Page 150 of New York Love Stories: Vol. 1

I’m drawn to the one she chose. “I like Drew.”

“Next question,” she announces with more pep to her step.

“Okay, shoot.”

“Why’d you want to be CEO?” A few people—my brother, an ex-girlfriend, and a disgruntled employee, to be precise—think I only like to talk about myself. That’s not accurate. I’m not a narcissist, but I am confident in who I am and what I have to offer. Although with Juni, the last thing I want to do is hear myself speak. I prefer to listen to her much more. “Why so many questions?”

“You ask a lot as well,” she replies with a quick pop of the shoulders. “So I figured you were down with the get-to-know-you-stage of our friendship.”

“I’m down with twenty questions, but all is fair?—”

“This isn’t love, and it’s definitely not war.”

I revert to my comfort zone and do what I’m accused of. I ask, “Then what is it?”

“I’m not sure, actually.” She hooks her arm with mine, and we continue walking.

I could fill in the quiet air hanging around between us, but why? I like the sound of traffic and the bustling streets, when we talk and when neither feels the need. I like so much about her that she has me believing that eventually, I might like this city. Instead of doing anything else, I walk in the present with her on my arm.

We stop in front of my building, not close enough to have Gil jumping up, but where there’s plenty of light drifting onto the street. I ask, “You’re not going to let me walk you home?”

“No. How do I know if you’re a stalker or not?”

Chuckling, I reply, “Easily, but if you can’t tell, you’re just going to have to take the risk to find out.”

Stepping back, she crosses her arms and begins tapping her fingers. “Did you know there are only two plants in the entire office? And one’s an aloe, so officially, it doesn’t count since it’s a genus of flowering succulents.”

Her mind fascinates me. Her knowledge of plants is a very obscure party trick, or she’s really into gardening. She probably has a garden covering her balcony or a fire escape jam-packed with plants. “Aloe doesn’t count as a plant?”

“No, it definitely counts as a plant, but a succulent is—” She waves her hands, erasing the air. “Forget that. It doesn’t matter to the actual point I’m making.”

“Okay, what’s your point?”

“That the other one is a faux philodendron that was shoved on top of the refrigerator in the break room like that’s its natural habitat.” Leaning in and lowering her voice, she whispers, “I have a theory.”

“Do tell,” I say, playing along.

“I think someone actually discarded it.” I hear the offense in her voice when she covers her mouth, as if she can’t bear the thought of it. An unrecognizable emotion flashes through her expression as she looks at the night sky. “Probably that asshat Justin.” The conviction is gone, replaced by a quieter version of the woman I know.

Remembering what Nick told me about Justin crossing a line with Juni, though, has me calling him an asshole under my breath. I don’t even know what happened, but I know I’m safe in the assumption. I could ask her, but is that a line I shouldn’t cross? Should I talk to HR or keep out of it as I’ve always done?

With her continuing to stare up like she’s waiting for a sign from above, I’m starting to wonder if she’s purposely avoiding eye contact with me. I ask, “What happened with Justin?”I cross that line like it never existed.

That draws her attention immediately. “We should probably leave work at the office.” I’m not granted a smile or a wink, no laughter, or even the sense of who Juni normally is with me.

It’s then that I realize it’s not the emotion that’s unrecognizable.It’s her.“Talk to me.”

Moving farther away, she keeps her arms crossed when she turns her back to me, her stiffened body language keeping me at bay. “What do you want me to say?”

“I want you to talk to me as your friend.”

It takes a minute, but when she looks at me over her shoulder, her body eventually follows. “As my friend, you’ll keep this between us and not be CEO Andrew right now?”

“I’m always CEO Andrew, but what you tell me in private stays between us.”

“He didn’t say anything I can’t handle.” When her arms loosen and fall to her sides, her expression tempers. “Let’s not ruin the night. I felt like I was just getting to know the Ice CreamDrew,” she says with an emerging grin. “But there will always be a special place in my heart for bossy CEO Andrew.”

I can get bossy if that’s what she’s into, but we’re supposed to be platonic. I run my hand over my hair, not sure what to say. Everything that comes to mind is inappropriate.Fuck.Who knew ice cream could lead to thoughts that veer toward the gutter?

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