Page 52 of On the Power Play

Jack nodded. "I have meetings in the morning."

"With your team?"

He shook his head. "No, for my actual job."

Delia frowned. "Wait, your actual job?"

He laughed and ran a hand through his hair. There was just enough light filtering in through the closed curtains to make the motion look almost erotic. Delia looked down at her coat even though she already had a finger on the zipper.

"I do product distribution and development for a snowboarding company,” Jack said. “I have no idea if I'll last through this season with the Blizzard, let alone next, so I'm doing double duty."

"Double-oh-duty," Delia murmured, and Jack's brow pulled together.

"What?"

She shook her head. "Nothing." Delia pursed her lips. "So you'll just be hanging out, getting some sleep tonight?"

Jack nodded. "I was thinking about reaching out to some friends while I was here, but I realized anyone I would want to see isn't around anymore. It's been a few years."

A banner popped up on Delia's phone. Mary was texting, but she ignored it. Her arms were jittery. "Do you—I don't want to be presumptuous, but do you mind if I stay and finish the movie?" Her heart pounded like a gavel. What if Jack was waiting for her to leave so he could be alone? Or maybe he hated that movie and didn't want to watch the ending?

Jack leaned over his knees. "Yeah, of course. I mean, no, I don't mind, but is Mary?—"

"I was going to invite her up." Delia started typing. "I think we pay the same for the car service today no matter how long we have it. So maybe she could join us for a bit? She wanted to go out for dinner, but I kind of . . . I don't know. I don't feel like going out right now. Maybe we could order pizza or something."

"I was going to order from One Night Only. It's been forever since I've had their pies."

Delia sent the text, and Mary responded instantly.

You want . . . to keep hanging out with Jack?

No, he's just by himself. He was thinking of ordering pizza, so I thought we could keep him company

She left out the part about her asking to stay before she knew he didn’t have plans and wanted to order pizza.

Mary

Since when do you want to keep people company?

If you don't want to, it's fine. I can come down

Is this because he got you a toothbrush?

MARY

I'm coming up. Chill. What room?

Delia gave her the information and was about to put her phone away when she saw one last text come through.

I know you're trying to be nice, but he's not your boyfriend, Dels

Shame washed over her. Deep down, she knew she didn’t care how Bond ended.

Well aware, thanks

Delia clicked off her phone and slid it into her back pocket, then set her coat back on the chair.

"She's coming up?" Jack kicked his feet up on the coffee table.

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