The Boss Project(74)
I wiggled my brows as I got into the back of the car. “I can’t wait.”
CHAPTER 24
Evie
“Come in!”
The door to my office opened, and Merrick poked his head inside. Finding just me, he let himself in.
“Hey.” I closed the notebook I’d been writing in. “Good timing. I’m done for the day.”
“Wish I could say the same thing. I’m running behind. The market went a little crazy today because of some unexpected news. The analysts just finished working on what it means so we can talk about it and decide on our holdings. Sorry, but I’m gonna be another hour or two.”
“Oh…” I shrugged. “That’s okay. I can find something to do.”
Merrick looked at his watch. “It’s already six thirty. Why don’t you go up and get comfortable? Order some dinner since it’s going to be too late to start cooking by the time I’m done.”
“I’ll just work some more.”
Merrick frowned and held out a key. “I noticed you left this behind yesterday when you left my place.”
“I figured you were just loaning it to me to let myself in. I didn’t think you wanted me to keep it.”
“Will it freak you out if I tell you to hold on to it? This is a copy.”
“Do you want me to answer that honestly?”
He smiled. “How about you take it and go up now, and we talk about it later?”
I nodded. “Okay.”
Merrick handed me the key. “Go get changed and settle in. I don’t want you to stay just because I’m stuck for a while.”
I tilted my head. “You’re just hoping I greet you like I did before, aren’t you?”
He chuckled. “Go. You can snoop around some more.”
“I don’t think you realize the danger of making that statement to someone like me.”
He closed my palm with the key inside. “Have at it. I’ve got nothing to hide.”
It wasn’t lost on me that my ex wouldn’t even let me look at a picture on his phone without hovering to take it back. But then again, there was no comparison between Christian and Merrick. “What do you want me to order?”
He shrugged and pulled his wallet out of his pocket. “Whatever you want. I’m not picky. But use my card to order it.”
“I can pay for dinner myself. Though, technically, I think you wind up paying for dinner either way, since you pay me the money I use to eat.”
His lip twitched. “Use my card, please. I gotta run. I have six people waiting in my office.”
“I’ll see you soon.”
A little while later, I headed to the elevator. I’d just entered and pushed the button for the top floor when Joan opened the double glass doors to the office and walked toward the waiting car.
Shit.
Merrick’s floor was illuminated. But I couldn’t very well close the elevator doors now that we’d made eye contact. So I panicked and did the only thing that came to mind. I hit every button on the panel.
Joan noticed as soon as she stepped inside. “Oh my.”
“Yeah, someone must’ve thought they were being funny.”
“We might be better off waiting for the other car. Looks like we’re going up before we even start heading down.”
“Good idea.”
We stepped back out into the hallway. Once that car left, we pushed the button to call the other one.
“Everything okay between you and Merrick?” Joan asked.
I was already nervous, so that question freaked me out completely. I tried to school my features. “Why wouldn’t it be?”
“No reason. I just saw him coming from your office earlier and wanted to make sure he wasn’t pushing you for information on any of your patients. Not that you can’t talk to him, of course, but I figured I’d check in. He can be very persuasive when he wants to.”
Don’t I know it. I forced a smile past the nerves in my face. “No, he wasn’t doing that.” I’m not sure whether I felt guilty for hiding the truth, or Joan was actually waiting for more, but I felt the need to elaborate. Once again, I went with what popped into my head first. “He was talking to me about coming in for therapy.”
Joan’s eyes widened. “Really?”
I nodded. “Yep. It was a surprise to me, too.” Oh boy. I’m making this worse.
By the time we arrived at the lobby level, I felt like I might suffocate in the damn elevator. I was relieved when the doors slid open. Joan and I walked to the exit together. My train was to the left, so I pointed as if I were going home. “I’m this way.”
She smiled and pointed in the other direction. “My bus is that way.”
I couldn’t get out of here fast enough. “See you Monday,” I called, already moving down the sidewalk.
When I got to the subway station, I waited a few minutes in case Joan had forgotten something. You’d think I’d just stolen the Hope Diamond the way my heart hammered inside my chest. When I returned to the building, I held my breath until I arrived safely at Merrick’s floor.
Inside the apartment, I still felt tense. But then I stepped into the living room and saw something on the coffee table.