“You clearly want something from me, so ask away.”
It takes me a moment to understand where she’s trying to go with this as I open the door to Rock Snow and let her go in first. “You think I’m asking for something because I bought you lunch?”
“Yes.”
Fucking hell, has no one ever been kind to this selfless woman?
“God forbid I’m nice to you,” I grumble, as we walk to the back of the store. Joe waves at us, a gesture we return in sync before disappearing into the staff room, which happens to be empty. There’s a round table in the center of it with enough chairs for all staff members. On the wall, there’s a white board with our monthly schedule and other paperwork I’ve barely looked at. “A simple thanks would suffice.”
Alara smiles timidly and sits down, unzipping her coat. “Thank you.”
I wink. “You’re welcome.”
Truly, it baffles me to think she’s been taken advantage of so much that she isn’t used to someone being kind to her without expecting something in return.
That also makes me feel worse about the way I treated her last week.
After taking a seat across from her, I give her her sandwich then unwrap my bagel. I swear my stomach is growling so loudly that Alara can hear it from the other side of the table. Her amused smile tells me she’s heard it.
But then, when she murmurs my name while lifting her sandwich, my own amusement dies.
Gaby has scribbled the ‘I’m sorry’ like I asked her to in the café, except she’s drawn hundreds of mini hearts around the two words.
I’m going to kill her.
Alara bursts into laughter, but her cheekbones are flushed in the most endearing way. “You’re not done apologizing, are you?”
“Not even close.”
We spend our break exchanging anecdotes about Gaby while eating. At one point, Alara is curled over the table, handsclutching her stomach as she laughs so hard it becomes silent – the best kind of laugh, and it triggers mine. But before I realize it, my chuckles die in my throat, and I find myself staring at her. At the dimple popping by her mouth. At her bright smile and the stars twinkling in her eyes. At the sheer joy apparent in her face. I commit the sight to memory, unsure of what I’m going to do with it, but Alara smiling is not an image I can simply let go of.
“What’s the plan for this afternoon?” I ask, once she’s calmed down. I’m leaning back in my chair, spinning a half-full bottle of water between my hands. I don’t want to go to work.
Alara checks the time on her phone. She sighs, and I wonder if she also wishes time could go slower so that we don’t have to go out there. I like her company. She’s easy to talk to, easy to tease, but she’s quick to snap back at me. “I actually have to work in the office today.”
“Yeah? Why?”
“I manage the store’s social media, so I have to focus on this week’s content.”
I nod. “Okay, that’s really cool.”
She shrugs, then leans her chin in the palm of her hand. “You look disappointed. Did you want me to sit at the front desk so that you can stare at me instead of doing your tasks?”
God, she pisses me off with her witty banter and teasing smile. She’d make things so much easier if she truly hated me.
Crossing my arms over my chest, I smirk. “What can I say, Alara? You’re pretty to look at.”
That thing I said about drawing a line between me and my best friend’s sister? It’s already shot to pieces. But I quickly recover by not commenting on the way she furiously blushes.
Alara shakes her head, like she’s exasperated. “Okay, superstar. Listen, I have an idea I’d like to run by you.”
I arch a brow in curiosity, which gives her the go to continue.
“What if you helped me with the social media content?”
“How?”
“Well, you’re quite popular—”
