Renée

Chapter 27

Two days later, I set my pen on the desk and let out a long sigh. I lean back in the chair and stretch my hands. "Finally. It's done." A smile forms on my lips as I glance at the proposal laying in front of me.

"It's ready for others to see now?" Gwen asks as she walks up beside me.

I nod. "It's done. Budgeted and edited."

"Congrats."

"Thanks. Now I need to see Renée's father." I rise and do a few stretches, my bones cracking as I move. "Ugh! I'm so stiff from being hunched over."

"I told you, shoulders back and down," she states.

"I'm sorry for having bad posture," I say as I glance around the room. "Where'd Wes go?"

Gwen spins around. "I'm not sure."

"I'm in the bathroom!" he shouts.

Gwen and I look at each other before we both chuckle. "Why am I not surprised?"

"I'm not either." She grins.

"Sorry, what'd I miss?!" Wes walks back into the room with a large smile.

"You didn't need to yell, Wes." I shake my head.

"I was just washing my hands! I got chocolate from the desserts all over them!"

"Then just say that."

Gwen lifts her pointer finger to her lips. "And you're being too loud again."

"Shoot!" He covers his mouth before nervously chuckling. "Sorry."

"It's fine." I smile.

Gwen nods. "Just remember to watch you volume."

"Okie doki!"

The knob on the double doors jiggles for a moment before someone knocks. "Renée? Are you in there?" Nigel calls through the door.

"I am!" I call as I walk across the room. "Remember who we are," I say to Gwen and Wes, who both nod as I turn the lock. I pull the door open and see Nigel standing in the hall with a confused expression. "Hello."

"Hello?" He stares at me before glancing at Gwen, then Wes, before back at me. "It's unusual for you to lock the door. Why was it locked?"

"I didn't even know it was locked," I say.

He slowly nods. "I see. Well, would you mind if I came in?"

"Not at all." I motion for him to step in.

"Thank you," he says as he looks at Wes. "I wasn't aware you were visiting today, Roman."

"How are you, Nigel?!" Wes asks with a wide smile.

"Good, and you?"

"Fantastic!"

"You've been visiting every day since we saw you at the Newfall estate a few days ago."

Wes nods. "I'm enjoying my visits here a lot!"

"Well, it's good to see you're all better now. You should have some tea with me sometime."

"Okie Doki!" Wes nods.

I sigh as I shake my head, while Gwen's eyes fill with worry.

"Okie doki?" Nigel looks confused. "I've never head that saying. What does it mean?"

Wes just smiles. "It means alright or yes!"

"Interesting. I'll have to use it in the future." Nigel nods as he glances around the room. A slight chuckle escapes me as he says that. "So, what have the three of you been doing in here? Ever since we visited the Newfall estate, you three have been in here for long periods of time."