“No.Wait.” She waves. “Hi, Chase! I’m Calista, Megan’s best friend. I hear you have nice teeth.”
My cheeks heat. “Calista…”
“I’m just thrilled to hear she has a best friend.” He bumps my shoulder with his, sending a spark coursing through me. “She’s kind of irritating.”
I bump his shoulder back. “I am not.”
“She can be. I know,” Calista says.
Chase looks down at me, his smirk growing. “Did Megan tell you that you have competition?”
“With whom?” Calista demands.
“Don’t rile her up,” I say, grinning. “You don’t know who you’re messing with.”
“With whom?” she repeats. “You’ve been there not even three days, Megan. You can’t replace me already. Iwillcome to Mayberry.”
Chase’s brows pull together. “Mayberry?”
“Let it go,” I say, laughing.
He slowly pulls his eyes from mine and turns to the phone. He places his forearms on the counter, leaning against the cabinets.
“Holy shit, Chase,” Calista says. “You aregorgeous.”
He snorts.
“Calista,please,” I say, my cheeks burning. “Please stop it.”
“Nice teeth, my ass. Speaking of, turn around, Chase,” she says. “Let me see your ass.”
“Enough,” I say, making Chase laugh. “Act like you have some damn sense.”
My admonishment is met with laughter—from both of them.
“So who is trying to replace me?” Calista asks. “We’re not acting like that wasn’t brought up.”
“My brother Gavin.”
“Does he look like you? And, if so, is he single?” she asks.
Chase grins. “No. He’s not nearly as good-looking as I am.”
“Fact check, Megs?” Calista asks me.
Fuck it. I lean against the counter too. My arms line up beside my boss’s, our shoulders nearly touching.
He smells fresh and clean—like soap and wood. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice he hasn’t shaved.No one deserves to be this hot.
I pull my thoughts together as I realize they’re waiting on me to respond.
“Is Gavin as good-looking as Chase?” I ask, my chest tightening. “Well, he’s much better-natured, I will say that.”
“That wasn’t the question,” Calista says.
Slowly, Chase turns his face toward mine. His eyes snag my gaze before I can look away.
Amusement dances across his features. The shield I usually find snapped into place is missing or, at least, isn’t as secure. He almost looks playful in the late-night hour. In fact, had I metthisChase instead of the grumpy cat version, I would’ve seen the family resemblance between him and Gavin right away.
