Page 59 of The Roommate Remodel

FOURTEEN

Brax

“If that’s what you want,” I say, nodding. I keep my face cool, but my body prickles against that part of the agreement. Given that I really screwed things up before, she’s not giving me a second chance. Unless I can change her mind, then it’shands offuntil she trusts me. “I’ll go one further. I won’t touch you.”

She blinks. “I didn’t say that. Not that I think we should touch,” she stammers. “It’s only that... I don’t kiss just anyone.”

“That’s good, because I’m notjustanyone.” I smirk.

She shakes her head. “Too many falls on the ice have messed with your head.”

“If I remember right, you’re the one who doesn’t skate very well.”

“Which is why you won’t get me on the ice.”

I arch an eyebrow. “Is that a challenge?”

“No. And you asked me to dinner. Not skating. Now go, before Alex catches us.” Her eyes shoot over my shoulder into the hallway, like she expects Alex to walk in at any second.

“Why would I care what Alex thinks?”

Jaz waves me into her office, then shuts the door behind me, leaving little personal spacebetween us.

“She hinted she doesn’t like staff dating players,” Jaz admits. “Even if it is just dinner.”

I frown. “I don’t remember HR saying anything about that.”

“Me neither. I think it’s something she doesn’t approve of personally, but it’s not official policy. But I don’t want to get on her bad side. So maybe we keep this date a secret?”

“Whatever you think is best.” The last thing Jaz needs is problems with the boss.

She twists the ring on her finger. “It’s not like it means anything.”

It might not mean anything to her, but it does to me. And my job is to convince her it still means something. I just have to win her trust back.

“I won’t say anything to the guys either,” I assure her. “But it’s going to be hard to sneak out with no one knowing.” Especially Vale. He always knows when something’s up. It’s like we have this twin telepathy that doesn’t allow us to keep secrets. Great for the ice. Terrible for love.

She thinks it over. “But what if the guys notice we’re both gone?”

“Then we explain why they need to keep their mouths shut. Leo included.”

After I slammed him into the wall in practice today, he’d only be too happy to run to Alex and tattletale. Most of the guys are decent, but Leo’s the wild card, always determined to play favorites.

“I’ll meet you somewhere after work,” I suggest. “Then we’ll figure out how to come home at separate times.”

It seems like a good plan for now, but it won’t work long term. Vale already knows how I feel about Jaz, and it’s likely the other guys suspect something. Eventually, we’ll have to come clean, but until I’m forced to, we have to keep things secret.

I check my phone for what feels like the fortieth time. Jaz is still not here. The longer I wait, the more I’m wondering if something went wrong.

I shoot her a text asking if she’s okay. Then I stare at my phone, willing that little text bubble to appear, the one that proves she isn’t ghosting me like I did her. I deserve her silence now, even if I did it to protect her. To my relief, the text bubble appears.

Jaz:Alex stopped in my office before I left and dumped a pile of work on me. Rain check?

Alex strikes again.It’s like that woman is trying to keep us apart. I clench my teeth and let out a slow hiss. It’s not fair that Alex unloaded work on Jaz last minute, but I can hardly ask her to risk her position for me.

Brax:You still need to eat.

Jaz:I’m fine. I have a granola bar in my desk drawer.

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