The receptionist picked up the phone. I assumed it was to call Charlotte. “Don’t call. I’ll deliver them to Ms. Darling’s office for her.”
I thought about shoving the vase in the garbage and passing right by but couldn’t resist seeing Charlotte’s face when I delivered them. She was on the phone when I barged in. “Delivery for you.” I plucked the card that was stapled to the cellophane wrapping. Sarcasm dripped from my tone. “Here, let me read you the card since you’re so hard at work.” I ripped the tiny envelope open as she tried to rush the person off the phone. Clearing my throat, I read, “‘Great catching up. Hope to see you again soon. Blake.’”
Blake? Sounds like a total douchebag.
Charlotte hung up the phone and leaned over her desk to swat at the card in my hand. “Give me that.”
I pulled it out of reach and held it up over my head. “I didn’t take you for an easy lay, Charlotte. Guess I was wrong.”
Her face turned crimson. “What I do during my personal time is none of your business.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. If your personal life interferes with your work, it’s most certainly my business.”
Her hands shot to her hips. “My personal life has not interfered with my work.”
“Getting these flowers delivered today is an interference. You’re distracted and that affects your work.”
“I think you’re the one who’s distracted.”
Charlotte marched from behind her desk and climbed up on the guest chair next to where I stood. She ripped the card from my hand and leaned her face down to mine. Our noses were almost touching. “Jealousy isn’t flattering on you, Eastwood.”
“I’m not jealous,” I gritted through my teeth.
A slow, evil smile spread across her face. “Really? So you wouldn’t mind if I told you how handsome Blake is?”
I wanted to wipe that smirk right off her face—by jamming my tongue into her mouth. “Charlotte, don’t screw with me . . .”
“Screw?” She leaned in closer, our noses actually touching now. “So you do want to talk about Blake?”
“For heaven’s sake!” Grandmother’s voice interrupted our screaming match. She slammed the door behind her so the three of us were shut inside Charlotte’s office. “What is wrong with the two of you? The entire office can hear you yelling at each other.”
Fuck. I raked my hands through my hair. This woman made me crazy. I’m the guy telling people to pipe down when they start getting too loud in the office—not the guy who has to be told to shut up. By my grandmother, no less. The last time she’d had to reprimand me was probably when Max and I fought over a toy as kids.
Charlotte spoke first. “Iris. I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize we were so loud.”
“Get down off that chair,” Grandmother snapped. She was pissed.
Charlotte climbed down and stood beside me. We both waited with bowed heads for the wrath we knew was coming.
“The two of you need to grow up.” She turned her attention to me first. “Reed, you’re my grandson, and I love you very much. Although you’re a horse’s ass sometimes. Life dealt you a shitty hand, yes. But that doesn’t mean you fold. That means you take a deep breath and pull all the crappy cards you’re holding, toss them in the center of the pile, and grab four new ones. Have some balls, son. Don’t fold like a wimp.” She turned her attention to Charlotte and her voice softened. “And, sweetheart, we live in New York City. There are two things we don’t have to chase after: trains and men. Because there’ll always be another one ready to pick us up right behind the first.”
Grandmother turned on her heel and reached for the doorknob. Glancing back over her shoulder, she continued. “I’m going to leave now, and I’m going to shut the door behind me and give you two a minute. Then I expect you both to be back at work as usual.”
After Iris left, we looked at each other. I took a deep breath. “I’m sorry for the way I acted.”
“Apology accepted. And I’m sorry for calling you a narcissistic bastard.”
My brows drew down. “You didn’t.”
She smiled. “Oh. Well, I thought it, then.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle. “You’re nuts, Darling.” I extended my hand. “Friends?”
She put her little one in mine. “Friends.”
I walked to the door and opened it, but Charlotte stopped me. “Reed?”
I turned back.
“I’m not easy. Nothing happened between me and Blake.”
She was trying to make me feel better, but it only made me feel worse. Because I heard the unspoken word missing from her sentence.
“Nothing happened between me and Blake—yet.”CHAPTER 28
CHARLOTTE
“Here are the expense-report summaries on the Hudson property that you asked for.” I placed a file on the corner of Iris’s desk. She had papers strewn all over. Even though it was almost seven in the evening, it didn’t look like she was leaving anytime soon.