“Of course I do,” she snaps. “But I do want to see you happy, and I’m afraid you’re closing yourself off from this potential happiness all for the sake of being independent andright.You don’t have to marry the man to let him make you happy—even if it is for a short time.”
“Are you suggesting I take him out for a spin just to see?”
“What’s the harm in that?” Henrietta pipes up. “Heishandsome.”
“You are all putting far too much stock in Kara’s description.”
“She showed us!” Nan cries, with a chuckle.
“Shewhat?”
“She showed us! She pulled up his profile on whatever that website is that Patty is always blabbering on about. Face market or whatever.”
I drop my face into my hands and groan. I’m going to kill Kara for this.
“I cannot believe you two. He’s myboss.”
Kara is the only one who knows of my plans to jump ship and refurbish Nan’s old diner, which means neither one of these ladies should be encouraging me to endanger my employment. For all they know, making a move on Noah could plant me on the wrong side of an HR complaint and unemployment. Seems what weshouldbe doing isn’t aligning for anyone right now.
Nan shrugs. “I’m saying leave yourself open to the possibility. I still expect him to pull his weight. No sense in throwing yourself at him if you want him to think you're worth more than a quick ride.”
“Nan!” I screech. “I cannot handle you right now. Besides, at ourbusiness dinner, Noah made it clear all we have is aworkingrelationship. So even if there was interest on this side—which I’m not saying there is—there is clearly no interest on his side of things.”
“Then there is no harm in going on this trip,” she responds. “Take the trip, bank the experience, and build your resume.”
Her logic is starting to sink in, though while it might sound like she’s at least taking my refusal to date my boss seriously, I would bet good money—even against Bud the card shark—she’s still counting on more than she’s saying. I narrow my eyes.
“I will go on this trip, mostly to prove my point, if and onlyif Kara agrees to come over and check on you while I’m gone, and if she’s okay with my bailing on her store launch.”
Nan clenches her fists triumphantly and beams. “Tell Kara we’ll be happy to help package orders for her. We owe her one for taking on Bud the other night.”
I roll my eyes, my stomach sinking into a fit of nerves. It’s been one thing to avoid the thoughts I’ve been having about Noah when we’ve been on home turf, and in the office. But traveling across state lines, spending late nights together and having fancy dinners with potential clients might complicate things. I’m reminded again of the way Noah held me against the wall outside of Time For Thai and wonder, not for the first time, what would have happened if our situation was even the slightest bit different.
Monday morning, I replay the conversation with Nan and Henrietta, my leg bouncing under the table, while I wait for Kara to stumble into the kitchen. She spent most of Saturday and all of Sunday at the studio, which gave me plenty of time to work through every outcome. By bedtime last night, I had myself convinced she would say no to taking on the tasks I do for Nan. But in the cold light of day, I fear she might actually say yes.
On the one hand, having her admit she’s too deep in her store launch to take on anything extra would solve the issue of my growing attraction. The idea of being on a long weekend trip with Noah where we wine and dine clients still makes my skin itch with nerves. No overnights means no potential for me tomake a fool of myself. He, of course, isn’t interested, but there’s no telling how I might smudge the lines. My job at Flourish is a means to an end, and I don’t have time to risk it.
And yet, as I sip my coffee and wait for my auburn-haired roommate, the itchy anticipation sizzles against the fantasy of, as Nan said, taking him out for a spin. He told me the night we met all of his past partners were more satisfied than I was with Ryan, and while that bar is lower than low, I haven’t been able to stop picturing what that might mean.
Just before seven, Kara shuffles into the kitchen, effectively interrupting my sexy spiral. She yawns and rubs sleep from her eyes as I hide the blush on my cheeks with a sip from my coffee. Her soft pink bathrobe is fastened tight around her middle, and she sort of nods in my general direction.
“Good morning,” I chime. “There’s coffee.”
My voice is high and tight and she scowls. I clear my throat, knowing I’ve pushed my chipperness too far.
“What do you want?” she asks while grabbing her favorite lizard mug from the cupboard.
“For the sake of time, I am going to ignore the fact you don’t believe me capable of being nice just for the hell of it.”
Her stare is blank, unamused. The long braid she usually sleeps in is tucked over one shoulder, her curls begging to be free of it.
“I do have a favor to ask. No pressure either way.” Silence welcomes me to continue. “Noah called me. On Saturday. While I was at Nan’s.”
This pulls her out of the semi-comatose state; her face lights up and she slides into the chair across from me.
“Tell me more, mi amore.”
“He called to ask for my assistance on a business trip to visit some clients down in California. It’s scheduled for a week from Wednesday, and if I went I would be gone through Tuesdaymorning the following week. Problem is, if I go with him, Nan doesn’t have anyone to do her bidding while I’m gone.”
