We stared at each other for a long moment before he dropped his gaze back to the carpet.I walked out the door without saying a word.
“I do.What’s not to love?”
“So humble.”
Marco grinned.“I try.Now that we’re living together, though, remember to keep it in your pants, okay?I love you, Cal, but you’re just not my type.”
“Is it the vagina?The brown hair?”
“The vagina I’m good with.Brown hair I could handle.It’s that stick up your ass that’s the real boner-killer.”
“Well, you can just go right ahead and fuck yourself.”This was a familiar conversation.According to Marco—and almost everyone else who knew me—I was “too serious” and needed to “lighten up.”Whatever.
“Speaking of fucking, do you think your new boss will keep his hands to himself?”
“Gross!Mr.Price is twice my age.”
“Maybe he’ll ask you to call him daddy.”He winked at me in the mirror.
“You’re disturbed.Truly.”I rolled my eyes, and Marco smacked my ass on his way out of the bathroom.
“Marco!”I lunged and swatted at him.He danced out of my reach, laughing.
“Aren’t you going to be late?”I shouted at his retreating back.While I only had a fifteen-minute walk to the Price Industries building, Marco had a twenty-five-minute bus ride to his father’s advertising firm.
“I’m already late,” he said, stepping out of his room and checking his watch.It was the only thing he was wearing other than the tight black boxer briefs that had replaced the towel.It was alook.
I scowled and swiped at him again, this time connecting with his hand.“Hurry up.I don’t want to be late.Some of us like to maintain professionalism in the workplace.”
His tone turned deep and mocking as he mimicked my frown.He stepped toward me and brought his thumb up to rub the furrow between my brows.“So serious.”
My scowl deepened, and he dissolved into a fit of laughter.
“Alright, alright, I’m going.”A few minutes later, he emerged from his bedroom wearing navy fitted slacks and knotting a tie over his crisp, white button-down.
“Better?”He did a little spin.
“Mhm,” I straightened his tie, resting my hands on his chest.
“Thanks, mom.”He kissed the top of my head.“Now, let’s get you to that fancy-pants internship so you can knock ‘em all dead.”
* * *
Marco walkedwith me on my cold fifteen-minute trek to Price Industries—the opposite direction from where he needed to catch his bus.I craned my neck to look up at the towering building, all sleek glass and steel against the gray skyline.
The lobby was modern yet inviting, with marble floors and tasteful selection of avant-garde artwork.As per Janice’s instructions, I approached the large, half-circular front desk to check in.
“Good morning,” I said in my most professional tone.“My name is Callie Winters.Today is my first day in the Special Projects department.”
The receptionist frowned and stabbed at the keys of her computer.“Ah, Miss Winters.Here we go.”
She instructed me to stand in front of a small camera mounted on the lobby desk to take my employee ID photo.Within a couple of minutes, it printed my badge.I examined it and cringed.Not my best angle.
“Oof.”
The receptionist laughed.I had forgotten there was a witness to this moment of mortification.
“Don’t worry,” she said.“I’ve seen way worse.I’m Sarah, by the way.Welcome to Price Industries.”
