The screaming laughter of small children caught my attention as I strolled past a neighborhood park. I stopped and had to shake my head to clear my vision when I thought I saw the familiar form of Clarissa holding hands with a small child.
That couldn’t be her. Could it? Who was that kid she was with?
He ran over to her, holding out a large orange leaf. She took it and leaned in. Her lips pursed for a kiss. The little boy grimaced and pushed at her. He took a few running steps away as he escaped her, only to turn and run right back to her, throwing his arms around her and pressing his face into her. She kissed the top of his head, and he ran off again.
I immediately turned in the opposite direction, not wanting her to see me. I had to figure all of this out. Was that kid the reason she couldn’t stay? I growled as anger boiled in my gut. That kid and his father, most likely. I was a fool. It was bad enough that I seduced the intern again. This time, it looked like I hadn’t bothered to learn whether she was single or not.
21
CLARISSA
“Good morning,” I practically sang the second Kyle walked through the doors.
I had been dancing on clouds all weekend ever since I left him, and his smile first thing Monday morning was going to guarantee I had a good week. Or so I thought. He glanced up and noticed I was there. But he didn’t look at me and he didn't say anything. He didn't smile, didn't wink. He didn't stop and say anything that could have been laced with innuendo.
He simply walked past me and into the back.
Everything inside me wanted to run after him at that moment. So of course, with perfect annoying timing, the phone rang. I stayed at my desk and took messages instead of finding out whether I had done something wrong.
As he and James left for lunch together, James did his typical finger tap on my desk followed by a wave, letting me know he was leaving without interrupting his conversation. Kyle didn't even glance up at me. I scowled at his back as they left.
“Yikes, don't tell me that look is for me.”
I cut a glare to Nick as he approached the receptionist desk. “What are you talking about?” I snapped.
Nick drew a circle in the air with his finger in front of his face. “That look,” he said, meaning my expression.
I tried to regain my composure. “Oh, sorry,” I said. “Why would I be scowling at you? Why do you think that was for you?”
“I figured they just told you that you were stuck with me all afternoon.”
“That actually could prove to be interesting as long as the afternoon temp remembers to come in,” I grumbled.
“Oh, yeah, I heard about that. What happened?”
I shrugged. “The agency called this morning. They're sending somebody new.”
Nick did a similar tapping on the desk thing. “Well, I'm off to lunch. Come find me when you're good to go.”
“Where will you be?” I asked.
“If I’m not in my office, I'll be upstairs.”
My intern duties were relegated to Nick’s supervision for the rest of the week. Which was just as well because I was pretty certain Kyle was angry and was avoiding me.
I didn't have a chance to talk to him for a couple of days. “Did I do something to piss you off?” I asked him the second he walked in the door a few mornings later. I wasn't going to give him a chance to continue ignoring me.
He stopped and leveled a glare at me. “Do you have something you need to tell me?”
Confused, I shook my head. “No, I… What? No. What is going on, Kyle?”
He stalked menacingly toward my desk and leaned over it, getting close to my face. He was trying to be intimidating. It was working. “Are you sure you don't want to tell me something?”
“Was I supposed to send you an engraved thank you note after Saturday night?” I snapped back.
He shook his head, letting out a bitter chuckle. “No, but maybe you should have told me you’re in a relationship.”
Now I was really confused. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”