Page 48 of Friend Me

I narrowed my eyes at him. Cooper didn’t seem jealous at all. He seemed…gleeful. “I slept over at Tyler’s last night. Unexpectedly.”

His eyebrows rose. “So thereissomething going on.”

I lifted the coffee to my lips. It tasted of pumpkin spice and dishonesty. Even though everything I’d said to him was true, it felt like I was lying to Cooper. A relationship built on a lie wouldn’t stand. Before he left on his trip, I was going to come clean. About Tyler and about my feelings for Cooper.

Those laser-beam eyes scrutinized me again like they were trying to burn through my bullshit. At last, he blinked and leaned a hip on my desk. “Hey, I’ve got tickets to a musical, and I was wondering…”

Holy Hubble Telescope.He was finally going to ask me out. I stilled, waiting for him to say the words.

“They’re for next week, and I’ll be away. Would you like them? I know you’re a musical theater fan. You could take Tyler.”

I slumped. Even though I’d wanted forever to see a professional musical performance. “Sure. I mean, yes, that’d be wonderful. Thank you.”

When he frowned—probably at my ingratitude—I dropped my gaze to my desk. My phone lit up, and I snatched up the handset, grateful for a reprieve from that laser-blue gaze.

José from security said, “Marlee, your visitor is here.”

“Visitor?” Who’d come to seeme?

“He says he has an appointment.”

I pulled up my calendar and found the entry for an interview with another candidate for Cooper’s assistant position. I’d been so caught up in everything that I’d forgotten. At least today’s candidate was a guy. A man wouldn’t notice my less-than-professional T-shirt and wrinkled skirt, unlike the women I’d been interviewing all week.

“Thanks. I’ll be right down.”

Cooper still hovered in front of my desk. “I’m interviewing another candidate for you,” I said, plucking my folder of résumés out of the file sorter. “Want to come with?”

He shuddered and stepped back. “No, thanks. I have a lot of work to do.”

I shook my head at him, and he turned and scurried back to his office. Coward.

Snatching up the coffee Tyler had brought me—he had to be the best friend ever—I peeked into the bag. Inside was the paper pastry sleeve I’d expected, lying on top of a plastic-wrapped pet-hair roller. I snickered.

But as I rode down the elevator to the ground floor, the smile died on my face. If today’s candidate was qualified, he’d replace me in my temporary role as Cooper’s assistant. No more one-on-one lunches, no more excuses to pop into his office, no chances to help him with late-night work.

My time was running out.

* * *

Of courseshe’d come to Synergy on the day I was wearing a T-shirt and had my unwashed hair up in a ponytail.

Jamila Jallow, her legs looking endless in a pair of high-waisted trousers and a Burberry raincoat open at the front to reveal a cashmere sweater and silk scarf, leaned against the security desk, chatting with José.

“Morning, Jamila.”

“Morning, Marlee. Can you escort me up?”

I’d planned to interview the candidate downstairs, but I supposed I could bring them both up to the sixth floor. “Sure. Let me just grab”—I looked at the résumé in my hand—“Ben.”

A guy about my age sprang from his seat on one of the uncomfortable chartreuse leather chairs in the lobby. “Marlee?” he asked, already extending his hand. He wore a blue checked button-down shirt under a gray sweater and dark chinos. His lace-up ankle boots matched the soft-looking brown leather of his satchel.

I strode over to him, wishing I looked as put-together as he did. When I shook his hand, I tilted my head up only slightly to look him in his whiskey-colored eyes. Not monstrously tall like Cooper and Jamila. “Hi, Ben. I’m Marlee Rice. Let’s go upstairs.”

While we waited for the elevator, Ben leaned around me. “You’re Jamila Jallow, right?”

She smiled and extended a long, slender hand. “I am.”

“Ben Levy-Walters.” He shook her hand. “I read your blog post this week about user experience design. It was inspirational.”

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