Page 17 of The Swiping Game
7
TARA
“No way areyou smiling like that because you’re back up here.”
I finish typing my message to James and put my phone down to see Betty, the only original Fury employee left, as she comes over to my desk on the third floor. Betty has been here since the first day of the franchise and runs the main desk at the entrance. No one comes in without Betty’s approval, nor does anything happen in this building without Betty knowing about it.
I kind of want to be her when I grow up.
“Can’t a girl be excited to come to work on a Monday?”
Betty raises one of her drawn-on eyebrows at me. “Don’t bullshit a bullshitter. You’ve never been a Monday person. Especially when you’re working this floor. What gives?”
I shrug my shoulders, trying to play this nonchalant as I pretend to organize a stack of folders on my desk. “Just trying to have a more positive outlook.”
“You kids and your affirmations and positivity. I miss the good ole days when our good moods came because we got drunk at lunch.”
She’s right. The affirmation thing is a bunch of bullshit. I dreaded bypassing the second floor where Hunter’s office is located to come here this morning. As soon as I stepped off the elevator, the depression I had every day while working here hit me like a freight train. Neil isn’t even here yet, and I’m already dreading the next eight-plus hours of work ahead of me. The only thing that has been getting me through the morning is messaging James.
Since Saturday, we’ve been messaging nonstop. When I said good night to him on Saturday, I really thought that would be the end of it. What guy is going to spend two days in a row messaging a strange woman and talking about everything from movies to how we take our coffee to embarrassing childhood stories? I still can’t believe I told him about the time I threw up in front of the class during show-and-tell in first grade. The poor guy also got to hear me complain all last night about dreading coming to work today.
Not once over the past two days has the conversation gotten awkward or slowed down. In fact, I feel like I know him more after two days of talking than I knew Brad the entire time we were together.
The scariest part? I like him. I like talking to him. I smile every time his name pops up on my phone. I know it has only been two days, and I know I have no idea who this man is, but I also know that I haven’t felt this way in a long time.
James: Have a good day at work today. I bet it won’t be as bad as you think it will be. I’m on my way to my first meeting. Message you tonight?
My smile grows as I read the message.
Tara: Sounds good. Have a good day =)
“Maybe someone is in a good mood day,” Betty says. “I’d be happy on Mondays if I got some morning nookie before work.”
“Betty!” I say, clicking out of the app.
“Did you or did you not?”
“As a matter of fact, I didn’t,” I say, gathering the files I need to take into Neil’s office. If there’s one thing I remember from five years up here, it’s that he likes to have every file he could possibly need for the day on his desk before he arrives.
“Well, whoever put that grin on your face, send him my way. I haven’t smiled like that since the first Bush was president.”
“You’re crazy, you know that?” I let myself into Neil’s office, and it’s exactly like I remember it. Across his walls, he has pictures of former Fury players and other famous athletes he’s met over the years. Assorted trophies and honors he’s received are scattered on his bookshelves. The first time I came in here, I was in awe. Then he called me sweetie and yelled at me because I didn’t use the right creamer in his coffee, and the aura quickly went away.
“This isn’t permanent,” I say to myself, taking a big breath as I turn to head back to my desk. But as soon as I step out of the doorway, Betty’s laughter rings out like she just heard the world’s funniest joke.
“Oh, Dean. I wish I had a granddaughter to set you up with.”
I allow myself an eyeroll as I walk back to my desk to see Dean sitting on the corner of it like he loves to do, charming everything but the pants off of dear sweet Betty.
“Tara. Dean here brought us donuts and coffee this morning. Isn’t he just the sweetest?”
I raise a questioning eyebrow as I walk back to my desk. Of course, Dean doesn’t bother moving. He just gives me that smug, annoyingly sexy smile as he takes a bite into the glazed goodness.
“Here,” he says, handing me a large iced coffee. “This is for you.”
I reluctantly take it from him and read the sticker: Large iced coffee, extra caramel syrup, two pumps of vanilla, and extra heavy cream.
“How did you know? And even more importantly, what did you do to it?”
