Chapter 65

"Actually, yeah," she admits, brushing a stray curl from her forehead. "I am."

"Great. There's a mall across the street. Let's grab some lunch at the food court and talk about the job." I gesture for her to follow, and she does.

As we make our way down the elevator, the hum of the machinery filling the small space, and she studies me with a curious expression. "You know, I'm surprised you're a food court kind of guy."

"What do you mean?" I ask, raising an

She gestures vaguely, taking me in – my designer suit, the sleek building we're descending through, the aura of power that seems to cling to me like a second skin. "You just seem more... upscale restaurant than cafeteria, if you catch my drift."

The elevator door slides open, and I shrug as we step out into the mirrored hallway. "Food courts are efficient. Normally, I'd send my assistant across to the mall to get me something, then bring it back so I can work through lunch."

"Ah," she says, her voice a mix of understanding and disapp