Click, click, click. Tap, tap, tap. There is no way I could listen to that sound all day long. There’s nothing worse than the incessant clicking of a stiletto heel on a hard surface.
If I had to work in an office, I’d want to work in a cool, dog-friendly, hipster office in a converted warehouse where you can wear jeans.
Everything here is evil high-gloss gleaming with the malicious shine of a corporate establishment. The water feature in the center of the reception area does nothing to create the calming and tranquil feel it’s designed for.
I scuttle along in my squeaky sneakers toward the sexy reception desk dodging busy businessmen and women coming from all angles.
Huh. Sneakers. I didn’t think “trainers” first in my head. I’m so American now.
“Hey.” A guy suddenly cut across my path, making me stop. “Do you have any of those small sausages with leek filling?”
“Erm, excuse me?”
“Sausages,” he repeats himself louder. Alright, so I heard him correctly the first time. “With the leek stuffing.”
I rack my brain for a task I’ve missed. Is this what I’m here for today? Killian wants sausages filled with leeks? It’s a bit random, but he’s been acting strange the past few days, so anything is possible.
“No, sorry. I don’t have any on me.”
“Okay, when will you?” he snaps.
“Hmm, is this for Killian?”
He looks at me like I’ve sprouted an extra head, and then a light bulb seems to go on in his brain.
“Oh. You’re not the trolley girl.”
“Nope. Not her.” I glare at him. “But if I see a girl with sausages I’ll be sure to send her your way.”
He grunts and walks on, no further use for me.
What a charmer.
I reach the sleek reception desk with a man and a woman behind it. It’s so large they must have to use microphones to talk to each other.
“Hi,” I say to the receptionist lady, in the same voice I use with Siri. “I’m here to see Killian.”
She gives me an amused once-over. The humans here are all so intimidating. I feel a tad self-conscious. In my defense, the holes in my blue jeans are by design. I’m wearing the bunny T-shirt because I know it drives him crazy. In a good way, I think.
She laughs in my face. “Killian? Killian who?”
A video of Killian and Connor being interviewed plays on the large LCD screen behind her. It’s distracting.
In return, I smile sweetly. “Killian, whose name is on the big sign outside the building? The guy on the widescreen behind you.”
She sees my sweet smile and raises it with her own saccharine passive-aggressive smile. “I don’t think so, honey. Please leave.”
“No, wait,” I start before she can alert security. “He asked me to come. I can call him if you don’t believe me.”
Her brow arches into a severe line with as much belief as if I told her a group of little fairies was outside. “And you are?”
“His beck-and-call girl,” I say sarcastically. “Clodagh Kelly.”
Her eyes narrow. “I’ll call his receptionist and find out, beck-and-call girl.”
She picks up the phone and talks to someone. “A Clodagh Kelly is here to see Mr. Quinn.”
“Uh-huh.” She talks on the phone, narrowing her eyes so much that I am surprised she can see. “Uh-huh.” There’s a pause as she stares at me. “Uh-huh.” Her face screws up with an array of emotions ranging from confusion… irritation… curiosity, and finally… is that jealousy?
The phone is slammed down.
“Here’s your visitor’s pass.” She hands me the pass over the desk, devastated that I’m allowed up. “Take the elevator to the seventh floor. Someone will meet you there.”
No retina scan. I’m surprised.
“Thank you.” I smirk at her, resisting the urge to blurt out that I’m boning the boss.
Taking the pass, I make my way to the lift.
My ears pop as I ascend. The elevators have nice music and show surround video of New York as I travel, like the Empire State Building does.
The elevator dings as the doors slide open. Thankfully, someone with a friendlier face is waiting for me.
“Hi, Clodagh,” the lady says to me. “I’m Mandy.”
“Hi. We’ve talked on the phone a few times.”
“I know. I couldn’t forget your accent. Come on, I’ll take you to his office.”
I hope that’s a compliment.
She smiles and motions for me to follow her. Nerves take over as I walk through the bustling open-plan office. A million conversations are going on.
I feel so out of place. Why couldn’t Killian call me instead? This is weird.
I see a face I know. “Hi, stranger,” I call out to Marcus.
He twitches slightly, then tries to cover it with a smile. “Clodagh,” he says, stopping in front of me. “Lovely to see you again.”
“You too,” I say cheerily. “I never got to thank you properly for giving me a chance.”
He looks at me wearily. Has Killian told him about us? “I hope you’ve enjoyed your time in New York so far?”
“Yeah.” I start to tell him about the things I’ve done on my bucket list, but I cut it short when I sense he wants to run away from me. He’s practically edging away while we talk.
“That’s… nice,” he says with a nod. “Just make sure you make the most of it.”
He sets off in a trot down the hall. He was way more composed the last time I met him. The man can’t get away from me quick enough.
Very weird, indeed.
I follow Mandy to the offices around the corner from the open-plan area. I’ve never been in Killian’s office before.
I smooth out my T-shirt and fix my hair as Mandy knocks on his office door.
“Come in,” a deep, husky voice calls out after a minute.
Killian stands staring out the window when I enter, his feet spread apart and a palm pressed against the glass. An ass begging to be squeezed by me.