Page 73 of One Night Only
Fran rolls her eyes, waving off my sarcasm. “So… tell me all the details.”
“Oh, my god, you’re as bad as my sister,” I mutter.
“I really need to meet this sister you keep telling me about.” She smirks deviously. “Something tells me we’d be immediate besties.”
I glance down at the salad in my hands that is by now no doubt soggy and gross, which is fine since I’ve totally lost my appetite.
“Hey—” Fran’s tone shifts from mischievous to serious, and when I look up at her again, she has one eye slightly narrowed, eyebrows knitting together. “Are you okay? Did something happen?”
I glance sideways, looking out through the glass walls to the corridor, knowing that Andy is likely wondering where I am. I only get thirty-minutes for lunch, but I’ve been gone for almost forty.
“What are you doing after work?” I ask.
“Nothing.” She shakes her head. “Robbie leaves for Florida today and he’ll be gone for three nights.” She presses her lips together with a smile before saying, “But I have a feeling you already knew that.”
“Feel like going for an after-work wine?” I arch a brow.
“That depends…” She offers me a dubious look. “Are you going to tell me everything?”
I nod.
“Thenyes!” Fran practically vibrates on the spot, clapping her hands together excitedly.
I bite back my smile, rolling my eyes and, with a wave, I step around her and walk out of her office.
When I enter my office, Andy’s door is wide open and I catch a glimpse of him sitting there at his computer. Knowing I’m technically late, I shuck my coat and hang it in the closet, quickly scurrying to my desk, but before I can sit, he calls my name, and a shiver runs through me. After what happened this morning, I’m seriously on edge, and I hate it.
Placing my things down, I take a deep, fortifying breath and turn, walking to his office. I stop in the door way, smiling when he looks up at me.
“Sorry I’m late,” I say before he can speak. “The line at Chopped was out the door.” It’s not a total lie because the lunch time line at Chopped usually is out the door.
“Oh, you’re fine.” He waves a dismissive hand. “I’m not a clock watcher, Emily.”
I offer him a tight smile, still lingering in the doorway, waiting for direction.
“I just wanted to apologize for this morning,” he says, leaning back in his chair. “It wasn’t fair to put you in that position.”
“It’s okay,” I say as my mind flashes back to the way Dallas kissed me not ten minutes ago. As far as kisses go, that one, there in the parking lot, next to his Lamborghini, was possibly my best kiss yet—full of longing and yearning and promise, his grip on the back of my neck firm, holding me right where I was as his tongue plundered all I had to give. When he finally pulled away, muttering something about being late for his flight, the look in his eyes was imploring. He stared at me like he couldn’t bear to leave but knew he had to and was hoping I’ll be here when he gets back.
I swallow hard, continuing, “I understand why you had to do it.”
Andy considers me for a long moment, his gaze intense as he looks me up and down without saying a word. And, maybe I’m paranoid, but I can’t help but feel as if there’s something he wants to say, a flicker of doubt flashing in his eyes which is gone in an instant as his smile returns.
He goes back to his laptop, and I assume he doesn’t need anything more, so I turn on my heels to leave. But then he speaks. “Oh, Jenn wanted me to ask you if you’d like to join us for Shabbat on Friday.”
I spin around, but he’s not looking at me, focusing instead on whatever it is he’s tapping into his laptop.
“Oh…” I tuck my hair behind my ear, considering my response.
Andy’s gaze flits back to me, a knowing smile ghosting his lips. “Full disclosure—Simon will be there.”
Shit. I rack my brain with a possible response to decline. But I don’t want to be rude.
Andy quirks a brow. “I probably should’ve asked you thisbefore Jenn went full Cupid, but you don’t have a boyfriend… do you?”
Yes. Yes, you do, my subconscious screams at me. For the record, I don’t. Dallas and I haven’t made anything official. I mean, how can we? Our entire relationship is a secret. But I’m not an idiot. I know there’s more to whatever it is we’re doing. I don’t want to be with anyone else. And Dallas has made himself pretty damn clear that he doesn’t either. But I can’t lie to Andy about having a boyfriend. What if he told me to bring him? I’d have to think of some other lie, and then it just becomes a big tangled web I won’t be able to control.
“No.” I shake my head. “I-I don’t have boyfriend.”
