I’m onto you, Miss Lewis, and it’s only a matter of time before I figure out what your game plan is.
“I’m talking in general terms.”
“You never answered my question,” I say, chuckling as she stares blankly at me. “What are you doing at work on Thanksgiving?”
“Thanking my boss for giving me a job.”
I roll my eyes. “You don’t expect me to buy that, do you? You had a job. You didn’t need mine, remember?” The little minx used it to bargain for double the contract fee, citing damage to her reputation from walking away from a client mid-project. Maybe it’s true, but I’m calling bullshit. I’ve seen her bank balance, and she’s not short of cash.
“Okay, you got me.” She sits up straighter. “It’s too far to travel home for one day, and I didn’t want to take any more time off. I’m already one month behind, and I’m determined to finish this project on time.”
“You could have worked remotely for a couple days. I’m not an ogre. It’s the holidays, and you’re entitled to a break.”
Her eyes latch on mine, holding me captive, and it’s like being sucker-punched in the nuts. Her gaze is usually so guarded but not now. Now, she’s shielding nothing, and I’m intrigued by this woman who may or may not want to do me harm. “Truth is I didn’t want to go home. My brother isn’t there, and he’s the only good thing about my family.”
“Go on.” I encourage her with my eyes.
“My father is very controlling,” she supplies. I got that impression when she said he was misogynistic. “And we rarely see eye to eye.” Emotion washes over her face, and she grips the arms of her chair tight. Her eyes flare with anger, and her tone is bristling when she speaks. “My stepmother is an evil cunt, and if she wasn’t Arlo’s mother I’d have?—”
“What? Don’t stop before you get to the good part.”
The walls go back up, and she flashes me a tight smile. “Let’s just say we have never gotten along and leave the rest up to your imagination.”
“I have a very vivid imagination.”
“I’d say.”
“What does that mean?” I push off the doorway.
She shrugs. “Keep your panties on, Drew. I wasn’t insinuating anything. Just that men in your position have sharp minds, and I imagine vivid imaginations are the norm.”
She totally just tried to play me, and her guards are firmly back in place. But she let me in for a second, and I want to see more of that. She might let something slip if I can get her in a relaxed environment. I don’t stop to question my decision the second the idea lands in my head, choosing to just run with it. “Pack up your things and come with me.”
Brief alarm shimmers in her eyes before she disguises it. “Why?” Distrust underscores her tone.
“No one works at Manning Motors on Thanksgiving, and no one should spend the day alone. You’re coming home with me.”
She blinks repeatedly. “Why would you do that? You don’t even like me.”
“I never said I don’t like you.”
“You don’t have to. I read it in your body language, and you weren’t exactly welcoming last week at dinner.”
“I don’t like being caught off guard, and you can’t blame me for being suspicious given how we met.”
“Fair enough, but that still doesn’t explain why you’d want to bring me to your place on Thanksgiving.”
“Not to mine. My mom is hosting Thanksgiving at her house. And I already told you why I’m inviting you. It doesn’t sit right letting you go home to an empty apartment. Abby would string me up by my balls if she knew. She’ll love to see you. Demi too.”
“I don’t know, Drew.” She runs a hand through her hair. “I can’t just show up unannounced and uninvited.”
“I’minviting you, and I’ll call my mom on the way. There is always way too much food, and we can easily fit one more in. It’ll be fun. Although I should warn you it’ll be like a zoo with wild animals-slash-kids racing around the place, a bunch of my asshole friends, and their nosy significant others, and if I rock up with you on my arm, my mother will fall at your feet and worship the ground you walk on because she’ll think we’re dating and you’ve tamed me.”
She cracks up laughing, and it does something funny to my insides, which I do not like. I’m considering rescinding my offer when she closes her laptop and stands, grinning widely. “Why didn’t you say that in the first place? It sounds incredible and I’d love to join you.”
* * *
Athena
