Page 40 of The Long Game

“But just so you know, that’s not a real thing,” he says.

Something captures Tucker’s attention. He’s looking past me, through my glass window. I turn to look, and I see it. Sebastian is standing at the window. He’s in a wide stance and his arms are folded. He’s staring in our direction but when I turn to look at Tucker, I can tell there are words being exchanged between their eyes that already sound possessive, and Tucker’s look the loudest. The silence is uncomfortable, so I walk in front ofTucker to break their eye contact and to push him out of the door.

“Ok, dinner on Thursday. Where should I meet you?”

“I’ll pick you up at your house at five. Wear something comfortable.” He turns to leave, glancing back out the window toward Sebastian, but Sebastian isn’t in his office anymore.

“At my house at five? I’m never out of here that early.”

This has always been part of our problem. That Tucker is the distraction I don't need… but can't help wanting.

“One night, Lex. Can you make an exception?”

“Ok, but something comfortable? Where exactly are we going?”

He ignores my question but turns his eyes back to me after breaking his attention from studying the office across the way

“It’s a surprise. I’ll see you at lunch tomorrow, downstairs – everyone’s coming.”

“Lunch? Tomorrow’s Wednesday! You said dinner Thursday,” I say, frustrated that he’s barely paying attention to me now and throwing out additional plans I didn’t agree to when I have a huge deadline on Friday.

“I have some business to take care of. I have to go.”

He leans in, places his warm hand on the side of my neck and kisses the hairline scar above my forehead.

The scar I got from the lake accident that I wouldn’t have survived if Tucker hadn’t been there to pull me out of the water. He lingers there for longer than he should, the memory of that day undoubtably running through his mind too. My body responds by heating up. No one has ever made me feel as safe or as protected as Tucker has, so why have I been too scared to give him my heart?

He looks as though he’s contemplating kissing me. I’m about to lean my head back to accept a kiss to my lips, but I hold on to the shreds of my self-worth. He said we should be friends, right?

He didn’t refer to it as a date and I told him not to pull a fast one. A quick burst of disappointment floods me but I push it aside.

He grabs his phone out of his pocket and hits the send button as he walks away, making big strides that my too-tall heels won’t be able to keep up with. I watch him walk down the hall towards the elevator when I hear him greet his sister on the other line.

Guess I’m going to see him for the next two days. I better stop for some wine on my way home. I’m drinking tonight.

I’m alone in my office for another hour before another knock comes. I’m even more shocked by the man standing in the doorway.

“Sebastian? Hi!” I say as I get up from my desk and come around to greet him. “This is a surprise.”

“I know, I’m sorry. I hope you don’t think I’m a stalker. I spent about a half hour convincing myself not to come and another half hour knocking on every office door in this building. Everyone in your company probably thinks I’m crazy. Security should be up any minute to drag me out of here.”

He rubs the back of his neck uncomfortably.

“Oh uh, met your dad. That was interesting. Didn’t mean to meet the father before asking out the daughter. Things are working out a little backwards.”

He says it as if he’s only talking to himself. As if I wasn’t supposed to hear him. But he did blurt it out while standing in my office.

“Huh?”

My cheeks must be a light shade of pink at his admission.

“That was a couple steps too fast. What I really came up here to do was to check on you.” He takes a couple steps closer as he assesses me.

Lucky for me, all the damage done is internal. My mind – my heart.

“I saw you crying earlier today. I wanted to come over then, but it seemed private. Didn’t figure you wanted anyone to see you in that condition. But when I saw him again in your office… I… I don’t know. I had to make sure you were ok.”

My dad walks up to the door.

---