Page 6 of Strings Attached

I head to Lil's Sweet Treats for lunch, eager to share the morning's events with my friend. As soon as I walk in, Lil's eyes widen.

"Well, well, well," she says with a grin. "Look who decided to bring out the big guns today. Let me guess, this is for Mr. Grumpy Pants?"

I roll my eyes, but I can't hide my smile. "Maybe. He noticed, Lil. He actually said something about me looking different."

Lil laughs, already preparing a cup of her signature hot chocolate. "I told you, honey. That man notices everything about you. He's just too stubborn to admit it."

As I wait for Lil to finish preparing my drink, I can't help but feel a flutter of hope. Maybe, just maybe, there's something there after all.

With my drink in hand, I quickly go back to the office and heat up the left-overs of last night's dinner—chilli. But as I eat at my desk, doubt starts to creep in. What if I'm reading too much into this? What if Evander's comment was just that—an observation, nothing more?

Not to mention, what could ever come from this? Evander’s my boss, if something did happen between us, it could be the end of my job, and that’s not something I’d ever want to happen. But, the feelings that I’ve had for Evander have been growing as each day passes. I’m halfway in love with him. Would it be the worst thing to see what happens?

After all, in the game of love and war, sometimes you have to take risks. And I'm starting to think that Evander Prescott might just be worth the risk.

As I finish my lunch, I hear Evander's office door open. He strides out, adjusting his tie and looking as impeccable as ever in his tailored suit. God that man knows how to fill out a suit, he looks so damn handsome.

"Mireille, I'm heading out for my lunch meeting now. I should be back in about two hours. Can you reschedule my two pm call with the board to four pm?"

I nod, already pulling up his calendar on my computer. "Of course, I'll take care of it right away. Anything else you need before you go?"

Evander pauses, his eyes sweeping over me once more. For a moment, I think he might say something about my appearance again, but he simply shakes his head. "No, that's all. Thank you."

As he walks towards the elevator, I can't help but call out, "Enjoy your lunch, Evander. Try not to scare the waiter with your infamous scowl."

He turns back, and for a brief second, I see the ghost of a smile on his lips. "I'll do my best to keep the scowling to a minimum. But I make no promises."

With that, he's gone, leaving me alone with my thoughts and a mountain of work to distract me from them.

The afternoon drags on, filled with phone calls, emails, and endless paperwork. By the time Evander returns from his lunch meeting, I'm deep in concentration, trying to sort out a scheduling conflict for next week.

"Mireille," his voice startles me out of my focus. I look up to find him standing by my desk, his expression unreadable. "Can you come into my office for a moment? There's something I need to discuss with you."

My heart races as I follow him into his office, wondering what this could be about. Has he seen through my little game today? Am I in trouble?

Evander closes the door behind us and gestures for me to take a seat. He remains standing, pacing slightly behind his desk.

"Mireille, I've been thinking about the gala next week," he begins, his voice carefully neutral. "I realize I may have overstepped by assuming you'd want to attend as my... date. If you're uncomfortable with the idea, I completely understand. I can arrange for another assistant to accompany me instead."

I blink, taken aback by his words. This is not at all what I was expecting. "Evander, I... no, I'm not uncomfortable with it at all. I'd be honored to accompany you to the gala."

He stops pacing, his blue eyes meeting mine. "Are you sure? Because if there's any hesitation on your part..."

I stand up, moving closer to his desk. "There's no hesitation, Evander. I want to go with you."

Relief flickers in his eyes along with a glimpse of happiness, just as quickly as it came, it's gone. "Alright then. Thank you, Mireille.”

I nod, feeling a mix of relief and excitement. "Of course. Is there anything else we need to discuss about the gala?"

Evander seems to hesitate for a moment before speaking. "Yes, actually. About the dress I mentioned..."

My heart skips a beat. Is he going to retract his offer? "What about it?"

He clears his throat, looking slightly uncomfortable. "I realized it might be presumptuous of me to choose something for you. Perhaps it would be better if you selected your own dress. I'll have my credit card sent to you, feel free to purchase whatever you feel is appropriate for the event."

I'm touched by his consideration. "That's very generous of you, Evander. Thank you."

He waves off my thanks. "It's nothing. I want you to feel comfortable and confident at the gala."

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