Bear Caves Complete Series: A Bear Shifter Box Set by Mia Wolf

Author:Mia Wolf [Wolf, Mia]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Published: 2020-06-11T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 8 – Ashley

Steve Parera has been trying to schedule a meeting with me for months now, even though we’re basically contemporaries and go around the same dinners and events and run into each other all the time. I wonder what’s so personal that he needs to meet me privately and have a one on one conversation when he knows exactly the kind of hectic schedule and timeline that we have. Even so, I’ve been blowing him off for quite some time now, ignoring his requests to have a meal together, and I feel embarrassed to say no any longer. When Violet told me he had requested a meeting for the third time this week, I finally relented. Now that I have Rose working on Miranda’s project and Gretchen has sent in the fabrics, a lot of weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

The reservation that Violet made is at the Hilton not too far from Regal’s office. As soon as I step out of the car, I’m reminded of the last time I came to the place. It was with Andrew Brehm, Rose’s husband, when he wanted to recruit me for his fitness company. The hotel’s restaurant turned out to be pretty good and I’ve since been suggesting the place to Violet incessantly. She finally gave in. Most of my other meetings occur in skyrise offices or factory warehouses, neither of which have the class that tonight’s venue possesses. I’m not one to splurge, but sometimes a girl might want to have a good time.

I make it to the table reserved for Steve and me, greeting the manager who seems to remember me from last time. As expected, Steve hasn’t arrived yet, but there’s still time, about ten minutes to be exact. This habit of showing up ahead of time is one I’m unable to kick. It served me well at a point in my life, but not anymore. I know people praise me for it and find it intimidating and alluring at the same time. I’m quite frankly tired of it.

Fifteen minutes later, I find Steve walking across the room, making his way to our table. He’s dressed far more ostentatiously than necessary for a casual dinner. Or am I missing something here?

“Did I keep you waiting for long?” he says rhetorically and we hug each other in greeting. When his hand slips a little too uncomfortably down my back, I push away instantly. He doesn’t notice that I’m flustered.

We sit down, and I notice Steve’s face and how it seems to have aged a century since the last time I met him.

“Working yourself to death, Parera? You’re not getting any younger,” I say in the same tone that we both maintain when we meet at dinners or parties. But he doesn’t appreciate it.

“We’re not meeting as colleagues tonight, Ashley,” he announces in his thick French accent, suddenly dropping all pretense.

I stiffen in my seat and don’t know what to say to that. It’s unlike me to be getting so worked up.

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