Ray of Love (Lifestyle by Design Book 3) by Miranda P. Charles Page A
Authors: Miranda P. Charles
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she saw her. She worked at Lifestyle by Design.
CHAPTER TEN
Ray trundled into the office kitchen, wondering why he just didn't take the day off. He owned the company, for God's sake. He could come and go as he pleased.
Jessa and Elena were there making their coffee.
Great. Just what I needed, he muttered sarcastically under his breath. He was in a foul mood and didn't relish the idea of making small talk. But he was the boss and he mustn't drag them into his negative state of mind, even though one of them was the best friend of the woman who had a habit of breaking his heart.
"They looked quite sweet together," he heard Elena say to Jessa as they watched dark brown liquid pour into a cup. "I waved to her when they were leaving but she didn't see me —" Elena's voice trailed when she saw him approach.
"Morning, Ray," his hard-working receptionist said. "Had a good weekend?"
"Yes, thanks," he said in an automatic response. "And you girls?"
"Good, thanks," they both replied.
Jessa peered at him. "You okay, Ray? You look a little tired."
He smiled thinly. "Rough night. I'll be fine when I have my coffee."
"Do you want to leave your mug here and I'll make it for you after Jessa's done?" Elena offered.
"No, thanks. I'll do it."
"Okay," Elena said as she proceeded to go back to her workstation. "Jess, say hello to Faye for me."
"Yes, I will. I'll let her know you saw her last night at the restaurant."
"Thanks. Tell her I said her boyfriend's cute."
Jessa chuckled. "I will, assuming it was a boyfriend she was with last night."
"I'd be surprised if it wasn't. She was caressing his face and all."
Each word exchanged by the women was a dagger that dug into Ray's heart.
Fuck, fuck, fuck! Of course, she was out with Steve last night. By the sounds of it, he's no longer an ex. Well, she can damn well do whatever she wants. I'm done with her. I'm done. No more.
"Ray? Ray?"
He was startled out of his dark musing by Jessa's voice.
"Are you okay?" Jessa asked with concern.
"Sure. I just have some problems running through my head."
"Give me your mug. I'll make your coffee."
He watched as Jessa pushed some buttons on the machine.
"Anything I can do to help?" she asked.
His lips curled crookedly. As long as she and all the rest of them didn't talk about Faye whenever he was around, that would be very helpful. He just wanted to get over her once and for all. And fast.
"I'll be fine, thanks," he answered aloud.
~~~~~~~
He was staring at his computer screen, seeing nothing, when his phone rang. 'Jane' it said.
Again? Damn it.
He rejected her call for the second time that morning. He wasn't ready to hear her voice yet. He resolved not to see her or talk to her until he was confident enough that he wouldn't lose it when he did. It might take a while, but hell, he was determined to strike her out of his heart.
It was of utmost importance. Her best friends worked for him so it would be inevitable that they would bump into each other every once in a while. He needed to be comfortable and unaffected around her so they could go back to the easy, friendly association they had in the past. Sure, it might not get back to the level it was back then, but at least he wouldn't feel like his heart was being torn apart every time her name was mentioned.
In hindsight, it was a very bad idea to have gotten involved with her.
*******
"Hi," Victor, Jessa and Clarise greeted Faye in unison as she joined them for their Monday lunch date.
"Hi," she answered cheerlessly. She didn't even make an effort to hide her despondency.
Crestfallen faces watched her take her seat.
"What's wrong, honey?" Clarise asked softly.
"Can we talk about me last? Maybe I'll feel a little better after you guys have talked about your weekends and I've had something to eat."
Her friends dutifully took turns sharing about their weekends as they ate their lunch. Many minutes later, during a lull in the conversation, Victor asked, "Are you ready to
CHAPTER TEN
Ray trundled into the office kitchen, wondering why he just didn't take the day off. He owned the company, for God's sake. He could come and go as he pleased.
Jessa and Elena were there making their coffee.
Great. Just what I needed, he muttered sarcastically under his breath. He was in a foul mood and didn't relish the idea of making small talk. But he was the boss and he mustn't drag them into his negative state of mind, even though one of them was the best friend of the woman who had a habit of breaking his heart.
"They looked quite sweet together," he heard Elena say to Jessa as they watched dark brown liquid pour into a cup. "I waved to her when they were leaving but she didn't see me —" Elena's voice trailed when she saw him approach.
"Morning, Ray," his hard-working receptionist said. "Had a good weekend?"
"Yes, thanks," he said in an automatic response. "And you girls?"
"Good, thanks," they both replied.
Jessa peered at him. "You okay, Ray? You look a little tired."
He smiled thinly. "Rough night. I'll be fine when I have my coffee."
"Do you want to leave your mug here and I'll make it for you after Jessa's done?" Elena offered.
"No, thanks. I'll do it."
"Okay," Elena said as she proceeded to go back to her workstation. "Jess, say hello to Faye for me."
"Yes, I will. I'll let her know you saw her last night at the restaurant."
"Thanks. Tell her I said her boyfriend's cute."
Jessa chuckled. "I will, assuming it was a boyfriend she was with last night."
"I'd be surprised if it wasn't. She was caressing his face and all."
Each word exchanged by the women was a dagger that dug into Ray's heart.
Fuck, fuck, fuck! Of course, she was out with Steve last night. By the sounds of it, he's no longer an ex. Well, she can damn well do whatever she wants. I'm done with her. I'm done. No more.
"Ray? Ray?"
He was startled out of his dark musing by Jessa's voice.
"Are you okay?" Jessa asked with concern.
"Sure. I just have some problems running through my head."
"Give me your mug. I'll make your coffee."
He watched as Jessa pushed some buttons on the machine.
"Anything I can do to help?" she asked.
His lips curled crookedly. As long as she and all the rest of them didn't talk about Faye whenever he was around, that would be very helpful. He just wanted to get over her once and for all. And fast.
"I'll be fine, thanks," he answered aloud.
~~~~~~~
He was staring at his computer screen, seeing nothing, when his phone rang. 'Jane' it said.
Again? Damn it.
He rejected her call for the second time that morning. He wasn't ready to hear her voice yet. He resolved not to see her or talk to her until he was confident enough that he wouldn't lose it when he did. It might take a while, but hell, he was determined to strike her out of his heart.
It was of utmost importance. Her best friends worked for him so it would be inevitable that they would bump into each other every once in a while. He needed to be comfortable and unaffected around her so they could go back to the easy, friendly association they had in the past. Sure, it might not get back to the level it was back then, but at least he wouldn't feel like his heart was being torn apart every time her name was mentioned.
In hindsight, it was a very bad idea to have gotten involved with her.
*******
"Hi," Victor, Jessa and Clarise greeted Faye in unison as she joined them for their Monday lunch date.
"Hi," she answered cheerlessly. She didn't even make an effort to hide her despondency.
Crestfallen faces watched her take her seat.
"What's wrong, honey?" Clarise asked softly.
"Can we talk about me last? Maybe I'll feel a little better after you guys have talked about your weekends and I've had something to eat."
Her friends dutifully took turns sharing about their weekends as they ate their lunch. Many minutes later, during a lull in the conversation, Victor asked, "Are you ready to
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