A three-dot bubble appears for a second, then her reply pops up.
TJ:
Gasp! It’s the blue collar playboy in the flesh.
I slide to the floor and crawl towards the kitchen. Eric glances over mid-pastry prep, one brow raised, but he doesn’t say a word.
Something hard taps the top of my head. I look down to see a cardboard cup rolling to a stop by my hand.
I turn towards him, narrowing my eyes and mouthing,What the fuck?
Eric smirks and mouths back,You owe me, before turning on the charm for the next customer like nothing happened.
Finally in the safety of the kitchen, I let out the breath I’ve been holding and fish my phone out again.
Do you think he saw me?
My phone rings almost instantly.
“Why are you hiding from him?” Tiana demands the second I answer.
I pace in a small circle. “Well, we didn’t exactlyget alongat the interview. Plus, if he sees me here again, he’ll realize I left Willow’s off my résumé, and that might tank my already nonexistent shot at the job.”
There’s a pause. Then she bursts out laughing.
“Mya, you’re overreacting. He’s not gonna care that you have a job. If anything, it shows you’re responsible. You’re a graduate with bills to pay. He’s probably been there himself.”
Maybe she’s right. I’ve read a few articles about Worth since the interview.
Strictly research for the job, of course.
Most of the articles weren’t about construction or business. They were about hisotherreputation—the man is always photographed with a different woman on his arm at every gala or charity event. Then there were paparazzi shots of him shirtless on a yacht in Saint-Tropez, swim shorts hanging low on his hips, sunglasses shielding his eyes while the sun lit up the salt-and-pepper scruff on his jaw. His body was chiseled, unfairly so, and the image burned into my brain before I could click away.
I shake my head hard, dragging myself back to reality. Nope. Absolutely not. I can’t think about him like that. He’s my potential boss, for God’s sake.
“You should seize this opportunity and go back out there to talk to him! It’ll show initiative, and you’ll most likely leave a mark on him, if you haven’t already,” she says, her tone filled with mischief. “Show him that you’re interested. I’m sure hewon’t bite… Actually, maybe you do want him to bite you, if you know what I mean.”
I can practically hear the waggle of her brows.
Rolling my eyes, I mutter, “Focus, Tiana.”
She’s not wrong, though. This could be my last shot at showing Worth I’m serious about the job. I need this—not just for my career, but to keep up with my bills. Not that I’d ever admit that part to her.
“Okay, I’ll do it. Let’s just hope I don’t embarrass myself again.”
The memory of me talking about my deceased father, my voice wobbling, eyes stinging, flashes uninvited. Nearly crying in front of the entire hiring board… Perfect first impression, really. And then practically arguing with the CEO on top of that? I cringe.
“You’ll be fine. Go get ’em, tiger!” Tiana roars into the phone, making me shake my head with laughter despite myself.
I hang up and draw in a deep breath, forcing my shoulders to relax and my pulse to slow.
The plan is simple: walk out there, greet him like he’s any other customer, and when Ipretendto finally see him, I’ll stop by his table for a quick, casual chat. Easy.
Hopefully, he won’t mind me crashing what’s clearly a daddy–daughter outing.
Daddy.
The word sends a sudden rush of heat down my spine, and I immediately clamp down on it.