Page 24 of Pulse
“Thank you,” I say.
“For what?”
I shrug, looking straight ahead at the block building. “I don’t want to sayyou carebecause God knows you’d have an aneurysm if anyone labeled you as having emotions.” I glance at him and grin. “But despite your rudeness to my friends …”
His eyes narrow, making me laugh.
“And your assumption that I’m going to text you right back … and the way you intentionally irritate the hell out of me, you carefully go beyond being my co-worker in a way that means a lot to me.” I lean toward him, then regret that move immediately. He smells divine.Why can’t he be an overbearing, decrepit, stinks-to-high-heaven ogre?“You aren’t creepy. That’s what that means.”
“Good to know.”
“Now, you’re going to buy me lunch today, or I’m going to tell everyone in the office you’re nice.”
He groans and opens his door.
“I want a good lunch, too,” I say, climbing out of the car. “There’s that little deli two streets over with the monster chocolate chip cookies that they serve warm. Do you know the one I mean?”
He holds the door to the building open for me. “I thought you wanted lunch?”
“I do.”
“Then why are we talking about cookies?”
I hit the fob and my car horn goes off once, twice, and then three times. Troy shakes his head, muttering something about overkill, and follows me inside.
“Because cookies are dessert,” I say. “And dessert is the biggest part of lunch. You can have a little before the meal as a reward for making it halfway through the day. Then you eat for sustenance. Then you finish it with another piece of dessert to get you through the rest of your day.”
“You don’t need a reward for everything in life, you know.”
“Why do people keep saying that to me?”
He stops at my office door and faces me. Flecks of gold sparkle in his eyes. “Do you want ham and provolone, lettuce, tomatoes, and pickle? Honey mustard and light mayo?”
My smile splits my cheeks. “And two cookies.”
“Of course.” He heads down the hallway. “And two cookies.”
I laugh and get to work with the promise of lunch as a motivator.
Who am I trying to kid?
Seeing Troy again is the real dessert … and,thank God, he doesn’t even know it.
Chapter Six
Dahlia
“That class just kicked my ass,” I say, smiling at the owner of the yoga studio I’ve frequented for a couple of years. “Where do you find these instructors?”
Mallory laughs. “You should see the ones Idon’thire. I’m doing you a favor.”
“That’s … scary.” I laugh, too. “I’ll see you on Friday.”
“See you then.”
I give her a little wave and then step outside onto the curb.
The warm evening air kisses my sweaty skin as I carry my mat to my car. The stunning sky shows off a vivid, beautiful spectrum of colors, reminding me of my mother. Mom always loved the setting sun. Her last request before she passed away three years ago was to open the curtains so she could watch the sunset. The universe didn’t let her down. That sunset was the most beautiful spectacle I’ve ever seen, and thinking about it brings tears to my eyes.
