His Little Editor (Ellis PH book 1)

Chapter 9

I stood staring at the door Sawyer walked out of for a good five minutes before the door opened again. 

“Hey.”

“Ian what are you still doing here?” I inquire.

“I just thought my beautiful editor would need to grab lunch soon. I thought I’d wait. When everyone else came back you didn’t, I came to come find you.” Ian stuck his hands in his pockets and looked at me over the rims of his glasses. “Did you just get fired? I’ll go kick that dude’s ass for you because I really don’t think I could work with a different editor at this point.”

“What? No. The new owner just wanted to meet with each editor individually to figure out where they fit in his company. Why’d you ask if I got fired?”

“You just seem upset. So… about that lunch. It’s noon and you have to eat something. Join me.”

“Only if I get my two chapters by Friday as well as a bonus to prove that I’m not wasting my time on you.” I reply. I really needed him to focus on his work. He had only given me four chapters so far and the deadline in his contract for his third and final book was in two months.

“Yes ma’am. Now come on, I know this cute hole in the wall Mexican restaurant.” Ian heads to the door and opens it for me.

“I have to grab my purse really quickly, then we can leave.” We head back to my office. “Hey Terry, Ian and I are going to grab lunch I’ll be back in an hour. Forward any important calls to my cell please.”

“Charlie, wait up.” Jax comes jogging up to me. “I heard lunch. I’m really hungry. Do you mind if I join you?”

I turn around to invite him to join but Ian cuts in not letting me answer “Actually, I mind. I have a few things to discuss with my editor.” I shoot Jax an apologetic look. 

I head into my office to grab my purse and stop by Jax gently grabbing his arm “I’ll Bring you back food.” I smile at him, pat his belly and laugh, “A lot of food for my growing boy.”

“I’m not a boy,” he pout’s, “I’m a man, and ill prove it when you get back later.” Jax winks and laughs. The crinkles around his eyes adding to his boyish charms.

“Can we go now?” Ian snaps a frowning mask decorating his barely concealed annoyance. 

“Uh sure. Sorry Jax I’ll see you later and bring you food.” I follow Ian to the elevator and get on before addressing the clearly irritated man. “So. What did you want to talk about Ian?”

A blank look veils his face as the elevator descends to the lobby. Quietly Ian’s voice levels and questions “Is that your boyfriend?”

“What? No.” I huff. I walk through the lobby my heels clacking on the smooth black marble floor as we cross to the exit. When we hit the street, I stop just by the door and pull him to the side to face me.  “Ian look, this relationship, between you and I, is a business one. Questions about my personal life are not allowed.”

“Good. You can do better than him.” Ian grabs my hand and starts pulling me up the street towards Powell. Yanking my hand from him I let our conversation halts while we’re walking. In my head I list my afternoon itinerary making sure to put an asterisk next to the really important task of getting Jesse a graduation present and picking up my parents. I have yet to confirm the reservation for tonight and I still have three more meetings after lunch.

 Even getting off early it’s going to be a tight fit. “Ian, lunch has to be quick, I have a million things to do. Sorry, but if you want, we can get lunch another day and skip today. I can give you more time that way.”

“Well how about we get a quick bite since we’re already here.” He opens the door to a tiny stucco building in an alley that’s fit in between to big skyscrapers and puts his arm out to let me go inside first. “We can go out to dinner on Wednesday and do our talking then instead.” Ian shrugs at me.

“I would prefer lunch, and it Can’t be Wednesday. I have a meeting. What about Thursday at noon?” We order our food at the grab a number and a table.

“Thursday night works, but it has to be dinner.” Ian’s staring at me too hard and I start to squirm feeling uncomfortable. “Do you have a date on Wednesday?”

“I said for lunch, and No, I just have standing Wednesday plans so I can’t get lunch or dinner.” Shaking the comment off about it being a date.

“I can’t do lunch, let’s just make it dinner.” Ian replies after our food gets set in front of us. The delicious smelling enchiladas I ordered take my attention from arguing with this man.

“Fine.” I concede a quiet lull filling our booth. Lunch is as delightful as it smelled, and as soon as I’m done, I excuse myself from the table and head to the indoor mall to quickly find Jesse’s present so I don’t have to worry later. 

Jesse and I have always been super close despite getting on each other’s nerves most of the time. He’s always been there for me and I was absolutely ecstatic when he decided to move to San Francisco for school. Lately he’s been busy with school, which I’m happy about but it means I haven't seen him in like a month. He got a job at a tech start up and is staying in the city, and I’ll get to see him all the time now that he’s not studying.