Chapter 0145
-25 BONUS
I was shocked into speechlessness. Of course Logan would start dating again. A rich, handsome, available man like him could have countless women. That he had taken so long after dating Natalie to start seeing other women was an anomaly.
It certainly didn’t have anything to do with any growing feelings for me.
–
Those kisses and near kisses between us were mistakes. They didn’t mean anything at least, not to him. That was abundantly clear now, with him pushing the datebook toward me.
“I know I can trust you with this, Hazel.”
I harden my foolish heart and grab the datebook. I’m a professional, damn it. It was past time I act like it.
“You can trust me with anything.” I replied.
Glancing at the datebook, I noticed the women were marked with their last names and contact information. Good. That would streamline this somewhat. I could cater each date to each woman.
“Do you want to have any input on the dates, Sir? Locations or –”
Logan threw his hands up. “Do whatever you will. Just don’t bother me with it. I’ll show up to the date. You handle everything else.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Good,” he said. “There’s a date planned for tonight. Please make reservations and let the woman know.” The woman? Did he not even care enough to know the name of the woman he was seeing? This was a total 180 from how he had acted when he had thought Natalie was his wife. Then, he’d wanted to see places and gifts for himself. He sought advice in how to please her.
Now, it was as if he couldn’t care less. This shift in him made something uneasy crinkle in my chest. I wasn’t happy with the thought of him going out for dates, for reasons I didn’t fully understand. But knowing he was doing it without even really wanting to made me want to shake him.
He deserved better than whatever he was doing to himself with this.
But I couldn’t tell him that. Nor could I let the jealousy bubbling up inside of me make any kind of appearance.
The kisses were mistakes. He was moving forward, one way or another. I needed to as well.
I had to be professional,
“I’ll make the arrangements,” I said, and made my escape before I could say or do something I would regret.
Sabrina gave me a knowing smirk as I walked past her desk. Had she eavesdropped? “I’m happy to take on your clients,” she said, mockingly, “Since you will need to fully concentrate on such important work.”
Jwouldn’t let her attempt at insults strike me. “I’m glad you understand,” I snapped back. “Logan would only assign something so personal as this new project to someone he truly trusted. If you keep trying, maybe he’ll place his faith in you someday.”
Chapter 0145
+25 BONUS
Her face scrunched up in annoyance, even as it turned red with rage.
“If you’ll excuse me,” I said, and made my way to my desk.
The victory I felt from the moment lasted only long enough for me to look at the datebook again. Instead, a touch of misery rose within me.
I’d almost rather be on suspension than have to arrange romantic evenings for Logan and some random
women.
But my job was my job, and I needed the money. So I clamped down on my feelings, and read the name for tonight.
Connie Riverton.
Hmm, that name seemed familiar to me. I opened an internet browser and searched for the name. My eyes nearly popped out as the results came up.
The Riverton’s were one of the richest families in town! Connie was their oldest, the heir to their entire estate.
Out of curiosity, I searched the other names in the datebook. All of the women were from prominent families, some of them very successful in their own right. This was an extremely impressive list of women to date.
Although, Logan was quite the catch himself. Maybe these were the types of women he should be dating. Successful women from wealthy families. Not assistants.
I shook my head, shaking loose the thought. What was I thinking? Logan would never want to date me.
I had to concentrate here. This was my job, damn it.
Focusing back on Connie, I researched a bit more. In a recent interview, she talked about how much she liked sushi. Armed with that knowledge, I looked up the highest–rated sushi restaurant in town and made reservations.
Hazel had to be setting Logan up, he reasoned. Maybe it had been a mistake to trust her with the arrangements of his love life.
It had seemed like a good idea at the time, another way to help build a wall between them. His attraction to Hazel was a problem. Having her set up his dates should have cooled that urge he had to grab her and
kiss her.
Instead, she seemed determined to vex him at every turn.
Yes, the restaurant she picked out was fine, and the food was adequate. Connie that was her name, wasn’t it? – seemed to be enjoying it. But she was enjoying it too much, arguably. Connie was so busy gushing over the sushi that they’d barely said two words to each other that didn’t involve food.
That should have been enough for Logan. He wasn’t there to find a soulmate. He’d tried that once and failed miserably. Now, he was willing to settle for someone tolerable.
But if they couldn’t have a conversation about anything other than sushi, what kind of life was that? They’d run out of topics after the first date.
+25 BONUS
Chapter 0145
This was Hazel’s fault. She was sabotaging me.
“Sushi is my favorite,” Connie said. “You were so thoughtful to bring me here.”
She smiled at Logan. Logan smiled back but it was forced.
“I’m glad you are enjoying it,” I said,
She continued looking at me, as if expecting something. When I didn’t say anything more, the corners of her lips curled downwards and her gaze fell back to her plate.
This disappointment in Connie was also Hazel’s fault. Hazel should have provided me some kind of dossier on this woman. She’d clearly done research, to know about this restaurant.
Logan would have to speak with her tomorrow and make my orders more clear,
More information. More topics of conversation.
“What type of food do you enjoy?” she asked. She was looking at him again.
Logan hadn’t been paying attention. “I’m glad,” he said, hoping that answered her question,
“Oh.” Her gaze dropped.
It was too loud in this restaurant, that must have been part of the problem. Hazel should have looked into that as well.
When Logan spoke with her tomorrow, he’d make certain to give her this complaint.
Later, after Logan walked her to her door, he asked, “May I see you again?”
She glanced to the door, and did not meet his gaze. “I don’t think so.”
Ouch. That sliced straight through Logan’s ego. “May I ask why?”
“If you don’t already know, that’s part of the problem. Goodnight.” She opened her front door and disappeared into the house, leaving Logan on the doorstep, stewing in his growing anger.
This date had been a disaster. As he hadn’t planned any of it, there was only one person who could be responsible.
Hazel.
