Page 47 of Room One Hundred and Twenty Nine

“That sounds amazing. I hope she finds that,” I say and put my water bottle in my backpack, ready to go home, take a shower, then get to work.

“Maybe she has,” Simon says, and I freeze for a moment before shaking my head and pulling my backpack over my shoulders.

“Dinner tonight?” he asks.

I nod. “Yeah, eight o’clock?”

He nods, then picks up his backpack, and we leave the court.

The whole time I’m driving home, I think about what he said. Was there something in Haruko’s tone on the phone that suggested she’d met someone? When I see Haruko in the office, she smiles brightly, and it makes me think maybe she does think that Parker, Nicholas and I are the type of men Simon described.

Chapter 18

Haruko

“Hey, Dad.” I bitemy nail as I hear my dad’s voice on the phone.

We’ve chatted just recently, and he’s asked if there was someone in my life and of course since the answer is “yes and it’s my boss… actually, all of my bosses,” I dodge the question. Which for us is strange. I’ve never been one to hide things from my dad, and it made me feel like shit. Same goes for my mom. But I can’t tell him yet, especially over the phone. At this point, it’s clear between Elijah, Nicholas, Parker and me we’re a thing, butwe didn’t discuss telling anyone about it yet. We aren’t talking logistics until tomorrow, when we meet in Elijah’s office.

I’m pulled back into the conversation with my dad when he asks me if I want to join him for dinner.

“I’m having dinner with a friend and wondered if you wanted to join us. We haven’t seen each other for a while, and I don’t think he’d mind.”

“Sure. Sounds good,” I say in as chipper a tone as I can muster as guilt swirls in my stomach.

“Great! We’re having dinner at eight o’clock at The Prairie Falcon. Should I pick you up?”

“Sure,” I reply.

We chat for a while about other things, briefly about work which I said was fine. Because it is, but I also don’t want to talk about it. I’m testing my resolve as it is, and I don’t think talking about work is helping.

“Anyway, I’ll see you tonight, Dad,” I say as the conversation steers back to my love life. I know my dad pretty well and the words “so what have you been up to” always lead to “you seeing anybody?” and I don’t want to lie.

“Alright, sweetie. See you tonight.”

I hang up the phone and dive face first into my pillows and scream.

Hiding was a lot easier when it was us four and the outside world. But it’s become harder now that my dad is asking about my romantic life.

I sit up on my bed and take a deep, calming breath.

Relax. Tomorrow everything will get sorted and hopefully I can tell my mom and dad and it’ll all be okay.

Because I know my men won’t want to keep me hidden forever.

With my confidence growing, I get up and get ready for work. The day goes by quickly, probably because I came in late. Parker and Nicholas are their usual friendly selves, but there’s something different about how they act towards me. They’re flirtier and their touches linger a few seconds more than they should. It’s like I’m being teased, but not in a way that interferes with my work. It’s like getting a cookie after doing a project. I file something and I get a hand on the small of my back or I let them know someone’s on the phone and I get a “thank you, sweetheart.” It makes my heart flutter and gets me excited about the meeting tomorrow.

I’ve already been hunting for a new job. Not sure if that’s what the men had in mind, but I think it’s best if I quit. They can’t be in charge of me, and I don’t think there’s anyone who can be, especially since we’ve gone into the red zone on the list of things not to do with an employee.

I mean, I fucked them. Well, two of them. I haven’t had sex with Elijah. God, just the thought of being taken by that man has me clenching my thighs under my desk. He’s so big. I can’t even wrap my fingers around him, so I can’t imagine how he’ll fit inside my pussy.

I bet he’ll say one of those things the heroes with big dicks in romance books say.

“Don’t worry. It’ll fit.”

God, yes.

“What was that?” Nicholas asks, planting his hands on my desk, a wicked smile pulling at his lips.

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