“You’re here because you’re a good worker,” he said. “Come to think of it, I do need these documents filed away. A lot of them need to be filed in my office, and rest of the files need to go to different departments.”
“Then why didn’t you say so?” she asked.
He gave her a hard stare. “It’s best if we’re not alone together.”
The implication of his words made her face heat. That was why he kept pushing her away. Keeping her at arm’s length. He didn’t trust that they could work together in the same room.
And, considering the fact that all week she had actually missed him, she didn’t blame Simon for having zero confidence in her. They were supposed to be moving past their screw-ups, but that hadn’t stopped her from aching for him. All week she had longed for him to speak to her with the warmth that he used to. Look at her with that familiar heat in his gaze.
She would have settled for feigned politeness rather than this chill between them.
“I’ll start right away,” she said, ignoring the lump forming in her throat.
Another grunt of acknowledgement from him. She waited for a moment, to see if he might say something more, but there was nothing but cold silence.
Biting back a sigh, Heather gathered the documents in her arms and headed over to the file cabinet on the opposite side of his office. Before she started filing, she slipped off her pink sweater and rolled up the sleeves of her blouse. She’d probably be on her feet for the rest of the morning, so she might as well get comfortable.
By the time lunchtime rolled around, she was grateful to be able to take a break. She ate a chicken sandwich with some friendly colleagues. Simon might be cold and distant, but her new coworkers were easy to get along with. Even with her heart in turmoil she made sure she kept a fake smile on her face during lunch. If her colleagues knew what she had with Simon, they might be less friendly, so she did her best to look as normal and cheery as possible.
When she made it back to her office after lunch, she was exhausted from having to fake being happy in front of her coworkers. Keeping up this charade of looking normal was more tiring than actual work. As she sagged into the chair at her desk, she couldn’t wait to head home for the day.
A knock on her open door caught her attention.
“Good afternoon. Is Mr. Diesel here?” A striking redhead with long legs and supermodel-good-looks stepped into her office.
“May I ask your name please?” Heather pushed her glasses up her nose, suddenly feeling utterly drab in her ordinary blouse, gray skirt, and low heels.
“I’m Kylie.” The redhead flashed the most dazzling smile, her green eyes lighting up. “If you tell him my name, he’ll want to see me,” she said in a sultry tone. “He’s expecting me.”
Heather frowned. “He never told me he was expecting a visitor.”
“I’m more than just a visitor.” Kylie smiled again, and then winked knowingly.
Jealousy settled over Heather. It was irrational to be jealous of a woman she barely knew, but the familiar way Kylie talked about Simon was making Heather curious. Curious and jumping to all kinds of conclusions.
Had Simon moved on already?
Heather thought back to all the things he had said on that final night in the hotel. He had all but admitted that he regretted their breakup. He’d even flat out said he was jealous of her ex-husband.
But if he was that jealous, he might have found a quick way to get over it by moving on. Heather didn’t blame him. After all, she had been hesitant to pursue anything more with him. Keeping up an affair with her boss was out of the question.
“I’ll let him know you’re here,” Heather finally said.
She quickly dialed Simon’s number, informing him about his visitor.
“I’ll be right out to see her,” he said.
That was definitely unusual. Simon wasn’t the type to come out of his office to meet anyone. Which must have meant that Kylie was important to him.
Moments later Simon appeared in her office and swept Kylie into his arms.
“There you are,” he said.
Without a second glance they both stepped out of her office, Kylie’s arms entwined with his.
Jealousy was making Heather think all sorts of awful thoughts. They had barely even noticed she was there.