Page 23 of The Dating Contract

If you can meet me by my office, that’s fine.

If I can’t?

Do you have a space you work in at the city? I mean in Manhattan.

He snorted before texting back; it had taken a few responses for her to pause and think about what she’d been typing.I know what you mean. Stop explaining. My brother’s office is in Manhattan. He rents a space. Where’s your office?

East side, 60th. Your brother’s?

Downtown. Which might be easier for us because you have to sign the contract.

There was a long pause as the dots danced in front of his eyes; once again he debated telling her that the conversation would be better served over the phone. Although in all fairness, he wasn’t sure what she was using their conversation to avoid. Finally the dots stopped and her message popped up.

Let me get the address and I’ll see if that makes sense.

He nodded.That sounds good, he typed before turning back to the flashing cursor on his computer screen.

Luckily for him, that was when his phone buzzed with an incoming text.

It’s going to be a mess, but I guess we have no choice. Send me the address and I’ll see you at 6:30. We’ll go from there.

Sounds good. I’ll be the one in the clown suit.

The dots danced in front of his eyes, and he could almost see the ire in them. Of course that was probably the product of sitting too long, staring at a computer or his list of projects.

If I didn’t know you better, I’d throw the phone through the window. Casual, business casual, please. And socks. Despite way too many ‘fashion experts’ who proclaim socks are a bad idea.

He grinned. Got a bit of a rise out of her, probably too much. But she knew him and knew he’d never ever do that. Which was the point, making her remember their shared history slowly and easily so that she’d be ready to discuss their past. Once that happened, they’d discuss whether or not it was something they could overcome.

But he was getting ahead of himself, trying to plan beyond where they stood. All he needed to do was prep himself for an event and hope to whatever being in the world was in charge that he didn’t look ridiculous. Or act in any way that embarrassed Leah.

Because then he’d lose what he really wanted from all of this, the thing that he was hiding behind some kind of favor to be named later, to ask from her.

An honest, true, real second chance.

*

Leah had absolutelyno idea how she was going to survive the evening, but she’d made her choice. She wore a dress she’d been saving, a green halter dress that landed just below her knee. It was a perfect match with a pair of strappy heeled sandals and a bag with a gorgeous bit of green across the top.

Pretty. Put-together and professional.

A quick refresh on her makeup in the bathroom, hanging the garment bag on the back door of her office, quick fluff of her hair and then out the door to sign what she was calling ‘The Dating Contract’ at Samuel’s brother’s office space before heading up to the party.

So many things were running through her head, but when Samuel opened the door to his brother’s office, her brain stopped.

Wow.

He wore charcoal gray suit pants that highlighted his waist, and a shirt rolled up to showcase his forearms; they even made the traces of ink on his hands look good.

And the color.

Green.

It matched her dress.

Which made her feel things she wasn’t ready to discuss. Instead she glanced at her phone. “We’re running a little tight, so if you…”

He nodded, took the contract she’d committed herself to out of a manila folder, and placed it on the table.

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