Page 9 of Pulse
“No.” I laugh. “You really think I’d have drinks with Theo?”
He shrugs.
“Althoughit’s none of your business,” I repeat, “I’m going out with my friend Morgan. We haven’t hung out in a while, so we’re meeting up after work on Friday.”
“The same Morgan who baked you the unicorn birthday cake?”
My lips part into a smile. “That’s her. Good memory.”
He shrugs again.
“She’s been working out of town,” I say. “And I’ve been dealing with my breakup from Freddy …”
I know I’ve made a mistake as soon as I say Freddy’s name.
Troy leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “What does that mean?”
“What does what mean?” I ask, knowing full well what he means.
“Dealing with your breakup?”
I groan. “It doesn’t mean anything, Troy. It was a poor choice of words.”
“You chose them.”
“And now I un-choose them.”
He rolls his head around his neck. “Cut the shit, Doll.”
“You’re my co-worker. I don’t owe you an explanation.”
He narrows his eyes. “No, you don’t. But you’re going to tell me anyway.”
I fall back into my chair and cross my arms over my chest. Troy pins me to the seat with nothing but his gaze. The intensity makes me squirm.
The last thing I want to do is discuss Freddy—with anyone. But the last person in the world I want to talk about it with is Troy.
“We broke up,” I say flatly. “Everything’s fine. It’s all good. Freddy’s just having a hard time accepting reality, and it’s been a bit of a process.”
“Define that.”
“I’d rather not.”
His jaw flexes. “Is he fucking with you?”
“No,” I say, sitting tall in a futile attempt at appearing in control. “I told you everything is fine. Now, let’s stop talking about it. You were just on my ass for having a personal conversation at work, and now here you are prodding me into having a personal conversation with you.”
“It’s different.”
“Hardly.” I make a face at him. “Have you uploaded your paperwork from last week into the system? I need to get all your invoices coded and to accounting by noon.”
He opens his mouth—I think to argue with me. To avoid that, I cut him off before he can say a word.
“I’ve scheduled your truck for maintenance tomorrow since you’re in town,” I say. “Take it to the shop in the morning. They’ll have a loaner ready for you. And I’m going to schedule your physical for Wednesday. I was trying to figure out how to get you in to see Dr. Manning, but since you’ll be here all week, I’ll get him to squeeze you in. Cool?”
“I thought my physical was good through the end of the year?”
“You thought wrong. It expires in three weeks.”
