Chapter 82 I Need Your Help

Returning to work on Monday morning, I am impatient for the others to arrive. My heels are tapping on the floor as I power up my computer. Noah places a coffee mug on my desk before making his way into his office without saying anything.

That's unlike him. He usually stops to talk to me for at least a few minutes before beginning work. My disappointment is short lived though when I see Stacey making her way into the department.

Hurrying to my feet, I make my way over towards her.

"I need your help," I say to her as soon as I'm close enough.

"Good morning to you too," she says with a yawn.

"Sorry. Morning," I reply, falling into step beside her as she enters the team kitchen.

"What do you need, Eden?" she asks as she flips the switch on the kettle.

"I need to learn how to carve furniture."

"You what?" She blinks at me, completely surprised. "How am I supposed to help with that? I just draw the furniture. Someone else makes it."

"Yeah, but you have to make all those little model ones."

"Oh, those..." She shrugs. "I'm not very good at it though. Honestly, I usually get Rob to do it."

"You do?"

"Yeah. Me and carving knives are not friends."

She's laughing as she pours herself a cup of tea. "Did you want a cuppa?"

"No, thanks. Noah got me a coffee."

"Oh, doesn't the boss look after you!" she says with a smirk.

"Er..." I'm pretty sure my face is the colour of beetroot. "I guess."

"He's never got me a coffee," she says with a wink. "I'll speak to Rob for you if you like. Maybe he can help you."

"Thanks. I really appreciate it."

"But Eden... why do you need to carve furniture?" she asks shrewdly.

"Er... I'm making a present for someone," I answer quick on my feet.

"Oh, anyone I know?" she asks as we make our way out of the kitchen.

"No. Just a family member."

"Oh, that's nice," she says, stretching her limbs. "It's too early to work. Is Mr Grisham in a good mood?"

"Don't know," I reply. "He seems quiet."

"Oh dear... It's Monday morning. He's at his worst on Monday mornings."

"No, he's not," I defend him, even though I know she's right. He can be a right foul git on a Monday morning.

"EDEN!" Noah shouts from his office door.

"You were saying?" Stacey whispers before taking a seat behind her desk.

Rushing back towards my own desk and Noah, it's hard to avoid noticing that he's clearly not in the best mood this morning. It's weird because he was alright last night when I spoke to him and I have no idea what could possibly have happened during the seven hours or so since then.

"Yes Noah?" I ask, offering him a smile even though he looks like he could murder me right about now. If I didn't know him so well, I'd be highly intimidated right about now.

He pulls me into his office, taking me by surprise.

"You can drive, right?" he asks, giving me his car keys before striding back towards his desk.

"Er... yeah." I'm not about to explain that the only reason I don't have a car is because my car would be a clear giveaway that I'm not who I say I am.

"Good. I need you to go and check up on the factories," he tells me.

"Alone?" I feel like this might be a big responsibility. I don't exactly know what I'm looking for.

"Take Stacey," he says, not even looking at me as he rummages for something on his desk.

He looks really stressed and I'm not sure how I can help except do as he asks. "Okay," I say softly. "Are you okay, Noah?"

He blinks at the question, finally turning to look at me.

"Sorry," he says with a sigh. "I just got an email saying there's an emergency meeting and all my plans for the day have gone out the window."

"It's okay. Whatever you need, I can do it."

"I know you can," he says, offering me a small smile. "I was just looking forward to getting out of the office. I like visiting the factories."

"We could put it off until tomorrow? I'm sure they'd understand."

"No," he refuses. "I don't want to mess them around."

"Okay. As long as you're sure."

Stepping towards him, I ignore the little voice that says I should keep my distance because we're at work and wrap my arms around him. He responds immediately, pulling me closer.

"If you and Stacey visit the first two this morning," he says into my hair, "then fingers crossed I'll be able to go with you this afternoon to the other two."

"No problem."

"Thank you, Eden."

Looking up at him, I smile widely. "You're welcome."

"I've got the information here somewhere," he tells me, pulling away.

"Do you want help looking for it?"

He grins at me. "Are you saying my office is a disordered mess?"

"You said it, not me," I retort, stepping forward. "Although it's not your whole office. Just your desk. Seriously, what happened here?"

"I came in a little early to catch up on some paperwork," he mutters like a little child in trouble.

"Is this what you're looking for?" I ask, holding up a plastic wallet full of sheets of paper.

"Yeah!" He smiles widely but it quickly disappears to be replaced by a frown. "I don't even think I can take you out for lunch today."

"I didn't realise you were planning to."

"Well, I was..."

"Never mind," I say with a shrug. "We've got all week."

"I'll make it up to you tonight," he tells me. "We can go out for dinner somewhere."

"That sounds nice."

"Good. I swear all we do is work," he grumbles.

He's not wrong. We really don't have the most exciting life, spending all our time either here at the company or in my living room surrounded by the company's finances. I'll be happy when we get to the bottom of the embezzlement and life can go back to normal.

Except I'm not sure what normal is. At least not when it comes to me and Noah.

I guess we'll have to figure that out when the time comes.