Day Thirty-Nine: Love

I love how serious, humourless even, he looks at work when he's in his suit and tie... because I know what he's like when he strips off that jacket and loosens his tie, the cotton and silk armour he wears to the office every day.

"And with only the two entrances it's a simple matter to secure the site," Seth concludes.

"Wonderful," Ephraim says. I wouldn't normally attend security briefings but this one concerns me personally. "Moving on to the next order of business... The wedding. Kyle?" Seth may be our head of security but his second, Kyle, will be handling arrangements for the wedding since Seth will be otherwise occupied.

I suppose I ought to be paying attention to the briefing, but I've always left security in the hands of our staff and I find myself staring at Seth, picturing him in his tux and imagining what it'll be like to walk down the aisle towards him. Seth is being so attentive– he's taking notes! I love how, when he catches my eye, he can't help but smile.

A number of our senior security personnel are also guests at the wedding so they've opted to get outside help in addition to our regular staff– that is if you can really call Frelia Co.'s staff "outside help."

"Syrene's assured us there should be no problem," Kyle concludes.

Ephraim nods. "Is there anything else?"

"One thing." I glance down the table at Forde. His tie, as always, is loose and he's got a five o'clock shadow at ten a.m. "We've had a weird glitch on our mainframe for the past few days. System keeps warning about intrusions but we can't find anything."

"And?"

Forde shrugs. "Don't know yet. Franz is looking into it. He's the security system whiz."

Ephraim looks uneasy but he nods. "All right, but I want regular updates on the matter."

"Yes sir," Forde says cheerily.

"Nothing else then?" Everyone is silent so Ephraim calls an end to the meeting.

"Can't wait till the wedding!" Forde says, grinning as we file out.

I sniff. "I told you last week: You're uninvited." I haven't forgotten about him tattling on me and Seth.

"I have to be there. I'm part of the security staff after all, Princess," he replies glibly before being on his way. I sigh. I wish he wouldn't call me that. Miss King. Princess. His idea of a joke. It's embarrassing.

"Seth?"

"Hmm?" He follows me down the hall to my office.

"Don't forget the wedding planner is coming over lunch on Wednesday."

"As if I could forget."

I pat his shoulder. "It won't be that bad."

He raises an eyebrow, looking thoroughly unconvinced, but says nothing.

"Miss King, something came for you during the meeting," my assistant announces as we reach my office. "I left it on your desk." She gives Seth an odd glance and I'm not certain why until we walk into my office and find a stunning bouquet of yellow roses on my desk.

I check the card. "They're from Saleh." I'm surprised the flowers don't wither with the look Seth gives them. I dated Saleh for a while in college. "He's in town for a conference."

"How nice," Seth grumbles.

I even love that's he jealous.