Lie to Me: A Contemporary Billionaire BWWM Romance Read Online Free Page B

assistants fluttered in and out with binders, files and memos, all purposeful and hurried. A line of suited men sat outside in a row, awaiting their appointment whilst earnestly reading the financial pages. The telephones – of which there were six – seemed to be ringing near-constantly and were answered by one of the fleet of assistants with a clipped, “Adam Rothberger’s office, please hold.”
    It was a busy, but well-oiled, machine, every piece working in perfect conjunction with those around it, resulting in the appearance of an ant colony, working like a single unit towards a single goal.
    On the opposite side of the room, in front of the other door, was a similar desk with just one phone (silent), no files, binders or memos, not even a computer, and one assistant (perturbed). The man gave off an aura of quiet panic, as if he had somehow been caught in the middle of his worst day ever.
    Zoe approached the busy desk. “Hi, I’m…”
    The sharply dressed woman behind the desk held up a finger to silence Zoe as she tapped out a few keys on her laptop. She then lowered the finger, looked up at Zoe and cocked a sharpened eyebrow.
    “Name?”
    “Zoe Blanchard,” replied Zoe.
    “I’m not seeing you.”
    Zoe frowned. “I’m right here in front of you.”
    The woman pursed her savagely scarlet lips. “ On my list of appointments . I am not seeing you on my list of appointments.”
    She spoke accusingly, as if Zoe was not on the list deliberately to spite her.
    “I only spoke to Mr. Rothberger last night, it’s possible…”
    “I’m not seeing you on the list.”
    “Yes, but…”
    “ I’m not seeing you on the list .”
    This was apparently a deadly faux pas, past which there was no getting.
    Zoe took a deep breath then spoke quickly to try to get in before her status vis a vis the list was once again reiterated. “I was in a bar last night and Nick Rothberger…”
    “Nick?” The interruption came fast and hard.
    “Sorry,” Zoe corrected herself, “ Mr. Rothberger…”
    “This is Mr. Adam Rothberger’s office.” The assistant was not even looking at Zoe any more. “Over there.” She pointed across the room with a razor like nail to the other desk, managing to simultaneously convey her contempt for the desk itself and for anyone who might have business there.
    Zoe smiled an apology, which she did not mean, before crossing to the quieter and yet more harassed desk. As she approached, the phone rang and the man at the desk regarded it as if it was an adder about to strike. Finally he seemed to remember what he was supposed to do and fumbled the receiver into trembling hands.
    “Hi?” he answered unprofessionally. “Oh.” He looked up across at the other desk. “It’s for you.”
    The look that was shot back at him from the severe woman made it clear that this was not how they did things here.
    The man returned to the phone. “Hang on. I’ll transfer you.” He pushed a button and a dialing tone emerged from the machine. The man looked up at Zoe. “I think I disconnected her.”
    “I’m sure she’ll call back if it’s important,” said Zoe comfortingly. She could not help feeling sorry for the hapless man. “Is this Nick Rothberger’s office?”
    “Ummmm…Yes… yes…” the man mumbled, as though he was not quite sure, while replacing the phone.
    “I have an appointment.”
    “Let me check my book.” The man opened an appointment book which was empty save for the name Zoe Blanchard . He unnecessarily ran a finger down the page and tapped the name. “Your name please?”
    “Zoe Blanchard.”
    The man checked again. “Ah yes. You’re a few minutes early.”
    “Is he busy?”
    The man shrugged and spit his gum into a nearby trashcan. “I wouldn’t have thought so.”
    As he spoke, the door behind him opened and the face of Nick Rothberger emerged from it. “Is she – Ah, Miss Blanchard. Come along in. Hold my calls, Eddie.”
    The man at the desk, whose name appeared