Page 52 of Defended By Love

Although, upon reflection, I guess she’s right. Yesterday I made the post letting everyone know I was safe. No, wait—yesterday I died. The day before I made the post. God, this is getting a bit confusing.

“I’m glad to see that Hailey has friends who cares so much about her,” Grant says, pulling me out from her claustrophobia-inducing hug and into his own side arm embrace. Out of the frying pan into the fire, I guess. Although, I do admit that I like the way the fire’s hard body feels against me.

Also, I’m not quite sure about Grant’s use of the word friend. Beth is my office nemesis—not that she’s aware of it, of course. I’m just consistently on my noble quest to work until I fall asleep at my desk and she’s always trying to foil my plans by making me attend an office luncheon or by asking about my day.

Positively vexing.

Except, it’s a bit hard to hype myself up to villainize the nicest person I’ve ever met when she’s very admiringly ogling the man beside me. I shoot her a little half-smile that’s all ‘oh yeah, he’s with me’. It’s not often I get to show off some arm candy. Usually, I’m the one explaining the merits of not bringing a date to the office Christmas party.

“Well, clearly I can see that you had other things to do last night instead of sneaking into work,” she says, with a little waggle of her eyebrows.

“Oh yes,” I agree. “I certainly have better things to do than sneak into work in the middle of the night.”

Grant squeezes me a little with the arm that’s around me. I elbow him slightly (yes, with the pointy one).

“Hi, I’m Grant, Hailey’s boyfriend.” He extends his hand to her.

“Wow…” she breathes, staring at their joined hands. “No wonder you never want to come for drinks after work.”

“No!” I say a little too loudly. I follow it up with five more no’s for good measure. “He’s not my boyfriend. And also, that’s not why I don’t come out for drinks. I don’t come out for drinks because no one ever wants to talk about work at those things and that’s all I want to talk about.”

Except, maybe that’s not right. I had a great talk with Shelly this morning and I didn’t even tell a single work anecdote.

“Right, not boyfriend,” Grant agrees. I shoot him a thankful look. “Future husband,” he amends with a wide grin. It’s a grin that says he’s half-teasing me and half-completely serious.

“You’re engaged?” Beth looks completely horrified. “I didn’t know! I didn’t throw you a party. I know how sad I was when no one in the office even acknowledged my birthday last week. You must hate me? Do you hate me? Of course, you do. Oh god, I can’t believe I didn’t know!”

Thank god we’re in a time loop. There’s a part of me that’s seriously worried that I just broke Beth. Between her thinking I was dead and now thinking she missed a chance to shove balloons in my face, I think she’s on the verge of a mental breakdown.

Also, did we really all forget her birthday? That’s pretty shitty, even for me. Probably best to brush past that at this point.

“No, no,” I say quickly. “He’s just kidding. We just met. I really don’t know him at all.”

“You met my mom this morning,” Grant adds oh-so helpfully.

Beth looks between us, eyebrows raised.

“It’s a long story,” I say.

“We’re soulmates,” Grant says at the same time.

Again, Beth looks between us with her eyebrows raised. “…I don’t know what kind of party to throw for that.”

Whatever. I don’t have time for this.

“Throw me whatever party you want—No, you know what, let’s have a giant game of Twister to celebrate all the different positions I’m hoping this guy will take me in. How’s that?”

“Yes,” Grant agrees.

Beth grimaces. “I’ll have to run it by HR I guess… Sorry. I want to be supportive, I do. I just don’t know what I’d put on the banner.”

“Congratulations on the perfect love that you’ve found?” suggests Grant.

Annnd I’ll just brush past that, too.

“Let’s actually talk about this tomorrow,” I say sweetly. “We’ll do lunch tomorrow and we’ll talk everything. I’ll even help you plan out the party!”

I hold my falsely bright smile as Beth gushes over how excited she is to have lunch with me on a day that will probably never come. To my right, I can feel Grant’s stare boring into the side of my face.

---