“Middle of the week?”
“Apparently they switch it up. It starts at six thirty. They’ve got food and drinks.”
My phone beeps with another call. “Yeah, sure. I’ll go with you.” I pull the phone down to look at the screen and almost choke. Garrett. His number’s been in my phone since I got the job, but I don’t think he’s used it once.
“Sam. It’s Garrett.”
“What?”
“He’s calling! I’m going to go, I’ll call you?—”
“Go! Go.”
I hang up and switch to the next call, almost forgetting to breathe. “Hey, Garrett.”
“Hey. I heard you’re out shopping.”
I laugh. “Yep, it’s the best job.”
“Sorry to bug you, I know it’s late in the day.”
“No worries,” I say, stepping aside to let a woman with a stroller pass. “What’s up?”
“I, uh…” He chuckles. “This is really last-minute, but I have to go to this dinner tonight. Client event thing, kind of schmoozy. I just found out they’re expecting me to bring a plus-one.”
I blink. “Oh?”
“Yeah.” He pauses. “I thought since you’ll likely be working on this project, you’d be an obvious fit. Plus, I had a great time last night.”
I expect that to send my heart fluttering, but it stays stone quiet. Odd.
“Would you be interested in coming with me?”
My phone buzzes against my cheek. I look at the screen and see a text from Sam.
He’s in the breakroom. Running his HANDS through his HAIR.
For a heartbeat, I forget how to hold my phone. “Tonight?” I echo, a little breathless.
“Yeah, sorry. Totally fine if you can’t.”
“No, I?—”
Garrett is talking to me, asking me out. He’s checking all the boxes forme.
“You still there?” he asks, voice a little uncertain.
“Yeah,” I say quickly. “Sorry, someone bumped me. So, the dinner, I think that should work. What time?”
“Six thirty. At Barolo Grill.”
I blink again.Barolo Grill.One of the fanciest Italian restaurants in the city. “That sounds amazing.”
“Great.” Relief filters through his voice, and it’s so genuine that it steadies me. “Why don’t you head home when you’re done? No need to come back to the office. I’ll pick you up at six?”
“Six works. I’ll see you then.”
fourteen
