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Feeling lost, I stepped aside and let Tina exit, as well as the guy who stood close to her. I could read body language, and he’d made sure he was in her personal space on purpose. Hercolleague. My ass. He gave me a smug smirk as she locked the door, but the smirk faded to a polite smile the second Tina turned to face us.
“Was there something you needed, Mr. Maximus?”
Mr. Maximus—
I clenched my jaw, struggling to keep a sharp reply behind my teeth.
“Nothing’s wrong.” I forced a smile and hoped it wasn’t as brittle as it felt. “I need to talk to you, though. I thought I’d catch you at the end of the workday so we could grab dinner.”
With only a few feet between us, Tina was wedged between the door and hercolleagueto her side, blocking her retreat from that avenue. I stood in front of her and could see her eyes shoot to my left, assessing her space for a possible exit. Common sense and courtesy both dictated I move.
I didn’t. I shouldn’t have been surprised when Tina moved closer to her friend, but it was still a blow to the gut. He shifted position, allowing her to pass before falling into step with her.
I wanted to punch something—preferablyhim.
“I’ve already made dinner plans, Mr. Maximus. Cecil and I have some catching up to do.” She gave her companion a warm smile. The blue of her eyes was cold enough that I felt it in my bones. “It’s for the best, though. After all, I’m hardly dressed properly to stand by your side, right?”
Her words were a slap, and I couldn’t stop my flinch.
Cecil touched the small of her back, then offered his arm.
She accepted, and they walked toward his truck.
“Tina.”
While Cecil opened the door for her, she looked at me. “Yes?”
I froze, a million things trapped in my throat because I didn’t know what in the fuck to say. How could I know what to say?
“You should go to your club,” she said, her tone cool when I failed to find the words. “I’m sure you can find many women with the right sense of style and pretty enough to stand at your side. Or kneel.”
She climbed into the truck’s cab without another look.
Cecil smirked as he sauntered around the truck, looking quite pleased with himself.
Asshole.
He opened his mouth as if to speak.
“Say a word, and I’ll knock your teeth down your throat,” I warned.
His eyes widened, and the smirk faded. It returned, a fraction less gloating, but he kept his mouth shut.
That was good because I was so pissed. I would have loved to pummel his surgically correct, perfect nose with my fist.
Thirty-Nine
Tina
“So,that Maximus guy…he’s the owner of the site you’re renovating?”
I shifted uncomfortably in the chair across from Cecil and nodded.
The little bistro was all white-tablecloths-and-candles. I’d been here before with Dina, and the maître d recognized me, offering a warm smile. I’d taken the seat by the wall, so my out-of-place attire wasn’t immediately obvious, butIknew I wasn’t dressed for this place, and that made all the difference.
“He doesn’t seem like a hotelier,” Cecil said, his tone musing. “Especially for the sort of work you’re providing. Really rough around the edges.”
It was stupid of me to feel insulted on James’s behalf, especially after what had happened Sunday. But I wanted to tell Cecil to shut the hell up.