Page 29 of Breakaway to You

I let out a huge breath in relief. “Crisis averted.”

“Hey, stranger,” a voice called from the doorway. I turned to see my old coworker and friend, Seth. He had taken my job when I’d left.

“Seth,” I called out excitedly, meeting him halfway and giving him a hug. “How are you?”

“Doing great, now that I have your job,” he teased.

I stepped back, pushing him playfully with a laugh. “Glad I could help you out.”

“You’re going to come out with us tonight, right?” he asked. “It will be just like the old days, going out together after the game.”

The sound of a throat clearing pulled me from my conversation.

Zeke scowled at Seth.

My dumb heart fluttered at the thought that Zeke might not like how friendly I was being with Seth. But there was nothing between Seth and me. Even if he weren’t in a long-term, committed relationship, he and I still would have been friends only.

“Zeke, this is my friend, Seth.” I gestured at Seth. “And Seth, this is Zeke Lawson.”

“Oh, I know who he is,” Seth said.

Zeke took a step forward, holding out his hand, although his scowl wasn’t completely gone. “Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too.” Seth took his outstretched hand. “Wow. That’s quite the grip.”

I bit my lip, holding back a smile.

“Well, I’m going to head out,” I told Zeke, hoping he’d release Seth’s hand. “I’ll see you back in Saint Paul tomorrow.”

He dropped Seth’s hand, turning his focus back to me. “I don’t want you leaving alone,” he said, ignoring Seth, who was gawking at the two of us.

“I’m leaving with Seth, so no need to worry. I’ll be safe.”

He sized up Seth, who was almost a head shorter than him, as if he wasn’t sure I would really be safe with him. “And you’re going out to some bar?”

I willed myself not to roll my eyes at how ridiculous he was being. He wasn’t my keeper.

“Yes, if you must know,” I said exasperated. “Now go.” I gently pushed him toward the door, but he didn’t budge, his weight and size no match for me.

He continued to stand there for a few more seconds before nodding his head. “Fine. Just be careful.”

Seth and I watched in silence as Zeke left the room.

As soon as Zeke was out of earshot, Seth turned his attention to me, his brows raised and his eyes wide. “Would you like to tell me what that was all about?”

I waved him off. “There is nothing to tell.”

I turned away from him so he couldn’t see my face and see that I was lying. I shoved my tape and bands into my duffle bag, keeping my attention on packing up.

The silence was almost worse than him calling me out.

Finally, I zipped up my bag and looked at Seth, whose arms were folded across his chest.

“What?” I asked as innocently as I could.

“Besides you being a horrible liar?” he said with a pointed look. “I saw with my own eyes the way he looked at you. And if that wasn’t enough to tell me something was up, his death glare and crushing handshake would have told me everything I needed to know.”

“You and I can disagree on the way he looks at me,” I said. “But I’m serious, there is nothing going on between us. I just work with him a lot, trying to help with his previous injuries and limit new injuries occurring. We have a strictly platonic work relationship.”

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