“Huh?” His low, sexy voice had scrambled my brain.
“Why don’t you come back to the office, and we can catch up. My meeting is probably done by now.”
It all sounded so inviting. The words were breezy. Casual. Old friends catching up. But his eyes did not say casual. His body language was not casual. The underlying string between us tightened with tension—the very smoldering, sexy kind of tension that had my nerves pinging overtime.
He had a girlfriend. The way my body was reacting to him, I knew I definitely shouldn’t be alone with him.
“I’d better not,” I said. “I’ve got to get home.”
He paused a moment before he went on in conversation like I hadn’t said a word.
“You were in school, right? Did you get your degree?”
Talk about salt in the wound.
“No.” My fingers absently toyed with a bottle of cleaner. “I had a few setbacks in Fargo. I’m hoping to enroll again soon.”
He looked like he wanted to ask more but hesitated. Clearing my throat, I said, “But it’s all good. It’s been fun seeing you again.” Except, he didn’t look like a man who believed a word I’d said.
“Do you need anything? Any help? As afriend,” he added, emphasizing the word.
“I’m okay. I’m on track again. I’ve got everything I ne—” I moved my hand for effect, swinging awkwardly backward and landing a direct hit on a stack of toilet paper rolls sitting on my cart. We both watched them fly before landing and immediately rolling all around the room.
I looked around for a hole to crawl into. If I had wanted to try and make Duke forget what I was doing in his office building, the toilet paper really helped to bring us back full circle.
With jittery hands, I began picking up the rolls. Duke pushed himself off the door and bent to help me.
“You don’t have to do that.”
He ignored me, stacking the rolls back onto my cart. “How did things go with your grandma?”
“Fine.”
“Fine?”
As usual, the ache whenever I thought of my grandma was still there. “She passed away six months ago, if that’s what you’re wanting to know.”
His eyes grew soft. “I’m sorry.”
“Thanks.”
He didn’t bat an eye. “Is this your only job?”
“I work at a cafe during the day.”Please go away. Go away. Go away.All of these details in my life he remembered only reminded me how full of hope I’d been three years earlier.
“During the day?”
“My schedule rotates. Sometimes I work the morning shift and sometimes the afternoon.”
“Are you still interested in graphic design?”
I needed to start holding my own in this conversation. He had come upon me so suddenly it had disconcerted me. I mentally took a quick breath.
“Yes. Are we finished with the interrogation? I haven’t even had a chance to ask whether your suit is Italian or French made.”
A reluctant smile tugged at his lips. “Smart alec.” He turned toward the door, his hand on the knob. “Well, if you don’t want to catch up with an old friend, I’d better get back to my meeting.”
“Just out of curiosity, how often do you have late meetings?”
