Chapter Nine
Ispentthenightwondering what the hell Blake meant when he said he didn’t mind that I was seeing his brother. He’d still want to take me out to dinner? My brain hurt from running circles. If he really thought I was sleeping with Isaac, why would he want to pursue me? It made no sense. Maybe he was just an asshole who wanted to chase the women his brother chased, but he hadn’t seemed like that horrible of a guy. What did I know, though?
I also tossed and turned plenty, wondering what I was doing. I knew I needed to stay away from Julian, but I was involving myself in his life in ways that put me too close to him. I was getting wrapped up with both of his brothers. He’d probably come around at some point and then I was going to be there, waiting with his child. Maybe he wouldn’t even remember me. He definitely wouldn’t automatically put the numbers together and realize Hank was his kid. The risks were there, though.
I was a nervous wreck by the time I got to Steele Lumber that morning. Hank was with Kara at work for the day, so I didn’t have to worry about him being in good hands, but I missed him. I hated being away from him for such a long period of time during the day. I was already planning on sneaking over during my lunch break to see him. I was also overwhelmed by knowing I was walking into an office with Blake.
I’d been too distracted and freaked out the day before to truly appreciate just how handsome he was, but I knew it was there, waiting on me. How three brothers could all be so beautiful was beyond unfair to the rest of the world. They’d stolen the beauty from at least ten other men, I was sure.
Steele Lumber was already loud and active when I got to the parking lot and stiffened my back enough to walk into the office. Hannah was asleep in her pile on the floor, almost as if she’d never left. I walked towards her and cleared my throat. “Hannah?”
She bolted upright and looked around, panic on her face until she saw me. “Oh, thank god. I thought you were going to be Blake.”
I saw she was wearing the same clothes as the day before, and it seemed like she really had slept in her pile of paperwork all night. “Um. Do you need some help?”
She climbed to her feet, and I saw that she was taller than me, which was rare. I was five foot nine, without heels, and she had a good six inches on me. Her lanky body unfolded to reveal the waif-like figure of a model. “I can’t believe I fell asleep here again. Blake is going to murder me. I have to run home and change. Do you think you can cover for me until I get back?”
I shrugged. “Sure. I’ll say you went to get coffee?”
“Not coffee. I hate coffee.” She shrugged. “Just tell him I got my period.”
I pointed at the pile. “Can I do something with this while you’re gone?”
“Um, sure. Whatever. I’ll be back!”
I stood there, looking around the office, wondering what I was supposed to do. Blake wasn’t there, Hannah had fled, and there didn’t seem to be anyone else around. On cue, the phone rang.
“Steele Lumber.” I shrugged to myself, just guessing at how Blake liked the phone to be answered.
“Hey, Mallory. I had to run an errand this morning. I’ll be in after lunch. I would say that Hannah could show you around, but that seems like a bad plan.”
I smiled and stared down at the pile of paperwork again. “What’s with the pile?”
He snorted. “Pretty sure it’s her safety blanket. I asked her to scan and shred all that three weeks ago.”
“Got it. I can do that. Where do I scan it to?” I knelt in front of the pile and started sorting the papers closest to me. I listened while he gave me information to log onto the computer in his office and directed me on where to save which files. “Anything else I can do?”
“There’s paperwork for you to fill out on my desk for the hire. Just fill it out and leave it there. I’ll handle it when I get in.” He paused for a second. “I’ll see you soon, Mallory.”
I hung up and ignored the shiver that ran down my spine. Getting to work right away was easy. The work was tedious but simple. I scanned papers for hours after filling out my paperwork while sitting at Blake’s desk. I sat in his big desk chair while I organized the scans on his computer and let the leather mold to my body when I did take short breaks. I lost track of time and was humming to myself, bent over the dwindling pile of papers, when a throat cleared from behind me.
Screaming, I jumped and spun around, my hands coming up in a defensive stance. My heart racing, I found Blake grinning. “You almost gave me a heart attack!”
He leaned against Vicki’s desk and kept right on grinning. “I didn’t try to sneak in. You just didn’t hear me over your singing.”
“I wasn’t singing.”
“Sounded like singing to me.” He bit his lip and his eyes crinkled as he fought a laugh. “Well. Something like singing.”
I scoffed. “That’s not very nice.”
“I’ll just say it’s a really good thing you’re so beautiful.” He straightened and looked at the pile that I’d nearly taken out completely. “Holy shit. You did all of that already?”
Blushing from his compliment, I nodded. “Yes, sir.”
His eyes darkened for a moment as they met mine, but the heat I thought I saw was gone before I could fully examine it. “Just Blake here.”
I raised my eyebrows but just nodded. “I filled out the paperwork on your desk, too. And I’m supposed to tell you that Hannah got her period and is coming in soon.”