Page 51 of Friend Me

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Back at workon Monday afternoon, dressedappropriatelyin a black skirt and pink cowl-neck sweater, I stood to stretch my back. Working for Jackson gave me more opportunities to move around; he always needed a walk or help hunting down something in his office. Working for Cooper involved a lot more sitting at my desk.

When the stairwell door opened, I grinned. Tyler bounded out, hardly out of breath, and strolled over. Over the past week, he’d made a habit of coming up to my desk in the late afternoons. He leaned his hip on the desk and crossed his arms. “Hey.”

“Good weekend?”

“It was okay. Yours?”

“Same old stuff.” I smoothed my hair. “Dad and I watched sports.”

“Wait. What happened to your hand?” He reached down, took my hand in both of his and rotated it toward the skylight. I’d been able to camouflage the mark on my face with my makeup, but the scratch on my hand was deeper. No one else—not even Cooper, and we’d eaten lunch together—had noticed it.

I snorted. “Tigger happened. He escaped on Friday and told me I’d never take him alive. But I did—he’s fine. Please don’t tell Alicia.”

He examined the long scratch, running a finger lightly beside the dark red scab. Goosebumps sprang up on my forearm. He looked from my hand to my face, his eyes the velvety brownish green of moss on a tree trunk.

My message app pinged, jarring me out of the moment. “Hey. Just a sec.” I gently tugged my hand out of his and glanced at my screen. “Oh! Ben accepted our offer.”

“Who’s Ben?” He picked up a piece of watermelon candy and twirled it between his fingers.

I tore my gaze from the candy back to my computer screen to tap out a response to the HR associate. “He’s going to be Cooper’s assistant. He starts the week after next.”

“That’s good for you, right? Less work, especially with Jay coming back.”

“Right.” What it meant was that I was out of time. Cooper was leaving on his trip tomorrow and wouldn’t return until Ben’s first day. I had to make my movenow.Fortunately, I’d already made arrangements for Dad so I could work late.

“We could—we could go celebrate. That Mexican place down the street does Monday Margarita Madness.”

That did sound fun, but—“Sorry. I promised Cooper I’d help him with his presentation for his East Coast trip.”

“Tonight?”

I shifted in my chair. “He’s been in back-to-back meetings ever since the wedding, taking on Jackson’s workload. He’s been working on it in the evenings on his own. I’m just helping him put the finishing touches on it.” He was such a good man. So responsible. A tiny shard of guilt twinged me for the incompetent temps I’d hired. All for a good cause.

Tyler was silent for a moment. “I guess Operation Prince Charming is still in progress.”

I lowered my voice. “I’m going to lay it on the table tonight.”

“Tonight?” He took a half-step back like I’d taken a swing at him, but then he gave me a weak smile. “I mean, are you actually going to lay it”—he gestured at my torso—“on the table?”

“Ew. Don’t be gross. I’m talking about feelings. You’ve heard of those, right?” Ugh, why was I being a bitch to my friend?

His jaw tightened. “Sure. Though I’m not sure he has.” He squinted at Cooper’s closed door.

He was no fan of Cooper Fallon, but I tried to make him understand. “Maybe he comes off as cold. Initially. But he has feelings, too. Passion. I think the right person could make him ease up a little. Melt a little of the ice.” I’d dreamed about it once or twice or maybe a thousand times. How that mask he wore would crack when I told him I cared. Just like the alpha billionaire in the romance novel I’d read last week, who only needed a good-hearted woman to show him what love was.

“The right person. That’s you.” His voice was flat, almost as cold as Cooper’s. “And he’s your right person.”

“Of course.” I nudged my pencil cup into place. If only Cooper could see it. Then I’d get my sparks. And true love’s kiss.

He dropped the piece of candy back into my bowl. “Afternoon, Cooper.”

I spun in my chair, whacking my knee on the leg of the table. Starbursts of pain cartwheeled across my vision. But sure enough, Cooper had come to my desk.

“What’s up, Cooper?” I rubbed my knee.

He glanced between us. “I almost forgot to give you these.” He handed me an envelope.

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