Chapter 160 - Thankful
Dean watched as she smiled back at him, he didn't want to leave her with that vile man. But she could take care of herself and he knew she had wanted to do this herself so he allowed her the freedom to do so but had contingencies in place just in case.
He had Michael attending the meeting, Casey was in the building and his guard had his own office now inside of Walker Interiors so he could if needed be available to April.
Dean then turned and sure enough, his loyal guard was standing by his side. The man was as young as he was and he was highly skilled in many things, he felt reassured with him there. "Eric, Keep an eye on that one."
Dean hadn't introduced Eric to April yet as James had shown up, Eric was smart and had held back when he saw James approach.
"Yes sir." Eric then nodded and entered the building just behind James and April.
Dean then proceeded to get into his car and drive off to work. He was tired after being up all night searching for the perfect venue and ring for April. After not seeing anything suitable he had to go to plan B.
Back inside of Walker Interiors April noticed that James kept rubbing his hand and she had just realised what had happened to his hand so she laughed slightly, Dean was the right kind of petty she thought.
Seeing her smile and laugh James smiled back at her, "Shall we go out and eat rather than discuss everything in some dusty office?"
"Let's just keep this professional, the conference room is this way." April walked quickly towards the ground floor conference room. It was large was wall to wall glass.
James saw the conference room and huffed, she was making it difficult for him to get any alone time with her. But he resided himself to the fact that he could maybe persuade her during the meeting to go for lunch or dinner somewhere.
April walked in and offered James a seat first, wherever he picked to sit she would then choose the farthest seat.
James smiled and sat in the seat just beside where April was standing.
April cringed and walked around the table and then sat opposite him. She smiled and was just about to start the meeting when she heard a friendly voice announce themselves.
"Good morning April." Michael burst into the room and greeted April but ignored James.
He had been interrupted during a hot and heavy make out session with his boyfriend when Casey's phone vibrated nonstop. It was of course Dean reminding him of where he was supposed to be. He nearly passed out when he heard the voice note, Dean was intimidating when he wanted to be.
"Mr Palmer." James stood to welcome him though he loathed the intrusion. "I didn't know you would be available for such a small meeting."
James wanted to make a name for himself and getting to know the right people would do that. He had become obsessed with reaching the top and also with getting April because what man didn't want what they couldn't have. She had seemed to blossom into a confident and sexy young girl instead of the introverted geek he once knew.
Michael sneered and sat down, "Shall we get started April."
April smiled and nodded, she proceeded to lay out her plan for James's renovation and show him the details on a projector that was already in the room.
She could tell that James was not interested in her presentation and from her past life, she knew he would agree to all her ideas as it was a copy of his office that she had helped him design in her past life. If he agreed then this would be her part of the job over and she wouldn't have to meet up with him again.
Once she had finished she sat down again beside Michael and asked, "So what do you think?"
"I think it's excellent in fact I am so happy with your proposed ideas I would like to take you out to celebrate this evening." James waited for her response eagerly.
April was about to shut down his invitation when Michael shut it down for her.
"Most certainly not. We here at Walker interiors separate our professional and personal lives. In fact, it's against company policy." Michael announced clearly as he frown at James. He really wanted to crush this annoying cockroach.
"Oh, then maybe after the renovation?" James tried again, he grinned at April awaiting her reply.
"Are you still asking out my employee? Do you have bad hearing as well as bad eyesight?" Michael tutted.
"Bad eyesight? Bad hearing?" James frowned, he didn't know what Michael was talking about.
Michael stood and pulled April to stand up beside him as he responded to James, "You chose coal over a diamond." Michael sighed at seeing the confused look on James's face and added, "That is all for today, Mr Stewart."
"Wait I need more time, that can't be it," James uttered.
"What time do you need Mr Stewart? We can of course let you go home and think about today's proposal. Here at Walker Interiors, we put our clients first." April spoke to him assertively and professionally.
James clenched his fists, "April we grew up together, I care about you."
"Mr Stewart..." She was then stopped speaking by James.
"Call me James please April," James begged.
"Mr Stewart, yes we grew up together but that is the past and this is the present. We are in a professional setting now and as we are older I hope you can separate the past from the present." April added.
"We are friends April, I thought we could be more than that," James replied, he hoped by using sweet words he could win her over.
"We were never really friends, you and Lucy used me for money and to do your homework that is all. I dont know what you intend on using me for now but you have no chance of doing so." April answered honestly. Their past wasn't all friendship and love like he was now portraying.
James bit his lip, "April we were friends I never used you. Maybe Lucy did but I never asked you for money. You just gave it to me. But thats the past and right now let me make it up to you. Allow me the opportunity to take you out." James asked, he again eagerly waited for her response.
April sighed, people really like to lie to themselves and rewrite the past. "Mr Stewart I am going out with Dean Davis now and he would not like your persistence in asking me out after I have kindly refused you many times."
James huffed and stood up, he fixed his suit and took one last glance at April as he said, and "I will see you again."?Did he meet Mr Davis earlier, or was she lying he didnt know but he wasn't going to give up. He wanted her not for a lifetime but for the moment.
April laughed as James walked out of the conference room huffing and Michael looked so proud of himself.
"Why are you laughing?" Michael asked, he was glad she was still smiling. He had done his job today.
"You don't mix your professional and personal life? Isn't that a hickey from Casey on your neck?" She giggled.
"Maybe." He held his neck and smiled. "But I thought you would have been lost without me but you seem okay?" He asked.
"I have to be thankful to him," April said as she watched James leave Walker Interiors.
"Thankful?" Michael asked, he was shocked by her response.
April sighed and looked up at Michael as she explained "Thing is he experienced my heart and tasted my soul once and he still chose her, so I can only give him my sincerest gratitude because if he didn't break my heart I would have been wasted in hands like his."
"You know what I don't think you give yourself enough credit for, you didn't let your heart turn cold after all you have been through. That's something to be proud of.." Michael pulled her in for a hug.
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