Page 69 of Why Not Now?

“No. I’m picking Derek up after work. He still has another hour, then he wanted to go back to my house for something.”

She lifts her eyebrow at me. “Right. So you’re his girlfriend now.”

I drink my coffee without answering.

We finish our drinks, chatting about Christmas and plan for the new year, then I go over to Blue Vista, finding Derek in his office.

I knock on the frame, since his door is wide open. He looks up, confused for a second, and grins when he sees it’s me. “The one and only Ava Calligan. How’s it going, sweetheart? Also, if the door is open, you don’t need to knock.”

“Going good. I got some news,” I say, taking one of the chairs across from him. “Your friend Carter found me a car. I can pick it up tomorrow.”

“That’s great,” he says. But the smile he gives me isn’t his usual one. It looks more forced than it should. “We can go after you’re done work. I’ll be ready by then.”

His tone makes me remember what Bethany said about Carter’s weird phrasing.

“Why are you going to come with me?” I ask.

“Because you have my car,” he says slowly. “We’ll make the switch at the shop.”

“Oh. Right. Yeah, that makes sense.”

“Listen, I need a few more minutes. I have two calls to make and an email to send, and you are rather distracting. All I want to do is kiss you. Do you mind waiting in the lounge? You could also see if Lis has any food if you’re hungry.”

“I’ll wait in the lounge.” I stand, about to leave, when he stands as well.

“Ava.” He catches my hand and pulls me into him. “I’m really happy for you. I’m glad this got sorted.”

Then he kisses me, soft and sweet. One of his hands drifts along my back, finding the hem of my shirt, and dipping underneath so he’s touching my skin. The feeling of his fingers on me has me pressing closer to him, until he sets me away, breaking the kiss.

“Get out of here before I do something my friends won’t like, but you and I will.”

I laugh and press a quick kiss to his lips before retreating to the lounge. Adalie is there and asks if I want a coffee or tea.

“No, thanks. I just had one.”

“You guys hanging out again tonight?” she asks.

“Yeah. He’s coming over to my place for something. He won’t tell me what.”

“Derek likes surprises. Though I guess you know that already.”

She sits at the table with a steaming mug of tea. I sit across from her. “I do. May I ask you a question?”

“Shoot.”

“You and Derek have been friends a long time?”

She nods. “Since business school. All four of us.”

“And you never dated him? Or Vic?”

She laughs. “I never dated him or Vic. Vic never dated him either.”

“I didn’t mean—”

She waves a hand. “I know what you meant. No. None of us have ever dated each other. Not even Spencer and Vic. They’ve been friends since they were like five. Friendship goals, right there. But to answer your real question, Derek hasn’t dated anyone in the entire time I’ve known him. He’s—” She breaks off. “Are you sure you want to hear this?”

“What he did before we were together is not going to change our relationship status now.”

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