Total pages in book: 23
Estimated words: 22036 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 110(@200wpm)___ 88(@250wpm)___ 73(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22036 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 110(@200wpm)___ 88(@250wpm)___ 73(@300wpm)
“Easton, come on in. I almost have my report ready for you. Want to see the preliminary data?” Tim greeted his boss from the doorway.
“I would love to see what you’ll tell the board tomorrow,” Easton answered as he walked forward to shake Tim’s hand. He brushed the back of his hand over Tim’s to help him participate smoothly.
“Aspen, I have a meeting with HR in a few minutes. Would you reschedule that to next week with my apologies?” Tim asked.
“Of course.”
“Would you like coffee, gentlemen?” Aspen offered.
“Water would be great. Would you order me lunch, Aspen, and ask them to deliver it for me? I’m starving. Whatever the special is would be great,” Easton requested.
“On it. I’ll order yours as well, Tim,” she informed her boss. She’d already discovered that he worked too hard and forgot to eat.
“Thank you, Aspen,” Tim said quietly before turning to lead Easton into his office.
Picking up her phone, Aspen ordered one special and a roast beef sandwich on white bread. She’d learned from watching Tim that especially during working meals, the easier his entrée was to eat, the more he could concentrate. The spaghetti special would have created problems for him to eat it.
When it arrived, she had the cafeteria worker carry in Easton’s as she took command of Tim’s. Placing it in front of him, she said quietly, “Sandwich at three o’clock and chips at nine.”
“Perfect, thank you.”
The conversation resumed quickly as she ushered the other employee from the room. Returning to her desk, she noticed a message and clicked on it.
Could you order lunch for Easton?
Quickly, she typed a response to Piper. One special just delivered for the CEO. He’s eating.
Thank you! See you at dinner tonight.
Dinner?
There are a bunch of us having dinner tonight. I can’t wait to get to know you better. Thank you again for taking care of Easton for me.
Aspen stared at her computer. Surely, Tim didn’t mean to take her out to dinner with the movers and shakers of the company. Dismissing that thought as ludicrous, Aspen forced her attention back to the task Tim had asked her to gather information about.
“Thanks, Tim. I like your solutions. Keep me updated,” Easton requested as he walked out of the room. “Aspen, thank you for lunch. I’ll see you at dinner.”
Aspen smiled at the charismatic CEO as he moved on to his next meeting. “Good meeting, huh?” She completely ignored the dinner comment.
“He’s very responsive to my ideas. I appreciate his time. So, dinner tonight,” Tim broached the subject.
“Sounds like a lot of movers and shakers will be there. You’ll learn a lot from everyone about the company.”
“You will as well. The invitation is for both of us. We’re going to some fancy French restaurant. I’m going to pull up the menu on my screen so I can decide before we get there,” Tim shared.
“Oh, I don’t have to go, but that’s nice of them to include me,” Aspen answered quickly.
“Do you not wish to go? I’d like to spend time with you,” Tim probed.
Aspen blinked the tears from her eyes. She thought so highly of her new boss. It was easy to fantasize that he was her Daddy, but she forced herself to be realistic. “I’d think you’d be tired of me already.”
“Come into my office.” Tim’s tone brooked no argument.
Standing, Aspen wiped away her tears, confident that he would never know that she was sad. As she walked past him, Tim closed the door behind her.
“I need to hold you, Little girl,” he shared quietly and opened his arms.
With a small, involuntary cry, Aspen jolted forward to press her cheek to his broad chest. Tim closed his arms around her, hugging Aspen tight to his body. He didn’t say anything but allowed silence to wrap around them. His steady heartbeat drummed under her ear. Slowly, she relaxed against him.
“That’s my girl. Can you tell me why you don’t want to join me for dinner?”
“All the important people will be there. You don’t want me hanging around,” Aspen pointed out.
“I like having you close.” One of his hands rubbed the length of her spine. “The invitation came from Easton himself. He asked if I would be available to join them and bring you. There is someone named Fane who thinks very highly of you.”
“Fane’s amazing. He works for the second in command and does a lot with the administrative assistants. I didn’t know he even knew who I was until he asked me to interview for this position.”
“Then you can go and thank him for thinking of you. I owe him my gratitude as well,” Tim stated firmly.
“Why?” she asked, peeking up at him.
“He brought the two of us together.”
“We’re together?” burst from her lips before she could stop it. That sounded too pathetic.
“We are together. I’ve waited for you to get used to the idea. I’m not a prize, Aspen—a mostly blind guy with a dog that sheds over everything, who’s having to rebuild his career with a new company.”