Page 15 of Yours Temporarily

“We both have an agreement.”

“Not to fall in love?” Wes ticks his head. He’s always more practical than Nico and me. Maybe because he’s also the most spiritual.

I want to insist I won’t let my heart stray again, but the more time I spend with Zuri, the more I want to know her beyond this façade.

Nico parks behind us and approaches, carrying his driver. He’s grinning. “Sounds like someone’s catching feelings,” his Italian accent is more pronounced with his playful mood.

I groan. How’d he know what Wes and I discussed? “It’s not like that. It’s just… We get along.”

“Just be careful.” Wes twirls his club with a practiced motion. “Playing pretend can be fun, but what if you fall for her and she doesn’t reciprocate?”

They both know what Sonya did to me, and I’m grateful for Wes’s concern and reminder. Still, with Wes’s words ringing in my ears, I shank my drive. I take a deep breath. I’ll be searching the rough for that ball. I shrug. “No one’s falling in love.”

Nico chuckles. “And if there’s falling in love, you can turn the fake into reality.” He adjusts his sun visor. “If it doesn’t work out, there are plenty more fish in the sea. Just cast your net, eh?”

I laugh despite myself, feeling a temporary lift from my thoughts. “Fish in the sea.”

Overhead, screeching seagulls drown my voice. Finding that one person in the vast ocean of possibilities is daunting.

As the afternoon wanes, our conversation shifts to work and the latest office gossip, but my mind remains anchored on Zuri. Each stroke, each putt, reflects the complexity of my feelings for her. Nico’s teasing and Wes’s counsel resonate, hinting this charade might evolve into something profound.

The sun begins its descent as we conclude our game. Nico, as usual, ends up with the short end of the stick. “Dinner’s on me tonight,” I declare, having secured a decent second place.

“But you didn’t lose,” Wes points out, his tone light.

“When I lose our next bike race, Nico will be the one paying.” I grin toward Nico, who’s wiping perspiration with the back of his hand.

As we leave the course, Wes commends Nico on his viral graphic post for Stone Financial.

Nico growls, “Don’t even get me started with the graphic designer.”

“She’s friends with Zuri.” I can’t recall her name. “What’s her name again?”

“Pain in my chest, if you ask me,” Nico retorts, probably only half joking.

“She seemed laid-back when I saw her.” I shrug. “At least she gets the job done right.”

Nico scoffs. “Trust me, we spend more hours arguing over what goes on the platform or website than getting the job done.”

Ever the peacemaker, Wes jostles Nico. “Seems to me, you make a good marketing team.”

We approach the clubhouse, the warmth of the setting sun and the camaraderie of my friends buoy my spirits. Thoughts of ring shopping for Zuri and her unique proposal preferences dance in my mind. It could be an uncertain path, but I’m in the safe zone since it’s all pretend.

CHAPTER 6

Zuri

An active kitchen always energizes me. It’s the one place where cooking brings out the rawest feelings and opens conversation avenues that might otherwise remain unexplored. This resonates with me anew today as I dry a mixing bowl, Damien’s voice a backdrop from where he stands at the opposite counter.

Cooking has always been more than a job for me. But I fear losing my passion for it if it becomes too constrained.

“I’m yet to figure out Kress’s intentions.” Jeremy’s last name pulls me back to the present as my brother cradles the red bowl of frosting he’s mixing. Damien’s wooden spoon slaps the bowl so furiously he might crack it. It’s been a week since Lexi printed those photos, but Damien could write a booklet of bad reviews about the picture of Jeremy and me. “All the years I’ve worked at Stone, Kress has never smiled at me, and suddenly, he’s all like a lovesick teen with Zuri.”

“Zuri has what you don’t have.” Across the counter, Olivia’s manning the beef stroganoff, her movements rhythmic and assured. Her blonde-highlighted hair, tied up in a ponytail, catches the light when she glances over her shoulder. “Jeremy is one of the office heartthrobs. And guess what else?” She plants a hand on her curvy hip bunching up the tank top she’s wearing over gray leggings. “I’ll let you beat me in Uno if—”

“Why would a man like him still be single?” Damien demands.

“Because he’s been waiting for Zuri all along.” Lexi pats her camera, shaking her short brown hair around her face, and jiggles through a silly dance step. “Isn’t it great how they hit it off?”

---