Page 64 of Something to Someone

“Are you saying I’m not usually happy?” I joked, pressing my elbows to my desk and narrowing my eyes.

Addie took my joke in stride and waved me off. “Of course, you’re rainbows and sunshine all the damn time. But recently, it’s like you’re, I don’t know, floating on a cloud made of cotton candy.”

Her description of my attitude took me off guard, and I choked out a surprised laugh. Getting dick on the regular would do that to a person. Especially when it was platinum, A+ dick.

“I don’t think anyone has ever described me that way. Usually, it’s workaholic or blunt, but I like the picture you paint better.”

She shrugged. “Last question—is it the same guy who sent the flowers?”

She pointed to the bouquet of mostly light purple and pink lilacs sitting on the table in the middle of my office. They’d been delivered that morning, and I’d quickly hidden the card tucked inside them.

Lilac is my favorite color, too, pretty girl.

They were beautiful flowers, and the gesture made me smile. I would have hidden the bouquet, too, if it were possible and if everyone else in the office hadn’t already seen it.

Realizing I wasn’t going to answer, she straightened her pink skirt and white blouse. Turning for the door, she stopped halfway there. When she pivoted back around, worry creased her brows and hung across her features.

“Oh, I meant to tell you, I will be about an hour late to set up for the company party tomorrow night. I already talked to Sarah about it, and she said she’ll make sure the caterer and staff know where to go.”

“Sure, that’s fine. I’ll probably stop by after I finish with the Russell’s rehearsal dinner. Everything okay?”

With my question, every indication that something was wrong disappeared, and her smile slipped back into place.

“Yeah, absolutely! Just…family stuff.” She didn’t wait around to provide more of an explanation. She reached for the glass door and pulled it open, stepping back into the hallway.

I was always concerned for my employees and their well-being, but Addie was special. She somehow managed two jobs, family issues I wasn’t privy to, and a boyfriend who, for lack of a better description, was kind of an asshole.

As her employer, I did what I could without stepping on her toes or invading her privacy. Which meant I eavesdropped occasionally and watched for changes in her mood.

Remembering my unread text, I looked down at my phone.

Ryder: Sounds like you need coffee. I’ll be there in three minutes.

My eyes went wide. The text had been sent more than three minutes ago. I furiously started typing back a response, telling him that he should by no means come to my office, especially right?—

“Hey, pretty girl.”

I didn’t look up. I didn’t need to. I set my phone down on my desk in front of me, my now pointless text staring up at me, and took a deep breath.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, standing from my desk and crossing to him. He stepped into my office, and I peered down the hallway before shutting the door behind him. Addie was probably about to leave, but I think we were the last two left.

Ryder held up the drink carrier with two coffees. “Bringing you coffee like I said I was.”

He plucked one out and handed it to me. I took a tentative sip. An iced vanilla latte—my favorite. I turned and walked back to my desk, needing the distance between us.

Ryder had told me about his meeting downtown, so I wasn’t surprised to see him in a dark-blue suit and a white button-down shirt. That didn’t keep my body from reacting, though. His black hair was windswept and slightly messy, and his cheeks were flushed from the June heat. He looked damn good, thus the required distance between us.

Safely on the opposite side of my desk, I set my coffee on the edge and turned back to find him unabashedly staring at my ass. My ass did look better than normal in the fitted black dress, so I appreciated he noticed.

“You gave me the coffee. Now, unless there’s something else…”

Completely ignoring me, Ryder set the carrier on the table next to the flowers and retrieved his coffee. He took a long sip and walked around the table, gazing at the flowers.

“I’m glad you got the flowers,” he said with a coy smile he hid behind his coffee cup. I stayed silent and watched him watch me.

“You can’t be here, Ryder,” I said.

Like usual, he wasn’t dissuaded by my bluntness. If I wasn’t mistaken, his smile widened. Similarly, I didn’t let his lack of reaction stop me.

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