Page 18 of Until You

Randy stopped and did a double take. “Yeah, but where’s your tie? You usually wear one when we’re meeting with clients.”

“Yeah.” Tyler sighed. “Long story.”

“There’s a lot of those going around.”

“What?”

Randy shook his head and grinned. “Never mind. I have a spare in my office if you want to borrow it.”

“You have a spare tie?”

He shrugged. “You never know when you’ll have a fashion emergency. Do you want it?”

Tyler grinned. “Fashion emergency. You never used to say things like that before Britt. It’s not purple or covered in flashing lights, is it?”

“No,” Randy said in mock disgust. “You think I’d actually let you steal the limelight more than you usually do with a blinking tie?”

Tyler laughed. “I can’t help it if the women love me.”

“Yeah, they love you a little too much.” But Randy cringed after he said it. “Sorry, Tyler. Not so funny.”

“Hey, if you can’t laugh about a woman stalking you and tying you up in your own bed, then what can you laugh about? Nina was harmless.”

“Maybe so, but it was still scary as shit.”

Tyler shrugged, but it had scared him enough to swear off women for a while.

“You’ll find a good woman. Look at me and Britt. And Kevin and Holly.”

Tyler curled his upper lip and said derisively, “Who the hell says I want that?”

“Everybody wants someone.”

“Not me.” Tyler shook his head. “Look, I’m not knocking what you and Britt have, but it’s not for everyone.”

Randy looked dubious. “Maybe so, but you’re not even dating casually right now, unless you consider your romantic relationship with your hand dating.”

Tyler released a mock laugh. “Ha, ha, funny guy. I’ve already endured my fill of uncomfortable situations this morning. Just give me the damn tie.”

Randy gave him a strange look, then led him to his office and rapped on the door.

“You need to knock on your own office door?” Tyler asked suspiciously.

“I left someone in there and I want to make sure she’s okay with us walking in.”

“Do you have Britt tucked away in there with an overcoat and nothing underneath?”

Randy frowned and shot him a look that said Don’t think about my fiancée that way. “No.” He pushed the door open a crack and looked around before opening it all the way. “It’s clear.”

“What’s going on? You’re acting like you’re hiding Donald Trump’s tax returns.”

“I just had a client this morning who was…a little shy.”

“And you locked her up in your office?”

Randy shot him a grin. “Long story.”

Tyler shrugged. “Fair enough.”

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