Chapter Sixteen
Y awning, Jill cradled her coffee as she sat behind her desk, staring sightlessly at her computer screen.
“Late night?” Thomas, her boss asked, as he stepped into the room wearing green theatre scrubs.
“Ballet and a restaurant,” Jill mumbled, sighing as she took a mouthful of the sweet, strong coffee. “Can I get you one,” she mumbled, holding her cup up towards him.
“Yes please, I have some notes to go over, then I’m due in theatre within the hour,” he told her.
“Here you go,” Jill said, passing him the top file from the pile on her desk by her elbow. Thomas put the file by his hip as he leaned on the corner of her desk.
“So, who did you go to the ballet with?” he asked, as she moved to the drinks machine in the corner of the office and quickly set it, to pour extra strong coffee into his cup.
“I believe you know him?” Jill replied, her back to him as she stirred a sugar into the dark, strong brew.
“Really, who is he?”
“Leonard, Leonard Smyth,” Jill replied, turning and handing him his coffee before moving back around her desk and slipping back into her seat.
“Leonard, you’re the date from Eternal Mates?” He asked, turning slightly so he could see her while cradling his own cup.
“You know about it?” Jill asked, taking another sip of her coffee.
“Yes, he was not best pleased to begin with from what I gather.”
“Hmm, Luc filled in the details for him I believe,” Jill told him dryly.
“Leonard told you about Luc?”
“Yes, something to do with Luc and him having a few problems due to a date Leonard had set him up with years ago. He also told me Luc’s now cursed where dating is concerned,” she shrugged.
“Yes, Luc hasn’t had the best of luck,” Thomas replied carefully, blowing on his coffee as his amber eyes watched her.
“What? Have I got something on my face or something?” She asked self-consciously, running a hand over her face.
“No, I’m just trying to picture you and Leonard together, that’s all.” He watched her bristle under his inquisitive gaze. “I’m not being rude Jill, it’s just that Leonard doesn’t…”
“Date, yes I know, he told me that too.”
“Really?” he asked, seemingly surprised when she nodded, if the widening of his eyes were anything to go by.
“It can be quite disconcerting being with him,” she added on a sigh.
“Why so?” Thomas asked, still watching her.
“He’s like a… magnet to women,” it was the only word she could find to describe his effect on them, and the odd man. “It’s quite strange,” she admitted, frowning, and then taking another sip of her coffee.
“He’s not a magnet to you?” Thomas queried.
“He’s a good-looking man, I’ll admit to that. He’s also funny and charming, but no, I would not throw myself at him,” she shrugged with a wrinkle of her nose. Thomas’s eyebrow rose, and smiling, he finally took his gaze from her, took a sip of his own coffee and then got up.
“What, no warning for me to stay away from him?” she asked. He moved towards his office door, folder now under his arm, cup in hand.
“No, I think you and he will be fine,” he told her, turning to look at her over his shoulder as he stood in his office doorway. “You may be just what he needs,” he winked. Then, with a grin, he walked into his office, closing the door behind him.
Jill sat at her desk, frowning at Thomas’s closed office door, trying to figure out what had just happened. Her phone vibrated in her bag, so putting down her cup, she pulled it out.
I’ll pick you up at eight, this evening. It’s a surprise, Leonard.
Smiling, Jill closed her phone and put it away before picking up her coffee again. Sighing, she stared at her computer screen, then turned and glared at all the files piled at the edge of her desk. Oh, well, work wasn’t going to sort itself, she needed to get to it. There were files to update with results, and as Thomas had been taking the odd hour off here and there over the last week, she also had some appointments to reschedule. However, she at least now had something to look forward to this evening.
She enjoyed working for Thomas, it was just that she spent most of the day tucked away in his office; which was the downside to the job. She got lonely with no interaction apart from the occasional phone call, or when she needed to take files back to the central files office. Being alone gave her way too much time to think and obsess over her own insecurities. She’d spent far too many hours wondering what was wrong with her, and why she always seemed to attract the wrong men. Yes, she had found Leonard, and they seemed to have some things in common; now they’d both opened-up a little. But there was still that niggle at the back of her mind that told her that the other shoe was going to drop at some point. Paranoia on her part, probably, but she couldn’t help worrying that there was something he wasn’t telling her.
Thomas appeared again at his office door, brushing his strawberry blond mane off his forehead, distractedly.
“You need to fit in a haircut,” Jill said, turning to him. “What do you need?”
“Apart from that haircut, I need at least another twelve hours in a day,” he scowled. “Have you got Mr Phillips’ blood results back yet, I can’t seem to find them in his file.”
“I’ll check the system for them now and bring them through.”
“Great, if his white cell count hasn’t dropped, I’m going to have to reschedule his knee replacement surgery and change his antibiotics.” With that, he disappeared inside and shut his door again.
“No rest for the wicked,” Jill mumbled, keying in the details she needed to check his results and print them off.
It was only 9:15, she had a few hours to put in before she could call it a day and get home.
As she waited for the printer, she mentally went through her meagre wardrobe, trying to decide what she could wear this evening. He’d already seen her in her dress pants, and her little black dress, maybe she could teem her pants with a different top? She did have several blouses and lightweight jumpers.
That could work, she thought, leaning over and grabbing the sheet of results out of the printer. Happier now she knew what she was doing, she got up and took Thomas the information he’d need.
Her phone was beeping by the time she got back to her desk.
So, how’d the date go, have you had your wicked way with Mr. Tall dark and yummy yet? Amanda x
Jill read it and laughed, covering her mouth to stop Thomas from hearing.
No I have not. Jill x
Damn girl, what’s your problem? Go get him, it’s got to beat B.O.B with his long-life batteries! Amanda x
He’s a perfect gentleman, but he did give me a mind-blowing orgasm in the middle of a very posh restaurant. (google eyes) Jill x
Ring me when you get home, I want all the details, oh and Polly says, go get him tiger, lol xx
Jill put her phone away, with a shake of her head and went back to work. She’d deal with Amanda later, but she’d bet her last pound that she’d be phoning her as soon as she stepped through her door. That girl had a sixth sense where she was concerned, she always rang as soon as she got in from work, and normally when she needed cheering up. She’d take pictures of her clothes choice and get her views. Her heart ached missing having her friend, and having her close to hand to talk to. It was great that they kept in touch, but she missed her like crazy and the monthly visits and phone calls weren’t quite the same.
Sighing, she again began checking results on the hospital system and printing out the ones that Thomas required. Making sure she put the files he’d need to double check before she could re-schedule appointments.