"Since when? You haven't reviewed my stuff in six months." She pressed her hand to her chest as heat raced up her center and warmed her neck and cheeks.
"Since now. It's a simply request. Just respond, 'okay, boss' and we're good."
"Okay, boss." She hung up the phone and picked up her purse. "Okay, then!” She needed some space from the four walls around her, and the boyfriend who seemed to be related to Scrooge. There were out of office things she could do for the rest of the day. “Well, you boys have fun. We'll dig into this a little later tonight. I’ve got running around to do for Sir Topham Hat. I’ll be back later… maybe."
"Oh shit." Mark stood. "I don't have a ride. I took a cab."
"I can give you a lift home, dude. No problem," Paul offered.
"No, it's okay.” Jamie waved her hand. “Come with me now. We'll work on this stuff tomorrow." She walked to the door, waiting for him while trying to shove down all of the heavy emotion that kept welling up in her chest.
"You sure?" he asked, getting up and trying to organize the piles. “I don’t mind staying.”
"Yeah, come on. Let's get things rolling at the house and we'll deal with this stuff in the morning. I'll come in early and we can get a good start on it." She forced a smile.
"Go ahead." Paul pushed Mark's hands away playfully. "I'll clean all of this up. You guys get out of here."
"Alright. Thanks, man." Mark grabbed his jacket and walked out into the hall behind her. "Should we tell Alex that we're heading out?"
"No. Gina will." Jamie stopped by Gina's desk as she looked up.
"Gina will what? Don't be signing me up for nothing today, girl. I'm just trying to stay out of the way of the bombs coming from the big man's off
ice." She smiled and gave Mark a sideways glance.
"Yep. I just got the last one I'm taking. I'm out of here for the rest of the day. If he needs me then just tell him that I'm shopping, with his card. All business-related, of course."
Gina laughed, but nodded. "Will do. Nice to meet you, Mark. Glad one of you boys ended up nice and friendly."
"Alex is nice and friendly." Jamie shrugged. "When he wants something."
Mark laughed and held the elevator door for her. "Sounds like trouble in paradise."
"Who said anything about trouble? This is the norm. Shit hits the fan all the time in this place. You just gotta know how to deflect and save yourself." Jamie pressed the button and leaned against the back wall of the elevator, letting out a long sigh.
"And how do you do that?" Mark asked as a smile tugged at his lips.
"Go shopping. With his credit card."
Chapter 3
"Are you eating with Alex tonight?" Mark asked as they pulled into the long drive that led up to the house. They had been shopping for business items, and also things for Alex’s apartment that Jamie felt the place needed. There had been no personal shopping, even though she had joked about it at the office.
Jamie cast him a look as she hit the button for the garage door opener.
Mark shrugged. "I'm good if you guys need some time together. Seems he might need to talk to someone."
Jamie scoffed. "That's a joke, right? Alex doesn't talk about his problems. I wish he would, but I guess a lot of guys don't, right?"
"True. We don't want the women we love to take on anything extra, even if it means suffering in silence." Mark opened his door and got out; he pulled out the bags of things Jamie had insisted the apartment needed. He began walking out of the garage toward the apartment Jamie had stayed in for the last eight months prior to moving in upstairs. "Thanks for working this out for me. I'll get my own place soon. I promise."
Jamie followed him out of the garage. "There's no need for you to do that, and back to your original question, no, I don't have dinner plans with Alex. I have some stuff in the freezer down here, though. We could whip something up and hang out until Alex gets back if you want to." She unlocked the door and pushed it open.
The smell of vanilla and sandalwood rushed across her senses, and she breathed in deeply. It smelled like her grandmother's house, and she kept the scents fresh and plentiful on purpose. It helped her to remember some of the better memories she had from her childhood. It was her grandmother who’d taught her how to do her makeup, to ride a bike, and to make a mean pan of cinnamon rolls.
Mark breathed in deeply. "Smells awesome in here. I love it."
"Thanks." Jamie turned on the lights as she moved through. "Make yourself at home since, well, it is your new home."