Miss Pen

Chapter Seven

My head shook back and forth from annoyance. Not fully believing what I had just agreed to, I had nothing to say.

Rhode was good; too good. He definitely knew that I wouldn't have been able to pay the four hundred dollar bill, so he conned me into doing something for his pleasure. There'd better not be any other type of pleasure going on after the dinner, too. It was hard enough finding a job in the first place, and I was not about to lose it because of an intern.

"So, when do you want to do this?"

"Do what?" Rhode cocked his head to the side.

"The freaking dinner! Have you already forgotten?"

"Oh, yes, that. How does tomorrow night work for you?"

Something on the flat-screen monitor distracted Rhode from focusing his attention on me. Not that I wanted him to focus on me, it was just... rude.

"Yeah, whatever. Tomorrow night is fine." I sighed, looking at the chipped polish on my nails. "So, how is this going to work? Will we meet each other at some place, or will you pick me up?"

"I'll pick you up." Still not making eye contact with me, Rhode scowled at the screen before him. Asshole. "Nico, pull her car out of the garage and bring it around the front. The keys are already in there."

"Yes, sir!" Nico mocked.

Once Nico left the carpeted office, I felt the burning of eyes on my face. Knowing that it wasn't from Rhode, I turned to look at Adrian, raising one of my eyebrows as I did so.

"Yes?"

"You really didn't recognize me when you first came in here?" He chuckled, and I shrugged.

"Nope. You don't exactly look the same as the last time I saw you."

"Was it the lack of makeup or dress that threw you off?"

Ignoring Rhode, I turned to smile at his brother. "Either way, you still look great."

"So do you, honey." He gave a goofy grin in return, blushing a soft pink. At least one of the Harper men wasn't so bad.

"When you two are finished flirting, Aubrey is free to leave." Rhode finally lifted his eyes from the monitor. Looking back and forth between me and his sibling, he motioned outside to where Nico had just pulled up in my Volvo.

"Well, you weren't paying any attention to her." Adrian mumbled, causing Rhode to glare at him. "Ms. Martina, it was lovely seeing you again. If my brother doesn't screw things up, I'm hoping there will be a third time that we will meet."

"We'll see." Turning to Rhode, I said, "Pick me up at seven o'clock. Don't be late."

"I don't take commands from the people I do favors for."

Stay calm and just breath, Aubrey.

"Just don't take long. I don't like to be kept waiting."

With that, I strolled angrily out of the glass exit. I made sure to turn my back on Rhode so he wouldn't see the emotions he caused me. The man was just so infuriating!

When Nico saw my scrunched up nose and pout on my lips, he quickly removed himself from behind the wheel of my car, holding the door open for me. Smart guy.

"Bye, Aubrey." His eyes twinkled when I brushed past him. Stopping to look, I gave him a short head nod.

As much as I didn't want to be reminded of Rhode at the moment, I couldn't help but grin to myself when I drove off of the garage's lot. My car no longer sounded like it was wheezing from asthma, or felt as if it were playing a game of tug of war with me. Mr. Harper did a pretty nice job.