Page 35 of Legends Luke

“You should come out with us tonight. We know how to have a good time,” Brad continued.

Melody heard enough. Brad was a notorious flirt, so the back and forth could go on for a while. All she wanted was coffee and the sanctuary of her office.

The female practically purred at Brad. “As long as I can have you all to myself.”

Melody stepped into the breakroom and felt her eyes bug out from the sockets. Shock rooted her to the spot, but when Brad stepped forward, leering at the woman sitting at the table, Melody shook herself out of her stupor.

“Baby, you can have—”

“Before you make the offer, Brad, you need to step off. Not only is she your boss’ daughter, but she’s only sixteen years old.”

The faces whipping around in her direction were mirror opposites. Brad looked like someone keyed his precious sportscar, while Erin Bleekley appeared smug as if she hoped this was how her interaction with Brad played out.

“Mel, are you saying…”

She rolled her eyes. Brad was one of the paralegals who believed he could do no wrong. He bragged he was bound for law school, which, to him, immediately elevated his status above the other paralegals.

“It’s Melody, and I’m saying you need to get back to work before you get on Sandra’s bad side.”

Brad’s head swiveled between Melody and Erin before he walked from the room without a word. Melody expected Erin to be angry at her, but the teenager’s expression was one of disgust as she watched Brad walk away.

“Pervert,” she spat at his retreating figure, and Melody blinked at the venom dripping from her tone.

“Weren’t you flirting with him?” The words spilled from Melody’s lips before she could stop them. She was in no mood to play into Erin’s surliness, but the teenager’s gall and her fatigue challenged her good judgment.

Erin shrugged and turned her attention to her phone. “I wanted to see how far he’d go.”

Leave it alone, Melody told herself. She walked over to the single-serve coffee pot and inserted a pod. Turning her back to the counter, she watched Erin scroll on her phone.Leave it alone.

Only she couldn’t.

“Brad can be a player sometimes, but he’s not a pervert. You should have told him you were sixteen, and he wouldn’t have flirted with you.”

Erin glanced up. “He may not have known I was sixteen, but you can’t tell me he didn’t know I was younger than him. A lot younger. He’s a pervert.”

“A pervert you flirted with and agreed to dance with.”

“I told you, I wanted to see how far he’d go. Now are you going to mind your damn business?”

Erin’s words were meant to sting, but Melody wasn’t easily affected. She waited for her mug to fill with rich coffee, biting her tongue as she should have to start with. She took a moment to breathe in the caffeinated aroma. She sipped carefully, the scalding liquid burning her tongue as it warmed a trail down her esophagus to her stomach.

Her phone chimed, the sound muffled by her pants pocket. She smiled before she pulled the cell out and looked at the screen. Lyric was in class during this time of day, so the only other person who would be texting her was Luke.

Lunch at Jed’s?

Melody smiled and then frowned, disappointment slicing through her. She’d already promised Sandra she would work through lunch to help her prepare for court tomorrow. Finding Erin at the office instead of school, Melody figured her boss needed something to go right because her daughter’s behavior obviously wasn’t.

Her fingers flew over the keyboard on her screen.Have to work through lunch. Dinner instead? I’ll cook.

Her teeth captured her bottom lip, nibbling the tender flesh while she waited for a response. The three dots in the message bubble teased her, but after a couple of minutes ticked by, she forced herself to return her phone to her pocket. She shouldn’t allow herself to be so wrapped up in a man that she put her world on hold waiting for a text.

“Does my mom know you’re sexting at work?” Erin’s tone dripped with derision.

“I’m not sexting at work.” Her phone vibrated in her pocket, and she hated how quickly she reached for it and how elated she felt to see Luke’s name on the notification.

Seven o’clock? I’ll bring dessert.

Her smile was wide enough for her cheeks to ache.See you at seven.

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