When I have a problem that I don’t know how to deal with, I choose to throw myself into my work instead. And I’ve been so hyper-focused on the proposal Patrick has asked me to draft for him, that I’ve ignored everyone and everything, all morning. So when I look up from my computer to see Happy standing in front of my desk, a pissed off expression marking his handsome face, I scream.
“Oh my God, you scared the shit out of me!” I shriek, standing up so fast my chair rolls back into the potted Ficus behind my workstation. “W-what the hell are you doing here?” I stammer, looking around to find everyone in the office not-so-subtly gaping at us.
Happy doesn’t say anything, just folds his arms across his chest, offering me a pointed look.
My brows knit together. “What?”
“You, me, private,” he says. “Now.”
I rear back, both shocked and a little turned on by his demanding tone.
As if out of thin air, Millie suddenly appears like she’s been summoned, smiling sweetly as she glances from Happy to me and back again. “Look, I don’t know what’s going on betweenyou two, but you’ve been in a shitty mood all morning,” she says, looking at me. “And I’m pretty sureyou’resupposed to be at practice,” she says to Happy. “Meeting room B is free is you want to talk or fuck, or both. Whatever. Just… sort your shit out.”
I throw her a sidelong glance, but before I can object, Happy is grabbing my hand and towing me with him in the direction of the kitchen.
“Where are we going?”
He stops, spinning around to look at me, brow furrowed as he scans the office. “I-I have no idea. I’ve never been here before. Where the fuck is meeting room B?”
“Yoo hoo! Over here,” Millie calls out, standing right by the door to meeting room B, waving at us like SNN’s resident tour guide.
Rolling my eyes, I take control of the situation, turning and leading Happy toward the door Millie has so kindly opened for us. I flash her a glower that she ignores with a sickeningly sweet smile.
The second we’re inside, the very moment I close the door, Happy is on me, pinning me back against it with one hand anchoring my hip, the other planted by my head, practically seething as he glares down at me. Wow. I’ve never seen him so angry. Why does he have to be so damn hot?
“W-what are you doing?” I almost pant out.
“How’s yourperiod?” He scoffs.
Swallowing hard, I search his eyes. Fuck. He knows.
“What did that fucker say to you?”
My stomach lurches, but I shake my head, choosing to play dumb. “I-I don’t know what you’re?—”
“No,” Happy interjects, his tone low, steely. “What. Did. He. Say?”
Seconds pass, silent and fraught with tension. And sure, I could lie and play dumb, but what’s the point? He’ll just go and confront Chris anyway.
“If I don’t end things with you, you’re going to be traded to Utah,” I whisper, every one of my words trembling with the emotion that sears my insides every time I think of losing this man.
Happy stares at me for a long pause, his intense chocolate gaze roving my face. “And, so what? You were just gonna… what? Push me away thinking I’d actually go without a fight?”
I press my lips together, considering my words. “How did you find out?”
“Lucky told me.”
I gape at him. “Lucky?”
“Her headphones dull the noise, Baby Draper,” he says as the hint of a wry smile ghosts his lips. “She can still hear…”
“Oh my God.” I clutch a hand to my stomach, suddenly feeling very sick. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t?—”
“Hey, look at me,” Happy says, tucking a finger beneath my chin and lifting my face as he ducks down just low enough to meet my eyes. “Don’t worry about Lucky; she’s fine. But Baby Draper… what the fuck?” He searches my face, a sliver of hurt flashing in his gaze. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I was going to, I just—” Tearing my fingers through my hair, I huff an incredulous sigh. “Happy, Chris Garret is powerful, conniving, andmean,” I stress the word. “And I don’t want to be the reason you get traded to the other side of the fucking country!”
“Jesus Christ, baby, look at me!” he pleads, his other hand coming up to cup my cheek, forcing my eyes to his. “I need you to really listen to what I’m about to tell you.”
