“Her eyes.” Ben’s answer was swift, because he had been visualizing Katherine in great detail more than he cared to admit.
“Well, that was quick,” Rachel raised one eyebrow, impressed by his answer,
“You haven’t seen them. Her eyes are mesmerizing, as blue as the Mediterranean Sea,” Ben looked up towards the ceiling as if recalling a wonderful memory.
“You really have a crush, O’Leary,” Rachel teased, using Ben’s last name as she did whenever she was giving him a hard time. It was a joke that had lasted between them since their sixth-grade gym teacher insisted on calling everyone by their last names.
“It’s not that, Rachel. I just need to know what’s best,” Ben explained, running his fingers through his hair as he struggled to wrap his mind around the situation. He was deeply troubled and that was strange to him. While he thought Katherine was beautiful, she certainly wasn’t the first beautiful woman he had seen.
After initially wanting to win her over, Ben had decided he needed to let Katherine go. In retrospect, he felt like he should have backed off when Katherine first turned him down at the bakery. She made it very clear that she wasn’t interested in going out with him, but he had still pushed further.
“It’s not as bad as you think,” Rachel shook her head at Ben’s dramatic behavior. It was unlike her boss to be hung up on a woman, so she was soaking up the rare occurrence.
“You didn’t see the look on her face,” Ben countered, recalling the fear in Katherine’s eyes. She was terrified of him which left him feeling horrified.
No longer interested in winning her over, all Ben was looking for now was to apologize properly. For whatever reason, Katherine had made it clear she wasn’t interested in dating him. He needed to respect that.
“I bet the look on her face when you send her fifty roses will be even more memorable,” Rachel challenged.
“Roses? That’s not too romantic? I don’t want her to get the wrong idea,” Ben said.
He had worried about coming across too strong as he tried to decide the best way to approach her. It was the reason he asked Rachel for advice in the first place. Ben wanted to make sure that Katherine understood his position. She didn’t have to go out with him, he just didn’t want her to fear him.
“Roses sent to a house are romantic. Roses to a job can mean many things. And just to be safe, only a dozen,” she advised him confidently. Much more than an assistant, Rachel had served as Ben’s resident relationship expert for as long as he could remember.
Just then, a soft knock at the door caught their attention. Turning to face the door, smiles erupted on both Ben and Rachel’s faces when they realized just who was interrupting their meeting.
“Will! Get in here!” Ben yelled, greeting his long-time friend as he rose from his desk.
Will Brighton was Ben’s closest friend in high school, and they had remained close ever since. As the head of the leading charity event planning organization in California, he always had a reason to pop in on Ben, his ultra-successful best friend.
“Rachel, how are you?” Will asked, ignoring Ben as he stared into Rachel’s eyes. She was beet red, and Ben took notice. A while back he had noticed that his two closest friends seemed to have an attraction to one another. They were both too wrapped up in their careers to notice one another, but Ben always thought they would get along great.
“I’m good, Will. How are you?” Rachel asked, in a tone much different than the friendly voice she used when speaking to Ben. This tone was sultry and seductive, reserved only for Will. Ben knew he was on to something with their connection.
“I can’t complain. It’s such a pleasure running into you,” Will grinned, before turning his attention to Ben, who was closely watching the two of them.
“Don’t mind me, I’m just sitting in my office being ignored,” Ben joked, holding his hands at his side.
“Knock it off, big shot!” Will threw back, sharing a laugh with Ben before the two men embraced in a hug. It had only been a few weeks since they last saw each other, but with the bond they shared, that was a long time.
“What’s been going on?” Ben asked, extending his arm to invite Will to sit just as Rachel was rising from her seat.
“I have some emails to get out yet, so I’ll let you two catch up,” Rachel excused herself, already walking towards the doorway.
“See you soon!” Will called after her to Ben’s amusement.
“So, to what do I owe this unexpected visit?” Ben asked, once he was alone with Will.
“Get your briefcase, you’re going home for the day,” Will announced, making fun of the fact that Ben never dressed like a typical CEO.
Without question, Ben tapped a few keys on his computer to announce his early departure to the executive team. It was rare for him to leave work early, but whenever Will stopped by the two of them usually made sure to have a good time.
“Where are we headed?” Ben asked.
“I was thinking we could get a bite to eat,” Will suggested as the two old friends walked out of the office.
Deciding it easiest to walk, since Ben’s office was located in a trendy neighborhood filled with popular restaurants, Ben and Will made their way to Migos, a Mexican restaurant. Ready for an enjoyable time, Will ordered four shots of tequila as soon as they were seated at their table.