She is smiling, relaxed. "I think the promotion's great. He was busy when I went in there, and I got to see him with his jacket off and shirt sleeves rolled up, so score me."
She is looking at me like she's expecting some sort of answer.
"I was busy with Luke."
At that moment, the table around us turns quiet, and then a rushing rumble of comments hits me.
Enzo, apparently, has walked in and is sitting at the bar with a pretty girl and a guy in glasses.
My heart turns cold, and I refuse to look. Refuse to speculate on the woman, and I just... I don't want to deal.
Ruby leans over, facing me but letting her eyes stray to the bar. "The woman is definitely with the hottie with the glasses."
"Not my business."
She rolls her eyes.
Everyone is talking about how sexy the new CEO is and how amazing it is that he is here with the rest of us.
The conversation bounces back to his looks, and I want to hide.
He is attractive, I guess.
But I'm lying to myself, I don't need to look at him to remember my first reaction to seeing him again. Seeing him and not recognizing him, so I can't even claim I wore childish rose-colored glasses.
He is no-holds-barred hot. Sexy. Gorgeous.
It is just... I don't want him.
Ruby nudges me. "Are you being coy because you secretly want him?"
I jerk back and then pick up my drink and gulp it down, somehow managing not to sputter from the burn of the liquor.
Is Ruby reading my mind?
I shake my head. "No. He's attractive, but not my type."
Ruby snorts a laugh. "He's everyone's type. Look at him."
I dart a look over and try to tell myself his friend, with the woman and the glasses he has now moved to the top of his head—the guy in the black hoodie and jeans—is more my type. If I have a type.
But I just nod and keep that silent.
Mainly because it is a lie.
Shit.
I send WN—Alex—a text.Hey.
Not very exciting, but soft and open-ended. Because now we know names, what if he decides to just back off?
The phone goes dark.
Then it lights up.
Alex
Did you hear from my PI?
