Chapter One Hundred and Fifty Nine - Date with my Wife

Before I could greet Hailey, Caleb walked ahead of her slamming a file on my desk. Whatever his reasons for being upset, I'm sure that I'm ahead of him on that.

Pulling the file from my angry PA, "that woman wasted our time" he muttered between clenched lips, "my time!" He exclaimed, irritation written all over his counternance.

Without responding, I notice the file he slammed on my desk is from the lovely, McCloud!

Darn! And I give her proposal to Hailey!

Lifting my eyebrows, I challenged Anthony silently, because he despises having to go into meetings when the females clients are there only for a chance to be with me.

Huffing, he moved away and stormed out of the office, all eyes following his retreating back, with Mel following briskly behind.

Caleb's such a professional, that he hates wasting time on anything work related and every second he works, must be profitable.

Chuckling at Caleb, Hailey walks up to Bas.

"Did you get my cheesecake?" She asks, staring hopefully at Bas, like a little girl excited for candy.

Without answering her, Bas nods and point to the kitchen, where Hailey who still avoids making eye contact with me, walks off too.

Following her into the kitchen, I shut the door behind me, finally getting Hailey's attention.

Lifting her eyes, toward me, smiling brightly, but fluttering her eyelashes nervously.

Cutting a slice of cake, "want piece?" She offers, extending a slice of cheesecake in a saucer.

Shaking my head, I approached her, "no, but I do need to speak to you." I responded softly, keeping my eyes glued on her face.

With the same smile, Hailey grins at me but her gorgeous gray eyes still had the same haunting look she wears when she is fighting with emotional issues and after what I read in her files, she is fighting so much.

One thing I do know is that I cannot help Hailey until she trusts herself to share her innermost fears and pain with me.

I can't tell her that I have already hired two private investigators to help search the system to find her father because finally we can confirm, that he didn't die with Hailey's mom.

Tilting her head with a fork full of cheesecake in her mouth, "remember, I said we'll talk at home?" She reminds me and I nod, realizing that she's still not ready to talk but in the meantime, I'll do what I have to do to make sure she's not under more stress than she needs to be, in her condition.

Pulling a chair opposite where she stood licking the fork, I sat down, "well I guess, I'll have a piece then" I point to the cake that laid on the table.

While we snacked, Hailey started to discuss the two meeting I gave her unable to contain the excitement on the deal she was able to close, especially since Jerry had placed it in her hands.

When she started to discuss the McCloud account, her expression changed to the same irritation I saw in Caleb's and I know that she's still upset.

"Just so you know, if that woman calls for another meeting and Jerry is still unavailable, you will also be unavailable." Hailey cautions me and I couldn't help but laugh at her bossiness.

Chuckling, I saluted her, "yes boss," I promise, scraping my saucer clean of any cheesecake residue. Chocolate was the only sweet flavor I loved but Hailey has introduced me to a wide variety and I am learning to appreciate so much more.

Frowning as if she didn't believe me, "really?" She responded.

Nodding, with folded arms I leaned back on the chair, staring at her beneath lowered lashes.

As if it suddenly occurs to her, "so," she drawled slowly, "whose going to stay with Jerry tonight, if you stay with me?" She questions, shrugging her shoulder while turning to wash the few utensils we used in the kitchen, tiding up and disposing of my lunch container and empty water bottles.

A soft knock on the kitchen door startled the both of us and with a nervous laugh, Hailey invites the person on the other side to enter.

Mel comes in smiling and hands me a few pieces of paper with messages.

With my head down "thank you" I mutter, reading the messages, my mind already in work mode.

Walking around the table, I kiss Hailey lightly, "we'll talk later." I promise in a firm tone, nodding to Mel before walking out to meet my irritable PA pacing in the corridor outside of Hailey's office.

"Adian, uh, Mr. Knight" one of the women who has been giving my wife a hard time since she came on board, acknowledged me and I nod, fighting a chuckle as I followed her nervous expression to the daggers, Caleb was throwing at her.

"Anthony" I called for Caleb's attention, "you ready?" I asked, Caleb already walking ahead of him towards the lift and my father's office.

When we got to the top floor, I turned to Caleb, "get the documents ready and give me a fifteen minutes to have a private word with my father." I instructed him, taken aback with the coy smile he sent in my direction.

Unwilling to spend a moment to try understanding Caleb's train of thoughts, I just shook my head and walked off towards dad's office greeting his PA with a wide grin.

"How is Jerry?" She asks. Knowing that she has not just been a work colleague but their respective families became great friends over the years.

Smiling tiredly, "when I left him this morning, he was in a jolly mood," I assured her and the worried lines that creased her forehead, slowly disappeared.

Nodding, she points to the dad's closed door, "he's on the phone with your mother, so I'm sure he'll welcome the interruption." She says, shaking her head sadly.

"Thanks" I responded heading towards the closed door, walking in without knocking.