Page 13 of Tickled Pink

“Just taking a walk...” I say, trying to peek over her tall shoulder. “Figured I’d stop in and do a little work.”

“On Christmas Eve?”

“Uh-huh.” I squint. “Why are you here?”

“Oh, you know. Same as you. Just catching up on a little work.”

“You?” I joke.

She feigns a laugh. “Oh, that’s funny. You’re so hilarious. I love you.”

I lay a hand on the door and push it open the rest of the way. The room is, apparently, empty. Stinky tugs on her leash toward the closet and lets out a whine, but I hold on tight.

“So, just you, then?” I ask Jackie.

“Just me,” she says with a happy nod toward the dog.

“Just you doing a little work on Christmas Eve?”

“That’s right. You know me. I like to stay on top of… things.”

I release the leash and Stinky bolts into the office, coming to a quick stop at the door to the coat closet. She barks twice and scratches at it, eager to get to the squatter inside.

I raise a knowing brow at Jackie’s cringing face.

“Damn dog,” she mutters.

I whistle once, signaling Stinky to back down. She kneels and looks up at me with her big, brown eyes as I bend over to grab her leash again.

“Martin,” I say, “you can come out now.”

After a few seconds, the knob turns. The door slowly opens on Martin Fellows, my old boss here at Fortnight and Jackie’s frequent fuck buddy.

He slinks out of the closet and stands up tall with lipstick marks on his chin. “Hey, Phoebe,” he says, awkwardly trying to fix his silver-speckled hair.

“Hi, Martin,” I greet.

“It’s not what it looks like,” he says, folding his hands in his lap as Stinky sniffs at his shoes.

“Oh, yeah?” I smirk.

“I just stopped by to...” He hesitates, his face bright red. “I forgot something.”

Jackie nods. “Right.”

“You forgot something?” I play along. “In your old office?”

“Exactly.”

“After a year?”

“Uhh... yeah.”

I nod. “Well, did you find it?”

He shakes his head. “No, I did not.”

“Would you like to try the conference room?” I ask, giving him a way out.

---