Page 35 of See You Maybe

“What did you expect?”

His gaze went to where her colleagues stood. “I thought you’d be a figurehead. Married into the family, promoted at an extremely young age…” He shrugged.

Olivia narrowed her eyes. “If you’d done your homework, you’d know that XEROS is my baby. I may not have the technical skill to have designed it, but it was my initiative.”

“I did know that. I apologize for my assumption.” Chris placed a hand over his chest and gave her his best sheepish smile. “I shouldn’t have assumed that you earned your spot just because of your ex-husband.”

“I’m sure you wouldn’t want me to speculate that you only got the position of CEO at Bloom Communications because you are engaged to a majority shareholder.”

She smiled sweetly at him, even though irritation still simmered in her blood. It was reckless, but if they were to partner with Chris Keller and Bloom Communications, she needed him to understand that, even though they were a small company, she wouldn’t be steamrolled.

His expression hardened for a second, but when she didn’t break eye contact, it lightened, and he tipped his head back with a laugh. He shook his head with a grin. “You are a delightful surprise. I think you and I are going to work together just fine.”

She smirked at him over the top of her glass. “If we agree to your terms, you mean.”

He clinked his glass against hers. “Here’s hoping that you say yes.” His eyes flared, and Olivia had the distinct impression that Chris was implying something else.

“Yes, to what?” a silky tone asked. Two hands with crimson nails appeared on Chris’s lapels as a blonde woman in a matching red dress appeared behind him and pressed herself against his back. She would have been beautiful if not for the anger twisting her features.

“Darling.” Chris’s smile dimmed, but he took her hand and led her to stand next to him. “Olivia and I were just toasting to what I hope will be the newest acquisition of Bloom Communications. Olivia, this is my fiancée Courtney Bloom.”

The woman glared at Olivia, her pupils dilated. Her eyes raked over Olivia, and whatever she saw seemed to make her even more unhappy. She turned and rubbed her breasts against Chris’s arm.

Chris’s face tightened, and Olivia downed her drink at the awkwardness.

Is she trying to mark her territory?

“Baby,” she whined. “I need a drink.” A muscle ticked in Chris’s jaw. “And don’t you dare say a word about mixing my meds with alcohol.”

Courtney suddenly raised on her tiptoes and nipped his jaw. A gasp nearby clued Olivia in that she wasn’t the only one shocked by the woman’s behavior.

Chris inhaled through his nose. “I wouldn’t dream of it, darling.” He sent an apologetic look to Olivia, but she took a sip, hoping the glass obscured her expression. “Another round please, and a vodka tonic.”

Courtney continued glaring at Olivia behind Chris’s back, making the hairs on the back of Olivia’s neck go up. There was something off about the woman. Her eyes were wild, her chest blotchy like she was trying to stop herself from screaming.

Is she on something?

Chris took Olivia’s empty glass from her hand and pressed a new one into it. “Shall we head to our table?”

Olivia happily stepped away, scanning the room for her colleagues. Behind her, she heard Courtney arguing with Chris, not bothering to keep her voice down.

“Don’t think I didn’t see you flirting with her. You are not going to humiliate me like this. Haven’t I been through enough lately? Do you want me to snap? Is that it? Because you won’t like what happens. Don’t push me, Chris.”

Chris murmured something Olivia couldn’t hear. Several heads had turned their way to watch their progression through the room, Courtney’s increasingly loud complaints providing them with a show. Olivia really hoped her cheeks weren’t as red as they felt.

“Did you see where they put our table? It’s an insult. I know they did it on purpose. They probably asked to sit there to torture me.” Courtney’s voice had risen, but there was pain in it. “All of David’s spawn watching me. Mocking me after they killed my babies.”

Olivia’s steps faltered. Wait? What? Surely she didn’t mean… But as they drew closer, Olivia saw one table was indeed watching them more closely than the rest.

Two identically handsome faces hardened when they caught sight of the approaching group. They and a third man were seated alternately around the table with four stunning women. Olivia instantly recognized Declan’s younger sister and bit back a groan.

“Fiona!” Courtney exclaimed, and one woman lifted a perfectly manicured brow at Courtney.

“Courtney, I’m surprised to see you here tonight. So soon after…” The woman made a theatrically sympathetic face. “But I suppose everyone grieves differently. I don’t think I’d be out partying so soon after my children died, but to each their own I guess.” Her lips lifted in a plastic smile.

Olivia might find Courtney’s behavior unpleasant, but Fiona’s cruel comments were shocking. Cara and the others at Fiona’s table exchanged wide-eyed looks.

“Traitor.” Courtney hissed at the woman covered in diamonds. “Judas! Your father is a member of the board, and you’re sitting here panting after the devil.”

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