Page 23 of New Year's Faye

I startled, nearly spilling my coffee. Sam caught it smoothly, his hands encompassing mine around the mug.

"Saved by the bellowing idiot," he murmured.

"Sam—" I wanted to break the tension, but the words died as his fingers lingered on mine, warm and steady. His touch held a quiet promise, as if he could feel the unsteady beat of tension humming under my skin.

"We're not done with this conversation." He squeezed my hands. "But this is a conversation for when we’re alone." His thumb brushed over my knuckles, soft, teasing, gentle, before he gently tugged the cup from my hand.

As I watched him head upstairs, carrying my coffee as if he hadn’t just scrambled my emotions. I wrapped my arms around my middle, willing myself to push him back into the box in which he’d dwelled. Friends. We were friends.

But his parting words left me to wonder exactly what he hoped we might be.

5

FAYE

INTERVIEW PROTOCOL

Priority Level: CRITICAL

Status: BARELY HOLDING IT TOGETHER

PRESENTATION REQUIREMENTS:

? Project happy newlyweds

? Maintain professional boundaries

? Stop rewriting this list (attempt #7)

? Breathe normally when Sam's nearby

? Remember rehearsed responses

KEY TALKING POINTS:

1. Natural progression of friendship

2. Perfect timing with tour

3. Private ceremony (DO NOT MENTION UNICORN)

4. Mutual respect and admiration

5. NO MENTION OF TEQUILA

CONTINGENCY PLANS:

A) Deflect personal questions

B) Redirect to tour discussion

C) Emergency exit strategy

D) Resist urge to sniff Sam

Note: WHAT IS THIS COLOGNE???

REMEMBER:

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