The man in her collage looked like Joe.
Em frowned at the board. How had she not noticed that before?
No wonder she was having issues. She ripped the man she was supposed to marry from the collage, crumpled him up, and tossed him in the trash. Then she took a cleansing breath.
Better. She'd find someone more like Ben and paste him on, and then everything would be on track again.
The elevator door opened, and a woman walked out. She strode toward the reception desk like she owned the world, each clack of her heels punctuating her sassy attitude. Her clothing was immaculate and moved with her body.
Em smiled at her. Most women would have been jealous, but not her. She'd never wanted power or expensive things. Just a home and a family. "Welcome to Orson & Tomlin," she said as the woman stopped before her.
"I'm here to see Joe Winslow," the woman said.
Em's smile faded. She started to ask why, but she caught herself in time. "Is he expecting you?"
"No." But the woman's cat-like smile implied he wouldn't mind.
Of course he wouldn't. Wanker. Em punched his number into the phone.
He answered right away. "Miss me?" he said in a sex-me-up voice.
Wanker. "Sir, there's someone here to see you."
"Who is it?"
"Why don't you come out and see?" She slammed the phone down and bared her teeth at the woman. "He'll be right out."
The woman gave her a strange look and sat in the reception area. She picked up a magazine and idly flipped through it.
She would pick the French Vogue. Em gritted her teeth, trying not to glare at her. It wasn't the woman's fault she was absolutely fabulous. She probably had wonderful, rich parents who cared for her and sent her to the best schools. Em had been lucky if they hadn't sold her clothes for money to buy alcohol.
She saw Joe the moment he strode down the hall. He flashed his swaggering grin as he approached. But then he saw the Victoria's Secret model waiting for him and his face lit up.
Em felt like she was going to light up too-like an angry firecracker.
He lifted his brow. "Why-"
"Your guest is there." She tipped her head toward the woman.
"I know. But-"
"You don't want to keep her waiting, do you?" Say yes, she silently urged him.
Giving her an odd look, he turned and smiled brightly at the woman. "Cressida, this is a wonderful surprise."
His guest looked just as pleased to see him. She jumped up and kissed him on both checks, of course. He held her waist, talking to her in a low voice. She watched them walk back to his office, the door closing behind them, cutting off the woman's trilling laugh.
She stabbed a pen into her collage, knowing she was being completely irrational about this. She didn't own him.
Own him? She didn't even want him. She bowed her head and stared at her collage. Ben was the one she'd earmarked.
She pouted, staring at his door, her mind churning through everything they could be doing. She'd been in his office-she knew what happened in there firsthand.
She slammed a fist over her collage and then folded it and put it away. It was useless.
Someone touched her shoulder, and she whirled in her chair to find Summer standing next to her, looking concerned. "Are you okay?" her friend asked. "Because you're muttering."
