Crossing the foyer, I went to my desk and hit the power button on the old PC. I began sorting through loose papers on my desk about the recent complaints about Coach Peters and put them into his blue file, knowing full well it would take five minutes before the loud humming stopped and the dinosaur would be ready for a password. I needed to get Ashley out of my head. I wouldn’t let her ruin my day. I took a deep breath and focused on the office around me.
Sal, Harry’s wife, had decorated the space with mini paper pumpkins, window decals, and candy corn vases. The pumpkinsreminded me of Scott. I picked up the paper pumpkin from my desk and moved it behind the water cooler.
Once Harry was done with whoever was in his office, I should ask him if someone can press charges from Friday night’s pumpkin maiming. Just to be on the safe side.
Harry’s office door opened, and he came out whistling. Sal must have been feeling well. I hadn’t seen him this happy or relaxed for a while, maybe since before they diagnosed Sal with cancer.
“There you are, Mar.” He turned, gesturing behind him. “I want you to meet someone.”
I sat up straight. Meet? I knew everyone in this town.
“Scott, come here, please. I’d like you to meet our office manager and resident know-it-all, Marissa.” Harry joked. “She has this crazy memory. She’ll be a lifesaver for you.”
Scott? Scott who? Not my blind date, right? Was he here to file charges?
Scott stepped out wearing a too-small navy suit and a purple left eye. Not just any Scott, my Scott.
Well, not my Scott.
“Holy—” I muffled. I pulled a folder from the desk up to cover my face.Shoot, shoot, shoot. What are the odds?
Maybe he didn’t recognize me? I peeked over the folder to find Scott staring at me, his left eye puffy and purple, his mouth open.
“Mary?” Scott’s eyes opened wide. Well, the one without the bruise did. He took a step back and gawked at me. “Is this some kind of joke?” He looked toward Harry.
Smiling awkwardly, I lowered the folder and shrugged. “Is your eye okay?” I bit my bottom lip.
Why was he here?
“Not Mary,” Harry said. “Marissa, but it was a good guess since everyone calls her Mar.” Harry shot me a quick questioning glance, and I shook my head no. He would be back with questions, but not now.
Scott groaned. “This is the office manager you’ve been going on about?” he asked, gesturing at me.
“Have you two met?” Harry leaned up against my desk, crossing his arms.
“Nope,” I replied.
Ugh! Why did I say no?Deniability for the pumpkin? He clearly recognized me.
Scott rolled his eyes. “Yes.”
Well, at this point, I was committed.Full steam ahead.
“I’m pretty sure you met Mary.” I bit my bottom lip.
Why? Why don’t I just apologize now?
Scott's dark blue tie was matching the color of his swollen eye. “Well, Marissa, I must have met your identical twin. I swear it was you at the fall festival on Friday night?”
“Nope.”
Abort. What am I supposed to do now?
Harry raised his eyebrows in question. “Huh? Crazy.”
Yep, he wasn’t buying it. I needed to learn to not lie to lawyers. My cheeks flushed with embarrassment. I tried my best to look busy with stacking papers on my desk.
“Well, hopefully you twostrangerscan work together. This town doesn’t always take to newcomers. This transition might be a little tricky.” He turned to Scott.
