Bull (The Buck Boys Heroes 1)

“I did,” Graham reassures him with a pat on his shoulder. “I’ll have the doorman bring it up. I think you’re going to like it, Trina.”

“Not as much as the kiss,” Lloyd adds. “There’s no denying how much you liked that, Trina.”

I didn’t think it was that obvious, but apparently, it was.

I sit myself back down while my husband heads toward the elevator.

Something tells me that this day is far from over. I’m going to need more wine to go with my dessert.

I nibbled my way through a piece of over-baked cheesecake topped with some sort of strawberry jelly masking as red syrup.

After his first bite, Mr. Abdon called it “a wonderfully, decadent treat.” If he genuinely thinks it is, I need to bring home a cheesecake from my family’s bakery.

Not home. I don’t live here. I’m staying here as part of the agreement I made with my boss.

I glance to where Mr. Abdon is running a fingertip over the last crumbs on his plate to scoop them up.

“Would you care for another piece, Lloyd?” Graham asks.

That would be his third, and while I still have no idea what medical issue he’s battling, I can’t imagine three pieces of cheesecake being what any doctor would order.

“Why don’t we save what’s left for tomorrow?” I stick my nose in the middle of their conversation. “I’ll put it away.”

I can do that now since Ida sent over an array of storage dishes in every size imaginable. I doubt Mr. Locke will use even one after our marriage ends. He’ll go back to eating out.

“I like that idea.” Lloyd pushes to his feet. “I think I’m going to call it a night.”

Graham stands. “I’ll see you to your room.”

I get up from my chair too, but before I can say goodnight to Mr. Abdon, he’s got his arms wrapped around me.

“Thank you for dinner, Trina.” His voice cracks. “Thank you both for everything.”

“You’re welcome,” I whisper, trying to keep my tone level even though emotions are racing through me.

“I’ll see you in the morning,” he says as he breaks our embrace. “I hope you and your hubby have a good night.”

I have no idea what my husband is about to do with the rest of his night, but my plans involve a bubble bath, some Netflix, and a self pep talk focused on getting through tomorrow as my boss’s wife.

“We will.” Graham nods sagely.

I glance in his direction to find him staring at me.

I arch an eyebrow before I turn my attention back to Lloyd. “Goodnight, Mr. Abdon.”

“Goodnight, Mrs. Locke.” He winks. “I sure like the sound of that.”

That makes one of us.

I can’t wait until I can drop this lie, so that I can go back to my simple life as Trina Shaw.

Chapter Fourteen

Graham

“Trina,” I call out my assistant’s name as soon as I notice something is out of place.

She glances in the direction of my office. “Yes, sir?”

I curl a finger to urge her toward me. “I need to speak with you in private.”

Pushing back from her desk, she glances to the right and then to the left. “This is private.”

She’s right, of course.

I inherited this office from Lloyd when he decided to retire. It’s tucked away from the other offices of the executives of the company. They have to tug open a heavy glass door, trudge down a long corridor, turn a corner and pass Miss Shaw before they have access to me.

No one, but the two of us, is present at the moment.

“Come in my office now, Miss Shaw.”

She skims a palm over the front of the skirt she’s wearing. If there’s anything I can depend on day-to-day, it’s that my assistant will always be wearing a plain blouse and a pencil skirt.

The color of the garments varies, as do the shoes she chooses to wear, but she sticks to the same script every day.

I’m not complaining.

I admired the red skirt and white blouse she has on in my kitchen this morning when I wandered in there after the aroma of freshly brewed coffee greeted me.

I found her settled on a stool next to the island with Lloyd by her side.

He was eating a bowl filled with what looked like oatmeal, fresh fruit, and some seeds sprinkled over the top of it.

There wasn’t a portion waiting for me. I didn’t expect there to be. Miss Shaw signed on as my wife, not my personal chef.

After she left for the office, I spent an hour with Lloyd before I promised him I’d stop at home mid-day to check on him.

Trina brushes past me as she enters my office.

I can’t help but notice the soft scent of her perfume, or perhaps that’s just her.

When the door clicks shut, she turns to face me.

I stay silent while she takes in the gray suit and light blue button-down shirt I’m wearing. I pride myself on looking impeccable every single day.