Top stared at Auggie and Benji and grinned. “Seems to be.”
“Benji and Auggie?” Justine goggled then gave a slow nod. “Huh. Now I see it.”
“What? I don’t.” Xavier didn’t know how he could have missed all the feelings floating over the table. But he didn’t know that he liked it, and he felt like an ass for feeling that way. So he put on his best smile. “Well then, a toast.” He held up his root beer, waited for everyone else to do the same, then said, “To the lonely Hanovers, lonely no more. May your hearts be full and your bellies stuffed with potato salad and watermelon.”
“That was just lovely, Son,” Cynthia said, dryly. “You all had better eat! I don’t want any leftovers.”
Top shot her a smile. “I think I can handle that.”
“Me too.” Benji dug into his food then paused. “Wait. I’m not dating Auggie.”
“Shh. We’ll talk about it later, okay?” Auggie patted his hand on the table then ignored him.
Benji looked confused but continued to eat.
Everyone kept talking and smiling, and Justine’s laughter made him warm all over. But Xavier knew something inside him had shifted.
He just didn’t know what.
CHAPTER 35
Friday, July 8th
Justine didn’t know why she sensed a change between her and Xavier, as she couldn’t fault him for his attentiveness. But something seemed off with her boyfriend.
Herboyfriend.
Whenever she thought of him as her significant other, she felt warm and fuzzy inside.
“Justine, where are the specs on Anweiss Tech?” one of the project managers asked over the wall of her cubicle.
“What?”
He frowned. “The social media presentation for Anweiss Tech? We have a meeting on Monday to discuss our projections.” At her silence, he added, “Laura’s files should have had them listed as a priority.”
“Well, Nash,” she said with her super-friendly voice, “I still haven’t gotten through all of Laura’s files. I just finally got caught up on my own projects. Next, I have some emails and calls to return. Then I can get to Laura’s stuff.”
“That won’t work.” He shook his head. “We need to talk to Frank about this.”
“Yes, let’s.” She’d had her fill of her boss. Every day he grew more obnoxious, asking her to stay later and later. She’d gone back on her promise to herself to stop being weak and had stayed late Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Yesterday she’d worked through lunch but had gone home on time. Not early, on time.
But today, in addition to his earlier email about putting in time this weekend to help him finish an overview presentation for one of his new clients, with Nash’s attitude and Frank’s idiot thinking that Justine would be everyone’s assistant on everything, she’d hit her breaking point.
Xavier had been subtly mentioning every day for her to own her strengths and acknowledge she deserved better. And Kenzie’s business had offered her another client if she so desired.
Justine had a glimpse of what her future might hold. But she needed to reach out and grab it.
Or kick it squarely between its legs, for once.
She followed Nash down the hall to Frank’s office, where he sat getting chummy with his boss and two of his project managers. How the hell did any of them have time to drink coffee and trade jokes when she had to stay late to get her work done?
Nash knocked on the doorframe. “Hey, Frank. We need to talk to you about the Anweiss Tech meeting coming up.”
Frank’s companions joked as they left the office. “Oh, Frank. You’re in trouble now.”
He laughed them off and stood, looking handsome and smarmy as usual. The guy practically oozed incompetence.
Justine looked around his big office, seeing all he’d earned on other people’s backs. Hers especially.
