Charlotte winced. “Despite what you think, Easton isn’t a terrible man. He truly has a heart, Maya. I wish you would give him the benefit of the doubt.”
“Like he did for Liam when he gave him a black eye?”
She pursed her lips together as if not ready to believe Easton was the cause of that. “I never told you this, but I wasn’t sure about Liam. He made a comment that rubbed me the wrong way.”
“What?”
“He was walking in the hallway with one of his friends, and he didn’t know I was behind him. He said hot chicks were a dime a dozen, and he could juggle more than one at a time. He said it in a joking tone, so he might not have been serious.”
“I’m sure he wasn’t.”
“Perhaps not, but he did say it, and there might be something to it.” She let out a breath and finally took a seat on the couch next to me. “I’m just telling you so you’ll stop putting him on a pedestal.”
“I’m not doing that. He never talked to me again, so I’m not saying he’s perfect, but Easton bullied him, and I’m not okay with that. To be honest, I don’t know if I can ever get over it.”
***
A few days passed after that, and I did my best to put the horrible date with Easton out of my mind. I concentrated on sending out resumes in hopes of getting a new job. I was a human resources admin at a small startup company called LAPicnic. The company made picnic lunches and delivered them all over L.A., but they had a rocky start, and there were a few times the owner almost wasn’t able to pay his workers on time. They had a good business model, but the demand just wasn’t there. The medical benefits weren’t great as well, and due to my history, I needed something better.
At the end of the day, I drove home and made a quick dinner of stir-fried chicken and vegetables over white rice. My cell rang, and I glanced at the screen but didn’t recognize the number. I clicked the silence button and let it go straight to voicemail. A minute later my phone dinged, alerting me to a voice message. I put it on speaker and played it back.
Hey, Maya, this is Easton. I feel bad about how things went on our date, and I’d like to make it up to you. Give me a call.
He wasn’t particularly enthused or excited, but he didn’t sound angry either. If I had to describe a word to convey the tone of the message, I would say professional described it perfectly.
I took a moment to ponder what would have made him reach out to me. Did he actually feel bad or was he going through the motions for Charlotte’s sake? And if he felt bad, which part was he referring to? The part where I dumped the chicken on his head? Or something else completely? And what did he mean by “make it up” to me? Was I supposed to go on another date with him? That would never happen. Ever.
There were so many questions going through my mind that I couldn’t think straight. I put my phone away and blocked all thoughts of Easton, knowing no good would come of dwelling on the past. Three hours later, Charlotte called.
“Hey, girl, did you get Easton’s message?”
“Uh…yeah. Why?”
“He said you haven’t returned his call yet. He wants to make it up to you.”
I closed my eyes, feeling tired and worn out from the day. Charlotte was an amazing woman, but she was extremely persistent when she wanted something, and it seemed she wanted Easton and me together. She would have to get used to disappointment because I wasn’t budging on that issue. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I don’t want him to make it up to me. In fact, I don’t want to see him ever again.”
There was silence for several long moments and then she cleared her throat. “He’s not asking you out if that’s what you’re worried about. He wants to offer you a job.”
I frowned, confused by the notion. “Why?”
“I mentioned that you’ve been looking and need a better salary and benefits. He’s willing to hire you.”
Oh. My. Goodness.
I could feel hives breaking out over my skin at the thought of working for Easton. That was a nightmare in the making. Nothing would compel me to work in the same space as that man. Nothing.
“I dumped a plate of saucy chicken over his head. How am I supposed to work for him after that? If he didn’t hate me before, he does now.”
“You wouldn’t have to see him on a day-to-day basis. He pretty much shuts himself away in his office and doesn’t come out.” She laughed. “He’s not the most sociable person, but then again, you already know that.”
What if that was his way of getting revenge? He would hire me and then fire me a day later, and I’d be out of a job. “Tell him thanks, but no thanks. I’ll find a position on my own.”
“Just talk to him. Find out what the opportunity entails.”
“You’re the one who pushed him to do this, aren’t you?”
“Actually, no. This is coming straight from him.”
That was surprising, but then again, if he was behind it, my hire and fire theory might not be too far off. “Charlotte, I love you to death, but nothing will convince me to go to work for your brother. I hope this doesn’t come between us, but I just can’t do it. He’s not the sort of boss I’m looking for.”
“Will you at least pray about it?”
I sighed. “Yes, I will do that.” But I wasn’t changing my answer.
Chapter 5
Maya
Two weeks passed, and I managed to put all that business with Easton behind me. Somehow, I was able to forget about him and put my focus on more important matters. Such as finding a new job.
Problem was, no one wanted to hire me. I’d taken the job at LAPicnics straight out of college, and it was an administrative position in the Human Resources Department. Everything I’d come across required more experience than I currently had. I had faith that I would find something eventually, but it was proving difficult.
It was a Friday evening, and I’d just gotten home after a long day at work. All I wanted was to relax and have some downtime, so I considered ordering takeout. I was about to call my favorite Chinese restaurant when there was a knock at my apartment door. I didn’t typically get unannounced visitors, so I wasn’t sure who it would be unless it was a solicitor. When I answered, the breath was nearly knocked out of me.
Easton Radcliffe stood before me wearing a navy suit, appearing slightly uncomfortable, his dirty blond hair brushed off his forehead. His blue eyes stared back at me, beautiful and intense. Why did he have to be so good looking? Someone so mean shouldn’t look that handsome. A muscle in his jaw pulsed as his gaze swept over me, sending a slight shiver up my spine.
He had a moody vibe about him this evening that reminded me of a character in a Jane Austen book, minus the misunderstood aspect as he was a what-you-see-is-what-you-get kind of man. Still, I knew all too well how women could fall for a guy like him. I personally wouldn’t, but I understood why others did. Looks went a long way with people, and he had the charisma and leadership to draw women in. It was a good thing I was too discerning to let appearances affect my opinion.
For a moment, I was lost for words, unable to comprehend why he was even here, and then it occurred to me that my persistent best friend had probably sent him. “How can I help you, Easton?” I kept my tone light but indifferent.