Chapter 7

Ready for another day of work, I strode through the lobby bustling with the people that worked in the building. It had been a busy couple of days. I found myself settling into the new routine and actually enjoying it. I felt a surge of excitement at the thought of another day working alongside Graham.

He was the same in lots of ways but he was different too. I imagined he probably thought the same about me. In all of our conversations, I had to remind myself not to bring up Sloane. It was difficult. I was used to talking about her all the time. I knew he was curious but so far, he had yet to ask me any direct questions.

I scanned the lobby, searching for my new boss. I smiled when I spotted him with Spencer, already deep in conversation at their usual table. I made my way to them, knowing I had a standing invitation to join them. Graham insisted I stop by the table if I came in early.

I smiled at the sight of the two of them. Spencer was a nice guy. And Graham? Well, I didn't know what I thought about him just yet, but I was enjoying getting to know him all over again.

"Hello," I said with a smile.

Graham looked up, his rich brown eyes locking on mine. He still had the strangest way of making me feel like he was caressing me every time he looked at me. "Hi," he said. "Our meeting got moved up, so I went ahead and got your coffee."

I was touched by his thoughtfulness. "Thank you." I took the cup from his outstretched hand.

"Have a seat," he said and quickly got to his feet to pull the chair out for me. "We were just talking about a new client we've landed."

"Almost landed," Spencer corrected. "If we don't blow them away with our pitch, they'll take their business and go somewhere else."

They quickly filled me in on the situation. It was a company on the rise. The bigger the company got, the bigger the advertising budget. Graham and Spencer outlined their vision for the presentation, emphasizing the importance of personalizing our approach to meet the client's specific needs.

I listened intently, absorbing every detail with rapt attention. It was my first week on the job, after all, and I was determined to make a good impression. I was thrilled at the opportunity to be part of such a dynamic team. I loved watching them work. They practically finished each other's sentences.

Graham was a smart man but he played it off like he was just an easygoing playboy. I noticed he still had that vibe around the office, but it was clear he knew what he was doing. His demeanor put people at ease. I had yet to attend a client meeting with him, but I imagined his casual way made them comfortable as well.

I didn't say much, content to listen and learn from them. Marketing was new to me. I liked the creativity and strategy they used.

"We should get up there," Spencer said, checking the time.

As we rode the elevator up to our floor, I mentally prepared myself for what I needed to do while Graham and Spencer went to the meeting. His checklist helped. I had tweaked it a bit to make it a little more efficient.

"Good luck," I said to the guys.

"Dora, I need you in here," Graham said. "I thought you understood that. You'll need to be a part of this."

"Why?" I asked with surprise. I realized it wasn't my duty to ask why. I was his assistant. I was supposed to do what he asked of me.

I was also trying to stop the rush of warmth that flooded my chest when he used the nickname that only he had ever called me. It was a small gesture, but it spoke volumes about the bond that had begun to re-form between us—a bond that I cherished. Everyone else called me Iz or Izzy, but he chose to call me Dora. I had not heard that pet name since he walked away all those years ago.

"It's good for you to see what we do," Graham replied. "And I value your opinion. I know what you've been doing at your father's company."

His words caught me off guard. It was a stark contrast to the lack of acknowledgment I had received from my own father. "Thank you," I said softly, my voice thick with unspoken gratitude. "I appreciate that."

"Of course."

"Do I need to get anything?" I asked, remembering my role as his assistant. I thought back to what my assistant would do for me when I had a meeting.

He shook his head. "Nope. It's all up here or on the tablet."

And that was why they were one of the top marketing firms in the city. They didn't need a bunch of visual aids to sell their pitches. I was excited to watch him in action.

"Okay, but if you need me to get something, ask."

"I will."

We settled into the meeting room, and nervous energy filled me. Graham insisted I sit beside him at the table like I was his equal versus taking one of the chairs along the wall where assistants would typically be seated. The client sat across from us, her expression guarded and skeptical. She was young and I sensed she really had no idea what to expect.

The introductions were made, and Graham got right to the pitch. Spencer chimed in occasionally. They played off each other, delivering a great pitch in my opinion.

"How do I know you can market this the right way?" she asked, her tone as skeptical as the look on her face. "No offense, but I don't think you guys know the first thing about skin care."

Sensing an opportunity to add something helpful, I raised my hand tentatively. My heart pounded in my chest as I sought permission to interject.

Graham met my gaze and nodded, giving me the floor.

Taking a deep breath to steady my nerves, I turned to face the client. "I understand your concerns," I said, my tone calm and confident. "But I assure you, we have a team of young, innovative minds who are adaptable in the market and willing to explore avenues that older companies may overlook."

Drawing on my years of experience selling a client a service, I outlined our strategy for her skin care line, explaining how we would always run numbers and analytics to keep her informed and show her what was working versus what wasn't.

She was listening to me. I glanced over at Graham and noticed him smiling like I smiled at Sloane when she was kicking ass at one of her swim meets.

"We're not afraid to switch gears if we have to, to dive deeper or pull back," I continued, my voice growing stronger with each word. "It's all about finesse, about anticipating your needs, and delivering results that exceed your expectations. Once we find the sweet spot, there will be no stopping us or your product."

As I spoke, the skeptical expression faded, melting away. She nodded thoughtfully, her eyes flickering with a newfound interest. "I like what I'm hearing," she admitted with a hint of a smile. "You seem to understand the direction I want to take with my skin care line."

Graham beamed with pride, and his eyes met mine in silent gratitude.

As the meeting progressed, I found myself contributing more and more to the discussion, sharing insights and ideas that resonated with the client. Graham and Spencer watched with a mix of surprise and admiration, realizing that I brought a fresh perspective and valuable input to the table.

And just like that, we sealed the deal. I sat quietly while Graham and Spencer went over the details and promised to send over contracts on Monday. Spencer walked the client to the elevator, leaving me with Graham.

"Wow," he said with a laugh. "I didn't know we were hiring a secret weapon."

I smiled. "I just thought maybe she needed a more feminine voice. She's young and clearly worried her product was going to get lost in the sea of skin care already out there."

"You've got good instincts," he said. "Now, it's time to celebrate."

He got up and popped his head out of the conference room. "Bust out the bubbly. We are celebrating," he said loudly enough for the whole office to hear.

The team erupted into cheers and applause, joining us in celebrating our successful pitch. The vibe was so different than my former place of employment. If I had offered my opinion in one of my father's meetings, he would have torn my idea to shreds. Here, it was appreciated. I was grateful to be working with such a supportive and talented group of individuals.

As the champagne flowed and laughter filled the room, I caught Graham's eye and shared a smile.

He threw his hands in the air. "Everyone, I don't know about you, but I could use an early weekend. Take the rest of the day off!"

Graham's announcement was met with cheers and whistles. No one stuck around to ask if he was joking, which made me think this happened often. The work environment was really positive, and I was beginning to understand why. The guys took care of their people.

Graham pulled me aside. "Would you like to join me for dinner tonight? To discuss business," he quickly added.

I was taken aback by his invitation. My mind raced with a flurry of conflicting emotions. Part of me wanted to say yes, to seize the opportunity to spend more time with him and get to know him, the man he was now. But another part of me hesitated, wary of the feelings that threatened to resurface just with his mere presence. I was navigating a minefield. Secrets had a funny way of making everything feel dangerous.

"Um, sure," I replied. "That sounds nice."

"Do you need to get a babysitter or ask the nanny to stay longer?"

I smiled. "No. It's covered."

Internally, I wondered what was wrong with me. After all, he was the one who had left me all those years ago without so much as a goodbye. And yet, here I was, eagerly agreeing to dinner as if he hadn't shattered my heart into splinters when he ran off.

Graham smiled. "Great. I'll pick you up at seven?"

I considered telling him I would just meet him at the restaurant. Again, secrets had a funny way of getting exposed. Sloane was going to a friend's house that night, so she wouldn't be home. "Sure," I said, nodding. "I'll text you my address."

"I'll see you then," he said and walked away.

I inwardly groaned. What the hell was I doing? If I was playing with fire before, this was playing with hot lava. I didn't know about him, but the old feelings had been reawakening. Every time we talked or accidentally touched each other, those feelings bubbled up just a little more. Pretty soon, I was going to be dealing with a legitimate crush on my boss.

I grabbed my things and headed out. Once in the car, I called Holly. I hoped she would talk me down from the ledge I put myself on. I quickly told her about the meeting and his invitation.

"Sounds to me like it's a business date," Holly teased.

I laughed. Was it? And if so, would I hate that? Would I hate myself if I fell for him all over again?