Page 75 of Work with Me

An inch or two lower, and I could’ve rubbed against him. It’d probably take less than a minute to get myself off. Maybe to get us both off. But he was right. We were at work. Assuming the demo went well, the project would end on Monday. And we’d no longer be coworkers. We’d be free to touch wherever we wanted.

“Save some for me.” I winked.

His eyes went wide, and then they flicked to the couch. “On second thought—”

Quick as a rattlesnake, I unbolted the door and pulled it open. “See you Monday,” I called over my shoulder, laughing as I trotted back to our desk. Even Jackson Jones wasn’t bold enough to walk through the office with a hard-on in his tight jeans. And I was out the door before he returned to our workspace.

27

JACKSON

It waswhat I’d been waiting for since I’d been exiled to Texas five months ago: Cooper’s rarest, wide smile, the one I only ever got when I’d somehownotfucked something up.

“This is amazing, everyone.” Cooper stood at the end of the conference table. We were in the same room where it’d all started, where Alicia had walked in with a still-bleeding nick on her forehead and I’d thought we didn’t need her. I’d thoughtIdidn’t need her. I’d never been more wrong.

Someone flicked on the lights and turned off the projector. “I’m really proud of all of you,” my best friend said. “You pulled together and built something truly special.”

My chest was going to explode, or I was going to do something ridiculous like cry with joy if I couldn’t move. When I stood, everyone looked at me expectantly. Were they looking for me to say something…leaderly? Cooper usually did the things and said the words, not me. I stole a look at him, and he dipped his chin in an almost imperceptible nod.

I cleared my throat. “Um…I want to recognize each of the team members for your contributions. You guys are superheroes.” Slowly, I circled the table and said something important that each person had done for the project. It got easier as I went, so by the time I got to Alicia, I felt comfortable and loose. “Finally, Alicia. She managed to pull us all together, supported each of us when we didn’t think we’d make it. She showed us what true leadership looks like.”

She blinked quickly and sniffed. Her lips trembled when she smiled at me, but those blue eyes shone proud and fierce. I yearned to sweep her up in my arms and kiss her right at the conference table. But Cooper would’ve had something to say about that.

He rose from his seat. “You’ll all see a little extra in your paychecks next pay period, a token of our appreciation. And I know it’s only Monday, but I’d like to take you all out for drinks and dinner to celebrate.”

The guys cheered. Cooper repeated my circle of the table, starting with Alicia, shaking everyone’s hand and saying a few words to each of them. Slowly, the room emptied, leaving only Cooper and me. He extended his hand, and when I clasped it, he pulled me in for a shoulder-clapping hug. “You did it, Jay.”

I shook my head. “We couldn’t have pulled it off without Alicia. And the rest of the team.”

Cooper raised his brows. “The team?”

I drew myself up straight. “Tyler has grown a lot. I think he’d be an asset to our automotive analytics group in San Francisco. Would you ask him if he’d be interested in a transfer?” He would; I’d already felt him out. But Cooper made the hiring and firing decisions.

“Sure.” He twisted his lips to the side. “I’m surprised you care. You don’t normally take an interest in human resources.”

I shrugged and pushed in my chair. “I guess I’m growing again.”

“That’s great.” He laid a hand on my shoulder. “When you get back to San Francisco, we’ll talk about building you a role that’ll help you continue that growth.”

My chest didn’t tighten. I didn’t get a sick feeling in my stomach. Leadership didn’t sound like a sure way to follow my dad to an early grave the way it used to. Or something I’d be sure to fuck up and have my name splashed across the business magazines as the Jones who’d tried but couldn’t cut it.

Alicia had shown me leadership was something I was capable of. I might make mistakes along the way—that bar fight with Tyler was one—but I could recover.Wecould recover if we all worked together toward a common goal.

Fuck, exactly like Cooper had told me the day of the project kickoff. He’d been right all this time.

I didn’t need to be CEO. Or Chief anything. I wouldn’t mind overseeing development, taking a strategic look at our products and how we might take the best parts of each to make them all better. Nurturing young programmers like Tyler to help them grow, too.

But I was staying here. Maybe he’d let me build my new role from Austin. When I opened my mouth to ask, he was giving me the look he only gave me when we were hanging out together, the one that’d become so rare at work. Caring. Friendship. I missed that look. And I couldn’t wipe it away by saying I wanted to stay here, where my best friend wasn’t. Not today, anyway. I’d tell him tomorrow. “I’d like that.”

His phone buzzed, and when he looked down at it, he frowned. “Weston. What the hell does he want?”

I might be a leader, but I wasn’t about to let our CEO spoil my team’s celebration. “I’ll meet you at the restaurant. Don’t let that asshole make you late.”

He nodded absently and raised the phone to his ear. I scooted out of his office.

Back at our desk, Alicia had stacked her badge on top of her Synergy-issued laptop. Seeing it made my insides crumple in like one of Tyler’s aluminum cans of Mountain Dew.

“I guess this is it.” I shoved my hands in my pockets.

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