“I don’t know how to be romantic. I’ve never done this shit before either. I thought maybe a grand gesture would go over well with Zoe and get some of the Greg rumors off her back.”
That sounds believable enough, and it’s not entirely untrue.
Tristan makes a noise, running his hand through his auburn hair. “It’s okay. We can still turn this around. You’re going to have to go to Zoe’s office and do some damage control in Dominik fashion. Take a few tickets and warm up to her boss. Turn on your charm. Maybe put on a small display of affection in front of everyone with Zoe. That should kill the Boston office bullshit too. Everyone will chalk up the roses as a total romantic gesture. You’ll win extra brownie points with some free tickets and an apology from the team captain himself.”
I’m afraid to look at Zoe. “Only if that’s okay with you.”
She’s staring down, playing with her hands. A long silence from her leaves me breathless, realizing that her agreement could finally give us some alone time together. We need to talk, desperately.
“Sure. But get an extra ticket for my friend Via.”
“Who’s Via? Is she hot?” Tristan jumps in, and I smack his chest.
The jackass can’t help himself. Always needing to insert humor into every situation. Fortunately, this time, Zoe responds positively by smiling and playfully throwing the couch cushion at Tristan. It misses him by a long shot.
“I need to pack for the airport. I won’t be around until later this week.” Chugging back my coffee, I place my empty mug in the sink and turn to see Aaron standing right behind me.
“You’re acting weird,” he states.
“Am I? Maybe it’s you who’s off.”
“What the fuck crawled up your ass?”
I glance behind Aaron, gritting my teeth and itching to leave. “We’re not talking about this right now, or here.”
He narrows his eyes, clearly annoyed by my childish behavior, but I don’t give a shit. I’m allowed to be pissed at him for the way he’s been treating his sister.
“We’re going to continue this conversation later.”
“Sure thing, boss. And before we do, maybe reassess your actions. You’re always telling us to improve and reassess. It’s your turn to take your own advice.” I subtly gesture toward Zoe with my head as she watches us intently, attempting to listen to our quiet conversation.
Schooling my features, I steal a last look at her before leaving the apartment, longing to turn back and catch her gaze. I’m too scared to turn and look for any signs of hope on her face, fearing that it would crush me to see the opposite. My patience is wearing thin with her silent treatment, especially considering what happened last night.
The fear of losing her is getting to me, but I find a glimmer of hope as I replay her drunken words in my mind. Over and over again like a broken record player.
It’s all I’ve got right now.
6
ZOE
Taylor Swift is blasting in my headphones, and my second coffee has finally kicked in. I’m working on a marketing and communication plan for one of Tracy’s new clients, and the ideas are pouring out of me. My shoulders are swaying, and I’m finally in a good mood. Probably because I haven’t had the urge to drink alcohol for a few days. I’ve felt different, not better or in a more forgiving mood, just different.
Or maybe it has everything to do with getting a much-needed break from Dominik. He was gone all last week for hockey, which means no surprise run-ins. Seeing him is inevitable though, since I’m going to his home game and an after party at the end of this week. I took a couple of snaps for Insta during his last game, showing my support from the comfort of my couch with wings and pizza. Things have been getting quieter by the day on the Dom rumor front, and I’m just happy that at least one thing is going according to plan.
Being at work has also been a welcome distraction. Thanks to Via and Tracy, I have plenty to keep me busy.
Suddenly, my headphones are violently tugged off my head.
“Hey!” I exclaim, turning around to find a frantic, wide-eyed Via standing behind me. There is a tiny dollop of cream on her chin from her coffee. “What was that for?”
“I’m going to fucking murder you.”
I try to scan my brain quickly, attempting to remember if I forgot something important. Via’s heavy panting could easily turn her into a dragon capable of spewing fire.
“What—”
“Shut up.” She smacks the side of my head. “When were you going to tell me your boyfriend was going to stop in today?”
