Page 29 of Desserts for Stressed People

Emma:

Focus on the real enemy. And if Shane forgets you again, flash him. You have glorious boobs.

Heaven:

Boobs that for the moment belong to another man. Still no match with Alex. Maybe he left the app? Em, am I making a huge mistake?

Emma:

Maybe. Or maybe not. Flash Mr. Asshole.

With an eye roll, I set my phone down, and just as I turn to the computer, Shane walks through the hall’s door and into the corridor. He takes my breath away. He’s wearing a dark blue suit, which is by far my favorite color on him, and he’s staring down at his phone. A second after he types something, my phone lights up.Shit.I’m watching him text me. Well, Nevaeh.

He looks up, and once our eyes lock, he begins walking. Just as he opens the door to my office, I hide my phone behind me. “Hi, Heaven Wilson, new project manager from the fourth floor,” he says in an upbeat voice.

A stiff grin settles on my lips. “Mr. Hassholm.”

“Please, let’s not be formal.” As my brows furrow, he leans against the door frame with a smirk. “Call me Mr. Asshole.”

Great. Now he’s making fun of me. Eyes narrowed, I fake a smile. “So you remembersomethings.”

“I do.”

Marina appears by his side in a tight red dress and speed-talks about another project the department is working on, until he interrupts her with an, “Okay.” She doesn’t seem to mind as she struts away, and he stares back at me. “The locations?”

“I have appointments set throughout today. I’ve restricted the field to three of them and—”

“When will you—”

I hold my finger up. “Still talking,” I say as he purses his lips. “Corinne and I will make sure they’re up to standard. If that’s the case, I already have an estimate of the costs and a presentation to send to the clients.”

There’s a beat of silence as he studies me. “You talk a lot.”

A scoff bursts out of my lips. “I believe in the power of communication.”

“Ibelieve in the power of time efficiency.”

My arms cross. “Was something that I said not time efficient? I could cut out the prepositions next time.”

When his lips bend into an amused smile, it’s as if the sun is in my office, the light of it shimmering over the white surfaces until it’s all I can see. Light and a line of pearly white teeth. “This conversation isn’t very time efficient.”

“Then why are we having it?”

His eyes squint, and the smile on his lips mellows. Now, only one corner is lifted in a pleased smirk. Is it me, or does this man make no sense? “Tell Corinne to focus on the guest list. I’ll come to the locations with you.”

“What?” I sit straighter, my voice coming out in a shrill, panicked tone.

“We’ll take my car. When do we need to leave?”

“Why do you...” I begin to ask, the words dying in my mouth when his eyes roll and his foot taps impatiently. “Half an hour.”

“I’ll meet you by the entrance,” he says before closing the door and walking away.

I study my phone, then the door—my lips still parted. He’s coming with me. We’ll spend the next several hours together. Much of them in a car, alone.I dread it, and at the same time, I can’t wait.

He’s Shane and Mr. Asshole. I’m Nevaeh and Heaven.And this promises to be a disaster.

Chapter8