It doesn’t work.
“We actually have alotto talk about,” Marissa shuts the door.
Marissa flips her hair over her shoulder. “I’m not an idiot. You, Adrian, Caleb and Maddy werealllate to work today.”
I turn on my computer and wait for it to boot up. “I’m not sure what you’re getting at.”
“Oh, stop playing coy, Beck.” She slams the papers down on the edge of my desk. “You know, I always thought you were smarter than this.”
“Than what?” I smirk, trying to play it off.
She glares at me, her eyes icy and cold. “Getting involved withher.”
“Yeah, that’s not any of your business, Marissa.” I try to keep my tone even, but the irritation is building. “We’re not discussing my personal life. It’s irrelevant to you.”
“It’s not when it screws up my work life,” she argues. “You’re acting like you invented the office romance. Like no one else ever…” She breaks off, sucking in a breath that inflates her whole chest. “I just thought we had an understanding. I thought you weredifferent.”
The urge to apologize is strong, but the urge to bail is even stronger. However, my pride and desire to stop this before it gets out of hand are way more important. I lean back in my chair and put my hands up, palms open—the universal gesture for surrender.
“Look,” I say with a light shrug. “We had a good time. I thought you did, too. I told you that it wasn’t going anywhere. It was just somecasual fun.”
Marissa laughs sharply. “Isthatwhat you call it? Because you seemed to beveryinvested in the ‘fun’ we were having.”
I glance out into the hallway, praying for literallyanydistraction—a fire drill, an earthquake, a spontaneous portal to another world—but nothing happens. The universe clearly wants me to own this.
“It was just a casual thing, Marissa,” I reiterate, forcing myself to meet her eyes.
She narrows her eyes at me, her face growing a deep shade of crimson. “So it was just like all your other conquests then, right? You’re so fucking predictable, Beck.” She throws her hands in the air. “You act like you’re totally crazy about someone, and then you just fucking ghost them for the next one.”
I open my mouth to retort, but Marissa steamrolls right over me. “I hope she knows what she’s in for. I hope she knows how many girls you’ve made promises to. I guess she’s too stupid to see through the façade.”
My hands ball into fists before I realize it, irritation and worry burning deep in my chest. “Don’t fucking talk about her like that.”
“Wow…” Her eyes widen, and then she laughs bitterly. “You actually care about your little precious Maddy. That’s a first for you.”
Before I can answer, there’s a shuffle from the open office area. Maddy is at her desk, sifting through a file folder, wearinga black blazer over a striped top. Her hair is pulled up in a twist with a pencil stabbed through it. She has earbuds in and is engrossed in whatever she’s reading.
“I need to speak with Maddy,” I say, snapping my attention back to Marissa and folding my arms across my chest. “I have things to discuss with her.”
“I bet you do.” Marissa rolls her eyes, just as my office door swings open.
My eyes snap to see Maddy standing in the doorway, a strange look on her face. “Hey,” I say, trying to keep my tone neutral. “I was just wrapping things up with Marissa.” I make it a point notto look at Marissa as the words leave my mouth.
“Um, okay. I was just hoping to talk to you about something.” Her vague request has my stomach knotting up, especially given the way that she’s rocking back on her heels.
But maybe it’s just the fact that Marissa is still looming in my office, standing there clutching the papers in her arms.
“Well, Marissa was actually just leaving,” I say.
“No, I wasn’t,” Marissa shoots back at me, glaring behind her fake lashes. “That’s the problem with you, Beck. You think you can just brush me off like I’m nothing. You’rewrong.”
“What?” Maddy’s brows furrow, and I feel the panic rising in my chest. She turns to Marissa. “Did you not give him the reports?”
Marissa rolls her eyes. “No, Maddy. I haven’t given him the reports that you asked me to distribute—becauseyouwere late. You and Beck were both late.”
Maddy just shrugs, but I see the flicker of irritation in her expression. “I don’t really understand what you’re trying to say. Beck is always late.”
Marissa tips her head back and laughs. “Beck, you may as well just fess the fuck up. It’s so disgusting to see you avoiding accountability.”
