Chapter<b>157</b>ChangingSeats
EmeliencedatWilliam,thenthought ofDaphne.ShewonderedifDaphnehadalreadybriefedhimoneverything.
Samuel<b>,</b>lookingconfused,asked,<b>“</b><b>What</bmotion?”
Emelierepliedcalmly,<b>“</b>I’mnotsure.”
<b>“</b>Youbetter not,”Williamsaidashesetasidethenewspaper.<b>“</b>Whydidn’tyoupickupwhenIcalledyouafterthemeetingyesterday?<b>”</b>
Emeliecasuallypulledoutherphone,pretendingtobepuzzled.“Idon’tremember seeinganymissedcalls,Mr.Middleton.Whattimedidyoucall?Letmecheck.”
Shewantedtoseeifhehadthenervetosayhecalledat8:00pm.
Williamsimplylookedatherwithoutsayingaword.
Sensingthetension,Jaydentriedtolightenthemoodandchangedthesubject<b>.</b>“Finally,heresMs.May.”
“Hey,butIboughtyouguyssmoothies!”Patriciaprotested.“HaveyouheardaboutthatfamoussmoothiespotfromCapebattCityneartheairport?<b>I</b>spotteditwhilepassingbyandcouldn’tresistjoiningthequeue.”
ItwasclearthatPatriciahadathingforred.ShelookedstunninginherredknitteddresswithaV–neck,givingoffanairofsophisticationandallure.Despitethechillyweather,sheseemedfinewithjustabeigewoolcoatthrownoverit.
EmelieandSamuelmovedaside.
Patriciasetthesmoothiedownonthesmall tableandpassedcupstoeveryoneexceptWilliam,saying,“Iknowyou’renotafanofthis<b>,</b>Mr.Middleton<b>,</b>soIdidn’tgetyouone.”
Hertonewascasual.
Williamjustnoddedinresponse.
Jaydenchimedinwithasmile,“I’mnotafan,either.Yodiesenjoy.”HenoddedtowardAlexis,hissecretary.
Alexistookthe smoothiefromPatriciaandoffereda politethankyou.
PatriciathenhandedanothercuptoEmelie,saying,“Thisone’stheirspecialblend,Ms.Hoven.Giveitatry.”
Emeliethankedher.AsPatriciapassedherthedrink,shegaveEmelieaquickonce–over.
Emelie’smakeupwaslight.Buthernaturallyprettyface madeherlookgorgeousnomatterwhat.
Astheboardingannouncementremindedpassengerstogetonboard,theymadetheirway<b>onto</b>thene.
Theyhadallchosenbusiness–ssseats<b>,</b>withEmelieandSamuelseatedtogetherinonerow.
Assoonastheysettledintotheirseats,PatriciacameovertoSamundasked,“Mr.Swanson,couldyoudomeafavorandswitchseatswithme?I’dliketohavea
chatwithMs.Hoven.”
SamuelcheckedwithEmeliefirst.Withhernodofapproval,hegotuptoswitchseatswithPatricia.PatriciasettledintoSamuel’s seafortablyandfastenedher
seatbelt.
TurningtoEmelie,Patriciaasked,“Ms.Hoven,howdidyoudoyourhair?<b>It</b>looksreallynice.”
Emeliehadherhairtiedupinaloosebun,whichhadgottenabitmessyfromthehustleearlier.SincePatriciaasked,Emeliecasuallyuntieditandshowedherhow
shedidit.
“It’sactuallyquitesimple,”shesaid.“Justwatchafewtutorialsonline,andyou’llgetthehang<b>of</b>it.”
Patriciplimented,“Well,havinghairasfundsmoothasyours,Ms.Hoven,certainlyhelpswithstyling.”
Emeliepolitelyreplied,“Youlookstunningevenwithoutstylingyourhair,Ms.May.”
Patricialetoutasoftchuckle.“Idon’tbotherstylingmyhairbecausethemanIlikeprefershiswomenwiththeirhairdown.I’mjustamodatinghispreferences,youknow.Afterall,Istilldependonhimforaliving.”
Emeliesaidnothingtoherremarks.Shecouldn’thelpbutwonderifWilliamstillinsistedonhiswomenkeepingtheirhairdown.
NowonderDaphnealwayshadsleek,straighthair.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.
Themorepowerfman<b>,</b>themoreheseemedtoenjoymoldinghiswomenordingtohispreferences.
“Ms.Hoven,we’reonthesamesidehere,”Patriciasuddenlysaid.
<b>“</b>Thesameside?”
“Exactly.Mr. SamuelisMr.Bryan’sbrother,andIrepresentSwansonCorporation<b>.</b>So,aren’twe essentiallyonthesameside?Movingforward,weshouldsupporteachother.”
EmeliefoundthelogicinPatricia’swordsandnodded.“Absolutely,Ms.May.”
Astheneascendedandfounditssmoothflightpath,Emeliereachedforanketanddrapeditoverherknees.
Leaningonthearmrestwithherheadproppedup,PatriciaturnedtoEmelieandsuddenlyremarked,“Youknow,Ms. Hoven,<b>I</b>believeyourmost remarkableskill,beyondhairstylingorwork<b>,</b>isknowinghowtousesomeoneelsetodothedirtywork.”
Uponhearingthis,EmeliesensedthatPatricia’sapproachwasn’tjustforcasualchat.
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