Chapter 8

Chapter 8: We’ll See

Anaya’s P.O.V:

“Is everything alright Mr. Eustis?”I asked as I set his coffee down on the desk in front of him. Today was the final day of the one-week deadline he had placed on me and I’d been extra careful to reach office ten minutes before time. But I hadn’t exactly expected Lancelot Eustis to look this exhausted and worried.

His shirt, which was the same he’d been wearing last night when I left him, was unbuttoned halfway down his chest, revealing porcelain white skin with a few scattered hair. His hair was in a disarray as if he’d run his hands through them multiple times. But despite that, he still managed to look drop dead gorgeous and I could not be more envious for it. If only I could have that sexy bed hair...But most of all, his cabin looked like a tornado had passed through here. “Did a thief break in?” I asked, worried that that just might be the problem.

“What?” Lancelot looked like he’d just woken up from a stupor. “No...I was just looking for something...” He looked around the room as if noticing it for the first time. Then he looked at his watch and picked up his coffee cup.

“Sir, I hope you don’t mind me saying this, but I think you need sleep more than you need coffee.” The words were out before I could help myself and I began to curse myself for it mentally the second it was out.

But today, Lancelot Eustis seemed to have sworn to surprise me in every aspect. Not only did the always-perfect head of Reefwood seem thoroughly unkempt for the first time, he actually put down his coffee mug and said, “You’re right, I need a power nap. Arrange everything back in order while I go take a power nap.”

He got up from his chair and took the jacket he’d slung on the back of his chair and began walking towards the back of the cabin where there was the least bit of mess and a patch was left cleared just between two file cabinets.

“Sir-“I began but then Lancelot put in a password on the security panel I hadn’t noticed until now and a secret door opened that, from what I could peak inside, led to a huge hall with only one large couch in sight. Lancelot then turned back to me and I had to force myself to stop snooping. “See this red button here,” he said pointing at the same security panel, “Press it after 2 hours approximately. I should be up by then. And remember to take notes if you get any important calls.”

“Yes Sir.” I said as he went inside and shut the door behind him. “Well…” I turned back to the devastated room. “Let’s get to work shall we?”

But before I could, the office phone began ringing. Leaving the files I’d gather from the floor in a neat pile, I went over to Lancelot’s desk and answered the call. “Reefwood HQ. How may I help you?”

“Anaya? Where’s Lance?”

“Antony!” I was surprised he’d call the office landline when he could just call Lancelot’s cell phone directly. “Well…Lancelot just went to bed for a couple hours, I think its best if you let him rest unless it’s an emergency.”

“Why? Is everything alright?” Damn! Now I’ve gotten him worried.

“No! I mean, yes! Everything’s alright, it’s just that…” I sighed as I took another look at around the room; if possible, it looked worse than before. “His cabin’s a mess. I think he’s been working all night.”

I heard Antony chuckle over the line. “That sounds just like my brother. Okay then, since he’s unavailable, can you please tell him that our sister has asked him over for lunch today? Tell him to get here by noon, she doesn’t like to wait. And it’d be great if you can join us. She would be glad to meet you.” With that, he hung up, leaving me a tad speechless.

Antony and Lancelot’s sister? I think no one has ever, ever, talked about their parents, least of all a sister. No paparazzi has ever been able to neither get their names nor have I ever-heard Antony, least of all Lancelot even casually mention their names or…them, as a matter of fact. And now Antony wants me to come to a family lunch?

I shook my head. Nah! Lancelot will never agree to that, he might even get angry if I mentioned it to him, so I won’t tell. And intruding on a family lunch seems too awkward anyway…although I am at least a little bit curious to know who Ms. Eustis is…okay, I’m damn curious, but like I said, Lance just might murder me if I even mentioned it to him.

Shrugging, I went back to picking up files from the floor and arranging them back into place. Better get things cleaned up before His Highness wakes up on the wrong side of the bed and decides he’s in a mood to fire me.

Lancelot’s P.O.V:

I woke up to the sound of my alarm clock going off and the doorbell ringing at the same time. I closed my eyes for a few seconds to get rid of the headache but to no avail.

Getting up, I headed straight for a hot shower and changed into a pair of light blue jeans, a pink shirt and a white jacket. It’s the most casual I’ve ever dressed but today I wanted comfort over style. The thing I’d been searching for had taken me all night to find and looking at it has had me worried and frustrated. I put on my wristwatch and turned my cell phone on. As soon as the screen lit up, I found 12 missed calls from Antony.

Damn it! What does he want now? I called his number and waited for him to pick up.

“Lance, I get it Anaya told you all the details?” Were his first words.

“Told me what?” I frowned, as I went out my bedroom door and walked to the glass wall to look out at New York.

“Our sister called us for lunch today. And she wants to meet Anaya too, so I invited her.”

“You did what?” The headache that had nearly disappeared before the shower came back with a vengeance. “Antony, we do not talk about our family to anyone. Those are strict rules.”

“You don’t need to teach me the rules, little brother, I know them very well.” Antony said, using his big brother tone that I hated. “She asked to bring her with you because she wants to meet her. You know what that means, right?”

I cursed under my breath. “This wasn’t the plan Ace! I haven’t even hired her to become my secretary yet, don’t throw this at me!”

“She was never truly meant to be your secretary.” He said. “She’s been working with us for more than three years now, we can trust her.”

“No we can’t. I don’t trust anyone Antony; I think you already know that.” When I looked at my reflection in the glass wall, my eyes were red.

I heard him sigh. “I know Antony and I wish it hadn’t come to that. But it’s been nearly two centuries, you need to let that go now.”

“Some scars aren’t meant to be forgotten.” I hung up on that. Turning, I went over to the security panel and put in the password. When the door opened, Anaya was standing on the other side, coffee cup in hand and my cabin was back to its tip-top condition. “Any messages?” I asked.

She shook her head as if snapping out of a trance and handed me the coffee cup. “Nothing urgent, some supply deficiencies that I’ve already ordered and some files that need to be signed. You have one invitation to a cocktail party at Reefwood Ontario. And there was an urgent call from-“

“Antony. Yes, I’ve heard.” I said cutting her off. “It’s almost 10.30, if we are to reach my mother’s house by 12; we need to leave right now.”

“We?” She said wide-eyed.

“Yes. My sister said to bring you with me and I don’t want to disappoint her. Let’s go.” I tucked my cell phone into my pocket and drank the coffee as fast as I could while Anaya stood stunned.

I placed the empty cup on my desk and called reception to inform Martin to bring the car. Anaya was still standing transfixed when I turned back to her with a file from my drawer. “Sign this.” I told her.

“Wh-What is it?” She asked, coming forward and picking up the file.

“Your contract.” I told her. “Welcome to Reefwood Ms Johnson, from now on you are officially my Secretary for the next three years. But don’t get too excited yet, your contract can still be terminated if you do not follow all the rules or if you sell information or details to anyone outside the company. Read it carefully in your spare time,” I motioned towards the folder in her hand. “It has a copy of the original contract which will stay with you. Make sure to sign both.”

She did as I said with quicksilver grace and handed me the file after taking out the spare copy reserved for her. “Thank you, Mr. Eustis. I assure you, you won’t regret your decision.”

“We’ll see.”