Page 19 of Nothing to Do

Because she didn’t have work… or a date.

“I can’t,” Thea said, looking through her cosmetics case.

“You work all the time, like all the time. You came here to hang with me.”

“You have your friends.” Thea tossed an eyeshadow aside, then caught her sister’s reflection in the mirror above the dresser in front of her. “Have you fallen out with them?”

“No! The girls are great,” Alessia said, hurrying to hug her. “I just feel bad for you. You’re always working. We’re always having fun,andwe get to hang with the coolest guy on the planet.” She pulled back to wiggle her brows. “The hottest guy on the planet.” Thea’s automatic smile betrayed her; Alessia came over all curious. “I haven’t seen you smile like that since… maybe ever.” She gave her a shake. “Spill. Come on. Why are you smiling like that?”

Okay, deep breath.

Taking her arms, Thea guided her sister back. “I may have… met someone.”

Keeping it secret might be fun, but there was no real reason for it.

Alessia frowned. “Met someone?” She gasped. “A guy! You met a guy? Here? How did you—” She shrieked. “You haven’t been working at all! You’ve been…” Alessia lowered her voice to a whisper. “You’ve been having secret sex.”

Thea laughed. “No, I really have been working. He works here too. Over at the corporate suite.”

Alessia already knew she worked in a different building during the day, which was why she wasn’t in the room anytime her sister popped in for whatever.

“Ooooh, office romance.”

Just like Alessia to swoon. God, she loved her sister.

“Maybe,” she played it a little coy. “We’re going to spend some time together tonight… see if maybe…”

“You could be something,” Alessia said, bouncing up and down, grabbing her wrist in both hands. “Oh my God, imagine you fell in love! That would be amazing! You could live on a tropical island.” She frowned. “Mom would hate that. Oh my God, she would go crazy!” Perking up, she tugged her arm. “Maybe she would move all of us out here.”

Thea laughed. “You’d go nuts here permanently. There are no stores for clothes or those little boutique wine bars you and your friends love. And your friends… Alessia, you love your friends.”

Despite her sister’s enthusiasm, Thea chilled. Zane and she had said together like it could mean something. Except… how could it ever mean something? She would never leave her family; she needed them like they needed her. Her breath stalled for a minute. No. She was going to be positive, optimistic, they had to find out if their zing could be a real thing before long-term planning.

“It’ll all work out,” Alessia said, pulling her into another hug. “I’m so excited for you.”

A knock on the door took Alessia from her side. Her friends were there to get her, so after some quick goodbyes, they disappeared in a cloud of fading laughter.

Alone in their room, she turned to the mirror. Zane would pick her up in less than an hour. If she went out with him, falling for him was a real possibility.

It was an experience. That was a better perspective. Whatever happened, even if she got her heart broken, it would be amazing just to get to know him. That was enough… wasn’t it?

Optimism. Optimism. It was the key. What she needed to keep her going. Life choices had to be approached with a positive point of view.

After showering, she did her hair and even her makeup, going through the regular date ritual. But as she stood there in her underwear, looking at her dress, she couldn’t make herself feel it. Was she setting herself up for heartbreak?

Her attention leaped around when someone knocked on the door. Someone? Zane.

Damnit, this wouldn’t work without positivity. If she couldn’t find her optimism… Why had she thought dating Zane was smart? Where had her optimism come from earlier?

The next knock reminded her.

Ah ha! Leaping from the spot, she ran to the door and didn’t think twice about opening it.

Zane’s mouth was open, but the happiness meant to accompany his quirky opening line died on his lips as his eyes dropped.

“Best date ever.”

“I need you to kiss me,” she said, grabbing the back of his neck in one hand to pull him down to her level. “Please.”

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