"The Svenssons?" the twins said.
"I'm cooking for them tomorrow."
"Cooking?" the twins chorused.
"Are you just going to repeat everything I say like a couple of ghosts?" I demanded. In unison, the twins turned to each other, exchanged a look, then turned back to me.
"We're feeling bad energy from you," Lilith stated.
"It's the energy of being broke and having too little self-control around baked goods," I retorted, switching off my camera and unhooking my microphone.
* * *
After slicingoff another morsel for myself and then wrapping up the cheesecake, I went up to the bathroom. It had an old claw-foot tub with a brass telephone-style faucet. I turned on the water as hot as it would go then lit way too many candles. I needed some self-care. A nice romance novel and a long soak would help me clear my head.
As the water ran, filling the bathroom with steam, my phone buzzed. It was Garrett. My heart yammered.
It's from the sugar,I assured myself.It is totally not because you're a weirdo who gets all hot and bothered because her boss texts her in a professional capacity.
I peeked at the message.
Garrett:Were you serious about coming over tomorrow?
Penny:Of course! Besides I promised your little brothers they wouldn't have to eat boring fish.
Garrett:Ok. You don't have to if you don't want to.
Penny:I love cooking. You're not going to get rid of me that easily.
Was he onto me? Suddenly I didn't know if a relaxing bath was going to help undo the knots in my stomach. My whole life, I had wanted to be a journalist. I’d wanted to work for a reputable paper, exposing the lies of shady politicians and making a difference. Instead, I had taken the worst of the worst writing jobs to pay rent and student loans. I had done a lot of crappy things in the name of a paycheck, but for some reason, this article on the Svenssons seemed like the worst.
"I'm not going to reveal anything incriminating or embarrassing. Maybe I'll write a sweet piece that makes them all look great!" I said to my reflection in the mirror.
Even as I told myself that, I knew my mother wouldn't accept such a thing. She wanted the scandal—the titillating details! That's what sold.
Garrett:Thank you. I'm glad you're coming.
I stared at the phone. Was that a typo? Did he mean hewasn'treally glad? I stuffed a bite of cheesecake into my mouth, letting the caramel coat my tongue.
Penny:Tired of eating your own cooking?
Garrett:Mace and Archer have their girlfriends around when they cook. It helps to have more people to corral the kids in the kitchen.
Penny:I'm good at kid corralling!
Ah, so that was it. Garrett didn't want me there for him, he wanted me there as a babysitter. A part of me was a little miffed. It wouldn’t be so bad for Garrett to want me, right? Then I thought about the article. It was better that we stayed strictly professional. He was going to hate me when this article came out.
18
Garrett
"You almost veered off the edge," I chastised myself after texting with Penny. I wasn't even sure what had spurred me to contact her. What did I care if she showed or not tomorrow? I didn't even like her.
But if I was being honest, I was perhapsmildlysexually attracted to her. Okay, not mildly if the dream I’d had the previous night was anything to go by, but it was not as if I needed a girlfriend. She would just be a distraction.
One day in the distant future, I would find a nice accountant or an insurance claims adjuster and settle down. She would have a capsule wardrobe of interchangeable separates in all neutrals, with hair cut medium length an even two inches below her shoulder. She would run marathons and be vegan. She wouldn't be anything like Penny.
Penny was all curves and soft sweaters, and she smelled like pumpkin spice. I wondered if she tasted like it too. I forced myself to bury the feelings. I refused to be the asshole who lusted after his assistant. She was causing me to go against all of my rules. Normally I didn't text, preferring not to leave an electronic trail.
