“Nothing.”
He frowns. “I thought we decided to be friends yesterday. Has something changed since then?”
“Yes.” I sigh. Being rude doesn’t come naturally to me, but at times it’s necessary. “We can’t be friends. I’m sorry, but you need to find some other nice co-worker in the building to chat and have coffee with. This isn’t working for me.”
“Oh. Okay.” Devlin looks like a whipped puppy, and I feel bad. But I’m not letting anyone get in the way of my already complicated marriage. The truth is, Devlin simply isn’t that important to me. He’s not my family. He’s not a friend, either. So he certainly shouldn’t be the cause for a middle of the night meltdown for my husband.
Thankfully, Devlin goes away without making a fuss. I hope he takes the hint, which was not very subtle, and leaves me alone from now on.
I’m sure he can make other friends at work.
The rest of the week, Devlin only says hello in passing, which is a relief.
Friday rolls around, which I’ve been looking forward to ever since Susan invited me out. I check in on my boss to make sure she doesn’t need anything else from me before I grab my purse and meet up with Susan, Jade, and Lisa. The three of them are inseparable. A clique I’ve been dying to socialize with since I first met them.
We ride the elevator down together. They gossip with each other, and I kind of feel like I’m just tagging along to one of their weekly social rituals.
Outside, we walk the short distance to the bar, our stilettos clacking against the concrete sidewalk. I gave Finn and Kody a heads up about this evening. They have eyes on me from acrossthe street, but have been specifically instructed not to draw attention to themselves.
Susan finally speaks, including me in their conversation. “What do you think about that guy Devlin? Handsome devil, isn’t he?”
“He is,” I admit. “Though kind of clingy. He gives me a weird vibe.”
Jade speaks up, “I know what you mean. He’s always flirting with me, but it comes off as creepy rather than sexy. I’m not sure why. Now, I avoid him.”
“You guys don’t like him?” Lisa asks, glancing around at all of us. “I’m supposed to go on a date with him this weekend.”
“Really?” I’m surprised, since Devlin has insisted that I’m his only friend at the office. Maybe he puts me in a different category because I’m married, whereas all these women are single.
Jade scrunches her nose. “Don’t date him, Lisa, you can do better than him.”
“He’s strange,” Susan says, “but imagine having a hunk like that in bed? I wonder if he’s that large… everywhere.”
“Still not worth it.” Jade shakes her head, opening the door for us at the bar.
We’re seated at a cocktail table in the swanky little establishment. I buy the first round of drinks, partly because I want to make a good impression on them. But also out of generosity. They should keep as much of their hard-earned money as they can.
The conversation drifts from work gossip, to personal life matters, to celebrities, until we finally end up on the subject of the agency’s owner and popular model.
“Now Connor Bane? I’d totally jump into bed with him,” Jade states. “That man isfine.”
Susan sips her cocktail. “Maybe you should ask him out. You’ve only had a crush on him for years. Everyone knows he’s single right now.”
It’s interesting hearing their opinion of my husband’s cousin. I don’t dare tell them about that connection, or about how Connor gave me this job in the first place.
Jade giggles, obviously tipsy. “Connor isn’t the type of man you ask out. You have to catch his attention, then he’ll ask you out. Just watch me, one of these days he’ll see me and he’ll come after me. It will be an epic workplace romance.”
“I’ve heard he doesn’t date other models or anyone from work,” Lisa adds.
“I’ll be the exception.”
Susan laughs. “If you say so. Personally, I think we’re looking for love in all the wrong places.” She glances at me. “You’re married. How did you and your husband meet?”
For a couple of seconds, I blankly stare back at her, at a complete loss for words. I’d never thought about explaining my relationship to someone from the outside. If I tell them it was an arranged marriage, they’ll think I’ve lost my mind. Or that I need rescuing.
Jade arches a perfectly shaped brow. “Well?”
“I…” To give myself a couple more moments, and time to pull together a lie, I down the rest of my drink. “How about another round?”
