Page 6 of Her Grumpy Valentine

When I reach Orson’s office, I tap on the open door, leaning against the frame with a semblance of casualness I don’t quite feel. “Hey, Orson,” I begin, and his head pops up, clear surprise etched across his features. “Got a moment?”

“Uh, sure, Nash,” he stammers, clearly still adjusting to the chaos of his new environment. The stacks of files around his desk suggest he’s eager to dive in, even if he looks like a deer caught in headlights.

I step inside, folding my arms across my chest, and let out a rough sigh. “I was out of line earlier. Mondays tend to bring out the worst in me, but that’s no excuse. We’re glad to have you on board, and I shouldn’t have been an asshole.”

Orson blinks, then nods, managing a tentative smile that seems to ease a little of the tension between us. “I know Mondays can be rough.” He gives me a pass I don’t really deserve, but I’m going to take it and run. “I’m ready to jump in with both feet when you have time to go over a few things.”

I give him a nod, trying to ignore the trickle of relief lightening the load on my conscience a bit. I mentally run through my schedule. “I’ll have time to meet at ten. Come to my office then and we’ll go through things before I take you to lunch.”

“I’ll look forward to it.”

With that olive branch extended and accepted, I head back toward the reception area where Margot keeps the wheels on the bus. She’s on the phone when I approach, her eyes doing a brief, suspicious flit my way.

I wait until she hangs up, then clear my throat. “Hey.”

She arches a perfectly plucked brow at me. “I don’t want to hear it. Keep moving.”

Wincing internally, I hold up my hands in surrender. “I’m waving the white flag. I’m sorry I was a complete dick earlier. You keep this place running like a well-oiled machine, and I shouldn’t have taken you for granted.”

Margot narrows her eyes, skepticism dancing in her expression. “Keep going. I’m listening.”

I bark out a laugh, shaking my head. “You’re a miracle worker and I wouldn’t know what to do without you.”

A smile creeps across her face, and she waves me off with a mock-serious tone. “I guess we’ll let this one slide but don’t let it happen again.”

With both fences mended, I retreat back to my office, surprised to find this vulnerability thing doesn’t entirely suck. As I settle into the paperwork mess on my desk, I find unforgettable emerald green eyes flashing through my mind, and I know I’ll do whatever it takes to make her mine. Even if I have to beg and grovel.