"You don't say," Derrick replies.
"Don't even start, 007."
Alex winces. "We're back to 007."
"I noticed that," Mark responds. "What's the problem exactly?"
"You see, when I walked into work today, everyone stopped and stared."
"And?" Mark prods, shoveling a forkful of scrambled eggs into his mouth.
"And then the whispers started. I got the skinny about what's being said. Seems someone leaked the information of me going home with you gentlemen—that is what you claimed to be, right?" I question.
Jamie loads up a plate and takes a seat. I snag a strip of bacon and bite into it. The guys are looking at us like we've lost our minds. How dare we eat their food.
"We are gentlemen," Mark defends. "That's why when Harry from accounting said he saw us leaving The Vault and Derrick was carrying you, I had to explain it wasn't what it looked like. We merely took care of you."
I swallow and point the bacon at him. He winces.
"I might believe you if there was a 'Harry' in accounting."
"You can't know every employee who works here," Derrick cuts in.
"You're right. I don't. But, you see, my dad's name was Harry, so it's a name that kind of sticks out for me," I inform them.
"Maybe it was Henry," Mark offers.
I shake my head. "Try again."
He looks to Alex. "Hank?"
I take a bite of bacon and pointedly stare at Mark. I was right. He's the culprit. He's the one with loose lips.
"What do you want me to say?" Mark asks.
"Admit it. You're the one who's gossiping," I demand, while spooning a bit of jam on my plate, grabbing a croissant, and a handful of bacon.
"If I do, will you stop stealing all the bacon?" he asks.
"Not a chance," I tell him, taking a bite of said bacon. I spoon some fruit salad onto the plate and take a seat next to Derrick.
"Fine. It was me," Mark admits. "I just wanted to cover the bases."
"How so?" I question.
"There were a couple people at The Vault who worked here and I figured if I nipped the gossip in the bud and told the real story before they got a chance to start something sordid, it would be better than the alternative."
I look at Mark and chew my bacon. He stares back.
"Thank you, Mark. I owe you an apology. I thought you just wanted to start shit, but you were looking out for me. I appreciate that," I concede.
Jamie's staring at me, her mouth wide open.
Alex motions to her to close her mouth. "James, I can see your chewed-up food. Close those pretty lips."
She does, blushing a bit.
"I suggest we change our date to Thursday instead of Friday," I announce.
