I stuck my hand out. “Rebecca Loren.”
He shook my hand. “Thomas Lancaster.”
Brit leaned into my ear. “But we all call him Tommy.”
I nodded as I released his hand. “It’s very nice to meet you.”
“Come on,” Kayla said as she scooted closer to me, “pull up a seat and come eat with us!”
Tommy’s gaze slid down my figure. “Don’t mind if I do.”
The girls wiggled their eyebrows as he went to fetch his food and I sipped on my iced coffee. The more I got to know the people I’d be working with, the more it filled me with strength. I could do this if I had this kind of team by my side. I mean, if they all struggled with JoJo like this, then maybe it was nothing more than par for the course. Maybe JoJo was a miserable man outside of everything that happened back home, and there wasn’t anything I’d be able to do to change that.
Tommy sitting down at the table ripped me from my train of thought and I found him smiling at me, which I returned in kind.
“So, how are you liking your job so far?” he asked.
“I can see you’re already focused on someone,” Brit said with a giggle.
I felt my cheeks blushing. “It’s going okay. I’m getting my computers and things set up right now, but I’m hoping to at least take a peek at the financials before I head home for the day.”
Tommy nodded his head before he took a bite of his pasta. “Sounds about right. It’ll take all day to set that shit up, anyway, so don’t push yourself. And if you have any questions, you’re more than welcome to call down to me.”
Angelica giggled. “Funny, I didn’t think you worked in I.T.”
Tommy rolled his eyes. “I’m not technologically deficient just because I work in P.R.”
I grinned. “Pretty sure you can’t be while working in P.R.”
He pointed at me with his fork. “I like her. You guys should be more like her.”
We all fell apart in laughter and the more I got to know Tommy, the more refreshing he became. Hell, the more refreshing they all became. But every time he looked my way he seemed to smile a bit more than he did at the other girls. His blue eyes sparkled, and his white smile seemed to twinkle like on those toothpaste commercials. And after we were all done eating, it didn’t shock me one bit when he pulled me off to the side.
“My apologies if I was staring too much,” he said as we stood in the parking lot.
I smiled. “It’s really not a problem.”
He slid his hands into his pockets. “I know this might be a little too quick, and it might overwhelm you, but I’d be honored if you’d let me take you out for drinks sometime this week.”
I giggled. “Is this to welcome your new co-worker, or something else entirely?”
He winked. “Why can’t it be both?”
I mean, he didn’t make my stomach do flips or anything, but he seemed very sweet and incredibly genuine. So, it didn’t take long for me to nod my head in agreement.
“I’d love that. Just let me know when,” I said.
He shrugged. “How about Friday night? I could pick you up at your office and we can take it from there.”
I turned my body toward my rundown car. “I’ll make sure to take a cab to work, then.”
His smile overtook his eyes. “Wonderful. I’m already looking forward to it.”
* * *
The week passedby in a blur and not once had JoJo come down to see me. And while that was refreshing, it was also infuriating. Did he honestly think he could corner me in my office the way he did, threaten me like he had, and then leave me be as if nothing had happened? Still, I tried to not let it get to me.
After all, I had a hot date after work.
