Page 13 of Statler

CHAPTER THREE

“…and this is my crew.”

Eliza was startled back to reality as Statler withdrew the warmth of his hand.

Wow.

Eliza hadn’t even noticed the… gulp…six other people standing in the doorway.

“Hello,” Eliza greeted heartily, throwing back her shoulders and hoping no one noticed her short lapse. Or her fixation on their stunning boss. “I’m so pleased to meet all of you. I’ll let my f…uh, Mr. Flazer know you’re here.”’

Double damn.

Where was her head?

Eliza never screwed up like that in the office. She’d almost said “her father”, when in here, he was always the boss. Even though every one of the long-time employees were aware of her actual status—and probably all the newer ones, too, because the factory was a hotbed of gossip—it wasn’t something she openly advertised.

“Umm…” She cleared her throat. “Please. Have some seats, and I’ll be right back.”

She gestured with her arm to the old but serviceable, cracked-leathered settee that stretched across the wall, having been there since well before she was born.

Gah. Flustered, was not her norm.

Eliza scooted into her father’s office after a perfunctory knock, making sure the door closed behind her.

“Mr. Bothswait is here,” she informed him primly as he looked up from his desk. “Along with his crew.”

“Send the head man in,” he grunted. “The rest? You entertain them,” William barked, and dismissed her with a wave of his hand.

“Yes sir,” she yielded without a blink.

Even if she thought it was rude to snub the additional people who had come here with Statler to do a job, Eliza knew better than to make her opinions known to her jackass father.

She turned on her heel, went back into her outer office, and addressed the man in charge. She was unable to look anywhere other than the center of his chest, lest she give away the emotions that were swirling inside her.

“Mr. Flazer will see you now, Mr. Bothswait.”

“Statler. Please,” he returned easily with his velvety voice.

Eliza nodded. “Statler,” she repeated, then dragged in a breath and relayed her father’s wishes. “He’d like a moment alone with you, and requests you leave your people out here with me. I’ll make sure they all have coffee while they wait.”

“You’re an angel.” A good looking, dark-haired man who had a slightly crooked facial structure—broken bones at one time, perhaps—lauded from the bank of chairs where half the larger-than-life crew-members sat.

Clearly, the others had felt more comfortable standing.

“Thank you? I guess?” Eliza responded uncertainly, not used to receiving accolades of any kind.

Was he…flirting? He was cute, but if he was trying to make a smooth move, he was wasting his time. There was only one person in the room who had Eliza’s complete attention.

“Don’t mind him,” Statler interjected with a snort. “He has a coffee addiction.”

Eliza knew if she braved looking up at Statler’s face, he’d be grinning. But if she did dare, her knees would probably buckle under their own weight. Then they’d all have to peel her off the floor.

What a great first impression that would make.

Drat.

Why couldn’t she be normal? What was wrong with her? Most people, if they felt a mild attraction upon meeting someone, typically progressed to going on dates, building on those feelings, then declaring their love.