Page 14 of Maid for My Billionaire Boss
“I was wondering if Tonya would have time to get back.” Her face scrunched, as she clearly wasn’t trying to hide her dislike for Tonya. “Isn’t she supposed to go with you?”
His eyelids lowered back to the shaker again. “No, she’s going back to California for good. We broke up.”
Mrs. Michael dramatically flopped her jaw open so wide it reminded me of an impressionist painting of a largemouth bass I had seen. I instantly got uncomfortable.I want out of the aura of this conversation now!Stumbling over my feet backward, I eased my way to the broom closet and quietly started to yank out my supplies, but I couldn’t plug my ears fast enough and I heard her ask, “Doesn’t she know you need her this week?”
“Yes.” His voice was laced with disappointment. “We talked about it. We’vebeentalking about it for weeks. Now we both just knew.”
“Well.” Mrs. Michael’s tone pitched higher than usual like it was suffering from shellshock. “Did you want me to go with you so I can talk to Jane?”
He chuckled but not in an amused way. “I remember the last time you came to talk to Jane. Remember how you offended her by constantly interrupting her?”
“That wasn’t intentional. I kept randomly remembering things that were more interesting than what she was talking about.”
Trey maintained a straight face. “I’ll be fine.”
“I don’t know about that.” Her pitch took on more urgency. “You know how she is. If she isn’t the center of attention, she wants to leave immediately.”
“I know,” Trey’s took an even more disgruntled tone. “Atalie found that out the other day. Jane was ready to leave, and if it wasn’t for Atalie showing her the art collection, she would have convinced Allen to bail early too."
I should have run out of the door while I had the chance, but I saw it coming in slow motion when Mrs. Michael’s posture straightened in exclamation like she had the best idea ever. “Well, then maybe she can go with you tonight?”
“Can’t,” I immediately declined, letting my eyes slide to Josiah. “I have a kid, remember?” I was one hundred percent sure I didnotwant anything more to do with his business affairs. The last time I did that, we ended up standing way too close for way too long in an encounter that left me flushed for days.
Trey shot me an expression that said he was glad I was ducking out so he didn’t have to explain to his mom why he couldn’t bring his maid to dinner. “Don’t worry about it. I can manage.” His voice was firm while he took a few steps down the hall before his phone chimed, which he immediately took out of his pocket. In a flash of a second later, he muttered, “You have got to be kidding me . . .”
“What happened?” Mrs. Michael called after him, her tone growing even more worrisome.
“Allen canceled.”
“Drinks?”
“Everything.” His voice was stunned, lingering in the air.
“How?”
“He texted that Jane thinks it’s too risky, but he wished me the best of luck.”
“He has cold feet.” Mrs. Michael drew her brows in before continuing, “He is letting his nerves win.”
“So, then what?” Trey flicked his hand up in question. “Make him some chamomile tea?” His eyes sped back to his phone as he swiped his phone screen. “I’m calling him.”
Relieved that near miss was over, I quickly crossed the kitchen on my tiptoes. It hadn’t been my plan to clean the foyer today, but it was down at the other end of the hall. Which suited my current goal perfectly because it put voice-muffling distance between myself and this conversation. Unfortunately, I could hear his voice from the hall, and he wasn’t happy. “I can’t believe you would bail on me in a text after I thought we had a deal?”
I power sprayed the frosted windows in the French door, trying to pretend I couldn’t hear, but the silence in between Trey’s comments was smoldering. Finally, he said, “I need someone with your background on this project lead and you’re the one I trust the most. You’ve done all my other projects with me. It only makes sense.” Another pause before adding, “I know that’s a lot of money, but Jane didn’t even talk to me about it. Tell her it’s worth meeting me tonight because I can explain everything, and she wouldn’t want to miss the opportunity.”
Silence.
“I’m sorry you feel that way too. Is there anything I can do to change your mind?”
Silence.
“I really feel like this is a mistake, but you have to do what you have to do.”
Silence.
“Is there any way I can still take you out tonight to explain how I revamped everything and if you hate the idea, we can sit and have drinks?”
Silence.
