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"Thereabouts." I grinned up at him. "We can help you with that."
“Excellent.” Riley laughed and clapped Mr Tell on the shoulder. He stiffened at the contact but Riley was unfazed. They had to have some kind of friendship, yet I couldn't figure out how the entitled Mr Tell could garner the good opinion of someone as nice as Riley. It just didn't make sense.
My phone started to chirp in my handbag and I was grateful for the break, even though by now the meeting was pretty much done. I couldn't think of anything we hadn't covered. I excused myself and went to answer it. I was surprised to see Mark's name flashing on the screen. I answered it and quickly asked how his mother was.
"She's doing a little better." Mark sounded exhausted and I felt for him. I'd spent a lot of time in hospitals, so I knew how draining it was even if you weren't the one that was ill. "I'm hoping to be back in a week or two. How did the meeting go?"
"Okay, so far. I'm still here, actually." The line was silent and I checked to make sure we were still connected.
"You answered your phone during a meeting with one of the most influential businessmen on the planet?"
Was that egomaniac really that big of a deal? Yeah, I guess he was. I was standing on top of his castle, after all.
Reluctantly, I turned to see two pairs of eyes on me—one pleasant and patient, the other not so much.
"It's Mark," I mouthed to them, letting them know the call wasn't personal. Riley's face lit up and he put his hand out for the phone. He had it out of my hand before I could speak and within seconds had disappeared through the door to the stairwell,talking animatedly about twenty tonnes of bespoke blended soil and leaving me alone once more with an annoyed Mr Tell.
Five
Mr Tell fixed me with a glare that turned my insides cold. "Do you always answer your phone during a meeting?"
I bit my lip. I hated to admit it, especially in front of him, but I had messed up. "Well, I've never been in a meeting like this before, so technically no. That was my first time screwing one up. I apologise." I held my breath, waiting for another telling-off but he just gave a sharp nod, dismissing the issue. I released a breath. "Well, I think we've covered everything." I gave him a polite smile as I started packing the plans away.
"Stay." It wasn’t a request. He leaned against the wall, a move so casual it surprised me.
"We don't have anything left to discuss, Mr Tell," I said evenly. I was trying to be tactful which wasn't one of my strong suits.
"I disagree."
Of course he disagreed. I took a deep breath and tried again. "Mr Tell, I really ought to be getting back to work."
"You'll stay," he said, as if the matter was already decided. The man was infuriating and I had to fight the urge to flip him off. I swallowed my annoyance and clicked my folder shut,resolving to humour him for five minutes. He gave me another smug look and I gritted my teeth for the hundredth time.
"You were squeaking your chair on purpose." His sudden statement surprised me—was he always this blunt?
"Affirmative," I said, matching his monotone tone. He raised his brows at me. "Sorry, you're just kind of robotic." He didn't laugh and I sighed—this man was hard work. "Yes, I was squeaking my chair on purpose."
"Why?" he asked and I shrugged.
"I thought you could stand to be made fun of a little."Also, it was payback for you staring at me through the whole meeting and trying to throw me off.
The meeting was over and that fact was making me bolder than I probably should be. He tilted his head. Apparently, someone being playful with him was a foreign concept. That made me feel a little sorry for him.
I wandered back to the wall, standing next to him but keeping a very safe distance. I rested on my forearms, admiring the view. If he was insistent on me staying then I could at least try to control the conversation. "I was relieved to see there were no plans for you to destroy any of this beauty with a golf course or tennis court."
"No," he said after a pause, still not shifting his gaze from me. "I wanted to keep up its natural aesthetic as much as possible. Besides, I don't think anything should be spoiled for the sake of agolf course."
I wondered what he had against golf. Maybe he was terrible at it.
"I've never played."
"Good. I don't recommend it."
"Whatdoyou recommend?" I bit my lip, I hadn’t meant for that to sound suggestive. Hopefully he hadn’t noticed.
"I prefer more of a challenge than the average sport has to offer."
Yep. He’d noticed.