16
1168 Words
Celeste
I shake Isabella’s words of from my head gulping a lump and walk over to Jared’s office
I pushed the door open and stopped.
Jared was behind his desk with a man sitting in one of the chairs facing him.
He looked like he was in his late forties with sharp, intelligent eyes and salt-and-pepper hair.
He had an air of relaxed power about him, like Jared.
Both men looked up as I entered.
Fuck!
I thought he was in a meeting
“Your coffee Mr. Harlan,” I said my voice quiet keeping my eyes down, aiming for the usual table.
But the guest spoke. “ Who is this?”
His voice was warm, friendly making me freeze halfway across the room urging me to finally looked up.
The man was smiling at me a genuine appreciative smile.
I didn’t miss the way Jared’s jaw tightened.
A flash of pure irritation crossed his face before he smoothed it into a neutral mask.
“This is Celeste,” Jared said his voice clipped not offering any other explanation.
The man’s eyebrows went up.
He looked from Jared’s closed-off expression back to me. “Celeste… Flynn?” he asked slowly.
Now it was my turn to be surprised. “Yes,” I said. “How did you know?”
The man’s smile softened turning a little sad as he stood up and walked over to me.
He looked at me with those kind, knowing eyes. “You look just like your mother. Same eyes. Same smile. I’d recognize you anywhere.”
My breath caught. “You knew my parents?”
“Knew them?” he said gently. “Steven was one of our closest friends… your father, Jared and I studied all together… well, before life got complicated. I’m Alexander Reed.”
My heart warmed up, it felt like a piece of home had suddenly appeared.
“It’s… it’s nice to meet you Mr. Reed,” I stammered feeling a blush warm my cheeks.
“Please, call me Alexander,” he said. “Steven talked about you all the time, his brilliant girl. He said you were the best thing that ever happened to him.” He shook his head a nostalgic look in his eyes. “He didn’t do you justice, Celeste. He left out the part about you being so beautiful just like your mother.”
The blush deepened.
I didn’t know what to say. “Thank you,” I whispered.
I could feel Jared’s gaze burning a hole in the side of my head.
I glanced at him.
He was watching the whole exchange, his expression dark.
He was pissed.
Really pissed
Why though?
“Alexander is an old friend and a major shareholder in the European division,” Jared said his voice cold and formal cutting through the moment.
It was an introduction but it sounded like a warning to me or to Alexander, I wasn’t sure.
“It’s a pleasure Celeste,” Alexander said ignoring Jared’s tone giving me a small respectful nod.
“I’m only sorry I’m meeting you under these circumstances. Your father was a good man.”
Before I could reply the office door opened again.
This time it was Genevieve.
She swept in a cloud of expensive perfume and confidence dressed in another flawless outfit with her smile bright and fake.
She didn’t even glance at me or Alexander at first.
She went straight to Jared.
“Darling I’ve been looking all over for you,” she purred perching herself on the edge of Jared’s desk and leaned over wrapped her arms around his neck, and giving him a long deliberate kiss.
My stomach twisted.
Jared didn’t push her away.
He accepted the kiss but his body was stiff. His eyes when Genevieve finally pulled back flickered to me for a split second urging me to quickly looked away my face now burning with a different kind of heat—humiliation.
Or annoyance.
Genevieve finally noticed the rest of us She looked at Alexander “Xander! Lovely to see you.”
Then her eyes landed on me the warmth vanished replaced by icy politeness. “Celeste. What a surprise. What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at your little coffee shop? Working?”
Every word was designed to remind me of my place.
I held up the coffee carrier which felt suddenly heavy and stupid in my hand. “I was just delivering the morning order,” I said my voice flat.
“Of course you were,” Genevieve said her smile not reaching her eyes. She looked at the carrier like it was a bag of trash. “How… industrious of you. Well don’t let us keep you from your very important job.”
The dismissal was clear.
I was being told to leave.
“I was just leaving,” I said turning to put the coffee and pastries on the side table.
“Actually,” Alexander’s voice cut in calm and firm. “I was just leaving as well. My meeting with Jared is over.” He turned to me. “Celeste, would you allow me to walk you out?”
I looked from Alexander’s kind face to Jared’s thunderous one.
Genevieve looked annoyed her perfect smile tightening.
“I, um… sure,” I managed to say.
“Wonderful,” Alexander said nodding briefly at Jared. “Jared… We’ll talk later.”
He didn’t wait for a reply and just gestured for me to walk ahead of him toward the door.
As I passed Jared’s desk I didn’t dare to look at him but I could feel the rage coming off him in waves.
It was clear Alexander wasn’t also fond of Genevieve with the look they shared and the way he ignored her greetings.
I walked out of the office Alexander right behind me. He closed the door softly leaving Jared and Genevieve inside.
We walked in silence for a few steps down the hall away from the office.
“It was a true pleasure meeting you, Celeste,” he said, taking my hand gently. “If you ever need anything… anything at all, advice or help or Someone to talk to. My door is always open. Don’t hesitate.”
He handed me a crisp simple business card. Alexander Reed. Chairman, Reed Holdings.
“Thank you Mr. Reed,” I said, tucking the card into my pocket.
“Alexander,” he corrected with a smile. “Please take care of yourself.”
He watched me as I walked out of the building and onto the busy street. I could feel his eyes on my back.
It was a protective gaze so different from Jared’s intense angry stares making me feel for the first time since coming to New York, I felt like I’d met a family, someone who saw me as more than a problem or a pity case or a temptation.
I pulled his business card out of my pocket and looked at it.
- Writer
