He is still cackling when he asks, “Marry me?”
I look at Sophia, hoping this whole thing didn’t just make a negative impression. But all I get in response is a dismissive eyeroll and an annoyed huff. “Carolina, the one just proposing to you is my younger brother, Josh, and the dumbass next to him is his partner, Clay,” she introduces.
Clay steps toward me, extending his hand as if he wants to shake mine. Yet, his hand swiftly retreats when I give it a critical look, crossing my arms over my chest.
“I was going to say it’s nice to meet you… but now I’m not so sure anymore.” He smirks.
Josh says in a kind voice, “Don’t mind him. It truly is nice to meet you, Carolina. Are you the new intern?”
“Yes, and she’s also my new teammate. I just hired her after graduation,” Sophia says. I turn to her, and she shoots me a grin.
“That’s awesome,” Josh says, his eyes full of interest as they lock onto mine. “We came to ask Sophia if she was down to grab an early dinner with us. You’re more than welcome to join. Looks like we’ll be bumping into each other more often now anyway.”
I don’t eat in front of others when I can avoid it.And let’s be real, I doubt I can afford the places they eat at.
“No, thank you,” I say.
Sophia searches my face before she nods. “Maybe next time. But grab your stuff and head out with us. Don’t want you getting lost in the maze already.”
“It’s only five,” I point out, double-checking my phone. Sophia had told me we’d be working until five thirty.
She just shrugs and says, “We should take it easy on day one. Feel free to head home.”
I’m not going to argue with that. Maybe I’ll have enough time to grab something to eat for Howie and me before my bar shift begins at six thirty.
I pick up my things and trail behind them out of the room. They’re chatting between themselves, so I hang back, but I catch how Josh shoots me a look over his shoulder.
As we reach the front desk, Sophia stops, and Margaret gives her a friendly smile.
“Did you have a good day, dear?” Margaret asks.
Sophia replies with a beaming smile of her own. “I did, thanks! How about you?”
The elderly woman nods in response, and Sophia leans in slightly over the counter. “Did you have a chance to make a badge for my newbie?”
I frown, catching Clay’s smirk out of the corner of my eye.
“Not yet, but I can whip up a temporary one for now. Was it… Karen?”
Clay laughs, hastily covering his mouth with his hand when I glare at him. On the other hand, Josh openly grins at me, clearly finding this funny too.
“No, it’s Carolina Costa. She’s the new intern in the forensic toxicology department,” Sophia corrects her, and Margaret begins typing my name into her computer.
“Ah… there she is,” she announces before printing something. She passes me a sheet of paper with a QR code. “This is your temporary badge. You’ll need it to get in until I can get your permanent one sorted. Keep it with you at all times, and don’t lose it,” she instructs, her voice taking on a stern note that was absent when talking to Sophia.
“Thank you,” I mumble, turning toward Sophia. “So, same time tomorrow?”
She pulls me into a hug, catching me off guard. She laughs when she sees my surprised face as she pulls away. “You better be here!” she declares before heading off. Then she calls over her shoulder, “Let’s go, boys. I’m starving.”
Clay grins and salutes me, then turns to follow Sophia. But Josh hangs back for a moment longer.
“Have a good evening, Carolina,” he says, smiling. There is a tingle in my chest, but I just nod as he also heads off.
I take a deep breath.
This is going to be interesting.
SEVEN
