Page 26 of Park Avenue Princess

Shit! No, no, no!

No way am I ready to come face-to-face with Guy Hamilton. Not sure I ever will be.

“Karen, I can’t—”

“Lynne, sorry if this sounds rude, but I’m gonna go. See if I can figure out who logged into the program and what happened to those documents. You talk to Mr. Hamilton about your concerns, and when I have this resolved, I’ll reach out to you.”

“But—”

Click. She hung up. Well this is just craptastic!

I reach for the door intending to get the heck outta here before Guy finds me when it’s pushed open, hitting me in the face. I yelp and hear two voices talking at once.

“Oh, Lynne, are you okay?”

“Addy?”

I look up to see Jane, the secretary who directed me to this room, giving me an embarrassed and concerned look. Next to her is Guy—myGuy—looking at me like I’ve sprouted two heads. With the knot I feel rising on my forehead, maybe I am.

Jane gives Guy a quizzical look, probably wondering why he called me Addy, just as he does a double-take from her to me.

“Lynne?” he questions just as Jane says, “Addy? Um, no this is Lynne, Lynne DuVall. She contracts with Management and Budget, and she’s doing an audit of sorts.” She then looks at me. “Isn’t that right, Lynne?”

“Uh, yeah,” is my ridiculously lame response as I internally roll my eyes while avoiding looking at Guy.

“Karen said you had questions about a filing from Mr. Hamilton’s department, so she asked I bring him to you. Let you two talk.”

We stand motionless, me still unable to meet what I know is a piercing stare from Guy. The silence stretches and the scene becomes even more awkward. Finally Jane clears her throat, her gaze bouncing between the two of us as she announces she’ll leave us to our discussion. Once she skirts past Guy, he continues to stand in the doorway, unmoving, and I now have no choice but to look at him.

And,oh God, he’s even more handsome than before. I literally feel myself swaying as my knees go weak and my stomach does a summersault.Get it together, DuVall!His eyes are just as mesmerizing as they remain locked on me, but I can’t tell now if he’s surprised, pissed, or indifferent. He’s certainly holding it together much better than I am. My gaze wanders over his face to his neatly groomed beard and mustache, giving him a rakish yet mature look, and I envy how the years have been more than kind to him. And those lips. So full, so tempting. They’re slightly parted as if he’s ready to speak, but all he does is close his mouth, his lips thinning as if he’s holding back a comment he’s hesitant to make.

I find a speck of courage to end the silence, cringing the moment my absurd greeting leaves my mouth.

“Hi, Guy.”

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