Page 63 of Dance with Me on New Year's Eve

In the coming days, we talked about the intricacies of the game more than ever, and I finally felt like we were making progress … on the game. Not between us. He showed up every night and seemed engaged. But something about him was different.

He seemed a bit more guarded. Distant but not in a rude way. If anything, overly polite.

Were we not friends anymore?

Now we were just board game design partners?

Chapter 16

After an entire week off, I returned to work and went straight to Hazel’s newly selected office. Immediately after I knocked on the partially open door, she rose from her new modern-style desk and smiled. We exchanged greetings, and she nodded when I told her I was feeling refreshed and ready for work. The truth was, I was not feeling anything like refreshed, but I was ready to bury myself in work and start feeling useful again.

When she said Jeff had taken the week off too, my eyes widened.

“Why?”

It wasunheard offor Jeff to take more than one day off, ever.

“I told him to,” Hazel said as we both sat down in folding chairs in front of her desk. The rest of the office furniture and decor were scheduled to come next week. Finally. “I think you were both under a lot of stress.”

“Yes, I was. And maybe he was too.” I nodded slowly. “Well, I guess that was a good decision.”

“Of course it was,” Hazel said with a twinkle in her eye. “As if I’d ever make a bad decision.”

I frowned. “Oh, of course not. I didn’t mean to imply—”

She laughed. “Relax, Roxy. I’m joking. Friends, remember?”

“But we’re at work, so …” I trailed off. “You know what, I’m being weird again. I’ll stop.”

“I like yourweird, Roxy.”

I felt tears well up in my eyes. I was so lucky to work for such a compassionate, lively woman—and even luckier that she was choosing to call me a friend, for some unknown reason.

I impulsively threw my arms around her for a quick hug. “I’m not a hugger, Hazel. So don’t get used to it.”

She burst into laughter and was still clutching her side when a throat cleared.

Jeff walked in, saying, “Hazel, are you—”

He stopped short when our eyes met. Something in my chest seized.

“You’re here,” he said quietly, his lids heavy over his hazel eyes.

How was I supposed to interpret that? Was he upset I was here? Was he surprised? Was he spooked by something again?

Was he glad to see me?

I almost burst into laughter at that question. Yeah, no.

“In the flesh,” Hazel said, waving an arm in my direction. “Now, what did you want to talk about?”

“Oh, I can just—” He paused, his eyes lingering on me as he spoke to Hazel. “It can wait until you’re done with Roxy.”

Why was he looking at me like that?

I wondered if I had toothpaste on my face or smeared eye makeup.

Probably both.

---