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The doors slid open and Alexander held his aresture for me to step off I did I didn’t come down here often Manny, one of the other house staff was in charge of cleaning this area during his regular shift I only did it on Manny’s days off Mr Reigns led me over to the dark cherry bar on the far side of the main room and patted one of the deep red velvet seats
“Sit down, Victoria I’ to fix you a drink”
“Oh no sir! My shift isn’t over for a few more hours…”
Sain he said, “I’et fired for drinking with the boss though, so I’ to sit down next to you and you’re going to tell me what has you in tears”
He was being so kind It almost made me feel worse about my terrible behavior than if he’d just yelled at me He had his back to me but I could see his face in the mirror above the bar He hadn’t shaved today and dark stubble covered his chin and cheeks and across his upper lip It gave hiy, sexy look and it was contrary to his normal well-coiffed business look His eyes were also rimmed in red; a lack of sleep, I presumed That added an element of vulnerability; it made him seem more human I liked it
“What do you drink, Victoria?”
“I’, it’s just a glass of wine”
“Wine it is then,” he said “And stop with the ‘sir’ please It’s Alex”
I think I felt the color rush to my cheeks There was no way I could call this man by his first naious for me to even consider it He turned back towards undy liquid in front of me
“Thank you,” I said I glanced in the mirror now that I could see myself Luckily since I hadn’t worn much make-up, none of it was streaked down my face I just looked redder than normal
“You’re welcome,” he said softly Alexander poured himself a beer out of the tap and came around and sat in the chair next to me “Nohat has you so upset?”
CHAPTER TWO
VICTORIA
I sat at the bar in the baseh back chair that probably costintoin the hallway This was not at all how I expected o What was I supposed to say? I think I’d be too embarrassed to admit to my best friend that e How the heck was I supposed to sit here and adns Biotechnical Incorporated? Ugh! I want to die, I really do
“I just got an upsetting text e” I said that and then I reo telling us that she “frowned” on our use of our personal phones during working hours unless ere on a break I wasn’t on a break… but apparently Jason and I are Oh daain I’lass in front ofat me
“I wish you weren’t so anxious around ular person like you”
Yeah, right I don’t think so “I’m sorry, sir”
Laughing now he said, “Alex What was the text e about? Is your family okay?”
My father took off for parts unknohen I was five My h money to buy her own club and now she owns the poles No, my family is not okay but I’ a deep breath I decided it would probably be better to just get this over with and then et busy forgetting this ever happened “My faot a text from my boyfriend I feel really foolish because I had the i about that, I suppose The text said that he thought we needed to ‘take a break’ I have no idea what that would even entail”
He laughed again This time it upset hing atat you It’s not even a happy laugh It’s just that it’s almost exactly what happened toa divorce until the day I came home from work and she had moved out Sometimes I think we are clueless because ant to be… you know? It’s a defense mechanism, I think”
“I suppose if I gave it soht, I could findwith the fact that he broke up with e”