Page 63 of All's Fair in Love and Christmas
Sofiya waved her in. “You’re not interrupting. Jeremy was just about to say something about the promotion.”
He’d planned to bow out in private, but now that he’d decided not to live by his filed blueprints, more of them seemed to be falling to the wayside.
Mackenzie stepped more fully into the office and settled beside him.
“How’s your mother?” he asked softly.
She looked up at him. “They said if she keeps improving, she could be released tomorrow.”
His gaze traced her face. How could he have been so blind the last couple of years? Working beside her every day but never truly seeing her? Well, he saw her now. And he couldn’t seem to make himself look away.
Sofiya cleared her throat. When Jeremy shifted his focus to his boss, he found a small, secret smile tugging at her lips. “The promotion,” she prompted.
Right. “I decline the honor of being considered.”
Mackenzie gasped. “You can’t do that.”
He tilted his head toward her. “Why not?”
“Because that’s what I came in here to say.” She faced Sofiya. “Jeremy is clearly the better candidate for a supervisory role as well as client liaison. He should get the job.”
“She can’t give me the job,” he argued. “I’ve already declined.”
Mackenzie pursed her lips. “Well, I decline too.”
They stared at each other.
Sofiya’s hand slapped her desk. “I am the boss. I will decide. Now go. Get back to work before I give the job to Frank.”
An empty threat, but it did its job. Jeremy and Mackenzie filed out of the office.
“You’d be better at the job and you know it,” Mackenzie said as soon as he’d closed Sofiya’s door.
“You’re a better designer andyouknow it,” he countered.
Their eyes locked in a standoff, but then she gave a short laugh and shook her head. “As long as it doesn’t go to Frank.”
Jeremy grinned. “Agreed.”
She twisted the ends of her hair in her fingers. “I guess I better...” She pointed toward her desk.
“Right.” He stepped to the side. “I’ll get out of your way.”
She offered him one of her soft, shy smiles as she glided past him. He couldn’t help but watch her walk away.
A tap on his arm startled him. He turned to find Keri grinning at him in a knowing way.
“You’re just the person I was looking for,” he said.
Her brows rose in teasing speculation. “Oh, really? Because from where I’m standing, it seems like you were looking at someone else.” Her eyes glinted in silent amusement.
He chuckled under his breath. “You and Alejandro really are a pair.”
Her grin widened. “Why, Jeremy, I do believe that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
“I need to ask you a favor.” He cut to the chase. “Can you take Mackenzie out of the office for lunch today?”
She cocked her hip and anchored her hand on the jutted curve. “I’m sure she’d rather go to lunch with you if you asked her.”
