Caught Between the Ashford Brothers

Chapter 17

Iris

I couldn't help stalling when I finally got to Julian Ashford's office on the executive floor. Despite all the prayers I'd made before getting on the elevator to the top floor, Miss Hale still hadn't called me back to tell me she had made a mistake or that she was joking with me, so here I was, in front of his office, losing my s**t.

I glanced around the big lobby space and smiled at the front-desk woman who was now giving me a look. Okay, I think I need to go in now.

I raised my hand up quickly before I could chicken out again and knocked on the door.

"Come in." The response came almost immediately. f**k. Couldn't he have stalled too??

I took another deep breath before pushing open the door and I stepped in with a very fake smile. "Good morning, sir..." I said as he glanced up. "You asked for me."

"Yes." He dropped the paper he had obviously been looking through. "Please have a seat." He pointed at the chair in front of him. Oh, can I really do that?

I moved to the seat when he glanced up at me again, waiting.

"So uhm..." I started before he could say anything. Maybe if I apologised, he wouldn't be so offended anymore. "I want to apologise first... About the... altercation that happened on my first day here. I didn't mean to harass you or anything. I just uhm... confused you for someone, so I'm really sorry about that."

"I'm not..."

"Also..." I cut in yet again. "I'm sorry about my report at the meeting yesterday; I didn't mean to overstep. I only thought the comparisons would give more insight into how we could grow as a company but..."

I groaned inwardly when I peered up tentatively to see a blank look on his face. Obviously my apology hadn't got to him at all. It's final. I'm going to get fired.

"I'm just sorry. I'll make sure I never overstep again and I'll always..."

"No."

"Huh?" I peered at him again.

"You didn't overstep... Well, at least with the report. I've gone through it properly and I must say you did such a good job. The in-depth analysis and summary. I want to hear more about your idea."

I couldn't even manage a croak. He... He was serious??

I felt my face become red when I realised that he was indeed serious. He leaned back on his chair and folded his arms, waiting for me to speak. Uh... what do I say?

“Uh… what do I say? " I covered my mouth, horrified when I realised what I had just said out loud. “I’m sorry. I mean…”

“It’s okay. I do understand that this is quite impromptu. Would it be okay to curate a proper proposal on your idea and submit it after the launch? Let’s say a week or two after…”

I didn’t need any other olive branch. "Yes! Sir..." I said almost immediately. Even though I was the one who had curated the report, I couldn't help but draw a blank in my brain with how intense his gaze was on me right now.

“Okay then.” He leaned forward and picked up another paper from his desk again, oblivious to the thoughts going through my head. Especially that dream. That weird dream. “That’ll be all then.”

I shot up from my seat. "Okay, sir.” So I can leave right? I started scooting towards the door without asking him, and he didn't stop me until I got to the door.

“Right, sorry to ask but do you by chance know anyone named Jaxon?"

My whole ass froze right there and then. "J-Jaxon?" I croaked out.

“Yes.” I shook my head almost immediately and without thinking. “No.”

“Oh really? You sure?”

“Yes.” I squared my shoulders and lifted up my head to give off the confidence of someone telling the truth and he nodded. “Okay then. You can go.”

I didn’t wait around for more. I booked it out of there and took a deep breath once I was back in the elevator going down to my department floor.

Fuck. Why did he ask me that? Was there a specific reason? Or, oh my God, did I actually mention the name ‘Jaxon’ around him at some point, maybe during that first confrontation?

I covered my face in a fresh wave of embarrassment. f**k me.

But at least I wasn't fired.