Page 30 of Slow Burn

“Takes one to know one,” she hit back.

Elijah stepped closer to her in the tiny space of her office. “Adam still gloats about how he won homecoming king, and he graduated with your brother how many years ago?”

“Eighteen years ago, but it might be charming.” She wiggled her eyebrows like this was somehow hysterical.

“No.”

“Elijah, you lost any opportunity to have an opinion on who I do or do not spend time with.”She stood and pushed past him, then opened the door to show him out. “I have another patient.”

“This isn’t over.”

Georgia said nothing as she walked away from him like that was the end of their conversation.

But it was far from it.

CHAPTER

TEN

IT WAS ALMOST seven at night, and Georgia was just finishing her makeup for her date with Adam. They were meeting at Landmere Fountain, an upscale restaurant in town. She spritzed some perfume and checked herself out in the mirror.

Her hair was down, and she spent extra time straightening it. The burgundy cocktail dress showed off her cleavage and then hung loosely, hitting just above her knees. All she needed was some shoes, and she was ready to go.

Her phone went off, and it was a FaceTime call from Sophie.

“Hi there!” Georgia answered, greeted by Sophie and Anna clapping for her.

“Yes, girlfriend,” Sophie shouted. “You look hot.”

Anna nodded. “If things go sour with Elijah, you’ll have Adam salivating over you. You still didn’t tell us what happened when you told him about this date.”

Georgia stepped into her sage-colored heels and smirked when she told Elijah she was wearing them.

“He seemed annoyed, made some offhand comment about how Adam still talks about being homecoming king. I told him how I couldn’t go on the date and how who I date was none of his business, and he stomped off.”

Sophie laughed. “Us running into Adam two minutes after we left you was fate. He was all too excited to take you out.”

“And when Elijah stormed back into work, he went into his office and slammed the door. Roman texted me and was like someone pissed in Lou’s Wheaties because he is moodier than usual,” Anna filled them in.

“I social stalked Adam, and he is cute,” Georgia shared with her friends as she walked down the stairs instead of taking the elevator in her apartment complex. “But is he really still talking about high school when he is an adult in his late thirties?”

“Who cares?” Sophie ignored her. “You don’t plan to marry the guy. He was available for a date, which is step one into making Elijah crack.”

Anna was on her phone while Sophie was giving her a crappy pep talk.

“You just need to get through dinner, and if all goes well, it will annoy the hell out of Elijah.”

Georgia bit her lip. “But I feel bad leading Adam on.”

“Don’t. It’s one date. After dessert, just tell him it was a nice time, but you aren’t feeling it. I do it all the time.”

“Holy shit.” Anna looked back at Sophie’s phone. “Roman let me know Elijah asked him what us girls were doing and was fishing for details. He never does that. I told him to let Elijah know where your date is. I will absolutely lose my mind if Lou goes to the restaurant!”

Sophie gave a devilish smile. “You better text us if Elijah shows up.”

Georgia got off the phone with her friends, buzzing with excitement.

And it had nothing to do with her blind date.