Protecting Her Heart (Seals Security Book 3) (8 page)

“Wait, you did not,” Rory said, her eyes wide and her smile huge.

“Yes, I did.”

“Well I’ll be damned. I am so proud of you!” she exclaimed with a hand to her chest and a dramatic wiping of fake tears. Rolling her eyes at Rory’s ridiculous antics, she began putting the groceries away.

Evie shook her head. “It’s not that big of a deal and I might have messed up by doing so. My review is in a week and I like my job. I don’t want to lose it because I snapped at him.”

“Hold on a minute, you snapped at him? Details! I need details, woman,” Rory said, her hands reaching into the next bag even as she commanded Evie to tell her what had happened.

“Ugh, you’re such a pain. I don’t want to rehash it,” Evie said, leaning on the counter to glare at her.

“Too bad, Chica. Tell me.”

“Fine, I might have suggested he leave work early to get his own dry cleaning and that me going to get it wasn’t in my job description,” Evie said, wincing a little at the memory.

“Ha, I love it.”

“I don’t know. It might cost me my job if he took offense,” Evie said, biting her lip.

“You’re being silly. Luke isn’t going to fire you because you told him to get his own dry cleaning, Evie. You’re really good at your job and they’ve had trouble finding someone. I think you’re safe as long as you don’t mess up something crazy like those reports he has you doing. I think once or twice would be fine but not any more than that or you’re toast.” Rory had finished putting the groceries away and was now watching her rearrange the boxes to get the last one into the cabinet.

“I double check everything because I know how important those are. I actually like doing them, I just wish he’d get them to me earlier so that I can get them done before I have to go home. It always takes me half an hour to figure out the mess he’s got them in even on the computer. I don’t know how that man gets anything done at all. He’s so disorganized,” Evie said as she shut the cabinet and stepped away from it.

“I was kidding. He isn’t going to fire you for messing up on those reports either. As for him being disorganized, all I am going to say is not everyone has OCD,” Rory told her.

“Hey, don’t hate me because you’re bad at keeping things neat. I’m just good at it.”

“Shut up,” Rory growled, her hands now resting on her hips. “What are we having for dinner? I was thinking maybe chicken and rice?”

“Sounds good. Would you mind starting it? I’d like to take a nice fifteen minute soak,” Evie asked, really needing a minute or two to relax.

“Ha, what you mean is can I make it because we both know that fifteen minutes will turn into an hour in the jet tub,” Rory complained.

“I can’t help it. The tub is heavenly,” Evie bragged, letting out a little laugh at her friend’s jealous snort.

“Go, I’ll take care of dinner. I was off today so I guess you deserve it but the next weekend I work it’s your turn to make dinner.”

Evie didn’t wait for her to change her mind and headed into her room, hearing Rory’s put-upon sigh as she yelled, “You could have at least pretended to argue.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t!” she yelled back grinning.

“I’m very sorry, Mrs. Davies. Luke is still running behind but he should be here any moment.” Evie lied for the third time that morning as she glared down at her watch wondering where the hell her boss was. He’d had a date last night but a half hour late for an early meeting was ridiculous.

Mrs. Davies was an elderly woman with wrinkles that showed the years she’d lived. She was in her early eighties, with a slight figure, and she was sweet as could be. She wore a periwinkle blue dress that reached her ankles with flat sandals, and her grey hair was stacked on her head in a beehive style that must have been popular when she was young.

“It’s okay, dear. I understand. Luke’s such a nice young man he’ll be here soon I’m sure.” She smiled and her weathered face crinkled at the corners of her eyes.

Evie was livid with Luke for making this sweet old lady wait on him because he’d had a late night last night. She watched as Mrs. Davies shifted in her seat, feeling her teeth grit together. The poor old woman was likely uncomfortable sitting in the waiting room with her for hours. Mrs. Davies’ hand, which rested on the head of her cane, shook a little as she tried to shift her hold. When Luke finally did get here, Evie was going to let him have an earful for making Mrs. Davies wait so long. 

She went back to typing up the one report she hadn’t finished last night before she left, her eyes straying back to the clock to see that it had been another ten minutes and he still wasn’t here. Anger burned in her stomach and she glared at the screen as she typed with more force than necessary. It was about five minutes later that Luke walked in with a coffee in his hand and smiled at Mrs. Davies.

“Sorry I’m late, Gretchen. Come on into my office.” He walked over and helped the elderly woman to stand, his arm guiding her as they made slow progress towards his office.

He shot a smile Evie’s way, raising a dark brow when she glowered at him. He frowned a little when his continued smile didn’t earn anything other than a darkening of her scowl. He shook it off apparently dismissing her but Evie knew that he was still going to hear her two cents over making the woman wait so long. Even if she did get fired over it she was going to let him have it. Making an old woman wait while he stopped for coffee was just cruel.

She finished the report and started working on the event schedule for Laney again. She needed it finished by noon and she wanted to get it done before Luke gave her something else she needed to finish. She was just typing out the last line when Luke’s door opened thirty minutes later.

“Well that’s just fine, young man. Just fine indeed,” Mrs. Davies was saying as she was led out. 

“Evie, can you reschedule my next two meetings and get me the Anderson job file while I walk Mrs. Davies down to her car?” Luke asked as he guided her toward the door.

“Of course, Mr. Stewart,” Evie replied, trying to keep the bite out of her voice for Mrs. Davies’ sake. Luke looked at her, his eyes narrowed. Huh, she hadn’t been successful in keeping all the anger from her voice apparently, but thankfully Mrs. Davies didn’t notice.

“I’ll be right back,” Luke said frowning.

Evie got the file he requested and called his next two appointments to reschedule them while she waited for him to come back up so she could give him an earful. She then emailed the event plan to Laney and printed the reports in triplicate and Luke still wasn’t back. She let her pen tap on the desk as she impatiently waited for him to return, her anger growing the more she thought about him making that sweet old lady wait. She wondered if he’d been lounging in bed with the model or if he’d just stayed up late with her. Either one was unacceptable because you didn’t keep people waiting just because you had a date. What a jerk.

Evie felt like throwing things she was so angry. Her shoulders were tense and she felt like she was going to explode at any minute. Luke finally walked back in about twenty minutes after he’d left with a smile on his face. Evie felt like her head was going to blow off. How dare he look so happy after he’d made Mrs. Davies wait for almost an hour?

“Evie—” Luke started but she interrupted him.

“You should be ashamed of yourself for making that sweet old lady wait on you to come in just because you had a date last night. I don’t know why you were late and I don’t really give a shit. You should not go out when you have an early meeting if you’re unable to make it in for that meeting because of it. I cannot believe that you made her wait so long,” Evie growled.

“Excuse me?” Luke said, his face contorted into a stunned expression.

“You heard me,” Evie said standing. “Here’s the Anderson file. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to get those reports into the briefing folders.” Evie stormed out the door shoving past him without waiting on him to say another word. She didn’t head to the printer down the hall for the reports because she was too angry. Instead, she headed to Laney’s office.

Monica saw her and smiled. “Hey, Evie. Thanks for helping Laney with the schedule for me. I really appreciate it.”

“Not a problem.” Evie said but her tone was clipped and Monica frowned.

“Is something wrong?”

“No, is Laney available?” Evie asked, trying not to let the fury thrumming through her show.

“Sure, head on in, she doesn’t mind. Luke and the other guys are always walking in whenever they’re in the office. It’s like grand central station sometimes,” Monica said as she laughed, shaking her head.

Evie tried to smile at her but from the way Monica frowned again she was sure that she hadn’t succeeded. Not wanting to explain that she was ready to murder her boss, she just waved as she headed into Laney’s office. Laney looked up at her and grinned.

“Hey, Evie. What’s up?”

“I want to murder your brother at the moment and I may have just lost my job,” she grumbled as she plopped down in the chair in front of Laney’s desk. She was surprised when Laney let out a snort of laughter. Evie looked at her with a frown because she didn’t find the situation funny. She needed this job but she hadn’t been able to stay silent. Her mouth was always getting her into trouble.

“You really think Luke’s going to fire you, don’t you?” Laney asked between laughs.

“Yes, I just told him off for being late. I just couldn’t help it. Mrs. Davies was here for over an hour waiting in those uncomfortable couches and he waltzes in like it’s no big deal and it just pissed me off. I guess I shouldn’t have been so mad but I was and I told him off,” Evie replied looking at her, a little confused by the question.

“Oh my lord, stop. Please just stop because I am about to bust a gut. My brother wouldn’t fire you at this point even if you slapped him across the face and said
you’re my bitch, now get to work
.” Laney was laughing so hard she had tears in her eyes and she was holding her side as she leaned over in her chair.

Evie stared at her in shocked silence. Her mouth hung open a little and the anger she’d felt for the last hour slipped away. She couldn’t believe that Laney had just said that and she was quite sure that if she did slap Luke and say what she’d just suggested that he would absolutely fire her and she wouldn’t even blame him.
Who the hell would do that?

“Umm—” she began but Laney interrupted her.

“Sorry–sorry, it’s just more than I could handle. When you said he was going to fire you, I suddenly got this picture of my brother pouting in my office while telling me that he’s your bitch.” Laney was still snickering as she wiped at her eyes. “Look, Luke isn’t like your last boss, Evie. He likes the work you do for him and he’d be lost without you now so he isn’t going to fire you even if you did tell him off. I’m not sure what he did but I can promise you that your job’s safe. Now, I’m not saying he isn’t going to be mad over it but I do know he won’t fire you. He might yell though.”

Evie nodded, her panic leaving her. As long as she wasn’t getting fired she could take it. Luke was likely to be a bear but at least she would have a job.

“Are you sure?” she asked, her heart racing as she looked at Luke’s sister.

“Yes, I’m sure. He likely deserved to get yelled at anyway. I love my brother but he’s a pain in the ass most of the time. And don’t let him be a jerk to you because you’re afraid to lose your job either. If he does decide to fire you I can change your job description and have you make those briefings the boys all love. Not that Luke would ever tell you that because he doesn’t want to admit he’s hopeless with paperwork,” Laney told her smiling at her.

“Wouldn’t Luke be angry if you kept me on after he fired me?” she asked, wondering how that would work.

“He likely would but he also wouldn’t have a leg to stand on. Eric and Craig would agree. They love those reports so much they’ve both threatened to murder him if he upsets you enough that you try to quit. He did that to two of the temps by being a bear and his usual arrogant self,” Laney explained.

Evie felt a warm glow in the pit of her stomach after Laney explained. It was nice to hear that what she did was appreciated. That hadn’t happened when she worked for Mr. Grady, that was for sure. “Well can I hide in here till his meeting at ten? I really don’t feel like getting yelled at and might say something I’ll regret if I do.”

“Sure, you can help me double check the seating chart for next month’s ball,” Laney told her grinning. “That way you’re working for me and he can’t say shit about it.”

Evie smiled at Laney because she really did love Luke’s sister more every day.

Luke stared after his assistant, who had just shoved past him with a shocking amount of anger over him being late.
What the hell?
This day was just not going well. Hell, really the past two days weren’t going well. His date last night had been a disaster that he’d wanted to end about ten minutes after it started. He had forgotten how vapid Kate was. It had taken him all of two minutes last night to remember that while she was talking endlessly about how amazing she was and how everyone was jealous of her. Luke had wanted to stab himself in the eye just to have an excuse to leave.

His date hadn’t gotten rid of the other issue he was currently experiencing in regards to Evie either. That little scene a moment ago would have ended very differently had she not shoved past him. All he could think about the whole time she was yelling at him was how hot she looked with her eyes narrowed and her hands on her hips, with fire pouring from her gaze. If she’d stood there for a moment longer he would have grabbed her and kissed her senseless. Damn, he really needed to get a handle on his desire for Evie.

Shaking his head to try to clear the desperate desires he felt for her, he walked into his office. Sitting down at his desk, he leaned back in his chair. His morning hadn’t been much better than his date last night. It started off fine but then it had crashed and burned. He’d woken up at his normal time and gone through his routine as if it were any other day. After stopping for his coffee at the local coffee shop for his rich blend like he did every morning, he was headed to the office when his SUV decided to shut off in the middle of traffic. Two cars had almost hit him despite his emergency flashers and he’d had to walk about two blocks to get a signal on his phone. He’d called Wyatt to pick him up and they’d spent an hour waiting on a tow truck.

He’d been so frustrated with his terrible date and the car trouble that he hadn’t even thought to call Evie to let her know that he would be late until they were five minutes from the office and at that point he figured he would just explain when he got here. He’d taken Mrs. Davies in right away because he didn’t want to keep her waiting any longer than he already had. He could tell that Evie was upset but he hadn’t thought she would be so angry with him.

Luke let out a frustrated sigh. Damn, why was he so worried about Evie being upset with him? He was the boss and she should have asked if something had happened instead of getting angry with him. He turned his chair around to face the widow behind his desk and looked out at the brilliantly blue sky. He needed to stop focusing so much on Evie and the way her lips pressed together when she was thinking hard, or the way her hair fell forward when she would take notes. Or the way her legs made him think about running his hands up beneath those bulky skirts to see if her skin felt as smooth as it looked. Yep, he really needed to get his mind off his assistant and back on work where it belonged.