My eyes are drawn from my computer to the large doors of my office at the sound of a loud knock.
“Come in,” I call out. I half expect it to be Rose even though it’s a quarter to five and I doubt she’ll be done with work this early. I want it to be her. But it’s not, it’s Trent.
As he closes the door, I stretch my arms above my head and sigh heavily. It’s been a long fucking day.
“Did we get it?” I ask as he slumps into the sofa and leans forward, his elbows on his knees with his chin resting in his hands.
He nods and says, “It cost us forty-three million. But we won the bid.”
I finally let a grin slip into place.
“We overspent, but it’s still usable,” he says.
I huff out a breath, the smile unmoving. It feels good knowing how badly I fucked over Patterson. And he’s going to know. There’s not a damn good reason for me to have bought it otherwise.
“Logan,” he says and waits for me to look at him.
I raise my eyebrows as he makes me wait in silence.
“Yes?” I ask him, finally leaning forward and giving him my attention.
“Are you alright?”
He hasn’t asked me that in quite a long time.
“I am.” I clear my throat and look at the clock and then back to him. “I’m fine.” I’m not fine. But I’m not as bad as I once was. I know that’s why he asks. I can run this company. He’s the only one who knows about my condition beyond my father. If it got worse, I’d tell him. I wouldn’t let the company fall.
“That’s not what I mean.”
I look back at him with my forehead pinched in confusion.
“It’s about Miss Harrison.”
“Charlotte Rose.” I feel my hands grip the arms of the chair. My blunt nails dig into the leather. “What about her?” I ask, my voice on edge.
“Is she-” he stops to look away and then back at me. “Is this serious?” he asks.
I wait a moment to answer. I know the truth though. It is. I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life. I want her. I need her to be mine.
“Yes,” I answer and hold my breath, waiting for him to tell me all the reasons we shouldn’t be together. Instead a smile grows on his face.
“I’m very happy for you, Logan.” He leans back and says, “I’d like to meet her; maybe outside of the office?”
I scoff a laugh and finally relax. I nod my head, looking back at the clock. “I think she’d like that. Maybe a corporate lunch.”
He lets out a laugh. “To think you have a life outside of work.”
I bring my fingers to my lips. It’s certainly something different. She’s something different.
“Does she know?” he asks. My breath catches in my throat as I maintain eye contact. I don’t want to answer. I can’t admit to him what a selfish prick I’ve been.
I’m saved from responding by a small, timid knock on the door. It opens before I can respond, and Charlotte appears.
She’s in a simple shirtdress that flatters her curves, and I can’t help letting my eyes roam her body as she hesitantly walks in. “Are you in the middle of a meeting?” she asks in a hushed voice, gripping the edge of the door.
Trent has a wide smile on his face and answers for me. I’m caught in a trance at the sight of her. As if telling Trent she was mine somehow made it more real. More tangible. Something I can actually have.
“Not anymore, we’ve just wrapped up.” He slaps his hands on his thigh and stands.
“I’m not sure we’ve met officially,” he says and holds a hand out to her and I finally rise to walk over and help introduce them.
She accepts his hand. “Trent Morgan.” She says his name with confidence and with her back straight. Her purse jostles as she shakes his hand. “It’s nice to officially meet you; Logan has said nothing but nice things about you.”
Trent laughs and pats the back of her hand before releasing her and says, “He must not have said much then.” A small chuckle rises through my chest at his joke as I wrap an arm around her waist. It’s the first time I’ve ever held her in front of anyone. A small gasp leaves her lips and she looks at me, nervously tucking her hair behind her ear. Her eyes flash with surprise.
“I’m glad you’ve met her, now get the fuck out.” I say the words easily with a grin and he nods, picking up his jacket off the sofa.
“You two have a nice night,” he says as he opens the door.
“You too,” my Rose says in a slightly high-pitched voice.
She watches the door until it closes. And then she looks up at me and asks, “We’re an item now?” Although there’s skepticism in her eyes, her voice is laced with a hope I’ve never heard from her.
I simply nod. I don’t like that she’s questioning it, that she’s doubting me.
I understand, but I don’t fucking like it.
“Like…” She pauses and takes in a short breath before pulling away slightly and then looking back at me. I keep my feet bolted to the ground and wait for whatever the hell she’s thinking to come out. “Like people can know?”