***
It took ten days. A grueling ten days of working on the Soar design. Abby had never loved a project more than this. She wasn’t sure she was ready to admit it openly, but it was true. She awoke in the mansion each morning, eager to get to the office.
There were some nights she stayed up late, designing and creating. She felt as if part of her soul were invested in it. It had to be the most beautiful creation she had made.
Today was it. Deacon and Cole would receive the final submissions from the other artists. Abby’s fingers tingled with nerves. It was hard to decide what made her more nervous—wanting the design to be chosen because she loved it, or wanting it to be chosen to give her the freedom she had sought.
Either way, it was enough to keep her stomach in knots. She skipped her cup of coffee Douglas offered in the dining room.
“Can I get you something else, ma’am?” he asked.
She shook her head. “No. I don’t think I can eat.”
Deacon rested his tablet next to him at the table. “Is there a reason you have no appetite today?” He smirked.
She wanted to slap that beautiful smile off his face. It was irritating how sexy he was.
“I think you know exactly what is at stake today.”
Cole smiled. “I’m sure your design is going to be chosen.”
Abby exhaled and smiled at him. He had a way of calming her when she least expected it. “Thank you. I guess I’ll know this afternoon.”
“Whatever happens, we appreciate that you’ve worked hard for the foundation.”
“Thank you.” She folded her napkin in her lap. There was no way she could eat the omelet Douglas placed in front of her. “Would you allow me to go to the office this morning alone?”
She looked at Cole first before seeking Deacon’s permission.
She hadn’t been allowed to leave without an escort from HiTech, the mansion, or either of them.
Deacon poured a cup of coffee. He was relaxed and cocky as usual.
“I don’t see why not. You can take my car. I’ll ride with Cole.”
“Are you serious?” She stared at him.
He nodded. “Take it. It’s fast. I think you’ll like how it feels.”
“I just need to get to the office. I don’t care if I drive a pickup truck.”
Cole muffled a laugh. “I’d like to see you in a truck, Abby.”
She shot him a frantic glance. “So I can go? You aren’t going to drag me back?”
Deacon winked. “The keys are on my dresser. Take it. We’ll see you in the office in an hour. Proposals are due on my desk at ten.”
She nodded. “Thank you.”
She rushed from the dining room and climbed the stairs to the second story. She had trie
d to stay away from the guys’ bedrooms, but she had no doubt where Deacon’s bedroom was. He was the last door on the left.
Sometimes at night she thought she heard him pause outside her door, but she was never sure. They had respected her boundaries.
She barged into his room and snatched the keys from the dresser, but not before she noticed the pictures tucked into the mirror. Abby paused.
She had never thought before about what kinds of things mattered to Deacon. She had been too busy either hating him, or trying to keep her distance from his smoldering stare. The last two weeks of work had given her an escape.