She immediately retreated, looking insulted. “He’s not my boyfriend. We haven’t really put a title on what we are yet. And no, he wouldn’t mind me pulling yellow fluffy things out of your hair because you’re like a brother to me.” She shivered. “Gross.”
I put my hands up. “I was just trying to be fair to the guy. No need to throw up in your mouth a little.”
Her responding grin suddenly turned into a frown. “Ugh, I fell right into your fishing for information trap, didn’t I? Are you going to report to John that I don’t consider Denver my boyfriend?”
“His name is Denver?”
She smacked my arm before turning her focus completely to the road, and no matter what I said for the remainder of the drive, she remained silent. Mission accomplished. The second we parked, she grabbed her stuff and took off. It was better if it didn’t look like we’d arrived together anyway.
6
___________
Lauren
There was something seriously wrong with me. Ihadbeen toying with Clay, and whether or not it would have bothered Denver, it was certainly bothering me that I couldn’t seem to help myself. How could flirting and fighting walk such a thin line? Sometimes I just wanted to see how far I could push things to get a reaction out of Clay, like he triggered my competitive nature or something.
He was my co-worker, my enemy, my brother’s best friend, and my dad’s lackey. I had a million reasons to keep me from ever considering Clay as anything other than a nuisance, so why wasn’t I acting like it?
I cleared my thoughts the best I could and squared my shoulders before walking into the conference room, where almost everyone was already seated at the table staring at their phones. My dad turned around from the white board and raised one eyebrow when he saw me. To him, five minutes early was five minutes late, especially when it came to our mandatory safety meetings.
Clay slipped into his seat right as Dad was writing talking points on the board.
Dad would write a follow-up email with the minutes of the meeting, but I took my own notes. Attitudes were contagious, and when Parker and I paid attention, so did the rest of the guys. With the size of our small company, even one more recordable incident would have OSHA all over our backs.
The guys had gotten lax about wearing their ear and eye protection, not to mention the cigarette butts Dad found near the welding equipment. He gave our three smokers a verbal tongue-lashing that had all of us wincing. Of course, if he didn’t threaten to fire us all at least once, it wasn’t a Tuesday.
After the meeting, Clay tilted his head towards Parker to let me know they’d take care of getting his truck jumped, and I was relieved.
I went back to my desk and went through the equipment logs, checking to make sure everything had been returned that morning as scheduled. No one bothered me for a blessed hour until Dad loomed over my desk, bearing donuts.
That was never a good sign, but I took a glazed treasure from him anyway.
“What’s up, John?”
“Did Parker tell you about the Idaho trip?”
“Yes.” I kept my eyes on my paperwork. “Is it worth going all the way to Idaho for? I haven’t seen the specs.”
“We’re in negotiations with the owner now, but yes, it’s worth it.”
“I don’t think Parker needs me along then, do you?” I looked up, trying to appear nonplussed, as if the thought had only just occurred to me.
“I’d really like you two to go together.”
“Clay could go. He’d actually get Parker to take turns with driving the thing.” I knew from experience Parker would have to be on death’s door to let me take the wheel.
“I need Clay here, and it would be good for you and Parker to spend some time together. I trust you’ll get the job done no matter who’s driving.”
Parker was going to hate me if I failed him. I took a bite of donut and tried to think of my next plan of attack.
Dad shrugged. “Of course, maybe I could let you off this one time if you’ll promise me one thing.”
Crud. He’d led me right into a trap. I’d never been the one ahead in this conversation. “Oh yeah?”
“Your mother is planning a nice family luncheon for this Sunday and we’d love it if you’d bring the young man you’re dating.”
“Dad, that is so unnecessary. We’ve only been out on a couple of dates.”
