Page 15 of Man Flu

I kneel by Cora’s side, allowing the fear factor in me to take over all other thoughts and concerns. I want to wake her up, tell her I’m here and make sure she’s just sleeping off whatever this is, but maybe it would be better if she slept until after my meeting.

As promised, Logan returns within a solid ninety seconds, handing me a bottle of Children’s Tylenol. “Um—dare I ask?”

“The receptionist downstairs has two small kids at home. That’s why she only works half days. I figured if anyone had Children’s Tylenol on them, it would be her.”

I should have kids Children’s Tylenol with me too. I’m failing so badly at this game, it’s just sad.

“There’s a better mom than me?” I ask with nervous laughter and a hint of sarcasm. I’m such a moron.

“Is Cora shy?” Logan asks, ignoring my question.

That requires a true laugh. “Definitely not,” I tell him.

“Okay, I got this. Go do whatever you ladies do in the restroom, and I’ll take care of this cutie-pie.” I think my ovaries just skipped a beat.

I remove my hand from Cora’s back and gaze up at Logan. “I don’t know where you came from or how you ended up here in my office, but thank you. Honestly, from the bottom of my heart, thank you,” I say, feeling a bit emotional, as tears threaten to appear in my eyes. Receiving help is something I’ve long forgotten about.

Logan places his hand on my shoulder and looks down at me with his hooded eyes. “You got this.”

He isn’t real. The warmth of his hand isn’t real. The sensation running through my body like warm water after a coming in from the cold isn’t real either.

The opening and closing of the department door is real, though, and my vendor is here.

“Shit,” I mutter to myself. I guess there’s no time to freshen up. I just have to hope I don’t have raccoon eyes.

I head out of my office, but before I have one foot out the door, Logan grabs my arm and pulls me back in, closing the door behind me. My heart is beating in my throat, and for the life of me, I can’t figure out what is going through his head or what is happening right now.

“I’m not trying to be inappropriate,” he says.

Um, at this moment in time, he’s free to be inappropriate, but I’m almost positive no one would want to be inappropriate with me in the current state I’m in. Words can’t find their way out of my mouth as he presses the pad of his finger under my lower lashes and gently sweeps to the side. “Happens to me all the time when I’m running around. Damn eyeliner,” he says with a wink.

“You wear eyeliner, huh?” It’s the only sensible response I can conjure at the moment. My face has gone untouched for the last year and a half of my life, and having him fix my makeup like this feels almost like foreplay.

“No,” he snickers. “My ex-wife did, and I’ve pretty much heard the pros and cons about the varieties of makeup more times than I care to share. She was a Clinique girl. My house smelled like new perfumes every day, and she never looked like the same person two days in a row. It was weird.”

He’s divorced. “That sounds terrible,” I tell him. Terrible? We’re talking about perfume and makeup. He didn’t just say he had walked in on his wife cheating with someone hotter than he is, if that’s even possible.

I glance over at Cora once more, watching as she turns over in the makeshift bed. “Go,” Logan says. “They’re waiting.” He shoos me off.

I walk at a fast pace down to the conference room, then calmly make my way inside to find a group of casually dressed younger women—younger meaning, I must be at least ten years their senior. “Good afternoon, ladies. It’s a pleasure to meet with you. I’m Hannah Pierce.” I reach my hand out to the first woman who appears to be in charge, judging by the look on her face. I can take a guess that she’s an all work, no play kind of gal.

“Caroline,” she says, affirmatively.

“Nice to meet you, Caroline.”

I take a moment to shake the other three women’s hands, and we all take seats around the table.

I had the overhead projector set up so they could present their pitch, even though I’ve been the one eager to bring in their company as an advertiser.

The video takes just over ten minutes, and I made the mistake of shutting the lights off before hitting play. Now, I’m fighting my heavy eyelids, hoping I don’t begin to snore, as well.

After the long drawn out explanation of why organic and BPA free are the two best combinations that earth has to offer right now, the video ends, and I lean back in my seat to hit the light switch.

With the research I’ve done, I know this relationship will be profitable on both ends.

“Ladies, I’m thoroughly impressed with what I’ve seen here today. I’ll need to run some numbers by the rest of the executive team, but I think we can reach an agreement that will be favorable to both of our companies.”

“I’d actually like to ask you some questions if you don’t mind,” Caroline says.