“Not it,” Dax says immediately.
“I should probably focus on finding us alternative accommodation,” Malik says, which is code for ‘absolutely not.’
Jalen just raises his eyebrows at me.
“Why me?” I protest.
“Because you’re the least threatening,” Jalen says simply.
“Hey!”
“He means you’re the most approachable,” Malik clarifies. “You have... people skills.”
“People skills,” I repeat. “She accused me of being a corporate shark at the last event planning conference.”
“You smiled at her and told her ‘all’s fair in love and weddings,’“ Malik points out.
“I was being charming!”
“She threw a napkin at you.”
“An embroidered napkin,” I correct. “Very nice quality. I think it was from her Sterling pitch presentation, actually.”
Dax makes a sound that might be a laugh or might be a growl. “Just go. You’re better at this stuff than the rest of us. And for the love of God, don’t flirt with her.”
“I don’t flirt with everyone.”
“Yes, you do,” all three of them say in unison.
“That’s... actually fair,” I admit. “Fine. I’ll go talk to her. But I’m not doing it empty-handed. That’s just rude.”
I head to the kitchen, rummaging through the cabinets until I find what I’m looking for. There’s a kettle, thank God, and tea bags in several varieties. Chamomile seems like a safe bet. There are also some crackers and a block of fancy cheese she must have bought. I figure she won’t mind if I bring it back to her as a peace offering.
While the water heats, I plate up a little snack arrangement. Nothing fancy, just something that says, “I come in peace” without being weird about it.
“That’s actually thoughtful,” Malik says from the doorway, sounding surprised.
“I do occasionally think about other people’s needs.”
“Occasionally,” he agrees with a slight smile.
The kettle whistles, and I pour the water over the tea bag, letting it steep. The scent of chamomile fills the kitchen. Soothing, neutral, and non-threatening.
“Wish me luck,” I say, picking up the tray.
“Don’t make it worse,” Dax calls from the other room.
“You have so much faith in me.”
I make my way down the hall toward the master bedroom, very aware that I’m about to have one of the most awkward conversations of my life. The smart thing would be to just leave her alone, let her deal with this in private.
But Jalen is right. She needs to know that we know, so she’s not wasting energy trying to hide it.
I knock on her door, balancing the tray.
Time to see if my people skills are actually worth anything.
CHAPTER FOUR
