Read Online Faded Perfection (Beautifully Flawed Book 2) by Cassandra Giovanni - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Cassandra Giovanni
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said, winking at me as he put the car in gear.
“Do you now?” I asked, glancing over at him as he grabbed a pair of aviators tucked beneath his sun shield and put them on his face.
James Bond.
I pulled my lips into my mouth as I stifled the giggle. Adam was right about that, but Jesse felt like a father figure to me. He was someone I looked up to, and while I knew he was soft on the eyes, I wasn’t attracted to him.
“I sure do, but it’s in the works, so as a good professional, I shouldn’t have said anything,” he replied.
I rolled my eyes. “Piquing my interest. You know I’m gunning for an officer title.”
Jesse’s hands tightened on the steering wheel as he turned into traffic. “Actually, you’ve never said anything about that.”
I pulled my lower lip in. “I know how hard it is to get one– but you can’t blame me for dreaming, right?”
“I don’t think it’s a dream. I believe that’s a goal, and I’m glad I know about it now. After all, I do have some say in that,” he said. “I am CEO after all.”
“Yeah, I haven’t forgotten. You see there’s this huge plaque on your door, but it does say Chief Executive Officer,” I paused, pulling my shoulders up as I pursed my lips. “Good thing I went to business school–otherwise I’d have no idea what you actually do. Oh, wait…”
“Ha ha,” he shot back. “I keep people like you in line.”
“Is that what you’re doing by making sure I eat?”
“Hey, if no one else is doing it–” His words caught in his throat when he glanced over and saw my face.
I looked down at my hands as my chest tightened and made it hard to breathe.
“I didn’t mean it like that, River,” Jesse said as we stopped at a light. His jaw tightened. “So Adam…?”
I bit my lip. “Is the reason I’m so efficient lately. I don’t know,” I replied, putting my fingers against my forehead. “I’m either working or worrying about him…or Tara.”
“Sleeping?”
I laughed at the thought. “What’s that?”
I watched Jesse out of the corner of his eye as he pulled into a local pub known for fantastic food. He pushed his lower lip out with his tongue as if he was trying to figure out what to say. “Burnout factor, Riv. You still need to find time for you.”
I don’t even know who I am anymore.
“And eat, right?” I replied.
Jesse smiled over at me before turning the car off. “Speaking of which, I’m hoping you like this place.”
“I haven’t been, but I’m excited to try.”
“Perfect,” he said as we walked to the entrance.
“So what big plans do you have for me?” I asked as he signaled for two and the host grabbed menus before leading us to a table.
“Ah,” Jesse said as we slid into the booth across from one another. “See I knew I should’ve kept my mouth shut. One thing that I’m not good at as a CEO.”
“It’s good to keep your employees informed,” I replied as a waitress walked up.
We ordered sodas before falling into a comfortable silence as we looked at the menu.
“How do you feel about splitting some mozzarella sticks?” Jesse asked, keeping his eyes on the menu. My stomach growled the response, and I felt my face flush. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
“Are you ready?” the waitress asked as she smiled at us.
We placed our orders, and the comfortable silence became uncomfortable. I tapped my fingers against the leather of the booth before speaking, “So do you worry about what your wife eats?”
Jesse rubbed his chin. “Not really– she’s a health freak, so I know she takes care of herself. If she were like you or I, on the other hand, I probably would have to text her every day at the same time to make sure she ate–and if she didn’t respond, text her again a few hours later. AKA what happened to me today.”
Adam didn’t text me at work anymore. I swallowed, playing with the straw of my drink. He never really did before, though, so I knew the sinking feeling in my stomach
“Do you now?” I asked, glancing over at him as he grabbed a pair of aviators tucked beneath his sun shield and put them on his face.
James Bond.
I pulled my lips into my mouth as I stifled the giggle. Adam was right about that, but Jesse felt like a father figure to me. He was someone I looked up to, and while I knew he was soft on the eyes, I wasn’t attracted to him.
“I sure do, but it’s in the works, so as a good professional, I shouldn’t have said anything,” he replied.
I rolled my eyes. “Piquing my interest. You know I’m gunning for an officer title.”
Jesse’s hands tightened on the steering wheel as he turned into traffic. “Actually, you’ve never said anything about that.”
I pulled my lower lip in. “I know how hard it is to get one– but you can’t blame me for dreaming, right?”
“I don’t think it’s a dream. I believe that’s a goal, and I’m glad I know about it now. After all, I do have some say in that,” he said. “I am CEO after all.”
“Yeah, I haven’t forgotten. You see there’s this huge plaque on your door, but it does say Chief Executive Officer,” I paused, pulling my shoulders up as I pursed my lips. “Good thing I went to business school–otherwise I’d have no idea what you actually do. Oh, wait…”
“Ha ha,” he shot back. “I keep people like you in line.”
“Is that what you’re doing by making sure I eat?”
“Hey, if no one else is doing it–” His words caught in his throat when he glanced over and saw my face.
I looked down at my hands as my chest tightened and made it hard to breathe.
“I didn’t mean it like that, River,” Jesse said as we stopped at a light. His jaw tightened. “So Adam…?”
I bit my lip. “Is the reason I’m so efficient lately. I don’t know,” I replied, putting my fingers against my forehead. “I’m either working or worrying about him…or Tara.”
“Sleeping?”
I laughed at the thought. “What’s that?”
I watched Jesse out of the corner of his eye as he pulled into a local pub known for fantastic food. He pushed his lower lip out with his tongue as if he was trying to figure out what to say. “Burnout factor, Riv. You still need to find time for you.”
I don’t even know who I am anymore.
“And eat, right?” I replied.
Jesse smiled over at me before turning the car off. “Speaking of which, I’m hoping you like this place.”
“I haven’t been, but I’m excited to try.”
“Perfect,” he said as we walked to the entrance.
“So what big plans do you have for me?” I asked as he signaled for two and the host grabbed menus before leading us to a table.
“Ah,” Jesse said as we slid into the booth across from one another. “See I knew I should’ve kept my mouth shut. One thing that I’m not good at as a CEO.”
“It’s good to keep your employees informed,” I replied as a waitress walked up.
We ordered sodas before falling into a comfortable silence as we looked at the menu.
“How do you feel about splitting some mozzarella sticks?” Jesse asked, keeping his eyes on the menu. My stomach growled the response, and I felt my face flush. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
“Are you ready?” the waitress asked as she smiled at us.
We placed our orders, and the comfortable silence became uncomfortable. I tapped my fingers against the leather of the booth before speaking, “So do you worry about what your wife eats?”
Jesse rubbed his chin. “Not really– she’s a health freak, so I know she takes care of herself. If she were like you or I, on the other hand, I probably would have to text her every day at the same time to make sure she ate–and if she didn’t respond, text her again a few hours later. AKA what happened to me today.”
Adam didn’t text me at work anymore. I swallowed, playing with the straw of my drink. He never really did before, though, so I knew the sinking feeling in my stomach
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