“I did mention the work was interesting, but it could be dull as toast and I’d still look forward to coming in every day simply for the biscotti. No doubt I’ll gain ten pounds before I leave Rossi, but it’ll be worth it.”
Luca’s gaze slid to Elliot’s. “Is she for real?”
Elliot folded his hands on the table and inclined his chin. “Welcome to the wild and wonderful world of Saoirse Kelly.”
I gasped. “You think I’m wonderful, Levy? I’m so flattered.”
Elliot made a grunting sound and returned his attention to his mostly empty plate.
“Don’t tease my brother,” Elise admonished. “He doesn’t know how to handle it. He might implode.”
“But it’s so fun,” I whispered. “And yes, Luca, I’m real. Snacks are important in a workplace. I read over your employee surveys. I bet you the marketing department is the most satisfied, and it’s all due to Gina and her magical baked goods.”
“I’ll be sure to look into that,” he replied without a hint of sincerity.
“You honestly should. Employee satisfaction is vital to any business.”
His nostrils flared. “I wasn’t aware you’ve run a company.”
I refused to be spoken down to. “If you think someone has to run a company to have common sense, you’re more out of touch than I realized.”
He straightened, leaning forward. “I’m not out of touch.”
I shrugged. “Okay. If you say so.”
Our friends carried on around us while Luca continued giving me a dark stare. As soon as the bill was paid, he shot out of his chair, mumbling excuses and saying goodbye to everyone but me. In the flurry of his sudden departure, no one else seemed to notice the slight, but I had.
And I hated how much it stung.
Chapter Seven
Luca
For the first time in weeks, I was alone in my home. Vincent had flown back to Italy, taking all his chaos with him.
I’d spent my evening in the blessed quiet, eating a meal I’d cooked without anyone talking over my shoulder and drinking the scotch I’d hidden from him so he didn’t pour it over one of the women he’d paraded through here.
That wasn’t paranoia either. A year ago, he’d cracked open the bottle of Macallan I’d been saving for a special occasion and drank it off the body of a woman he’d met that evening. Most of it had ended up soaking into my guest bedroom mattress, and I’d nearly wept at the waste.
I also hadn’t allowed him back into my condo for a year. The only reason I had this time was because of my father’s heart attack. Vin had provided a much-needed distraction from the worry.
Now I was settled in my den, a heavy pour of Macallan in my glass, my laptop on my lap, devouring the employment file of one Ms. Saoirse Kelly.
She had letters of recommendation from her past ten employers, and they were all glowing. I’d come to the reluctant conclusion none of what she’d told me the night she was here had been a lie. My fucking ears had just heard her name wrong. If I’d heard Saoirse, I would have asked questions because there weren’t that many six-foot-tall blondes named Saoirse walking around Denver, and I’d been well aware of Elise’s best friend since I’d been hearing about her for years.
But how had she not known who I was?
My need for answers beat out my common sense. I logged into my company email to fire off a message to her.
From: [email protected]
Saoirse,
Did you know who I was?
-Luca
It took less than fifteen minutes for her to reply.
From: [email protected]
Luca,
Well, hello to you, sir.
No, I didn’t know who you were. You told me your name was Luke （which I now realize you meant Luc, but I didn’t know at the time）， and I had no reason to suspect you were anyone I should have known.
If we can put our first meeting behind us, that would be great. We share the same friends, and I’m working for your company for at least the next month, so it would be easier to act like it didn’t happen, don’t you agree?
Sincerely,
Your Inconvenient Hookup, Saoirse-not-Sasha
Falling back against the cushions, I read and reread her response. She was just as sassy through emails as she was in person.
And she was right. Hooking up again was out of the question. Not just because we were both deeply enmeshed in the same circle of friends, but because I wasn’t fucking allowed to hook up anymore.
I was playing the straight and narrow now.
Yet, despite all those reasons, I found myself emailing her back.
From: [email protected]
Saoirse,
I apologize for getting your name wrong. If you’ll remember, you were taking a sip of wine when you told it to me. Also, it’s not a name I hear often or ever, so forgive my mistake. It won’t happen again.
I agree, we should put it behind us, but I won’t be able to forget it. When I move my lips the right way, I still have some sugar on my tongue. Then there’s the evidence bag…
Here’s wishing you another pleasant week working at Rossi Motors.
-Luca, your boss
Monday morning, I strode across the lobby of Rossi, nodding to the guards at the security desk. I was late due to an early morning video conference I’d taken from my home office, so the elevator bank was deserted except for one lone woman.
Of course.
Saoirse Kelly was juggling two trays of coffee and a large paper bag as she looked up at the illuminated numbers above the elevators. Her long legs—made longer by her high heels—were crossed at the ankle, propping her delicate hip to the side. Her hair spilled down her back in soft waves. Standing still, she gave off the impression of a fifties movie star. She had a Grace Kelly way about her.
Until she opened her mouth.
“Do you need help with those?”
She swiveled around, her rosy lips popping open when her eyes landed on me. Her surprise didn’t last long, though.
“Thank you, I really do.” She held out one of the trays.
Raising a brow, I took it from her. “They have you fetching coffee?”
“The machine broke. Add on that it’s a Monday and half the team is on a tight deadline, and it’s an actual disaster. I volunteered just to get away from the uncaffeinated grumpiness.”
The elevator doors slid open, and I stepped in behind her. She hit the button to her floor and her hand hovered over the panel.
“There’s no button for the executive floor.”
“No.” I pointed to the sensor above the numbers. ”I have to swipe my card, but I usually just take the executive elevator.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “Wow. Sounds cushy. You don’t have to ride with the plebes.”
“There are some perks to the job.”
She sucked in a deep breath. “Thanks for emailing me, by the way.”
“I noticed you didn’t reply to the last one.”
Her nose scrunched. “Well, it was kind of inappropriate, coming from my boss.”
For the first time today, I chuckled. “The whole boss thing is still settling in. I’ll work on it.”
“I still can’t believe you’re Luca, Luca.”