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"We scored a reet at Landon Cosmetics later today," Lukas announced

I flopped down on the overstuffed white couch in front of his desk "That’s fantastic!" Landon Coslosses, and cheek tints, the packaging all done up in old-school movie posters froo and heleous woman who could double for Dita Von Teese, Landon would be a ood about this," I added, taking in Lukas’s youth, his glossy looks, his carefully chosen attire, the rightness of him It filled h every dress shirt he owned, and had tufts of hair growing out of his ears, but I loved every row to love Lukas’s perfection if it worked for the cootten one foot in the door at Landon Cosmetics I had to ad

"I could join you," I offered, trying to keep htly "That’s what I wanted to discuss with you I a to take some creatives with me, but I’ve chosen Seth, Rhiannon, and Byron"

"But I’m more experienced," I said, fully aware of how defensive I sounded "I know this business, and I kno to talk to people like your dad did I can draw them in"

"Look at your hands," Lukas said, his voice clipped

My gaze dropped to ernails I quickly flipped erprints

Lukas clucked his tongue "And your suit"

Cru faintly of BO

My face burned I’d never been such a wreck at work How did I get to this point? "I can run home for a fewin a few h I had failed him And Guh And myself

Lukas’s expression softened "I don’t want to pry into your personal life, Paige, but Petra Polly has a wonderful chapter on underperfor employees--"

Wait a "

Lukas paused, one eyebrow creeping up tohairline "Really? Because what I see is so her personal issues affect her day-to-day performance I can’t take you with me because one look at you and Miss Trinka will think we aren’t up to the task Rhiannon is quirkier than Zooey Deschanel with a side of ModCloth Seth and Byron look like ht, one dark, one bearded, one not, both flannel She’s going to love them"

"So, she doesn’t love older people? It’s a retro coe, yes Spent and exhausted, no"

I crosseduely discrie It’s not that they’re young, it’s that they care I’ how much you do"

"More than you know," I said hat I hoped was conviction I’d been devoted to Giacoed into his too-tight leather jacket "I’lad," he said while he oes Sincerely My father really liked you, and I do, too That gelato ad isco sarcastic? Sincere? I wasn’t sure

Lukas pattedsincerity "How about you run the office for the rest of the day? We won’t be back until after closing hours Miss Trinka likes to hold forth She likes a salon" He opened the door, and I saw Rhiannon, Seth, and Byron waiting outside like eager little puppies Before they took off for greener, lamorous pastures, Lukas turned and said to h, "Read Petra’s book, chapter 8 I think you’ll find it enlightening"