head back to my office.

As soon as I step inside, I see Billie waiting for me, her back turned to me as she studies one of the paintings on the wall.

I watch her for a moment, admiring the curve of her back and the way her dark hair falls in soft waves down her shoulders. She’s wearing a navy-blue skirt that hugs her hips in a way that’s both professional and alluring.

“Billie,” I say, my voice low and smooth. She turns to face me, and I can see the surprise in her eyes. Her cheeks flush pink.

“Close the door,” I say, my voice low and commanding. I make my way over to my desk, doing my best to not look at her.

She turns to do as I say, and I take the seat behind my desk.

“How long have you been here for?” I ask.

For a moment, she seems to hesitate, but then she steps forward. “About a week.”

I nod, pretending to read through some documents on my desk. I can feel her watching me, always watching me. It’s like she’s lurking in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. She’s like all the other ambitious people at this company.

Except… different, somehow.

Anyone else would have been fired on the spot for criticizing a design without being first asked for their opinion.

I look up at her, taking in the way her eyes dart nervously over my face. She’s not like the others. She’s not just ambitious, she’s brilliant. I can feel it in the way that she moves, in the way that she speaks.

“I’m sorry if I overstepped in the meeting earlier,” she says, her voice soft. “I just thought that maybe my ideas could help. I didn’t mean to offend you.”

“You didn’t,” I say, leaning back in my chair and folding my arms across my chest. “In fact, I was impressed.”

Her eyes widen slightly, and I can see the corners of her mouth twitch upwards. “Really?”

I nod, a slow smile spreading across my own face. “Really. I think there’s a lot of potential there.”

She steps forward, her body language hesitant. “Thank you, sir.”

I wave off the formal address. “Call me James.”

“All right, James.”

It’s unexpected how much I like hearing my name on her lips.