He actually winked at me.
Letting out a nervous laugh, Inodded and said, “You got it.”
He finally released my arm, and Isucked in a deep breath to regain my personal bubble. “We don’t have a meetingwith Black Soul until March. They want to see the full package before theyapprove anything, so we’ll need to work hard to put together a stellarpresentation. We’ll start planning tomorrow. I’ll email you the details latertonight.”
“I’ll look for them,” I promised.
He caught me looking at my phoneagain. “Are you in a hurry to be out of here today? I figured you’d want tostick around and gloat.”
My smile had frozen in place a longtime ago, and now wasn’t the time to drop it. “Gloating’s not really my thing,”I told him. “Plus, I’m late for another meeting.”
“Oh, really? Work related?”
I shook my head, “It’s definitelywork, but not STS. I’m planning my best friend’s engagement party, and I wassupposed to meet the caterer forty-five minutes ago.”
Henry stepped back, and I relishedthe additional six inches of separation. I wasn’t normally one of those peoplethat hated being touched, but Henry had zero regard for space. I’d been at STSfor three years. During that time, I’d never been able to warm up to the LittleTucker, even though he’d always been nice to me. And he could remember my name,unlike his father.
Slipping out of the conference roomin a surge of other employees anxious to get home for the day, I hurried to mydesk to grab my purse. Emily, my one true friend at STS, stopped by my desk.She leaned her weight on her hands and kicked up her legs. “Congratulations!”
I smiled at her, and it was real andgenuine. It felt so freaking good. “Thank you! I feel like pinching myself. Ican’t believe I got picked.”
“I can,” she said sincerely. “Youhave the best eye for detail here.” She leaned forward, cupping her mouth withher hand. “And the best taste. Black Soul is going to fall in love with you.”
“I’m just hoping they don’t fireme.”
She rolled her eyes. “Enough withthe modesty, Molly. You deserve this. We should definitely celebrate. Drinks?Dinner? Strip club?”
My shoulders slumped, knocking mypurse strap loose. “I wish. A strip club is obviously in order.” I hoped sheknew I was joking about that. Sometimes I couldn’t tell if she was beingserious. Although with her lavender hair and septum piercing it was hard topicture her surrounded by oiled up, half-naked men thrusting their crotches inher face. I shook my head, ridding my imagination of that terrifying mentalpicture. “But I’m supposed to go over the menu for Vera’s engagement party.Wyatt’s going to kill me.”
“Oh, that’s better!” She waggled hereyebrows. “Celebrate with Wyatt. Celebrate real hard.”
I threw my planner into my purse andsnorted. “What is wrong with you?”
Her eyebrows jumped to her hairline.“What is wrong withyou? Have you notseen Wyatt?” She fanned her face, being dramatic like usual. “He’s ahottiewith a body. And you could use a body if you knowwhat I mean.”
Shaking my head, I reminded her forthe umpteenth time, “We’re just friends,Em.Seriously, just friends.”
Her mouth turned down in a frown.“Such a disappointment. Hot men are always wasted on you.”
I hitched my purse up again andignored the heat of embarrassment painting my cheeks. “Yeah, well, we can’t allbe you with your perfect boyfriend, perfect relationship, and perfect three-bedroomhouse.”
“And perfect dog,” she added. “Youforgot the perfect dog.”
I stuck my tongue out at her. “Andthe perfect dog. In my limited experience, all the hot men that have beeninterested in me were also douchebags. I’d rather have someone nice than hot.”
“Hmmm…” she mused, considering herlong-term boyfriend. “Alex is both of those things. But so is Wyatt.”
“And yet we’re only friends.”
She rolled her eyes, but didn’t pushthe topic. “Congratulations again! Happy hour tomorrow to celebrate?”
“Obvs.”
She blew me a kiss. I waved goodbye,and then practically sprinted to my car. My phone buzzed again, signaling anincoming text.
Ihate you.
Wyatt really was just a friend.TheIhate youtext confirmed it. Or he hadbeen prior to my making him wait for over an hour.
