Law #2: Don't Play with a Player: A Sweet Office Romance Story (Laws of Love) Agnes Canestri (reading eggs books txt) đ
- Author: Agnes Canestri
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âNo, I am.â In truth, my throat is parched. âI just thought that if I couldnât contribute in any meaningful way to your presentation, at least I should avoid bothering you with my loud gulping.â
He eyes me with his brows arched. âYou canât be serious, Laia. Didnât you hear how much I borrowed from the background research you did on the dating company? I even quoted one of your comments: âFinding love canât be a burden, it must be viewed as an adventure.ââ
My cheeks warm as Devon repeats the words I scribbled on his report. âThe idea of rebranding the dating company unleashed my romantic side. I clearly let myself get carried away. Iâm sure those words werenât the decisive factor for Mr. Leonic.â
Devon lowers himself back to his seat, and I follow his example.
He pushes my cup to me but keeps studying me with a perplexed grimace. âI think your phrase, though sappy, resolves the entire problem Mr. Leonic had with his firmâs image. Why dismiss what you wrote? You donât like to give yourself credit, Laia. You arenât proud enough of what you do. Of how great you are.â
Now my skin literally burns.
I gawk at my interlaced fingers. âIâm not the most self-assured person when it comes to my achievements, that much is true. Though Iâm working on becoming more confident. Itâs just difficult becauseââI raise my head to meet Devonâs gazeââthere arenât that many things I can boast about.â
His eyes widen. âWhat are you saying? You have a great degree. You have an excellent work attitude. Superb instincts with creative stuff. Besides, youâre a total catch.â He pauses and clears his throat. âI mean professionally, of course.â
âOf course. How else?â
I press my lips together, angry at myself that this bitter tidbit could escape. And for the ridiculous frustration that brews in my stomach after Devonâs well-meaning words.
Did I wish heâd say I was a catch as a woman?
I canât be that stupid, can I?
Devon stares at me. âLaia, IâŠâ
âDevon Griffin! Oh. My. Golly. If this isnât a coincidence.â
The soprano belongs to an all-legged blonde wearing a scarlet top, knee-length boots, and shiny black pants. Her thighs are so perfectly sculpted I wonder whether sheâs a model for ThighMaster.
Devon pales.
He jumps up, and his hasty movement shakes our tableâlukewarm droplets of tea land on my hand.
The blonde is already in front of our booth, bouncing on her offbeat heels, her zebra-striped coat casually thrown across her forearm.
Why she needs a coat, I canât imagine. The outside temperature surely doesnât call for it. It must be part of that statement-making fashion strategy Chelsea always chews my ear about.
âArenât you even going to greet me, Dev?â The blonde peers at Devon from under her lashes, her mouth pulled into a feigned pouting, which evidences the Marilyn Monroe mole above her upper lip.
âHello, Morgan,â Devon says.
The blonde smiles. âThatâs better. Itâs been a long time since we ran into each other, huh? A couple of years, I think.â
âFour,â Devon answers. âHow is Theo?â
âGood. Always on some business trip.â Morgan rolls her eyes and makes a dramatic wave. âSo work, work, work. Pretty boring.â
âOh, I see,â Devon murmurs.
Morgan brushes her waves behind her ears. âIâm meeting a friend here, but sheâs late. Do you mind if I sit with you while I wait?â
Devonâs face tenses. âActually, we were just about to go.â
Were we? I thought I was supposed to drink my tea. Though thereâs probably not much left in my cup anyway after Devon spilled half of it.
My eyes bounce between their faces.
Who is this woman? One of Devonâs flings?
If so, then why does she seem happy about seeing him, while Devon looks as if he swallowed a fishbone and it stuck in his throat?
Morgan exchanges his words with a smirk, but she doesnât move. âWhy are you in such a hurry? Iâd love to catch up. We could do that at the upcoming CCF gala, butââ
âCCF? How do you know Iâm attending it?â Devonâs eyes widen.
Morgan bats her lashes. âI heard it from Theo. Heâs invited, too.â
âThe attendeesâ list wasnât released yet,â Devon says.
Morganâs lips open and close. âTheo read in a newspaper that youâll be there.â
The small, local tabloid story is the only one to run this story so far, so unless her husband is a fan of female gossip magazines, this is a lousy lie.
On my first day, I set up a permanent search option for Devonâs name and Hudson Communications on my laptop. It trawls all relevant newspapers, industry journals, and even those publications that I usually consider bush telegraphsâa necessary addition, due to Devonâs lifestyle. I think Morgan spotted this information about Devon herself, but for some reason, she doesnât want to admit it.
Devon either doesnât remember me showing him the article this morning or he doesnât want to call Morgan on her fib. In any case, he simply replies, âI see. So, Theo is going?â
Something in Devonâs voice tells me he isnât thrilled about the prospect of bumping into the guy. Could it be that Devon had an affair with this woman behind her husbandâs back?
Morgan rolls her eyes. âUnfortunately not. Why should my workaholic hubby participate in a luxurious event that might finally be fun for his plus one? No, Theo chose to travel to Alaska that week to represent some boring food company.â
Devonâs tight jaw relaxes somewhat. âCCF isnât a big deal for lawyers anyway. Theo isnât missing out on much.â
âThe same canât be said for me.â
The bitterness in Morganâs voice is palpable, and for a brief second, I feel sorry for her.
A sensation that dissipates immediately when she peers down at me with a challenging look on her face.
The daring glint in her eyes forces me to stand up.
A smirk appears on her lower lip as if sheâs satisfied she made me do something without having to utter a word.
Suddenly, I get the distinct feeling this woman has been the queen bee for a good chunk of her life.
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