What does he want? How could it have occurred to him to call her to his office in front of the entire department?!

She mentally went over the options for causing light and serious harm to the boss's health, in order to consider an alibi as the result of an involuntary murder.

The girl stopped in front of the door with the 'Justin Evans' sign and took a deep breath.

Oh, she already forgot about the Cerberus dog in the skirt!

"Good morning Stephanie," she greeted the secretary. The woman raised her eyebrows in surprise.

Yes, yes, I remember your name.

"Mr. Evans asked to come and see him. Urgent," Emily focused on the last word. She had no desire to linger in the company of a beauty with pumped lips, which were ready to burst with tension when the boss's guest appeared on the doorstep.

The secretary grimaced but did not ask questions. She pressed a button on the intercom and cooed, "Mr. Evans, Hayes here wants to see you."

What an awesome skill! Emily wondered to herself. The words "Mr. Evans" sounded fondly, and "Hayes" like a curse.

After receiving an answer from the boss, the secretary pointed to the door with her eyes. The conversation was over, to which Emily was only glad.

It remained to swallow the last bitter pill and I can work in peace.

The girl entered the office and greeted politely, "Good morning, Mr. Evans." The boss nodded back. "Do you have something urgent? I am ready to listen and return to my duties."

Justin Evans was, as always, perfectly shaven, stylishly dressed, and generally radiated a supernova aura. Dare you look a second or two longer, you may go blind.

What time does he get up to look like this in the morning? Maybe he doesn't go to bed at all? Emily thought to herself as her boss finished writing something on his laptop.

"Miss Hayes," he began in the most serious tone, and Emily tensed.

What? I haven't done anything, have I?

"I have one question for you," the man closed the laptop and busily clasped his palms on the table, "You don't like coffee anymore?"

"Sorry what?" the girl asked. There was no mention of coffee in any of her imaginary dialogue with her boss.

"You were not at the coffee shop yesterday and today too. Have you stopped buying coffee or are you afraid to run into me there?"

Emily didn't get it right away. And when she understood what he was talking about, the counter-question itself slipped off her lips, "Are you sitting and waiting for me there?!"

"No," the boss replied quickly, "It's like I have nothing else to do!" He raised a hand and straightened his perfectly styled hair.

Yeah, right! Catherine's speculations about Justin Evans' interest in Emily seemed quite real now to her.

"Then how do you know that I don't go there anymore?"

This question remained unanswered. Mr. Evans clearly preferred to ask his own.

"So what's the matter?" he lifted his chin with a look full of importance, "If I'm bothering you that much, I can find another cafe. Or come to drink coffee an hour later, it's not difficult for me at all."

Huh, of course, it's not difficult for you! Riding a sports car with a gentle breeze to the other end of the city is not taking a trip by the subway!

"You're not bothering me," Emily whiffed, almost sincerely. "Before that, I used to work from home and could buy coffee every morning. Now I do not have time to do that since the way to the publishing house is quite long and takes a lot of time. So drink your coffee whenever you want."

"And today you also did not have time?"

"I overslept," she lied without blinking. I would never in my life tell you that I spent half the morning on clothes and makeup for a coffee trip! And, as it turned out, she did the right thing, that she didn't go! He was there!

The boss was silent for a while, pondering the girl's words.

"So, are you giving up your favorite best coffee in town just like that?"

Why the hell did he keep fixating on this damn coffee?!

"Why would I do that? Tomorrow is a day off and I can go to the cafe any time," Emily replied.

The man's eyes sparkled. Maybe she shouldn't have reminded him about the day off?

"Here!" Evans pulled out from somewhere from the table a large cardboard cup, "Double Americano. I just took it with me." The man got up from the chair, walked around the table and handed the cup of coffee to Emily's hands.

The girl was taken aback, "And what should I do with it?"

The boss looked at her as if she were mentally ill, "You can splash it in my face, but you better have a drink."

"Right here?"

"Oh, I forgot, you can't drink coffee in my presence."

Emily took a step towards the door, "So I'll go then?" If it hadn't been for Evans, she wouldn't have had to come here.

"Stop!" the boss put his hand forward, blocking the door, "If you walk out of here with this big cup, everyone will think that I'm running errands for you. All kinds of gossip will go."

"Mr. Evans, with all due respect to you, you are doing a great job on your own and without any cups," she snapped.

"Miss Hayes, if I had asked Mrs. Parkinson to call you, it would have taken longer and the coffee would have cooled down. Moreover, she is very busy. Don't forget, I have two positions at this publishing house."

"Have you forgotten how to use your cell phone? You could just call or write a message!"

Evans blinked, and then broke into an ambiguous smile, "So I can call you on such kind of personal issues?"

Emily just now noticed how close the man was to her. In fact, he towered over the girl like a great wall. Step forward - and she would burrow her nose into his wide chest.

"You'd think you were once interested in my opinion," she muttered, looking away.

Stop, Hayes. Wait a minute. Did you just openly give him the go-ahead to call-when-you-wish?!

"Are you hitting on me, Mr. Evans?" she asked point-blank.

"And what does it look like, Miss Hayes?" The boss's smile became dangerously attractive. He bent down to the girl's face, peering into the depths of her eyes.

What does it look like?! It looks like that!