Page 49 of Capturing Love

A deep voice sounded from up the hall, towards the conference room, and my heart sank. To my horror, the meeting had already started. I crept up to the open door and sucked in my breath, ducking my head as I turned into the room, trying to make it to the back without being noticed.

“And that brings me to our next rule. Tardiness.”

I froze and lifted my gaze to find everyone’s eyes on me. Feeling a burning stare on the back of my head, I slowly turned around, preparing myself to apologise. But when I met those familiar eyes, swirling between hazel and green, my mouth fell open and no words came out.

“Sunny, is it?” Grayson asked, and the man beside him smirked.

I slipped off my sunglasses, revealing my bloodshot eyes. “Um…no.”

Grayson’s jaw twitched before breaking eye contact. “Take a seat.”

I sank into the first empty chair I could find, wanting to disappear. Blood surged through my body making my temperature rise as I tried to figure out what the fuck was going on. This wasn’t the Grayson I knew. The two suits at the front of the room were cold-hearted business men. Not at all like the man who spent the weekend in my bed. In me.

As they listed all the new company policies, I tried to join the dots, but more and more questions flooded my mind and I racked my brain for answers.

Why would his family want Maude? My Maude? What business were they in anyway? Did he even tell me that? Fuck. Did he tell me anything about himself? FUCK! Why didn’t I look him up? He practically told me to. Stupid, stupid, stupid! Was this some sort of game to him? Like a cat playing with its prey before he eats it. Am I the mouse?! Argh, my head was pounding.

“The next rule is one we take very seriously,” the other man said. I assumed he was Grayson’s brother, Adam, by his similar appearance. No wonder he looked so familiar in the hallway yesterday.

Grayson’s face lowered and his shoulders tensed as his brother continued.

“There will be no relationships in the office, except for professional ones. It never ends well and it’s disruptive to the team.”

I accidently laughed out loud, and the entire room shifted their gaze to me. Including Grayson.

Adam raised his brow. “Is that going to be a problem, Miss…?”

I flickered my eyes over Grayson and then back to Adam. “Spencer. Josie Spencer. And no. That one definitely won’t be a problem. It’s actually the best policy yet.”

While Adam narrowed his gaze at my weirdness, Pete shot me a dirty look and Grayson cleared his throat, eager to move to the next item.

The meeting wrapped up an hour later and I was dying to get out of there. My stomach was churning, the lights were entirely too bright and I shivered from the cold sweat coating my body. All the signs were there…I was going to vomit.

As soon as Adam finished his spiel, he headed straight for Marlene’s office, while Grayson remained at the front of the room, packing away their notes. Quickly wiping the perspiration from my forehead, I bolted for the exit, praying I’d get to the toilet in time.

“Miss Spencer, can you wait a moment?”

Amy turned to me with worried eyes as she retreated, leaving me alone with a very different man to the one I thought I knew. I couldn’t believe I’d been fooled again. Once everyone had disappeared back to their offices, Grayson closed the door.

“Josie…”

I held up my hand to stop him from talking.

Clearly seeing my paling face, he took a step forward. “Are you okay?”

I still couldn’t speak. A lump was forming in my throat as I battled the nausea.

He took another step. “Jos—”

Quickly scooping up the small wastepaper bin sitting by the door, I heaved.

“Fuck,” Grayson uttered, watching me uncomfortably as I brought up a mixture of whisky and last night’s tacos. Thank god I skipped breakfast.

After taking a deep breath, I straightened my back. “Would you mind if we postpone this surprising reunion until I find some dignity?”

Grayson nodded quietly and opened the door. I didn’t dare meet his eyes as I strode out of the room, head down, embracing the bin.

Amy raced out of her office as I passed, catching up with me as I entered the ladies’ room. “That’s him, isn’t it? Are you okay?”