To Have and to Hold (The Wedding Belles #1)(36)

Etta jerked her head back toward the main reception area. “My new intern. You met him last week.”

“Oh. Right. Tall, skinny, a little hyper? Tries to give me vitamins every morning?”

“That’s the one. You expecting a call, Sethy?”

He spun slightly in his chair and refused to answer.

She turned her head slightly and called over her shoulder. “Jared, you get any calls from a woman looking for Seth?”

There was the sound of a chair toppling over, and a tall blond kid appeared in the doorway, slightly out of breath. “What was that, Ms. Manza?”

Seth rolled his eyes. He was surprised the intern didn’t salute.

“At ease, Intern,” Etta said, echoing Seth’s thoughts. “Did a young lady call for the boss recently?”

“Ahhhhhhhh.” Jared’s eyes rolled toward the ceiling as though he was mentally going through the last phone calls. “No, ma’am. There have been four phone calls since you left your desk, none from women. But earlier today, there were plenty from women. Shall I go back through the call log and print out a list? I can even—”

“Jared. You got a girlfriend? Boyfriend?” Etta interrupted.

“Yes, ma’am. Me and my girlfriend, Sammi, have been dating since high school.”

“Which was what, yesterday?” Seth muttered.

“Well, think back to how it was before Sammi responded to the note you left in her locker,” Etta prompted.

“Oh, I messaged her,” Jared interrupted. “On Snapchat. Or was it Twitter?” he mused.

Etta held up a hand. “Do I look like I’m up on the latest social media trends? Be quiet and listen. Think back to how it was before you and your girl got together. Did your face look an awful lot like this?” She pointed at Seth.

Jared glanced nervously at Seth for the first time since coming into the office. “Ah, yes, ma’am. I’d say I did have that look.”

Seth threw up his hands. “What look?”

“That special mix of blue balls and puppy eyes,” Etta said smugly.

Seth grunted. “That’s not what’s going on here.”

“With all due respect, sir . . .” Jared said.

Seth cut the younger man off with a searing glare, and he backed out of the office, all but bowing before returning to his desk.

“Don’t take it out on him that some girl stood you up,” Etta said.

Seth glanced at the clock on his computer. She was now nearly half an hour late. It was just as well. Maybe she’d chickened out, or forgot, or simply decided to back out of their deal. Maybe now he could finally stop thinking about her lush curves and big blue eyes . . .

“Excuse me, Mr. Tyler?” Jared said, coming back into the doorway.

Christ. “What?”

“Downstairs reception just called. Said there’s a Ms. Baldwin here to see you, but I don’t have anything on the calendar.”

“Send her up,” Seth said, sitting up straight.

Before he could catch himself, he ran a hand through his hair, trying to smooth some of the unpredictable waves, only to realize his mistake.

Etta made a crowing noise. “I knew it. My little Seth does have a crush. Who is this Ms. Baldwin, pray tell?”

“It’s a business meeting, Etta. She’s Maya’s wedding planner, and we’re simply getting together to discuss the financials of the upcoming nuptials.”

“Oh, honey. I know you’re in trouble when you start using words like nuptials.”

Seth looked pointedly at the door, but although he knew full well that Etta understood the hint, she made no effort to move. Instead, she tilted her head and studied him before giving a brief nod. “It’s good to see you like this.”

“Like what? Irritated?”

“You’re always irritated,” Etta said matter-of-factly. “No, what I mean is, it’s nice to see you alive.”

Seth had been in the process of straightening his tie, but his eyes flew to the older woman. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

Her expression was just a little bit sad as she gave him a pointed look. “I think you know exactly what that means.”

She turned on the heels of the brown loafers she wore every day and marched out of the room, leaving Seth to stare after her.

What did she mean, I’m alive? Seth thought angrily as he turned to face the window and gather his thoughts.

Of course he was alive. He was thriving. He exercised daily, had the sort of high-powered, successful career that most men could only dream about. He had every necessity, every luxury. There was nothing else he possibly needed.

Well, except for stopping his sister’s asinine plan to marry this Neil character. But that’s what he had Brooke Baldwin for. He knew that Brooke thought she was in the right about Neil, and he had every intention of proving her wrong.

“Mr. Tyler?”

Seth turned toward the sound of the soft, familiar voice, and for a second he forgot all about why he’d called her here. Forgot about Neil and his sister and the f*cking wedding.

There was only her, as she was, standing there in a slim-fitting blue dress that perfectly matched her eyes, her slim calves tapering down into dangerously sexy f*ck-me heels.

And suddenly, he knew exactly what Etta meant about him not being alive.