Chapter 71 Third Wheel
Noah's POV:
Last night I'd called Eden as soon as I arrived home. It had been hard to leave her apartment and so I'd rushed to pull out my phone as soon as my front door closed behind me, fearing that she might have already gone to bed. It had been late after all.
She'd answered though and we'd spent the best part of two hours talking about absolutely nothing.
This morning though, I'm absolutely exhausted. Before heading up to the office, I pop across the street to pick up my regular order of coffee. I've already spoken to Eden by text this morning and I'm in a great mood. I drop a quick reply to her last message. I'm disappointed when I don't immediately see the three little dots that tell me she's typing out her reply.
I pay for the coffees and exit the cafe, preparing to cross the street. Waiting at the pedestrian crossing, I smile when my eyes land on Eden. She's standing outside the company and I automatically lift my hand to wave to her but pull it back when I see that she's talking to someone.
Martin, Mrs Clancy's assistant.
It's clear from Eden's body language that she feels at ease. Not at all what you'd expect from someone forced to talk to one of the most prominent figures in the company that you've only been working at for a few months.
I didn't know that she knew Martin. I might be jumping to conclusions. Goodness knows I'm good at doing that when it comes to Eden, but the way she's standing perfectly at ease makes it hard to believe otherwise.
She never said anything about him but then she had to know someone... Otherwise how did she get the CCTV footage or the USB drive with the company's accounts on it. She'd told me that someone she trusted had given it to her, asking me to trust her judgment.
I could hardly refuse her, not after having failed to trust her before. I hadn't exactly been the best boss during her first few weeks at the company. I'm not sure how I feel about this though. She should have told me if she knew Martin. We could have asked him about the numbers, asked why Mrs Clancy hasn't acted upon it.
Holding back, I watch as they make their way into the building together. I follow behind them, keeping my distance as I try to keep them in my line of sight. I watch as they pause outside the lift. Martin reaches out to squeeze Eden's arm before turning on his heels and heading in the direction of Mrs Clancy's office.
I want to know why she didn't tell me. It's not like knowing Martin is a bad thing. If anything it could be an asset. Was she perhaps worried I'd think she only got her job through nepotism? Did Martin ask Mrs Clancy to give her a job? That didn't seem likely.
Plastering a smile on my face, I tell myself to leave it for now. The last thing I want to do is make her think I'm jumping the gun again. I certainly don't think I could deal with her offering her resignation letter again. Not to mention, I don't want work to come between us personally.
I place her coffee on her desk, causing her to look up from where she's turning on her computer.
"Hello you," she says eagerly as she wraps both her hands around the steaming coffee cup. "It's cold out, isn't it?"
Laughing, I tell her that it's always cold. We chat for a few minutes but I don't mention Martin. It's only when the other team members make their way into the department that I feel like I have no choice but to make my way into my office.
"Can you remind everyone that we're having a team meeting this afternoon?" I ask, using work as an excuse to stay rooted to the spot.
"Of course," she replies, making a note of it on a sticky note.
"And..." I hesitate. "Let's go out for lunch."
I immediately regret the suggestion when Rob wraps an arm around my shoulder.
"Boss!" He says excitably. "I love it when we all eat together. Should we go to that new Mexican restaurant down the road."
I can hardly tell him the truth. I can't say that I was asking out Eden on a date, because that would just be encouraging gossip so instead I accept my fate. At least if we're all eating together Eden will be there too.
And that's all I really care about.
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