I looked up at his definitive tone and couldn’t help the smile on my face. “David, I’m a big girl.”
“I’ll walk with you,” he said, ignoring my declaration. He pushed off the desk and waited with his eyebrows raised. “Well?”
I shook my head at him and made my way across the office. “Do you always get what you want?” I asked as I shrugged on my jacket.
“That is yet to be determined.”
I rolled my eyes but laughed.
He motioned me through the door. “After you.”
“David Dylan?” My boss’s voice floated down the hall. “I thought I recognized that bass.”
We turned, and David nodded at Beman, who scurried to catch up with us.
“Mr. Beman,” I started, “I wasn’t aware of a follow-up piece on the ‘Most Eligible’ feature.”
“It was a good idea, Olivia, and Lisa said you turned it down.Tsk,tsk.”
“Because I think it’s a waste of resources.” That, and it would’ve been easier to close the book on that chapter of my life. I sniffed. “It’s important to keep things fresh.”
“’Most Eligible’ draws a large reader base. They become connected with the subjects, interested in knowing more about them. In a way,” Beman said, smiling playfully at David, “they’re local celebrities.”
“That may work for the website, but not the publication,” I said.
“I’ll keep that in mind.” When Beman noticed David holding open the office’s glass door for me, his tone turned amused. “Are you two off together?”
“No,” I said quickly. “Just leaving at the same time.”
“Ah.” Beman wiggled his fingers in a wave. “Good evening, David. Hope to see you around.”
David only raised his eyebrows and followed me out. “That guy’s a piece of work,” he said when we were alone. He punched the elevator call button. “Do you like having him as a boss?”
I shrugged. “Not particularly, but a job’s a job.”
He only frowned.
In the elevator, I picked an invisible piece of lint from my shoulder. Tension mixed with David’s distinct air. Being alone with him in a small space, I couldn’t help thinking ofthatnight in the stairwell of the Gryphon Hotel. Of my internal battle, knowing I had to stop what was happening. But I hadn’t. I hadn’t said no; I hadn’t said anything. I almost felt guiltier for that than all the things that came after.
Now, it frustrated me how relaxed David looked. I wanted to shake him, to ask him what he wanted, why he couldn’t just walk away. I wanted to scream at him and kiss him all at once, anything to crack that perfect exterior.
And then the doors slid open, so I did the only logical thing I could and exited the elevator. We crossed the lobby and turned right onto Adams, as though we did that sort of thing every evening.
“Relax, Olivia.”
“What?”
“Relax,” David said. “Your shoulders are at your ears. We’re just walking.”
I took a deep breath and released an exhale that deflated my shoulders. He was right—I’d balled my hands into fists, and my neck was stiff. “I’m sorry, I’m just . . . stressed.”
“I can tell. Why?”
“Just things, stupid things.”
“Such as? Work? Home?”
“The Oak Park house, for one. There’s so much to be done, and it just feels like everything is moving so fast.” I glanced up at him when he didn’t respond. “Do you really want to know this stuff?”
